What can you re-use for the second child?

[AmyP]

Okay, obviously I can use the clothes (well, not the pink just because I refuse to dress my son in pink). But what else can I re-use and what needs to be replaced?

I was wondering if bottles and bottle nipples can be re-used. Sarah wasn't a huge fan of bottles, and the ones she took had silicone nipples. So most or all of her old bottles and nipples are in excellent condition (I have to dig them out of storage and check, but I'm pretty sure they're all fine). She was a pacifier fiend, but is it okay to re-use those if the nipples are still good? Obviously I'm going to sterilize everything, but I'm wondering if it's okay to re-use those.

I still have the nipple shield I used when Sarah was getting used to nursing. I'm hoping I won't need one at all, but I'd like to take it to the hospital with me just in case. Is it okay to sterilize that and use it for this baby?

Is there anything else you can think of that you have to replace for the second child? It's just that a lot of Sarah's stuff is still in pretty good shape and I don't want to spend a ton of money replacing stuff that doesn't really need to be replaced.

[Mary DK]

Man, I reused just about everything I had saved from Eliot when I had Ian. Baby towels, burp rags (threw away the icky looking ones), bottles (replaced the nipples & pacifiers), breast pump, blankets, socks, shoes, clothes, crib, crib sheets, waterproof pads, baby caps, changing table, baby bath, toys, swing, carseat, stroller.

I can go on & on, I think that if it's cleaned & sanitized properly it's okay to use with the 2nd one. I really didn't have to buy much for Ian at all especially since it was a boy & I can pass along the clothes.

[marcy]

I'd think that the bottle nipples and pacifiers should be replaced because they might have broken down in storage. Other than that, everything else can be reused.

[Shel]

I'd think that the bottle nipples and pacifiers should be replaced because they might have broken down in storage. Other than that, everything else can be reused.


Exactly. They can get old and crack, even if you don't see it. I reused everything but replaced nipples, pacifiers and the snot sucker thingie, just because I couldn't stand the idea of trading snot from one kid to another :blush:

[Eva]

Initially, I reused bottles with replaced nipples but then Christine did get new bottles since I discovered Dr Brown's and preferred them over the Avent. I bought a new pacifier (even though both girls didn't end up using them), washcloths and bibs (to replace the ones that looked :dead: ). Everything else was reused.

[milliez]

I'd think that the bottle nipples and pacifiers should be replaced because they might have broken down in storage. Other than that, everything else can be reused.

:nod:

~ Melissa

[marcy]

How about things like Infant Tylenol w/ the dropper? Do you maintain one per child or use the same dropper w/ both? I just bought another thing of Tylenol for Anya and that made me think of this...

[Alyssa]

We use(d) the same droppers for medicine. I have a slew of droppers and run them through the dishwasher, figuring they're sterilized enough.

(Then again, my kids like to trade toothbrushes :dead: so you might not want to go by me. :shuffle: )

[Sam W]

I also changed the nipples and pacifiers out, but pretty much everything else is 'open game'. At this point, Isabel (50 inches, 49 lbs, 6 1/2 yrs) and Dane (45 inches, 61 lbs, 4 1/2 yrs) exchange so much that I honestly lose track when it comes to things like socks, unisex print shirts, and undershirts.

My general rule of thumb is that if it's still useful, then make use of it.

[Mary DK]

We use(d) the same droppers for medicine. I have a slew of droppers and run them through the dishwasher, figuring they're sterilized enough.
I do that too :nod:

[Jayne]

I threw out all the nipples and replaced them. Alyssa never used a pacifier so we bought a new one for Charlotte (who also doesn't seem to care :lol: )

I reuse almost everything. And I have 6 years between them :lol: My two (Tylor and Alyssa have their own medicane droppers but they share meds :lol: Tylor already had one when Alyssa was born and one day I was at the pharmacy and the pharmicist gave me one for her so I put Tape on the squeeze thing and put their names on them. I don't have a dishwasher but I wash them very well after each use because of colds spreading so easily. Tylor for the most part uses cups now or pills but it is good to have them.

[Jillian]

I'd think that the bottle nipples and pacifiers should be replaced because they might have broken down in storage. Other than that, everything else can be reused.

Yup, and the silicone/latex breaking down can pose a choking hazard.

Other than that, I'd re-use everything...

[AmyP]

I figure I should replace the rubber seals as well (we used Playtex VentAire NaturalShape bottles) for the same reason then, shouldn't I?

[Lyoshka]

I don't have 2 kids just yet, but when this little one arrives, I plan to re-use everything that is humanly possible to reuse (excluding the pacifiers and nipples, agreeing with everybody).. and if this one is a boy, we really won't have much to buy, because they will be very close in seasons (Sept and Dec)...though I secretly hope it's a girl, then I WILL have a pink explosion, that's for sure :lol:

[tuesdayswife]

I guess I never really thought of this but this is a VERY good point. I'll have to buy new nipples for the bottles but the paci's that I have, I'll just "reuse". Mia NEVER used them so I'll just sterilize the ones we have...