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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To give up on ironing baby clothes before baby is even here?

77 replies

directyourcall · 15/07/2016 13:53

Oh my god they're literally impossible to iron. Spent over an hour and only ironed a couple of them. Managed to get them crease free with only a few tears.

Left them on the ironing board yesterday and I've gone to them today and the crease goblin has been and they don't look like they've been ironed at all. I folded them once in the middle, that's it.

Fuck it. I've packed them in babies hospital bag anyway, I'm 39 weeks so it needs to be packed regardless. AIBU to think it's a little bit pointless to try and iron them again? Sad I don't want baby to look scruffy but I'm fighting a losing battle here.

OP posts:
CestLaVie93 · 15/07/2016 13:55

Oh god no, I don't iron anything. Your baby won't look scruffy, most things will get a mixture a piss/shit/sick on them after 5 minutes. Enjoy your maternity leave & congratulations Flowers

Somerville · 15/07/2016 13:56

Why would you iron baby clothes??

I really, really don't understand.

My babies never looked scruffy and they never wore anything ironed.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 15/07/2016 13:56

Ironing baby clothes? Are you mad?!
Good god woman, go and have a cup of tea and a hobnob

Crunchymum · 15/07/2016 13:56

You don't need to iron baby clothes.

I only iron school uniform and things that are uber creased and my kids are 3.8 and 18m

Somerville · 15/07/2016 13:57

Do you normally cry over creases? If not, I suspect a bad case of nesting and that you'll go into labour any minute. Grin

Lovelongweekends · 15/07/2016 13:57

You're supposed to iron baby clothes? I'm on dc3 and have never been near a babygro with an iron in my life!!

JacquelineChan · 15/07/2016 13:57

oh i think you have pregnancy hormones flooding through you ! When baby is born you probably won't feel like ironing for the next 2 years at least .

i promise you don't need to iron baby clothes and your little squishy baby will look so gorgeous anyway no one will be looking at any (imaginary!) creases .

FWIW i cried because the kitchen wasn't lime green and painted it new years day while 8 months pregnant . You'll look back and laugh. Promise.

BorpBorpBorp · 15/07/2016 13:58

Yanbu. Everyone will be looking at your lovely baby's lovely squidgy face, not at whether their clothes have been ironed.

captainproton · 15/07/2016 13:58

Seriously you need to relax on the ironing. As cestlevie says they WILL get a myriad of body fluids all over them, usually within 5 minutes of being worn.

missmodular2 · 15/07/2016 13:58

YABU to iron baby clothes
YANBU to not iron them Grin

Kenduskeag · 15/07/2016 14:00

What sort of utter weirdo irons baby clothes? That's up there with ironing tea towels.

I don't iron anything, baby or otherwise, because I dry it on a line and it doesn't get creased, but even if I did become some sort of mad ironer, WHY would you do baby clothes? They propel explosive yellow poo or cheesy milk sick over everything and go through 6 babygros a day.

Original poster
directyourcall · 15/07/2016 14:01

I wasn't going to bother but after washing things my MIL said I should iron them. My own mother said she never bothered but OH feels I should. I should note that my own mother is a hoarder with a liberal understanding of clean and tidy while MILs house looks like a show home. So I think both me and OH thought it's more normal and acceptable to iron than not.

The new average you made me laugh, I needed that thank you lol

OP posts:
BendydickCuminsnatch · 15/07/2016 14:04

YANBU in the slightest. Ironing baby clothes is bizarre behaviour. I don't iron anything except this one shirt I have that dries wrinkled. Everything else I just shake out and hang to dry properly and voila!
Spend time you would be ironing sitting down or doing something you want to do instead :)

TheCraicDealer · 15/07/2016 14:04

Right, step away from the iron. What were you even thinking, trying to iron stuff? It’s too tiny and baby will spend most of his or her time curled up anyway. It’ll be covered soon in pee, poo, spit up, vomit and milk- creases will be the least of your worries! You could be doing several outfit changes a day (you and them...), do not be worrying about ironing stuff. Everyone will be looking at his or her tiny little face and hands to be thinking you’re slovenly for not ironing their clothes. No-one will notice.

Sit down, have a cup of tea and a deep breath.

Toocold · 15/07/2016 14:05

If your oh feels you should...he should do them! Really not worth it , it's hormones, they make you react in a different way!

queenoftheboys · 15/07/2016 14:05

OH feels I should

Well offer him the iron then...

nutbrownhare15 · 15/07/2016 14:07

Now is a great time to practice ignoring what your mum and mil think. And to tell your dh that if something is that important then he can do it himself! The only clothes I've ironed for my 1 year old were dresses for a christening and her dress for her birthday party. Life is too short and you really will be too busy once baby is here.

megletthesecond · 15/07/2016 14:09

Yanbu. My eldest is 9 and I've only ever ironed his clothes in the first month of school. Then I realised they didn't crease if I hung them up to dry nicely.

Put the iron away.

Sparklesilverglitter · 15/07/2016 14:11

Your OH could iron some too if he wants them ironed, they are for his baby after all

Me and dh have ironed some of ours as my washing machine isn't fantastic and leaves a lot creased.

blueberryporridge · 15/07/2016 14:12

Step away from the iron, woman. You are clearly at the mercy of your hormones and nesting instinct just now but you need to fight off the ironing impulse.

Baby clothes do not need to be ironed, and you have more important things to do - just now that means trying to relax before baby arrives and, after the birth, it means cuddling your baby (while looking at him/her in complete admiration) as much as is humanly possible. Ironing baby clothes should not feature in your schedule. If your OH want the clothes ironed, he can get on with it. But I bet he'll change his mind once sleep deprivation and 6-8 baby outfits a day kick n...

ErrolTheDragon · 15/07/2016 14:12

If your OH feels that the baby clothes should be ironed then by all means let him do it if he wants. You'll probably find he suddenly realises HWBU to 'feel you should' Grin

MadameJosephine · 15/07/2016 14:12

OH feels I should.

Well then let him do it then!

I very occasionally ironed a little dress if it was a special occasion but otherwise life is just too short! (Little tip, I've found that hair straighteners are very good for getting the odd crease out if needed)

MummaGiles · 15/07/2016 14:13

Ironing baby clothes? Take a deep breath. Count to 10. Then say it to yourself. Sounds mad right?

Put the iron down.

FlyingElbows · 15/07/2016 14:16

If your oh wants the baby clothes ironed he can go out and find the tiny iron that can do the job! There are not enough hours in the day to iron the amount of clothes a new baby goes through! Put your feet up and tell your oh to jog on.

ThereIsIron · 15/07/2016 14:19

I stopped ironing as soon as DD1 was born 14 years ago DH/DC school shirts don't even get ironed.