When to wash your baby's clothes

[Dozeyland]

I am 32+4, started mat leave. when should i wash the baby's clothes?

I never washed anything. Never thought of it with DC1 or 2, didn't see the point with DC3-4.

Perhaps as a consequence, they were the most... robustly healthy babies you could hope for? The idea of washing stuff unnecessarily, uck, I had funner things to spend my last few weeks of child-free life doing!

(Long naps in the afternoon and re-reading favourite novels, for a start).

Dozeyland are you seriously taking all that to the hospital??!

I think that is slightly overboard!

I doubt you will use a fraction of what you take!

No. its just an idea. you read so many things online and in books but it'll probably get halved!

what re you lot taking?

I would completely forget stuff like talc and sudocrem and bibs and really just take the sleepsuits and vests.

Depends what time of year you are giving birth as to the whole going home outfit. I have got an all in one padded number as it will be November. Therefore no need for sock and hat.

Obviously nappies are essential.

Don't bother with booties if you have socks or an all in one which covers the feet.

Talc bad for baby lungs, me thinks?!

I don't think you need talc for babies at all do you? I don't know anyone that uses talc on their baby.

it came in my johnsons baby box?

i know some people that have used talc.

i'm properly packing it soon so i will soon know whats going in.

im due october 22nd

What would you say is the most important hings are for me in my hospital bag?

Oh the other thing I thought was totally pointless was those scratch mits!
They just looked really wrong! Baby wants to touch you and her surroundings and grip on to your finger etc. Why put blimmen mittens on them??!!

scratch mitts are to stop them scratching themeselves. Babies fingernails are very sharp. Take them off when you're with them but alone in a cot/moses basket a newborn baby isn't actually capable of reaching out and touching anything, even if it wants to :)

Well mine never spent much time alone in their cot/moses basket as I'm a baby wearing lentil weaving co-sleeping type. Never really saw the need for them.

Ahh right - may also depend on the baby I guess. Mine was like Edward Scissorhands :o

We took all sorts of things to hospital but only actually needed:

2 sleep suits (1 newborn and 1 0-3 months (for a winter baby I'd add a fleecy/padded sleep suit too
2 short sleeved tops
Hat - good idea for October don't know why we used it in August...
3 nappies
The hospital suggested that we use cotton wool and water on DS's bottom until the meuconium had finished - and in the end we have only just started using wipes - we used washable wipes (small squares of toweling) most of the time and cotton wool and water when out and about.
No baby soap/talc either - babies don't get greasy/dirty and it's important that you let their skin settle itself down. All those products are designed to make you an addict to chemicals - even if they say 'mild' on the packaging... DS now only uses soap on his hands for a before meals wash - never used bubble bath or shampoo on him and he's still beautifully baby soft and dewy - people comment on it
As there isn't much food going in I don't think many babies that new dribble much - so you won't need bibs. If they do dribble you can just improvise with a muslin and tell DP to bring a bib next time he comes....
I think that they suggest you don't use a dummy initially - you want all babies sucking to be at your boobs to stimulate your supply and also to get the collostrum into your baby... so I'd leave the dummy's at home. TBH i'd put them in the back of a drawer and only get them out if you 'need' them - they do make a rod for your back getting rid of them and DS didn't need it - maybe your baby will be the same....
Don't think you need cotton buds either, or a flannel - DS was wiped with cotton wool pads and a little sponge until his umbilical cord stump came off - we were told not to immerse him until after then so you won't be doing a full on bath for a week or so...
Muslins are useful but we didn't need more than two - at worst you could rinse one out and dry it in the hospital - it'll be warm - if you need to.
Blanket - very good idea
You'll need your car seat too - we kept ours in the car for the last few weeks so we couldn't forget it!

for you
Take a skirt to wear afterwards - you won't feel like liftng your legs into trousers
Take a top that holds your tummy in for afterwards - it'll be loose, floppy and sore - as you walk it'll wobble about and hurt if you don't have a top that will hold it in

Has no one mentioned granny knickers yet? :o Essential! A

nd if you end up having a CS then you won't want a tight top - I wore something very loose with cotton jersey PJ bottoms. Hopefully that won't happen but if you're relying on your DH to bring something then you may want to get an outfit like that out ready. And don't forget a top/nightie that buttons down the front for breastfeeding (if you're planning to)

And plenty of maternity pads. You always need more than you think you will!

I have just stocked up on my disposable knickers - so glamourous!

Oh yes, the stringy knix...
I made the mistake of buying medium sized ones, I'm normally 12/14 so thought they would fit!.
Only to have 2 nurses trying to pull them on over catheter bag to no avail as my bum was just too big!?!

Big knickers are v.important!

I would leave out all the talc/cream etc and don't worry about bibs either.

Take muslins though. DS was not really a sicky baby but I have about 40 at home and there were times when I would be down to my last one or two. I love them!

I think cheap proper cotton knickers are better than disposable ones because they're a bit scratchy and the elastic a bit tight. I bought a 5 pack of size 20 pants from Primark (I'm normally a 12 :o)

definitely go for the cotton pants rather than the paper ones - much nicer on your sore nethers... And just chuck 'em if you think the washing machine won't save them. I took all the grey-est ones from home with me and chucked them afterwards and treated myself to some nice new ones once the dust had settled :)

I can barely get my knickers on anymore without assistance. It would be easy just to clingfilm my bits.

How much bigger do you go in knickers? At 32 weeks I am currently still wearing my size 10/12 pre-pregnancy knickers as they fit under my bump and my bum hasn't grown much bigger. Will this be the case post-birth or should I get bigger ones? And how much bigger?!

I have also read that talc is bad for babies BTW, so I'd avoid using that.

lurcher I would get some size 16 ones at least. You will have 2 maternity pads in there and even if you have a vaginal birth and no tearing you will still not want there to be any pressure anywhere!

I had a section, and my Mum went and bought me some huge maternity knickers that came up over my belly button so that nothing pressed on my scar.

Yep - 16 or 18. They'll be baggy but that's fine and also your bump drops and it takes a while before you go back (you will still look pregnant the next day)

I'd agree, get bigger ones. I don't know why but after giving birth my hips and bum seemed wider than when I was pg!