Expecting Mom Says She Will Not Accept Hand-Me-Downs At Her Baby Shower

Instead of buying new clothing and items all the time, some people appreciate friends and family who are quick to give away things they no longer need or use.

Some parents don't really want hand-me-downs from anyone for their children. Like this one Reddit user who asked if she was an "asshole" for "not allowing" hand-me-down gifts for her baby.

"I'm the youngest of my cousins in my family by a lot, and I'm having my first child at a very old age for my family (35). Due to this, my cousins all had their kids ages ago. The youngest of my cousins' kids was born when I was 22 years old. That was THIRTEEN years ago," she wrote.

"I realize that in many families getting hand-me-down things is a rite of passage, but with how old any hand-me-downs would have to be in this case and just how long they would have had to sit in God knows what conditions to come to me, I honestly don't want anything that isn't new," she added.

"I accepted a wooden cradle from my husband's family, but that's different because it isn't fabric, but my family would only be giving away fabric hand-me-downs," she added to the post.

"My mother made baby blankets when I was a teenager, but after just 5 years of being stored in the attic, they were found covered in mold and mouse droppings and bugs," she said.

Now, she's saying her family and friends are calling her "greedy and materialistic" for her decision. She asked the Reddit community if she was wrong for her decision to proclaim she will not accept hand-me-downs.

"Clothes that [are] old if stored properly are fine. We have clothes from when our now adult kids were little 20 years ago. They have been in storage bins the entire time. Those blankets weren't stored properly, so that's how they got moldy and mouse droppings on them," one person said.

"So rude to say 'don't give me any hand-me-downs', take what you get and be thankful. If you don't want it then wash it and donate it (provided it isn't some heirloom). Also, hand-me-downs are perfectly fine it depends on how they were stored, your mom didn't do a good job with it that doesn't mean everyone else will do a bad job," another user added.

"I’m also curious how many people actually gift hand me downs at a shower? Not only was it tacky to put it in the invitation but I’m wondering if it was even necessary?

"And for the ones that do, exactly this, just accept them graciously and deal with them later," one person said.

"Not only are you turning your nose up before even getting gifts, you're stating that you don't think your family has enough sense to determine if something is still in good condition. Do you just assume they'll gift you stained, moldy items? That isn't giving them much credit," someone added.

"Just an FYI a 40-year-old crib is much more of an issue than old clothes. Safety standards are vastly different and you will be putting your child in danger if you use it," one person said.

"I completely see where you are coming from but I can also understand that you are coming across a little snobbish at a time when many people are struggling financially.

"Maybe you could have said something like ‘please don’t gift me hand me down clothes and blankets as we have so many of these items already,'" one person suggested.

"It's tacky to put that on the invitations. Nowadays it it acceptable to include information about the registry in the invitations. You should have stuck with that," someone added in the comments.

What's your take on this situation?