What to Look for When You're Buying Baby Gear Secondhand

Start with the fold. Open it, close it, open it again. A stroller you have to fight with in a parking lot is a stroller you'll stop using by October. Most brands have a specific motion, a lever or a two-hand release, and once you know it the whole thing takes about three seconds. If it feels stuck or sticky, that's worth asking about.

Then check the wheels. Spin each one and watch for wobble. Front wheels on most strollers swivel and lock, so try both settings. On jogging strollers, the front wheel locking straight is the whole point, so make sure that mechanism engages.

Push down on the handlebar and see if the frame flexes more than it should. A little give is normal. A lot of give usually means something has loosened over time, which is often fixable but good to know about.

Look at the harness. Buckles should click firmly and release without a struggle, and the straps should adjust smoothly through their slots. Fabric can be washed. Straps that have gone stiff are harder to bring back.

The brands worth knowing here are the ones built to be handed down. UPPAbaby, Bugaboo, BOB, Baby Jogger and Chicco all hold up well, and parts are usually available if you ever need one. That matters more than it sounds, because a stroller you can get a replacement wheel for is a stroller that lasts through two or three kids.

Car seats come with real rules, and we take them seriously.

Every car seat has an expiration date printed on it, usually on a sticker on the side or the bottom, and it's typically six to ten years from the manufacture date depending on the brand. Plastic degrades. That date isn't a suggestion.

A seat also should never have been in a crash. That's why history matters more here than in any other category, and why anything we take in comes with that conversation up front.

Beyond that, check that all the pieces are there. The manual, the harness covers, the infant insert if it came with one. Most manufacturers post manuals online for free, so a missing booklet isn't a dealbreaker, but a missing part might be.

If you're ever unsure about installation, most fire stations and hospitals in the St. Louis area have certified technicians who will check your work at no cost. It's a good hour to spend.