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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To bring baby home from hospital in second hand clothes?

78 replies

Acunningruse · 17/08/2016 12:51

DC2 is due in 3 weeks and we have been given some absolutely beautiful clothes from a friends sister. Its outfits from Next and Jasper Conran which we would never be able to afford.
WIBU to use these for newborn DD as her first outfits? I know it shouldn't matter at all it just feels a little bit funny when DS haf all brand new clothes as he was the first.

OP posts:

ThatsMyStapler · 17/08/2016 13:16

I would never buy second hand clothes from a stranger for my kids. I can't see any problem about them wearing hand me down from their siblings, cousins or friends however.

Why?

NicknameUsed · 17/08/2016 13:21

"I wouldnt put my child in secondhand clothes though. Personal preference."

What, never? Do you have more than one child? Do you buy brand new clothes for subsequent children? Do you give pass on the clothes your children have outgrown?

MunchCrunch01 · 17/08/2016 13:24

dc2 has had a lot of gorgeous clothes I saved from dc1. And I'm now saving them for my (if I'm lucky) dgc. I don't believe I would even think of them as second hand vs lovely things I chose to keep because I loved them so much. You love the clothes, that's all that matters.

Nectarines · 17/08/2016 13:24

Babies wear things so few times. We've had gorgeous hand me downs which are like brand new and it makes no difference to the baby as long as they are warm and comfortable.

WorraLiberty · 17/08/2016 13:27

YANBU

You'll really quickly get to a point in your life anyway, where you'll look at photos and have no idea who bought what or what was secondhand.

I struggle to look at my kid's photos and remember who's who

LaurieMarlow · 17/08/2016 13:29

I honestly cannot imagine why anyone would think this is a problem. My mind boggles on this site sometimes.

OhFuds · 17/08/2016 13:33

My DD came home in a hospital baby gown, she was sick on the baby gro I had packed and DH forgot to pick up the bag which had extra clothes in it. She's nearly 3 now and I've never given it a thought of what she wore home.

WizardOfToss · 17/08/2016 13:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

diddl · 17/08/2016 13:37

PFB was prem & still borrowing stuff from the hospital!

cherryplumbanana · 17/08/2016 13:38

ThatsMyStapler

because I don't like the idea. I've never worn second hand clothes in my life, apart from the odd ski suit, I am not going to start buying them for my kids.

Someone has to buy the clothes new at some point for others to buy them second hand later!

microscope · 17/08/2016 13:39

Amazing that some people are bothered by this. I am lucky enough to have a friend whose youngest child is about a year or so older than my oldest and so rarely buy any clothes for my children! second hand is fine. I personally don't wash them because I know she has washed them before putting them in a bag for me.

I would never buy second hand clothes from a stranger for my kids
each to their own. I'd rather overpay the mortgage than waste it on brand new clothes that will only be worn for a few months.

Unicornsarelovely · 17/08/2016 13:44

Both mine had some lovely second hand clothes from Ebay to leave hospital in. It was brilliant I had them as not only were they lovely, both DC were very teeny and were completely swamped by the 0-3 month babygros my mum had thoughtfully provided. French newborn size was just about perfect and very very cute.

Frazzled2207 · 17/08/2016 13:45

I too struggle to see what's wrong with 2nd hand clothes. Yeah my kids have had a few new things but also a lot of stuff passed on. As they grow out of them I'm now passing their stuff on.
They grow so quickly it's daft to spend loads of money on stuff they'll only wear 2/3 times.
My opinion anyway.

MyBreadIsEggy · 17/08/2016 13:45

Doesn't matter in the slightest as long as the clothes are clean and weather appropriate!
I was such a snob when I had Dd....everything was brand new, and half of it never got worn.
This time (expecting DS in Nov) I've only bought 2 packs of new vests (one long and one short sleeved), about 10 new babygros and a couple of new hats....other than that, every single item of clothing I have for him has been given to us by friends who've all had baby boys in the last year! I'm quite impressed at my frugalness this time!

cherryplumbanana · 17/08/2016 13:51

You do realise that new clothes don't have to mean expensive designer wear? I don't think I've spent more than £150 on clothes for the entire first year of my first born, wouldn't have helped my mortgage much.

I've never said I did not accept gifts or hand me down from friends or family. Who cares what other people do as long as the kids are happy.

toofarfromcivilisation · 17/08/2016 13:56

I have 2 sons, 26 & nearly 21. I have laughed & laughed at this thread! Wait until they are teenagers and stealing each other's rank sports socks! They know then & they still don't care!
Would like to point out that I have a lovely clean house & our laundry is perfect! However the man child is a different animal & I stopped doing any laundry for either of them once they left school uniform. Thought they would be horrified at wearing second hand clothes but no....pants or socks clean out of the washing seem fair game.

Scabz · 17/08/2016 13:59

I bought a lovely little outfit to grind my SD home in. Then discovered I was a bit nervous of dressing her so opted for a pink babygro that I had acquired at a jumble sale....

Scabz · 17/08/2016 14:00

Bring my dd... new phone

SharonfromEON · 17/08/2016 14:00

I can't remember what my DS (9) came home in.. never mind if it was new or not.

I would think whoever gave you clothes would be chuffed to see baby wearing them.

Top tip : Please stop worrying about what everyone else thinks..Every decision you make someone will disagree with and someone will agree with..Do what is right for you.

I do remember someone gave me some tiny baby stuff which he wore in hosp as they fitted him better.

IloveBabyBubbles · 17/08/2016 14:07

DS (2 months) is giving the baby clothes a 4th outing (after DD and cousins) but I did buy one new 'first outfit' for him.

skankingpiglet · 17/08/2016 14:08

YANBU for using second hand and I doubt anybody will even notice. I buy a good deal of 2.2yo DD1's clothes second hand even now and the rest ahead of time in the sales. I buy good brands that have been barely worn, and they (well the baby stuff, her toddler clothes are getting wrecked by the time she grows out of them) have lasted well enough to be used for DD2. If I'm honest I did feel bad that DD2 was going to get nothing new other than a Moses basket mattress and a cuddle toy, so I did get her a couple of new sleepsuits for the hospital/coming home...
DD2 has just grown out of 'newborn', and despite being worn by both DCs they are in good enough nick to sell on. The baby-sized clothes get so little wear they can do a number of children before they are consigned to the bin, you'd be crazy to write off second hand!

YABU to dress your poor, possibly only hours old, newborn in an 'outfit' rather than a grow though. They look so uncomfortable in them!

OjosCansados · 17/08/2016 14:13

At times this site serves well to remind me what first world problems are...

peggyspagetty · 17/08/2016 14:17

Who wouldn't think this is fine?! They're clothes - they've been washed - can't even think what the problem could be.

Dc3 gets so many hand me downs from her sister and a friend - I never have to buy her anything!

altiara · 17/08/2016 14:18

I'd second the babygro rather than an 'outfit' and YANBU to use second hand clothes. I didn't have a leaving hospital outfit as far as I remember. I do remember MIL knitted DD a pink hat and cardi. And DS- no idea!

Artandco · 17/08/2016 14:19

Cherry - if you managed to buy an entire years worth of baby clothes in all sizes, all new, for £150, then I'm afraid that they are all from places with child labour production and paying those who make them terrible income.
That is ethically wrong imo. I would much rather something well made, and those who produced it were paid well and material ethical sourced. If thats second hand then even better as the same thing hasn't had to be made multiple times and thrown.

Mine had a mixture of new and second hand first baby ( not much second hand as little around here), but then second baby had everything passed down and then onto family after

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