Buying secondhand baby gear: what's fine and what to skip

Hand-me-downs save money and waste. Most used items are fine, but a few need extra care, and a few are best bought new.

Usually fine secondhand

• Clothing, swaddles and sleep sacks, if in good condition with secure snaps and zippers. Avoid drawstrings at the hood or neck.
• Books and many toys, checked for loose parts, peeling paint and small pieces.
• Bouncers, play mats and baby gyms, checked for recalls and missing parts.
• Strollers, checked for recalls, working brakes and a complete harness.

Check carefully

• Cribs and bassinets. Cribs made before current federal standards took effect in 2011, including drop-side cribs, shouldn't be used. Check for missing or loose hardware, slats more than 2 3/8 inches apart (about the width of a soda can), and corner posts sticking up. Use a new, snug-fitting mattress.
• High chairs and play yards. Check for recalls, a working harness and stable legs.
• Baby gates. Avoid older accordion-style gates with large V-shaped openings that can trap a child's head.

Best bought new

• Car seats, unless it comes from someone you trust who can tell you its full history. A car seat that has been in a crash, is past its expiration date, has missing parts or labels, or has been recalled should not be used.
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• Crib mattresses, for fit and hygiene.
• Breast pumps, unless the model is designed for multiple users.

Skip entirely

• Crib bumpers and inclined sleepers. The Safe Sleep for Babies Act made them illegal to manufacture or sell in the United States starting in 2022.
• Sleep positioners and wedges, which the AAP and CPSC warn against.

How to check any used item

• Find the brand, model and manufacture date.
• Search CPSC.gov/Recalls (or NHTSA for car seats).
• Look for the original manual, or download it from the manufacturer.
• Check for cracks, sharp edges, loose parts and missing hardware.
• Register it in your name if the manufacturer allows.