Top 10 Used & Thrift Baby Gear Finds

By Felicity Leach, PharmD, CLC — Founder of Steamboat Lactation & Sleep

After my last post on registries, a few people asked me the obvious follow-up question: okay, but what should I actually buy secondhand? So here it is. These are the items I'd put at the top of your thrift and hand-me-down list, the ones where "gently used" works just as well as new and saves you real money.

A quick note before the list: always check for recalls on anything secondhand, especially car seats and cribs, and follow current safety guidelines rather than assuming an older item still meets today's standards.

1. Baby Clothes

This is the easiest yes on the list. Babies grow out of clothes so fast that most secondhand pieces are barely worn. Onesies, sleepers, and swaddles show up constantly at consignment sales and swaps in like-new condition.

The Mothers of Steamboat Springs clothing swap is one of my favorite local resources, and I've passed along plenty of outgrown pieces there myself. I still occasionally spot one of my kids' old coats or sweaters around town on another child and recognize it right away. I love that those clothes keep getting a second, third, and fourth life instead of sitting in a closet.

2. Baby Carrier

A good carrier can run well over $100 new, but they hold up remarkably well and there's no safety concern with buying used, as long as straps and buckles are intact. This is one of the higher-value finds on the list.

I bought a wrap carrier for my firstborn and used it constantly; he loved it. For my second baby, I found a used structured carrier that turned out to be even more comfortable, and it let me breastfeed while babywearing, which felt like a game changer. If you can find one secondhand, it's worth it.

3. Bouncer or Baby Swing

These get used hard for a few months and then sit unused for the rest of a family's life. That short window of real use makes them a great secondhand pick, as long as the motor or vibration function still works.

We were once given a swing that was already old when we got it, and honestly we were surprised it still worked, let alone that it worked well for both of our kids. When we passed it along, we told the next family, "Sorry if this breaks, it's so old," half expecting that to be the end of its life. Instead, that family used it for their baby and then passed it down again to another family after that. A well-made swing can outlast more than one baby, sometimes more than you'd ever expect.

4. Play Mat or Activity Gym

Babies outgrow these quickly, so used ones are often in excellent shape. Just give it a wipe down and you're set.

5. Baby Bathtub

A low-stakes item that gets a short season of use. Any scuffs are cosmetic, not functional, so this is an easy one to buy secondhand.

6. Books and Toys

Board books and simple toys hold up well and rarely wear out in a meaningful way. Secondhand shops and swaps are often full of these.

7. Nursing Pillow

If the cover is washable (and most are), a used nursing pillow is a perfectly good option. Just wash the cover before use.

8. Baby Monitor

Electronics can be hit or miss, but if a friend is passing one along and it's still functioning well, it's worth trying before you buy new. Just confirm the range and features still meet your needs.

9. Stroller (With Caveats)

Strollers can be a great secondhand find, but check the wheels, brakes, and frame for wear before committing. Just make sure everything works well before buying.

I found a UPPAbaby stroller on Facebook Marketplace that came with a bassinet attachment, two seats, and a kickboard, all for $400, roughly a quarter of what it would have cost new. It's a genuinely solid stroller, and buying it secondhand meant we got a higher-end setup for a fraction of the price.

10. Crib (With Caveats)

Cribs can be reused safely, but only if they meet current safety standards, have no missing hardware, and have not been recalled. When in doubt, check the slat spacing and construction against current guidelines before using an older crib.

A Few More Worth Mentioning

A few honorable mentions that are just as easy to find secondhand:

Bassinets are a great thrift find. I found a Halo bassinet at a thrift store for $15, and I love it. As with cribs, just double-check it hasn't been recalled and meets current safety standards.

Pack and plays show up secondhand all the time and hold up well, making them another easy one to buy used. I found one at a thrift store for $6.

Blackout tents (the kind that fit over a pack and play or crib to block out light) are another item I picked up used, and they work just as well secondhand as new.

High chairs are also easy to find secondhand. Just make sure the safety straps are intact, and look for one with an easy-clean plastic seat and a removable tray.

Where to Look Locally

If you're in the Steamboat area, Lift Up often has used baby gear and clothes available, and Newborn Network's baby group is a good place to meet other local parents.

The Bottom Line

Secondhand baby gear isn't a compromise. For most of these items, used works exactly as well as new, and the money you save can go toward the few things worth buying new instead.

Speaking of which, next up: the flip side of this list, the items I'd actually recommend buying new.

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