Not wanting MIL to iron baby clothes?

[Teacup12]

I have a kind and wonderful MIL but the other day she mentioned I should give her some of my baby clothes we purchased and she will help wash and iron them. She is a really nice lady but as this is her first grandchild, she acts like the proverbial "child in a sweet shop" and has been buying us clothes, extra bottles (we have 12 now and even though I advised her I am planning on EBF lol) & steriliser, and she told her hairdresser abt the baby who offered us a preloved cot with brand new sheets ( even though I wanted to co sleep and am buying a chicco co sleeper that she put £40 towards) I am not used to do much excitement I suppose, and ppl fussing over us? AIBU to let her iron the baby clothes even though LO will probably puke, poop and spit all over them and they will need washing again anyway?

Yanbu - let her iron the clothes if she wants to!

Ahh just let her. Its not doing any harm and she just sounds really excited. It's one less job for you!

What's the worst that can happen?

Just let her get on with it

No point pissing on her chips

YABU...Lucky you!

Aww it's nice, I'd let her be excited and join in on the fun. Don't be afraid to be firm when you need to be though!

Yanbu to let her iron she's doing granny nesting!

Let her do it. One less job for you (although I nerve ironed baby clothes). I bet they come back pristine. It really doesn't matter what they get covered in.

But you might want to remind her to go easy on the detergent and softener. I vaguely remember using softener with clothes for ds when he was tiny. Caused a prickly heat type rash which midwife said was probably caused by the fabric conditioner. Have only ever used fairy non bio or ecover clothes wash liquid ever since.

Just let her get on with it.

I never iron, but my MIL used to iron absolutely anything. Her choice. Doesn't mean you need to do it. I never did. Wash, dry and wear again was and still is my mantra.

My first baby is now 20, and has survived somehow, as have her younger sisters.

Awe thanks everybody for all your nice words!!! I am not used to this much attention from parents I think! (My own mother is the opposite) She is a really nice MIL though. Grandma nesting, I like that, she is defo grandma nesting. Ooh I gotta read up on the softener, I didn't realise you needed to be careful with newborns x

The softener thing may just have been my ds. I do remember the midwife saying its quite common for even gentle fabric conditioners to irritate newborns. Had completely forgotten about it until your post and I guess, its why I never buy the stuff 7 years later.

My MIL did this, I gave her the washing liquid (fairy non bio) and asked her not to use ironing water.

She adored it, washing & ironing the babies things she got to have a good look at what we'd bought and coo over things. She ironed each piece with love and did it again when our DC2 Was born.

I remember going to visit a friend who had just had the most ghastly labour and all sorts of problems- she was just finally home and everything was chaos. I said "Right- what shall I do first- what's the most important job?"

She handed me a basket of tiny baby clothes- mostly babygros and said "Oh, thank you- please could you iron those- I've practically run out of clothes for her"!

If you've never tried to iron a "tiny baby" babygro- it is practically impossible!

Just let her get on with it.

I think it's pretty pointless ironing baby clothes, but if it makes her happy and makes her feel helpful and involved, why not let her?

sorry no way should you let this happen .my mil completly took over bought everything .we are talking down to the johnsons baby powder .when my hubby challeneged her on this behaviour she just said dont you want my stuff .some folk think its alright save us money .but 25 years and 3 son,s later .i still detest her for that behaviour .

My MIL is very hands on and at first I was a bit but Mumsnet told me to take it as it comes and be happy she wants to help. So I do! It's ace! My own Mum is lovely but basically stopped doing anything practical for me when I hit 14....she's never liked housework whereas MIL adores it. It just took me a while to get used to!

She sounds lovely.

I enjoyed the "first wash" of baby clothes when I was pregnant. If you're not bothered, she'd clearly enjoy it. I'd insist on non bio and the baby conditioner. I use attitude stuff for my baby, it claims not to have any nasty chemicals.

We accepted a used cot, bought a new mattress and have it for day time naps and occasional sleepovers. Depends on how likely that is though.

Will she iron my kids' clothes too, if I ask nicely?

I love baby clothes all ironed, I still iron my 2.5 year old DD's vests

• naps at granny's.

Oh god, this will be me in a couple of decades so I'm going to say 'let her iron the clothes'. I washed and ironed the clothes for both my newborns. I knew I wouldn't keep it up when they were born and that it was pointless etc but for the first and last times in my life I loved standing at the ironing board making the clothes look perfect.

I have a DS too which means I could be a MIL!

Sometimes it's just nice to be looked after / look after someone.

My MIL insisted on ironing our baby clothes in advance. It made her happy and feel useful so I left her to it.

I struggled with my MIL granny nesting in the beginning, tbh hardly anyone got a look in when DS was little, in my defence he was constantly feeding which made it rather difficult! I have calmed down now and just love watching her with my DS who is 11 months now, she's been over today as DH is away and entertained him all day while I pack for hols/catch up on housework, been fab! Keep boundaries with things you want the firsts of, you won't get them back, but if you don't mind her doing whatever little thing she's excited about you'll make her day I'm sure congrats btw!