Second Hand Safety
These sales can get very busy so go early and try to leave your kids at home. I have seen warm, sweet, play-dough making moms turn into viscious and ruthless attack creatures at some of these sales. Ok, I might be talking about me... But kidding aside, I did see a newborn get inadvertently bumped once and many places do not allow strollers in anyway.
Not only is shopping at used toy and clothings sales economical but it is environmentally friendy because you are in the recycling. It can get expensive for new parents stocking up on all the essentials for a new baby from cribs to car seats, not to mention clothes. By the time you get clothes in one size and have them all washed, dried, folded and finally put away in the closet, they have outgrown them! And let's face it not all of us can afford the adorable Baby Gap and Gymboree coordinating outfits in all sizes for all seasons.
Here are some safety tips to consider when you are shopping for second-hand items:
Car Seats: Car seats should be no older than 5 years old and have the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards safety compliance sticker on them. Car seats that are originally from the USA or other countries may have their safety stickers but they are not legal to use in Canada. Most second-hand clothing stores will not take them to sell nor will freecycle even allow them to be posted to be given away. Car seats also have to be destroyed if they have ever been a collision so you want to be sure you trust the person you are getting the car seat from.
Cribs:
Cribs older than 1986 are deemed unsafe. Be sure when purchasing a second hand crib ensure it is not broken or missing any pieces. There have also been some recent recalls for some Storkcraft cribs manufactured between 2000 and 2008. If you are in the market for a crib, it might be a good idea to check out the Health Canada website www.hc-sc.gc.ca to find out the details of which cribs have been recalled so you don't purchase one that has been recalled and also that you are not paranoid about all cribs and miss out on a potentially great deal.
High Chairs:
High chairs should have a five-point harness with a crotch post to prevent your child from sliding out the bottom. Vintage high chairs are adorable but are not up to current safety standards and are considered dangerous not to mention uncomfortable for your baby.
Toys:
This past couple of years there have been a number of safety recalls concerning toys containing lead paint. It almost seemed like I spent more time at the post office shipping toys for replacement pieces than my kid spent playing with them. It was really quite depressing. One birthday I held all the toys aside until I was able to go on the Internet to ensure none of the toys Evan received had any safety recalls. When you purchase toys, wash them throughly and double check to make sure they do not have any loose or sharp pieces.
Visit this goverment website for a comprehensive list of recalled items put out by the Governemnt of Canada with recalls dating back to 1995.
Great deals can be found at many of these sales. I have come across many items that still have their tags or are in their original boxes. Just be sure to keep some of the above safety tips in mind and have fun shopping savvy!
Melissa
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