Safety Tips for Buying Used Baby Gear

With all of the stories about injuries and deaths of children, and the constant recalls you see on store shelves of baby items, it's hard to know what is best. It's especially difficult when you're buying used items for your child. Thrift stores and yard sales provide low to medium income parents across the world the ability to afford all of essentials and extras babies need and want. However, it's not always the safest way to go when choosing items for youngsters. When visiting the infant's section at one the local Walmarts, my husband and I saw at least two recalls on cribs and play items. One can never forget the death of 11-month-old Euan Allessandro Artus-Elston in August of 2007 due to a defective Century playpen (includes Century Fold-N-Go Model 10-710 and Century Fold-N-Go Model 10-810 , which are green and blue with white railing, and read "Century" and "Fold-N-Go" visible in white letters). An 18-month-old boy in Centreville, Virginia, died when his Century play yard collapsed on him restricting his airway as well, this is what led to the recall in the United States. There have been recalls on bassinets and swings as well as cribs recently. It doesn't mean that you can't buy previously owned baby items, it means that you should be as careful when buying them as you are with your baby's other health issues.

When you go to a yard sale and purchase anything for your child, always look the item over extremely well. You'll want to look for manufacturer information such as company name and the model number of the product. If there's not even a name on it, then you probably don't want to buy it. When you know who made the item, you can take it home and call them in order to make sure it is safe for baby to use. Asking the seller can also provide incite into the age and safety of children's products. Someone who doesn't know anything about an item, tells you that it is very old, or that they've had it for a long time lets you know that it probably isn't a good idea to use it. Checking online also helps you to find information on baby products and safety ratings. Some helpful websites are www.babycenter.com/product-recall-finder, www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/child.html, www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html, and babyproducts.about.com/od/recallsandsafety/a/prodrecalls.htm. Avoid any manufacturers who are no longer in business. If you buy something used and find out that they have gone out of business or can't be located, don't use the product. Companies will usually send you prepaid postage in order to send products back and refund your money as well.

In looking the baby gear over, check for tears, cracks, and missing parts. If it's something that is supposed to operate, turn it on to see if it's functioning properly. You don't want to give your baby anything that they can pull off or that will fall off, it presents a choking hazard. Clothing should be free of strings, loose buttons, zippers, or sharp parts. Toys should always be referenced for lead amounts and hazards. Look for recommended age guidelines on toys especially to make sure it is something your child should be using. Any play pens, cribs, bassinets, swings, or tubs that fold or collapse need to be seen in operation. Put the item up and down, and put pressure on folding parts to see if they are weak. Examining latches and parts will give you a good idea as to whether the item is secure or not.

Thrift stores and yard sales are good places to buy items at a discount, but you don't want to risk safety over price. Some parents may feel more comfortable buying from more established second-hand boutiques which specialize in children's items. This is a good idea, because these places usually take only newer baby items and also try to keep track of recalls when tagging and pricing merchandise. Nothing in parenting is risk-free or fool-proof, even the most protective parents know that all you can do is try to be informed and safe with your baby. Accidents and deaths because of defective products will hopefully be a thing of the past with parents, authorities, and companies cooperating for the safety of our children.