A used crib mattress could be safe, depending on how it was used and cared for. Setting up a nursery can set you back a few dollars, so when a friend offers you a free crib mattress -- or you see one out on the side of the street with a "free" sign on it -- you might be tempted. The trouble with a used mattress is that you don't know how it was cared for or if it meets today's safety standards. If you used the mattress yourself for a previous baby, using it again may be safe, as long as you cared for it properly. Firmness Crib mattresses made today provide a firm sleeping surface. As an adult, the mattress might seem too firm to you. But a baby needs a firm surface not only for support but to reduce the risk of smothering. When a mattress is too soft, loses its shape or develops soft spots, the mattress could conform to a baby's face if he rolls over with his face in the mattress, blocking air flow and smothering him. An older mattress might be too soft to use today, either because it was made that way or because it was stored improperly, with heavier items on top of it, weakening it in spots.
Fit A new crib mattress must measure at least 27 1/4 inches by 51 5/8 inches, according to Consumer Reports. Older crib mattresses made smaller might leave a gap between the crib sides and mattresses that could entrap and possibly smother a baby. If you can fit two fingers between the crib side and mattresses, it doesn't fit tightly enough and could pose a risk to your baby. Between January 1, 1997, and July 15, 2002, nine infants, all under age 1 year, died in crib accidents involving improperly-sized mattresses, the U.S. Consumer Safety Product Commission reported. Contaminant Growth Diapers leak and urine and feces can seep into a mattress, leaving not only stains but also the possibility of bacterial contamination, which could make a baby ill or possibly contribute to sudden infant death syndrome, although this has not been conclusively proven. In addition, many parents don't have room to leave an unused crib mattress in the house and store it instead in the garage or basement. Both environments can be damp at times, and mold and mildew can grow on or inside a crib mattress, increasing the risk of allergy or respiratory symptoms for a baby.
A crib mattress stored in a dry area is safer to reuse. Studies Several British researchers have proposed theories linking previously used crib mattresses with an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. A Scottish study conducted by researchers from the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and published in the November 2002 "BMJ" found a correlation between SIDS death and sleeping on previously used mattresses, especially those that came from someone else's home. However, researchers cautioned that cause and effect weren't conclusively established with this study and offered no explanation for why the connection might exist. References Consumer Reports: Crib Mattress Buying GuideBMJ: Used Infant Mattresses and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in Scotland: Case-Control StudyJournal of Applied Microbiology: Used Cot Mattresses as Potential reservoirs ofBacterial Infection: Nutrient Availability Within Polyurethane FoamConsumer Products Safety Commission: Hazard Analysis: Crib-Related Deaths Photo Credits Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Babies can be a wonderful but . Many parents, especially in recent years, have opted to buy their baby’s items used, which is great (you can save a ton of money this way). Newer items for babies can be priced extremely high. While wanting to buy used items is completely understandable, there are a few items that you shouldn’t buy secondhand. Baby cribs can be incredibly expensive, but it’s a well-known fact that you should not buy them used. Many used cribs are models that have been recalled in recent years as the cribs were deemed unsafe. This is especially true if you’re thinking of using a crib that’s over ten years old. Many of those cribs can no longer be sold in the U.S. due to safety or recall issues. It’s better to shell out the money for a new crib than risk your child’s safety with a potentially hazardous used crib. Most people would never buy a used mattress for their own bed, so it’s best to avoid buying a used crib mattress as well. Unless you’re receiving one from a very close friend or family member, it’s a good idea to purchase an entirely new one.
After all, you don’t know how sanitary that used mattress is, if there are any germs or diseases in the material, or if it will even fit into the crib you own. Unfortunately, many play pens have suffered the same fate as cribs and crib mattresses. Older versions aren’t as safe and are subject to recalls and buying newer versions can be strange if you don’t know the usage history. As with a mattress, you don’t know if a used play pen is sanitary or if it’s been contaminated with an illness or cold the previous baby using it came down with. Again, as with many of the items on this list, unless you’re 100% certain that everything is fine, you might want to avoid buying a used play pen. While strollers made after 2007 are generally okay to reuse, you should avoid buying a used stroller that was made before 2007. Many of the older models don’t have the same safety precautions or standards that the newer models have. Most car seats have an expiration date on them and within the past decade, many of them have also been recalled.
While car seats can be pricey, it’s best to avoid buying a used one unless you’re certain that it’s not expired and hasn’t been recalled. Additionally, while a used car seat may look fine, it’s often difficult to know whether or not all the parts are in working order. This is definitely an item you should consider buying new. Many people are split on whether or not baby swings are truly necessary, just as they’re split on whether or not buying one used is okay. Some claim that it’s fine as long as you personally know the person giving or selling it, but others claim that a swing could seem great at first glance but have wear and tear if it hasn’t been used in awhile. It’s also important to determine whether the swing has been made of safe materials, if it’s out of date, how old it is, and if it’s been recalled. While a lot of items on this list could be bought used if you do your research, you probably shouldn’t buy breast pumps used. These can be hard to sanitize completely and you don’t want to run the risk of getting an infection.
There are plenty of organizations that provide low cost breast pumps to rent or buy, so you should stick with buying a new one instead of using a secondhand one. Baby bottles can be very inexpensive, so they’re something you should definitely buy new. For one thing, you may not be able to properly sanitize them after buying them used. For another, you have no idea what was previous held in the bottle. It might not have been just milk or formula. If you’re worried about cost, a quick search on Amazon or any other internet retailer shows that you can receive packages of them for a decent price. Pacifiers are another item you shouldn’t buy used. You may not think that people buy used pacifiers, but they definitely do. A good reason for not buying them used is because like many other items, they have an expiration date. They also become brittle over time and can crack inside your child’s mouth, making it a dangerous choking hazard. While normal toys can often run the risk of recalls or containing dust mites or germs, those problems can be easily fixed.