...to think DS2 deserves better than a 15-year-old cot

[BEAUTlFUL]

Current "discussion" in Beautifulville: I think our 4-month-old DS2 deserves better than the secondhand cot we had for DS1, 5 years ago. It was already 10 years old then.

It's fine, basically. It has lived in two lofts, but I wiped it down with Dettol spray and DH has fixed it together. It's plastic-coated wood, so DH says I'm wrong to think it's "mouldering under the weight of a million germs".

We tried to put DS2 in it tonight (in his Moses basket, inside the cot) but his nose snuffled up and he got upset. I think he could smell the Dettol spray, or the sawdust from the extra holes DH had to cut to fit new bolts on the cot.

A new one is £70 from Ikea. Am I wrong to want him to have a new cot? Or is DH right to think we should do our bit to save the Rainforests by not buying new? (He has social conscience.)

Over to you!

DS's crib has been going for 3 generations so far - new mattress and you'll be fine .

H&G visit you often, then Flllight? I'm more of a World of Interiors gal meself

Oh they were Larst here in 2006...I featured in the Summer Bunting issue.

My clothes pegs were hand painted by our local Romany element. They kicked up an awful fuss when I paid them in goose eggs and freshly potted marmalade. Ungrateful bunch.

We got our cot for our DS out of Ikea for £29!!! You can get a cot cheaper than £70.
YANBU to want a new cot for your son.

Message withdrawn

on second thoughts you could buy him a nice brand new bed which your dh can't argue that he will need and put him straight in that with a bed guard. we were going to do this with ds but on getting the bed out of the loft that we had been given it wouldn't fit in the room.

Your DC does not know the difference between a new and an old cot and wont mind either way. YOU, however seem to do. I am sure he would be happy to know that he slept soundly without making any additional carbon imprint

My ds2 (3 years old) sleeps in the same cotbed that my 49 year old sister slept in, and that I slept in, and my cousin, and my niece slept in. The cot is actually over 50 years old (beat that with your measly 15). And it is not particularly nice. But it makes do. For now. He will soon progress into my older sons junior bed, when he moves into the single bed I used as a teen.

recycle no need for constant new stuff No wonder this country is in a state we are all brainwashed It is sweet to share

Our cot for DS was 10 years old when we were given it from my Brother,and all 4 of his children had used it.This was in 1996....

In 2004 my DD1 slept in it,and finally gave it up for DD2 in 2006,she still in it now!

So that makes it 22 years old now,and has had 7 occupants!

I hasten to add its made of solid wood,and has been rubbed down and repainted bright shining white, at least 4 times over the years.

After DD2, I suspect my brother will put it in the loft, for future DGC.....!!

I think we've all had our moneys worth,and my Parents,have seen their "present" keep giving and giving!!!

My kids slept in my old cot which must have made it... ooh 30 plus years old. DH put in extra bars to meet Health and Safety regs, it was repainted and was fine.
FGS - do you really think this is going make a lasting impression on your child?? Honestly!!

I think you want the new cot and you're reading your baby's 'reactions' when you put him down to satisfy your own desire for somethng new and shiny.

If you can afford it then get one, but you're getting it for you not him I suspect.

Actually I have just remembered something...

although the brand new cot never did really get used, and is still in bits in the bedroom, we DID have the most fantastic, 1920s? or victorian? Folding cot, with original castors and paint in the kitchen for the first 6 months of his life.

It was bloody fantastic. Every time I had to do something, and could only put him down for maybe 30 seconds while I washed my hands or got ds1 some milk etc, I had a cot to hand. Granted it is a big kitchen, and once he could sit up I had to remove it because he'd have fallen out (side was too high to raise, he couldn't have seen us!) but up till them it really was a total godsend.

That cost me £15 from our local recycling warehouse. I don't think I even bothered to clean it but saying that he didn't get big enough to lick it

YABU. There is absolutely nothing wrong with hand-me-downs. Why waste the money when you have a perfectly good cot already?

Our builder was telling me how he revamped his own childhood cot for his own kids (taking off the white lead paint, I believe). I think it's being kept for the grandchildren now. DS has a secondhand cot, though I believe my mum bought it somewhere.

Blimey my dds slept in a crib that was about 100 yrs old and v. creaky. didn't want to upset MIL though.

Do I win the oldest crib comp? My grandfather slept in the one we'll use for DC1, died probably 15+ years ago and lived into his nineties (so I'm pretty sure it's not cursed ).

Mum and Dad still have the cot that my brother and i slept in. It has just been spruced up and made ready for the imminent arrival of DB's first DD.

As to buying a new cot, as Aitch said, it is more likely that a new cot has been treated with chemicals.

I have a third hand cot for my DCs, I think it was used by 5 children before we bought it and now it is being used by my DC3!

It too has had holes drilled in it although that is where we had to bolt wood to the sides to make them higher for DS2 (the amazing spider-baby) but looks fine and does the job!

I don't think you are being unreasonable to want a new cot but your little DS won't care and just think of what else you could do with the £70...

I'm so thrilled with all these rsponses, thank you. You have soothed me so much. I haven't bought a new cot, and won't now, after reading all these.

Hmmmm, yabu!

I used a cot my landlady lent me, which she had slept in herself as a baby! I checked the basics (like width of bars, so head wouldn´t be able to get stuck).

I could have afforded a new one, but to me it is nice to use old stuff. I gave away my own baby things, and like to know othe r people are happy with it.

It seems so wasteful to buy everything new! Such blatant consumerism...

Used stuff can come with a bit of dust, but loads of good vibes iykwim!