That’s an interesting point. Perhaps it is more difficult to lend if you have higher standards of cleanness and are more careful with your belongings. I am a bit ‘type A’ and that does make me more hesitant.

ND Chic – I have heard similar stories from other people. In fact, I haven’t heard too many people tell me they lent something and received it back in perfect condition. Even if it is unintentional damage like the monitors you mentioned odds are that I will be left holding the bill. Thanks for the comment. And yes the baby bathtub actually seems like the perfect thing to lend, except a friend told me the one she lent was returned moldy 🙂

Thanks for your comment Ellen K. I completely agree with this sentiment “She is having her first child and will receive tons of gifts, but when you have a second baby, you won’t receive nearly as many gifts as you did with your son.” I think that she will receive everything she asks for, so I don’t really think she wants or needs anything I have to offer. In fact, when I walked around the baby section of Target I found better models of the items we purchased or received just two years ago.

I hadn’t thought much about it, but perhaps this bothers me because they are marking me down for the count. Like I can’t or won’t have another and therefore can give away everything I have.

I received a ton of hand me downs too but they were all given by people who were done having children. My brother gave me two items and asked me to return them when I was finished, but they were very expensive and couldn’t be ruined. One is a wooden toy that my son absolutely adores. I don’t think I would accept items that needed to returned. Children are messy and I wouldn’t want to be responsible for damages either. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I actually love this idea. If the subject comes up before the shower I think I can tell her to register for everything she wants and I’ll fill in the remainder of items if necessary. I’m sure she would prefer new to handed down anyway and she has enough family and friends to buy everything on the list. Thanks for the comment!

I’m afraid ‘lend’ means ‘give’ too and I don’t really want to buy things all over again.

Like you I planned on keeping everything I valued until we knew for certain that we wouldn’t have another. I have given a donated a bunch of things along the way, like excess clothes and toys that my son didn’t enjoy playing with, but I kept everything else that I’d like to pass down to the next child. I’ll be honest. If they hadn’t asked for my stuff I wouldn’t have offered. I think that the things I lend will get ruined. Not on purpose, but just because babies are messy.

Thanks for your comment Jan. I hadn’t consider that they might have another child before I have a second. In that case they certainly wouldn’t return anything I gave them and that’s certainly a possibility. They are disappointed by the gender of this one and have already started talking about having another that is the gender they want.

I lent out clothes, baby bathtub, and baby monitors. I didn’t get any of the clothes back. The baby monitors were used every day for 2 1/2 years and won’t work unless plugged in. I did get the bathtub back though. Just do yourself a favor and don’t do it. Just buy her a gift.