Would you buy a crib (not a mattress) off of Craigslist for "baby-sitter use"?
My SIL watches DS approximately 3 times a week at her house, and he stays overnight at her house about 7-10 days/month (I travel for work and DH stays there for some assistance with the baby). DS is 6 mos. SIL wants a crib for her house, as opposed to the pack and play currently in use, for a variety of reasons. She found a few near us on Craigslist and asked us to look at them. I told my DH that I'd prefer to buy new - thinking safety, missing parts, who knows how old, etc. DH didn't talk to SIL. The ones on Craigslist are nice, etc.
SIL asked me about it this AM, and gave me the "you're being crazy but I'll just go along with it" look as I explained that I'd rather buy a new one for her house than buy a used one off of Craigslist but obviously, will let me do as I will. She's great, we have a great relationship and all of that.
I don't have issues with buying other used things off of Craigslist, just not crib/car-seat.
So.
Am I being irrational? Should I just buy the crib off of Craigslist and a new mattress? WWYD?
Post by WillabyWallabyWu on May 26, 2015 8:48:48 GMT -5
We got our crib secondhand. As long as it has all the original parts and meets all current safety recommendations, I don't see why not to buy one secondhand.
I would buy a used crib. We're done with ours and it's still in great shape and hope someone wants it. As long as it meets current safety standards, i would buy it.
Eta: buy a new mattress though. I would not take a secondhand mattress unless it was from family or friends.
No. I buy a lot of used items like books, toys, clothes, and baby gear. But cribs and car seats I don't buy used. Especially when you can get a new crib from ikea or amazon etc for $100 to $150.
I got DD's Ikea crib used off of a fb buy/sell group for 30 dollars, it was 1,5 years old and practically mint condition. Wiped it down with disinfectant wipes, put in a new mattress and bam, done. I have no issue with crib - but I'd look for a model that you know, and you/DH should check it out first. I figure that DD naps in "used cribs" at daycare all the time, and the actual crib part is not really something that bothers me to get used.
If the crib met safety standards and seemed to me in pretty decent shape, I would absolutely have done used for "babysitter use". No question. But I'm incredibly cheap, so...
I have bought quite a bit of DD's baby stuff used off of Craigslist or FB swap sites. The only things I won't buy used are car seats (oh, and also the used NoseFrida someone was trying to unload on a FB swap the other day. Blech!). As long as the item meets current safety standards and can be either machine washed, sterilized or wiped down and cleaned I have no problem with it.
Post by polarbearfans on May 26, 2015 9:24:29 GMT -5
I would just get a cheaper new crib. IKEA! We splurged out for our crib that will transition to a toddler then a full size bed that the kid will have forever, but for a babysitter crib I would just get a safe basic model. I wouldn't have a problem buying from someone I knew, but I would be uneasy buying from a stranger.
Post by badtzmaru22 on May 26, 2015 9:34:16 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure with kid #1 I would have just wanted to buy another new one, and with kid #2 I wouldn't have cared as long as it wasn't recalled or obviously in poor condition.
Not a mattress but a crib. My FB swap site and CL are actually full of really nice good condition baby cribs and gear in general. That's the one thing it's good for. Just check all the parts are there it meets safety standards etc. It's also fairly easy to check the manufacturer on how it should be.
My MIL has a CL crib my SIL brought for weekend/visit use and it's actually better than my crib I bought brand new.
Well it doesn't really matter if I would buy a used crib (maybe because the idea of taking one apart and putting it back together sounds more annoying to me than the money I would save and I wouldn't want to buy one already taken apart because I wouldn't see if it was in good condition). If you don't want to buy one that's a totally valid decision on your part. People on craigslist are also WAY unrealistic about what their old shit is worth and sometimes it's not worth the hassle.
If someone was offering me one for free that wasn't drop side I'd use it. I don't know if I'd go to craigslist just because a new one can be had for like $60 so how much would would you really be saving. I don't know if it would be worth going through craigslist etc.
Post by thebreakfastclub on May 26, 2015 10:58:05 GMT -5
My son wanted nothing to do with a PnP once he hit 6 months. I would buy a used crib in this situation, if it was safe and I had an easy way to get it there.
No. I buy a lot of used items like books, toys, clothes, and baby gear. But cribs and car seats I don't buy used. Especially when you can get a new crib from ikea or amazon etc for $100 to $150.
I would not buy one from Craigslist. Why does she have a problem with the PNP?
This is my question too. DD still sleeps in a PnP at my parents' house 2-3 days a week and has for a couple overnights and she's over 2.
She feels like she'll have an easier time putting DS in a crib (physically ) than a PNP when he is ready for the mattress level to be dropped. The crib, even with the mattress dropped, will be higher Than the PNP. That's the big reason. I assume a mattress would also be more comfy than the PNP (special snowflake). There's also enough babies in the family where having a crib and PNP will be advantageous In terms of extra places to sleep.
Those are the big discussion points Around this topic.
Thanks for all of your comments! Not quite so cut and dry!