I’m no skinflint and I’m not particularly hard up. I wouldn’t dream of buying second hand clothes (I’m not stylish enough to be one of those women who dresses in ‘vintage finds’ from charity stores – I’d probably get it horribly wrong and end up looking like I was wearing one of Ugly Betty’s outfits).

So if second hand isn’t good enough for me then why is it ok for my son – who after all is way more important to me than me? Yes, prior to TLM’s much awaited arrival I wouldn’t have thought I’d be so happy to stick him in a second hand outfit/ pram/ cot but believe me I so am. Ok, I’ve not taken to rummaging around in charity shops but if a friend offers me a stylish hand me down coat in TLM’s tiny size, I’ll snatch it out of their hands before you can say Timberland (or Ralph Lauren or Paul Smith to name but a few of the brands we have acquired kit from in this way).

The primary reason being – and it’s a fairly obvious one when you’ve got a baby in the house – they grow so very quickly – spend £40 on a swanky designer t-shirt (imagine how much that is per square centimetre?) and it’ll only be worn a handful of times so what is the point. So accept kind offers of good quality used baby gear I say! Think of it another way – anything you save on buying new, you can spend on something else – like that facial for yourself. Mummy will be happy and have glowing skin and it’s not like your 9 month old is going to get a complex about wearing a hand me down.

babies, baby, parenting