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Original poster

Reusing baby clothes?

27 replies

ComeOnEileen11 · 09/07/2020 15:42

Was going to post this in AIBU but I am pretty sure I'm not BU.

I have a toddler son and a newborn daughter. Most of the clothes we brought for son are in neutral colours, some sleep suits and vests are blue.

I've reused all of sons old sleep suits and vests for daughter so far. They're in perfect condition as babies grow so fast. I'd even use them for another baby or sell them, they're in such decent condition!

I did still buy daughter a few bits of her own of course.

I've had a snarky comment made about the amount of clothes I've reused Hmm she's not been in anything that has "I'm a boy!" written on it Confused.

Surely everyone reuses clothes between their own children? Am I being cheap? I'm quite a frugal person in general so sometimes I do need keeping in check as we're comfortable within reason, but I like to plan ahead for paying off our mortgage and early retirement. Other people I know recycle clothes. I see it as saving the money for when we'll need it when they're older!

Having sorted through the next size up, I've taken out the more obviously 'boy' outfits but shall certainly be reusing everything else!

Am I being too cheap? Confused

OP posts:
Choice4567 · 09/07/2020 15:47

No that sounds perfectly normal and reasonable. Crack on and ignore anyone moaning. Nothing to do with them

Anoisagusaris · 09/07/2020 15:48

Perfectly normal.

converseandjeans · 09/07/2020 15:51

It's fine. I wish they would just make more gender neutral kids clothes. No need for everything from vests to bibs to be girls or boys. You can't seem to buy much now that's neutral.

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Baby & toddler products Clothing
AIMD · 09/07/2020 15:51

No not unreasonable. It is unreasonable for someone to comment when it’s not their business.

People have different views on this sort of thing but no one needs to comment on others way of doing things.

FoxtrotSkarloey · 09/07/2020 15:52

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ.

LookAtTheCahhOlivahhhhh · 09/07/2020 15:54

Absolutely, I bought lots of "gender neutral" things for my DD in case the next one was a boy. My DM and MIL hated it and kept buying pink.
I had a girl anyway, so I suppose I was able to reuse everything without comment from older family members.
It's good for the environment and some things went through both children and onto my friend's baby, still in perfect condition so go ahead. It's lovely when they share too.

vanillandhoney · 09/07/2020 15:54

It's totally fine.

Congratulations btw Flowers

RainbowFlowers · 09/07/2020 15:56

I do the same and there's 3.5 years between them so it means I have a lot of clothes sitting waiting but its so worth it. Why waste them? And I hate clothes shopping.

gmailconfusion2 · 09/07/2020 15:57

I have a 2week old daughter, a few friends have given me boy clothes. Went out today and six people congratulated me on my beautiful boy. I just didn't both correcting them. She doesn't care, I don't care so why does it matter

Immigrantsong · 09/07/2020 15:57

OP I had a DD first and a DS after. I dressed him in some pretty girly things. Babies don't care.

1300cakes · 09/07/2020 15:58

Of course it's completely normal, there are threads on here recently where people have fallen out over who gets third hand baby clothes. How would someone even know what your ds wore? Did they see him daily and catalogue each item?

Billyjoearmstrong · 09/07/2020 16:01

I’m having my 3rd and I’ve had to buy nothing for this baby - she’s got enough clothes from Ds and Dd (Ds is almost 18, I’m a bit of a sentimental hoarder 😂).

Dd wore Ds old clothes too. They only get puked on in the first year anyway!

Most of those clothes came second hand from eBay anyway, I’d never spend more than that on baby clothes as it seems a waste of money to me.

bloodywhitecat · 09/07/2020 16:02

My children are girl/boy but yes, my son wore sleepsuits and vests with some pink on them as I couldn't see the point in buying new when I had perfectly wearable items already.

Original poster
ComeOnEileen11 · 09/07/2020 16:13

@1300cakes it was someone close enough to have seen him on a very regular basis. Also with a good memory.

OP posts:
BringPizza · 09/07/2020 16:18

I had a boy then a girl and reused stuff, why wouldn't you?

Shufflebumnessie · 09/07/2020 16:42

I had a boy and then a girl. DD spent the first 2 years of her life mostly wearing her brother's baby clothes. She then decided she liked dresses!

Minai · 09/07/2020 17:11

Definitely fine. I have 2 boys but the only things I’ve ever bought for ds2 are seasonal things like coats or summer rompers as my 2 are opposite seasons. Soon to be ttc dc3 and if it’s a girl I will definitely reuse most of the clothing. Such a waste of money not to especially when the clothes are still in great condition and I’d rather spend it on days out and holidays than new baby clothes that aren’t needed.

ToriaPumpkin · 09/07/2020 17:23

My cousin was the first boy in our generation (he was 5th out of 6) and so he got everything handed down, including 20 or so pink babygros that had been through at least two of us older girls. He survived!

My own kids' Godparents each have two kids. It goes my DS, boy/girl twins, boy, my DD, girl. So we have quite a system set up whereby my DS's stuff goes to the boy twin, then the other boy and the girl twin's stuff comes to my DD and then the other girl.

waitingforthestan · 09/07/2020 17:25

Op I reused clothes from my eldest dc and the gap is 13 years plus my Nan regularly buy ds girls clothes because she likes them.

I'm not talking dresses but cardigans and leggings.

If others want to waste money on a lo who doesn't care what they wear then let them.

Also the memories are the best part, to think my big teen was once small enough to wear a baby suit that lo is in really is special.

2155User · 09/07/2020 17:31

My son sometimes wear my old clothes, and I'm a woman!

It sounds very sensible what you're doing

BogRollBOGOF · 09/07/2020 17:37

I bought a lot of neutral for DS1 as I like it and it had a better potential for reuse. I happened to have DS2 rather than a DD, but even if I had had a girl, I would have reused a lot of it anyway.

The whole gender crap is just commercialisation for the sake of flogging more stuff to secind time mums.

NearlyGranny · 09/07/2020 17:41

Just tell the commenter, in all seriousness, that though DD was 'assigned female' at birth, you're deliberately making space for her to discover her inner conviction about gender and wearing different styles and colours will help her find which one of the 98 genders is right for her. Unless she discovers a 99th of course. Explain you're raising a 'theyby' not a baby (ignore that both are gender-neutral!)

He will react either with stunned silence or make a point never to see you again, so it's a win either way.

Or you could just tell him fast fashion is destroying the planet and it would be wrong to encourage more clothing to be made by buying new when there are perfectly good existing clothes in the house already. Which has the merit of bring 100% true. 😉

Or answer a question with a question and get him to explain why one babygro is for bits and another for girls and why he thinks it even matters.

june2007 · 09/07/2020 17:44

There problem not yours ignore and move on.

Equimum · 09/07/2020 17:48

Absolutely normal. We bought lots of gender neutral for our eldest, and both our children have worn a lot of the same clothes

Sixtonskip · 09/07/2020 17:54

My 8 month old DS is currently wearing a top and jeans that came from his older cousin, and a vest passed on by a friend. Probably about 50% if his wardrobe from birth has been hand me downs. I think it's perfectly normal. I have a friend who's DC has only ever been in brand new clothes and she has turned down offers of used clothes from people because she doesn't really like the idea. Each to their own but I don't think it justifies any snarky comments.