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AIBU?

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Original poster

To buy baby clothes from Ebay?

468 replies

memoo · 27/01/2009 19:37

Long story short, I'm pregnant with my 3rd, baby isn't due til sept but we are absolutly broke, struggling to pay the rent let alone buy new baby things.

So I decided to start buying a few little things each week from ebay. I've bid on some babygrows and a pramsuit, both used but look lovely and clean.

I was casually telling a work colleague about it today and she turn her nose up when I told her I was getting stuff from ebay. She said she "would never put her baby in second hand clothes" and "you don't know where they've come from" she went on to go on about how baby clothes aren't really expensive anyway etc etc

Maybe I'm being over sensitive but she made me feel really bad, as though I was getting second best for my baby but the way I look at it is that the baby won't know or care and newborns are only in stuff for 5 minutes so even second hand stuff will have lots of wear left in them.

Like I said, maybe I am being over sensitive (pregnancy hormones are raging) but she has made me feel like I'm not doing the best for my baby.

Is it really so bad to get second hand clothes for a new baby?

OP posts:
happywomble · 27/01/2009 21:32

I can slightly see where daft punk is coming from. However you can choose to buy on Ebay stuff that says it is barely worn, freshly washed, smoke free home etc. When you receive it it is easy to tell whether the clothes are in a good condition or not for ones baby..if anything looks dodgy put it in clothes recycling.

There are also risks with brand new clothes as I've heard they contain chemicals which may take several washes to come out..so I have a friend who specifically bought her baby clothes from charity shops thinking they would be better for her.

I think if anyone is worried about secondhand stuff you could have a few new sleepsuits to use at night and dress your baby in the second hand stuff by day.

daftpunk · 27/01/2009 21:33

seeker;

to tell you the truth, when i'm in asda buying my childrens clothes, i don't stand there having major debates in my head about the wrongs and rights of why they are so cheap.....and why would buying off ebay make me sleep any easier at night...those clothes could have been nicked?

n5rje · 27/01/2009 21:33

I've bought and sold baby clothes on ebay and when I sell I wash and iron them before I send them and everything I've bought has been in good condition. With so little or even no wear for some of the smallest size clothes I can't bear to throw them away and with no one to pass them onto ebay is a great way to make sure they get used as much as possible and to get back a little bit of the cost. What's the difference between wearing second hand from someone you know and someone you don't, I really don't see why its an issue - I/siblings all wore handmedowns as children and my dcs do so now (not the same ones of course).

DorisIsAPinkDragon · 27/01/2009 21:34

Fair enough pebblecat but the vanish contains a bleach agent which effectively deals with the rest.

If it was such a problem i'm pretty sure that the scbu babies wouldn't be allowed to keep a stock pile of clothes that are washed and reused....

touareg · 27/01/2009 21:35

YANBU.

There are degrees of 'second hand'. Some items on ebay have barely been worn; others are brand new and have never been worn. TBh most children's clothing is never worn enough to get tatty becausde they grow so fast. Anything stained or yucky would never be sold by a decent seller anyway.

New (ie not pre-owned) clothing is available cheaply these days but you can often get better quality if you are prepared to buy something 'second hand' which may just mean it has been sitting in a drawer for a while since the other person bought it from a shop.

Anglepoise · 27/01/2009 21:36

I don't sterilise either ... germs are good.

IamLeticiaDean · 27/01/2009 21:36

Do we need to sterilise 2nd hand baby clothes if we are not feeding them to our newborns?

pebblecat · 27/01/2009 21:36

Second hand clothes are not entirely guilt free though Seeker - just because they are second hand doesn't wipe out the fact they were produced by children in sweatshops? Or does it?

"Guilt free" can only really mean truly ethically sourced clothing, not just second hand. If someone cares so much about who and where the clothing was produced it's not enought to trumpet on about it being second hand and thinking that's ethical enough.

leya · 27/01/2009 21:38

Daftpunk; I'm not sure about the price's either, i'm just about to have a look. But I think as long as they are a positive feedback seller, and in clean condition,and they are cheap enough, go for it! Plus if you pay by paypal you'r covered if the item's not as described.I am certainly going to be looking now, and i'm not looking from my finances point of view.

daftpunk · 27/01/2009 21:39

answer that one seeker!

cali · 27/01/2009 21:39

Population at risk of infections = newborn babies(amongst others), especially sick neonates in NNU's.

