Should I Request Gently Used Items at My Shower?

Question

I'll be a FTM come December. I would like to let future shower guests know I'm ok with some specific registry items being gently used/secondhand. While i am grateful for the generosity of our family and friends I also want to be considerate of them. 
Is this a good idea?
Has anyone else done this?
What items are safe secondhand? (Obviously not a car seat)
I was thinking they can let my mom or MIL know what they bought, that way either I or my husband can check it off the registry so we don't get doubles. Am I just making things more complicated?

Accepted Answer

I think that's a very thoughtful idea.

Answer

I did this! I made my registry on Babylist.com and it allows guests to reserve items. I wrote in the welcome note that we’d love to have any gently used item that’s on our registry. You can put notes on specific items too!

Answer

I honestly wish more people would do this.

Answer

U would make a note on the registry or on your baby shower invite that second hand is warmly welcomed. The only thing that is a must for buying new is a car seat like you mentioned. If your getting a second hand crib just google the make and model before you buy to be sure no recall has happened. You can still look up recalls on everything else to (like if you get a swing or a bouncy seat) but I find those to be fine generally speaking.

Answer

I have 8 month old twins. I put on my invites that second hand items were welcome because I knew a few people coming that prolly couldn’t afford gifts and had children so they were likely to have useful items to get rid of. Having twins I needed as much as I could get. Because of my note I had a girl bring 2 bouncers, 2 couch like looking things to assist in bottle feeding, and 2 rock n plays (yes I know they’ve been recalled now), a crib with attached changing table, and a pack n play. All of those items were in almost pristine condition and we couldn’t have been more blessed. My twins were conceived naturally and unexpectedly. Going from 2 low incomes to 1 low income for a family of 4 has been stressful financially and asking for second hand items couldn’t have been a better outcome. I think people should do this more because half the times you register for stuff you won’t end up using anyway.

Answer

I did this at my shower because I believe in buying used whenever possible. I just used babylist and i think there was even an option to add “hand me downs” on there. Most people still bought new stuff, but I got a few sweet hand me downs.

Answer

This is a thoughtful idea - in fact, Babylist allows you to add an option for used baby clothes and the like. I added that, as I’ve already been getting gifted second hand items and it seems like a nice way to allow people to contribute without breaking their bank.

Answer

I do agree with others, it is very thoughtful and considerate. Where I live there’s a store that sells gently used items and it is where most of my stuff comes from! Some brand new clothes for 2$! It’s awesome!

Answer

You can request second hand items after your shower. Let them spoil you and if you need anything else after you can buy second hand items yourself....I didn't want to burden my family so I ended up buying second hand items before my baby shower and it was a waste because I got everything brand new....

Answer

Definitely! I’d actually love to go to someone’s baby shower with my gently used items. I’m always posting baby stuff on offer up because kids grow like a weed!

Should I Request Gently Used Items at My Shower?

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