Please don't feel weird about asking! Perhaps pick people that you think might be done having kids, as they might want to hang on to things for the next one. But if you get it wrong I'm sure they'll pleasantly just say they are hanging on for one more...and probably help tee you up with other parents that have stuff to help!
Maybe its an Australian thing, but most of the people I know share hand-me-downs for babies and toddlers left right and centre! There's soooo much out there. Every new parent, even the really consumerist ones with a crazy shopping habit, pretty quickly realise after a few months that they have a ton of sizes of clothes that only got one or two wears each, or often whole swags of things that they actually forgot they had and didn't use at all. It feels like a waste even to most really consumerist people. New parents these days get plenty of hammering from all sorts of sources about sustainability of things like disposable nappies (inc from professional sources like midwives who'll recommend that they at least try and use some cloth nappies).
Some ideas of wordings you could use (I'm sure I could think of more, just quickly now):
- "Hey, my toddler Jimmy is the world champion of getting stains on his clothes. I'm wondering if you have any that Max has grown out of that aren't that great, that Jimmy could have? Its such a waste me buying him new clothes all the time"
- "If you need any help decluttering let me know, I'm happy to come help you sort out clothes, especially if there are a few bits and pieces I can have for my bun in the oven, haha! I'll bring some nice green tea I have...".
Etc :-)
I love sharing things. I'm not having another kid (Divorced). But I have a baby carrier that has now served four different newborns of work colleagues and friends!!! They are always so appreciative :-)
If its someone you don't know that great, eg a work colleague, start up dialogue about kids in general. Ask them for advice! They'll love talking tips etc. Say you have no idea where to start with clothes, were wondering where to get second hand stuff. They'll prob just offer.