MIL pawning off old dusty baby clothes on me

[GetTheSprinkles]

Maybe I'm an ungrateful cow but...
I'm 36w pregnant with first DC and I have bought some lovely new clothes for him (as has my DM). The other day MIL ambushes me downstairs with a small pile of clothes she has apparently been saving for the last THIRTY years. She hands me some of DP's old baby clothes, very proud of herself. There are three baby grows that look like they'd fit a tiny doll and are now a dirty yellow (presumably were once white), a really scratchy bright orange and black wool jumper for ages 2+, a tatty/dried out brown dressing gown for ages 1-2 and an old-fashioned, neon snow suit. All smell clean but dusty. She chuckles that I may want to wash them. I'm thinking I may want to burn them. Is it rude to flat out refuse them? I was about to tell her I didn't want them when DP who was nearby piped up saying how cute they were and of course we'd use them
I'm planning to take them and leave them in a wardrobe forever... although I hate clutter so really just want to throw them away. AIBU?

Feeling rubbish now that I may have hurt her feelings

Don't worry about it. Nobody I know would want to put their baby in clothing that was in poor condition.

If my DH put the clothes in bad condition on our DC, I would take them off.

My DM (70+) brought out a dress she wore on her 21st birthday and asked if anyone wanted it (Dsis happily took it), but the difference is, it was in excellent condition.

She keeps her things very well and would never bring out anything that was tatty and worn for us.

I don't feel the need to appease anyone by putting these clothes on my DC, but in so doing, I also wouldn't be rude about it. I would just say thanks and tuck the stuff away...no harm caused.

I like the idea a pp suggested of using the clothes on a doll or teddy bear though.

I'm going to go against the grain and say that if you do not feel they are suitable to put your baby in you give them back. When you have a baby you get a lot of stuff anyway so why have things you know you won't use cluttering things up! I have clothes from my DD1 and DD2 that I have kept for sentimental value, unfortunately they could never be used for DD3 because babies dribble milk and this does stain yellow no matter how much you wash it. Offer the clothes back to your MIL, if she doesn't want them back them let her know that you will dispose of them for her.

Gosh aren’t you lovely

YABU. Accept them, say thanks, don’t use them if you don’t want to.

Be thankful you have a kind loving MIL.

I’d take them, use once for a photo then put them away.
My mum dug our old high chair out when we had our baby. It was 40 years old, rusty, crusty, disgusting and unsafe (as in baby could easily have lost a finger). My siblings and I burst out laughing at it! I think she felt mildly offended but saw the funny side in the end. People do get nostalgic when their babies have babies, I’m sure I will too.

That really is utter bollocks.

It's no further from the truth than some of the comments about antique and high quality items. I mean, I know there were no photos publicised from baby Archie's royal christening, but I feel reasonably confident he wasn't in a dusty neon snowsuit from circa 1989.

Might be an idea to think about what you're going to do if she decides to make a habit of this OP. It does happen, as a couple of posters in the thread have mentioned. Though I guess it's good that the items seem to span a couple of years so maybe she hasn't kept loads.

Give her a break. My kids are way of having their own kids but guess what I’ve got in my loft waiting?. I probably wouldn’t offer them to my dil but I have to admit it’s one of my fantasies... luckily I also have a dd so when the time comes she’ll feel more comfortable telling me to fuck off...

The clothes may have yellowed over time and the MiL may not realise quite how bad they are. My mother gave me some old things she'd saved and I don't think they were stained when she put them away 30 years ago but they are now. I love the idea of second hand clothes (and haven't bought anything new at all) but wouldn't put my baby in stained clothes either.
I was quite surprised at the state of some of the stuff people gave me though - I'd be embarrassed to hand on such filthy things, and I'm definitely not fussy generally.

I was given a pile of greyish babygros. I got some dylon washing machine dye and revitalised/ tie dyed them all. They went on to be useful for the rest of my babies. Nothing wrong with second hand.