Do I really need to wash everything beforehand?

[KatnissMellark]

Obviously all the second hand/hand me downs will get done. But what about everything else?

New clothes on hangers
New clothes in packets
Blankets
Muslins
Hand knitted gifts

How far do you take it?

Well, I wouldn't necessarily wash hand me downs considering they must have been washes prior to being passed on (unless it's a strong snelling detergent) but would definitely wash the shop bought ones!

I did everything except hand knitted stuff.

Because it has chemicals on it
Because lots of other people have touched it
Because it might have been on the floor having fallen off a hanger
Etc

I have sensitive skin so I washed it in sensitive washing powder

I didn't. One wear and it was in the wash anyway.

I didn't wash anything before it got worn

Yes- they use some sort of formaldehyde based resin to stop them wrinkling in the shop apparently.

And you can fit an awful lot of baby garments in one load.... Mine are being washed, dried on the airer and away in a drawer. I won't ever be ironing something that small that'll be worn by a small wrinkled person!

Of course you should wash it. It may have chemicals that could irritate your babies delicate skin

I didn't wash any new things before DD wore them, 5 months in and shes had no probs with them. I love the fresh crispness of new clothes

I've never washed any new clothes before wear, with the exception of when my babies were newborn, and have never suffered any ill effects AFAIK!

I get a lot of clothing online so don't have to worry about other people trying on before etc, not that that really was ever much of a concern.

With ds (pfb) I washed and ironed everything. Including scratch mits! Can't even remember with dd. Probably washed stuff but definitely didn't iron her baby grows. It's worth keeping some of the new stuff with the tags on so you can always exchange t when you know how big your baby is.

I never wash brand new shop bought stuff before it gets worn. I don't see the point.

I did wash second hand stuff, or stuff that had been stored in the loft.

I washed nothing that didn't seem dirty, not even 2nd hand. No regrets.

I run it through a quick wash with fabric softener. That's it then it goes in the dryer to give it a fluff up.

I washed everything in terms of clothes and bedding. I haven't bothered with the pram covers or the cover of the sleepyhead or the baby gym as their skin won't be in direct contact anyway.

Yes the hand me down stuff I've received smelled a little fusty so washed that.

Re the new stuff, as on this thread I've had conflicting advice in real life with people looking aghast as the idea of both washing and not washing it

I don't want to wash it all in case sizes aren't right and they need to go back. Also not really ready to definitely acknowledge that this will be happening after 5 years and 4 rounds of IVF and losing this baby's twin earlier in the pregnancy, I always have in the back of my mind what if I need to take it back?!

I did for DS1 but not for DS2

It'll only take 5 mins to do, they're all such tiny little clothes and dry in no time. Just wash when baby arrives if it makes you feel better

I didn't but I would wash muslins as they are not absorbent until they have had a wash.

Nah I don't bother with either of them

I didn't wash stuff. Yes you might want to change sizes.

Yes both dds had very sensitive skin and get eczema regularly. They were allergic to most baby wipes, nappies and bath products so glad I wash led the chemicals from the clothes.

I didn't wash anything.

When are you due? I wouldn't do it until nearer the due date so it's still fresh.

Congratulations on your ivf baby. Try to be positive and enjoy it

I washed everything before DD was born. Nothing we bought fit her when she was born as she was so small so an emergency trip to the shops was needed. My Dh brought the new stuff straight to the hospital and it obviously hadn't been washed. From then on, I didn't bother washing any new stuff I bought/was bought!

Thanks, due in about six weeks and just starting to think about hospital bag, hence the Q.

Yep I washed everything before mine wore them. I just think you have no idea what detergents or chemicals have been applied to the fabric, how many dusty warehouse floors they've been dropped and kicked around on, and how sensitive your baby's skin is going to be/whether they have any allergies etc. It's not a massive job to just stick them in the machine and dry them (and you'll be doing it every single day for the next couple of decades anyway) so for what it's worth I always just did it.