My two best friends just had babies about a year apart. They both had girls. The father of the first born was the same way. However, after the birth of the child, things quickly changed. I think he realized just how much "stuff" was filling up the house! They still had to buy "new" things gradually as the baby grew naturally.
My two best friends have now passed things in between eachother. It was a tremendous help to them both. Ironically, because we are soo close, the same people were invited to BOTH baby showers! It was almost the same people buying them things for their babies! You can imagine someone running into them at the store and saying "Didn't I buy that for Stacy?" and Karen be wearing it!
It's just natural to share baby items. It's been done for generations. Otherwise, how else would you have your husband's sister's cradle? Or your grandmother's basinet? Once the baby is here, possession is in the baby and NOT the things!