So, you’re about to welcome another baby into your family! We’re pretty sure you’re hoping to reuse as much baby gear as humanly possible. Who knew something so tiny could be so expensive? You’re probably wondering, what can you reuse for a second baby? The great news is that lots can be used again safely for your next (hurray!) Prams, baby furniture, clothes and toys are all on the hand-me-downs list as long as they’re in good working order! Unfortunately, there are a few items that need to be replaced for each child. Don’t worry, if you’re wondering what to buy for a second baby, we’ve done the hard work for you.
Below are the things you CAN’T re-use and must replace for each child. This is also a good rule of thumb when wondering what you can buy second hand for any baby.
Here’s what to buy for a second baby:
- A new mattress
On the face of it, it might not seem like a big deal to reuse a mattress from your previous child’s cot, moses basket or to accept a pre-loved one from a friend. Unfortunately you need to buy a new mattress for each child. Current guidance suggests that the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) increases when using second hand mattresses. That advice applies whether you’re using one from within your own family or if it’s come from outside your household. We’re sure you’d agree that when it comes to SIDS being safe is better than sorry, so pop a line in the budget for a new mattress. Read our tips for saving for your maternity leave here.
- A new car seat
Before you run screaming in horror (we get it, car seats are expensive!) there’s a caveat here. Car seats that have come from within your own household so you know they have definitely never been involved in an accident are fine to reuse for a second baby. Phew!
If you do need to get a new car seat, either because it’s still being used by your older child (mums of two under two, we see – and salute- you!), or because it has been in an accident, this is one item that you really should buy brand new.
Knowingly using a pre-owned car seat (even if you trust the person kindly giving it to you) can even void your car insurance. It’s not worth the risk. It’s also worth bearing in mind that technology and safety standards are advancing all the time. So if your existing seat is old, you can probably find safer ones for your newest little one on the market.
- Replace your bottle teats
If you’re planning to bottle feed, whether formula or expressed, and have leftover bottles in the cupboard then you do need to buy new teats. Assuming they’re in good condition, the bottles themselves are fine to reuse for a second baby but teats aren’t designed to be long lasting and can break down or split over time (even if they look fine) so can pose a safety risk.
- Buy new dummies
If you’d like to use dummies, unfortunately these are something you can’t reuse for a second baby. For the same reason as bottle teats, the delicate silicone can deteriorate over time.
- For later down the line, be picky when reusing shoes!
Perhaps a surprising one, current guidance recommends that shoes shouldn’t be worn by more than one child because they’ll have ‘moulded’ to the first child’s feet. Now, we love a healthy dose of common sense here at Motherhood Edit, so we’d recommend assessing each individual pair before throwing them away. You’ll know how worn they are and whether they’ve got life left to reuse for a second child. Perhaps you had a summer baby who was barefoot a lot or a fast grower…or maybe they were a firm favourite and have jumped in endless muddy puddles so might need buying new.
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