Do I ned to freshly wash all clothes etc?

[Halleberry]

I'm preparing to meet my baby girl
On Thursday. Just a few questions. The clothes I have are all brand new with tags. Do I need to wash them before she wears them? Also dummies - do they need sterilised straight from the packet before I give her one?

[mrschatty]

I'd say yes- DH is quite sensative and everything needs washed before wearing as some places spray a chemical on their clothes to keep them crease free this brings him out in a rash- better safe than sorry and I'd also say yes to sterilisation as you never know what happens in the factories etc x

[WhatAHooHa]

Yes, definitely wash clothes. If they are all still tagged I would be tempted to only wash a certain number of items in each size. DS2 was bigger than expected and didn't fit in the clothes we had ready for him. Didn't matter to us as it was hand-me-downs from ds1 anyway, but it would be annoying if this happened to you and you couldn't go back to exchange them for bigger sizes. Dummies, I would expect it to say on the packet?

[bonzo77]

Definitely sterilise the dummies. Wash any clothes that will touch the skin. I also cut the tags out.

[Betsyblue]

I didn't do any of that as my son came in the middle of a house move. I am obviously a bad parent It was all fine though and we ended up having to take a few things back for different sizes which I couldn't have done if all were washed.

[Racheyg]

yes to both.clothes i only do on a short cycle thou. Wishing you well for thursday x

[thesmallbear]

I'm not going to bother. I don't see the point if the clothes are new.

[MehsMum]

I didn't bother. All my DC were fine, including the one who has sensitive skin.

[Bippidee]

I would wash the clothes - as PP have stated some will have chemicals sprayed on. (That's that "new clothes" smell)

In fairness, I still wash DD's new clothes and she's 20mo this month.

[Notso]

I just gave dummies a good scrub in hot soapy water.
I only washed the clothes that I was putting in the hospital bag. In my experience clothes weren't on long enough to cause any skin reactions.

[Fattycow]

I wash all new clothes, also my own and DH's. I want to have the chemicals out first!

And yes to sterilizing dummies as well.

[moggle]

I washed the clothes I bought before DD was born but more for something to do!! I haven't bothered since unless they have a particularly strong smell. I usually sterilise dummies when new- I have microwave sterilising bags which make sterilising small things a doddle.

[Shootingstar2289]

I never did with my first born. To be honest, it never crossed my mind to do so and my Mother said she never did with any of her 4 children.

I'm 32 weeks with my second and have read I should so I probably will but my first born always had perfect skin.

If it was that important, labels would tell us to 'wash first' wouldn't they?

Good luck :)

[Lovemcgarrett]

Yes!!!! Those clothes haven't been washed since the fabric was dyed and they were sewn together. Since made they've probably been handled by at least 5 people. I always wash my own clothes before wearing, surely it is just common sense?! I wouldn't want my baby to wear clothes that I didn't know were clean.
Especially mass produced in a factory

[Mumite]

It's your choice obviously but is your baby definitely going to need a dummy? If you're breastfeeding she really won't.

For my first, I washed everything in Fairy Sensitive powder. For my second, he was bigger than expected so had to get clothes brought into hospital from the shop and they were not washed.

[hazeyjane]

I never washed any of the clothes, it never even occurred to me!

Dummies, yes sterilise first.

If you're breastfeeding she really won't. or she might, you never know - babies are unpredictable!

[Mumite]

Breastfeeding babies don't need dummies!

Why the funny face MrsDeVere?

[Flingmoo]

I am also about the breastfeeding comment. Are us breastfeeding mums expected to provide our nipples as dummies at all times? DS is a year old and we're still breastfeeding, he's had a dummy from very early on and it's a godsend. He can use it to self settle instead of me feeding him back to sleep every time he wakes up at an ungodly hour!

We packed the steriliser away when he was about 6 months old. Dummies, cups etc are not sterilised and are simply rinced or washed.

I never wash new clothes... never heard of this "sprayed with chemicals" thing.... Laundry detergent is also chemicals!

[Mumite]

When a baby is being breastfed, it’s best not to give a dummy until breastfeeding is well established, usually at about one month old.

Above is advice from Boots.

I didn't think of it as an expectation, Mamushka, I was delighted I could be my children's dummy! I'm not joking, to me it's sad to offer something prosthetic when feeding on demand can give them what they need from their mother.

So IMHO breastfeeding babies don't need dummies but sometimes their mothers might want them as you've said, point taken!

[Mumite]

MrsDeVere I have similar experience as a breastfeeding mum.

Dummies certainly can do more harm than good, they can confuse the breastfeeding baby etc.

You're obviously entitled to your opinion but mine remains (not funny) that breastfeeding babies don't need - and definitely don't benefit from - dummies. This is good news for the breastfeeding mum, one thing less to remember when taking new baby out of the house, one thing less to sterilize and prepare for before birth etc.

I've no idea if the OP even intends to breastfeed but given she is asking parenting advice on washing clothes etc I did not want her to think a dummy is a must-have item or even a positive item to have.

[Mrsjayy]

I didnt wash new clothes why would you they clean and germ free why dont you sit with your feet up till thursday i wouldnt worry about spray chemicals detergent is a chemical. Sterilise the dummies but they are sterilised in the packet though

[Mumite]

You're being aggressive MrsDeVere not me! Read your own posts!!!