Image by Kiet Callies via Flickr
The days of borrowing baby equipment to save money or even to hand down treasured items from generation to generation is largely gone now. In days past, you could count on being able to borrow that antique crib that had been in your family for years. With the expansion of the safety features that you will find in almost every new crib sold in the United States today, your baby will be far safer in a newer model.
This does not mean that you must do without the antique crib of your dreams, however. You can find a number of companies that make models of cribs that closely resemble those that are antique in nature. You will find the same timeless good looks and clean and sweeping lines in these new cribs as well as the assurance that they have met the latest in safety testing that is required by law. In many cases, you can purchase an entire suite of nursery furniture in the antique design that you like.
Car seats are another item of baby equipment that you should not borrow unless you know the history of the seat very well. For example, you will need to be sure that the car seat has not been involved in any sort of accident. This can weaken the structure of the seat itself and make it unsafe. You will also want to make sure that the car seat has not expired. Car seat manufactuers can only ensure that the safety materials that make up their seats are viable for a certain amount of time.