Neonatal Units have babies wearing clothes that many many babies have previously worn, when they are well enough to wear clothes.

Bed linen in Neonatal Units is generally washed on the unit and consists of sheets made to fit incubators and "duvets" or "nests" that the babies lie in or on.

These babies are very vulnerable to infection but washed properly, reusing bed linen or clothes poses no risk at all.

treacletart · 27/01/2009 21:39

daftpunk I'm genuinely curious, why do you think new is better? Is it really because you're scared of strangers' germs?

RobertPattinsonComeToMomma · 27/01/2009 21:41

Well, I am "the type of mother" who would buy second hand clothes from ebay and I'm glad I am! I am also what most people would describe as "middle class" and could afford to buy everything new if I wanted to but I am very aware of the environment and would actually feel it is socially irresponsible to buy everything new for a baby; it keeps sweatshops in business, means that a lot of clothes will end up in landfill and is very wasteful. Particularly for a baby who doesn't know or care what he is dressed in!

DorisIsAPinkDragon · 27/01/2009 21:41

not guilt free no -but by reusing reduces the demand and therefore lessens the supply, reducing the number of workers required, and as people have said by buying second hand many people can afford better" brands which a more ethical company policy.

pebblecat · 27/01/2009 21:41

Anglepoise - certain germs are ok. Certain germs are not. I haven't got X-Ray specs to tell which ones are where therefore I try to minimise any unnecessary risks where I can, personally.

IamLeticiaDean - no, not at all - each individual can do what they want with their newborns (within obvious boundaries). Each to their own.

georgimama · 27/01/2009 21:44

Not only do I occasionally buy clothes from ebay both for DS and myself, but I even used terry nappies that my mum used on my 2 brothers and me! 35 year old terry squares - softest thing ever!

daftpunk · 27/01/2009 21:44

treacletart;

it's partly that..(i am a hygene freak!)...but it's more than that, it's just my beautiful new born babies are amazing and special and why the bloody hell would i want someone else's clothes on them...yuck!

and as i've said...new clothes are not expensive.

DorisIsAPinkDragon · 27/01/2009 21:47

But daft punk for some people they are expensive, when you can get 7 gro's for a couple of quid etc at a carboot sale. IMHO there are more important things to spend the money on

seeker · 27/01/2009 21:47

They are not expensive if you don't mind them being made in sweatshops!

georgimama · 27/01/2009 21:48

Obviously daftpunk no one else's newborn child is amazing or special

My best friend lent me all her daughter's newborn clothes for DS. It didn't occur to me that her daughter's clothes might be diseased, or that this meant my son wasn't very special. I was just grateful. But then as I posted above, I am the woman who put a 2 day old baby in a 35 year old nappy.

ilovetochat · 27/01/2009 21:48

i would feel guilty buying my dd 2nd hand stuff and buying myself new stuff. if i couldn't afford something i would buy it 2nd hand but preferably off someone i knew so i knew they didn't smoke or have pets.
i think it's because my dp was dressed in 2nd hand stuff till he was old enough to buy his own and hated it, especially when his parents spent money on other stuff instead.
BUT i live and let live and judge no-one for what they wear.

weblette · 27/01/2009 21:48

So what do you do with all your newborn clothes once they've worn them for the very small time they'll actually fir into them then daftpunk? Just curious.

pebblecat · 27/01/2009 21:48

In principle RPCTM, I agree with you - it's just that when it comes to buying items for newborns that you have no idea what kind of environment they have been in before I am not keen.

I have plenty of secondhand things myself and have no problem with second hand for toddlers and upwards. It's just secondhand for newborns (from an unknown source, not a friend or family member) that I am not entirely comfortable with.

EachPeachPearMum · 27/01/2009 21:48

The clothes may not be expensive, but they come at a cost. Many have been made by another child.

weblette · 27/01/2009 21:49

fit not fir doh!