Never buy these baby items second-hand
The list of things to buy new is short. Here it is, plus how to buy everything else with confidence.
The short buy-new list
Car seats unless you can fully verify the history: no crashes, not too old, not recalled.
Cot mattresses are best bought new, firm and correctly fitting; a soft or ill-fitting mattress is a safe-sleep risk.
Anything recalled or below the standard, including old drop-side cots and non-compliant portable cots.
Worn-out helmets and used dummies or teats, for hygiene and protection reasons.
The long buy-second-hand list
Almost everything else is a safe and sensible second-hand buy, often barely used because your baby will outgrow it in weeks.
Clothing, all sizes, especially the earliest ones that get barely worn.
Prams, carriers and bassinets in sound condition, checked for recalls.
Cots that meet AS/NZS 2172, with a new firm mattress.
Toys, books, high chairs, baby baths and nursery furniture.
The golden rule
If an item protects your child in a crash or a fall, or is essential to safe sleep, buy new or verify it thoroughly. For everything else, second-hand is the smart, safe and far cheaper choice. Always check the model against the ACCC recalls database first.
References
Both are current Australian authorities. For safe-sleep items, Red Nose Australia is the reference on mattresses and cots.
Related reading
Buy the long list with confidence
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