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?

Bluebird - when someone says they wash baby clothes because other people have touched them it's hard not to think and

Also, as someone who tries to live as ecologically as possible I find the obsession on MN with washing machine usage and the power, water and chemicals used to be completely ott.

I've got 5 weeks to go until DC3, I haven't bought any new clothes but have bought most 0-3 off eBay and have washed them all in fairy non bio, not because of the hygiene; just in case baby has super sensitive skin - I've done my nursing stuff too. I've also washed all of the sheets, blankets, muslins, towels - because of absorbency/softness etc (2xloads, airer then finish off in dryer). I was laughing about this to friends the other day, with my other twoDC's, I intended to keep their clothes separate and only wash in the F non bio but it lasts a fortnight if that, then everything goes in together anyway as the house implodes from emotion and chaos I swear I think I've partly done it this time to be fair to the third baby, as I did it for the others - bonkers 😂

OK, and that's fine if you think it's OTT. Some of us think that it's worth it. We're all different. Some people do worry more than others and especially about cleanliness. I have one friend in particular who would definitely worry about lots of people having touched the clothes, it would genuinely be very anxiety inducing for them. Just don't see the need to be rude about other people's choices. Disagree with them, fine, but there's no need for the attitude.

I've been asking myself the exact same question. Washing new stuff seems pretty unnecessary to me but everyone I've mentioned it to in real life said it's essential! I'm especially reluctant to wash the newborn sizes in case baby is big and wears 0-3 straight away... I won't be able to return any of the newborn stuff if I've washed it all.

Also seems rather pointless since baby is presumably going to get the clothes dirty without hours of wearing them so I'll be washing them pronto anyway.

However I can see the arguments for washing, chemicals and people touching things in shops... however, if it comes out of packet, I'd be sorely tempted not to bother.

A few family members said "at least you don't have to iron the clothes" which did make me laugh! It wouldn't even cross my mind to iron them - I don't even iron my own clothes (apart from the very occasional shirt and smart pair of trousers)

I've been in some of the best garment factories in the world: I'd wash all the basics you're taking into hosp - once you know baby size dp can do the rest, or swap for the right size

I didn't bother.

I didn't wash any shop bought items, didn't have any problems.

NameChange First time around I stood and ironed every single item of DC's clothing whilst 8 months pregnant. I don't know why. Some kind of extreme nesting insanity. I knew even as I was doing it that I would never iron any of it again. Madness. I'm like you, don't even iron my own clothes.

Bluebird LOL! Yes it must have been nesting insanity I have PGP as well so there's no way I'd be standing up to iron for any length of time! However I do like being on all fours so if I get any nesting instincts I'll channel them towards scrubbing the floor

Didn't wash anything. Didn't even occur to me that I should. No one I know did either. Obviously couldn't give a shit if anyone else chooses to though! DS was also an IVF baby with a complicated pregnancy and ended up coming early. I was so convinced that it was going to end badly that nothing was even taken out of bags/boxes until he was here. DH was cutting all the cable ties and packaging off the car seat in the maternity ward!

I had PGP too (so, so much sympathy to you! ), I was on bloody crutches and I still ironed it all like an absolute knob. Lowered the ironing board and did it from the sofa when it got too bad. I was a complete cow to DH when he suggested that perhaps DD would survive in clothes that were not pressed to within an inch of their lives ("do you even care about this baby at all?!" ). Honestly, I am normally quite sensible.

Good luck with the rest of the pregnancy, I hope the PGP eases up for you. Mine pretty much went after delivery so fingers crossed yours will too!

Thanks mysterious OP .

and me too weasel - made DH refuse the mothercare car seat fitting service because I was convinced we would need to return it!

Ask anyone who's been in a garment/clothing factory and they will tell you to wash first. Imagine a rat or two scampering over your newborn's babygro if you need some motivation

I washed everything prior to first use in non-bio including muslins. This is for all my newborns. I wouldn't do this as the child got older and a bit more resilient, and I wouldn't do it for my clothes either. Just that small baby period when their immune systems are rubbish.

I didn't wash anything- both alive and well!

Bluebird Thank you (and "like an absolute knob" made me laugh )

"Ask anyone who's been in a garment/clothing factory and they will tell you to wash first. "

So do people working in clothes shops all get told to wash their hands well after hanging stock out or moving it around, Health & Safety regulations means that hand-washing facilities are easy to reach & time during shift is allowed to wash? The staff also frequently wipe down the shelves & spaces where the new clothes have been sitting & hanging because they must be contaminated too, Any customer who has been trying on clothes should also wash their hands thoroughly?

Doesn't make sense.

I didn't wash anything bought new when Dd was born almost 15 years ago. Wasn't told to by anyone - other parents, family, professionals. No one mentioned it. Don't remember it ever being mentioned in all those baby books either.

No harm done without washing for us. Dd didn't have any issues back then, nor now.

I washed everything for new born stage. Their skins are so sensitive and all that plastic packaging is yuck. Plus warehouses etc are sprayed to prevent infestation of moths etc so I would.

Obvs don't even consider ironing anything!!

lljkk ~ I doubt retail staff get told anything about the conditions the clothes they sell are manufactured in. Nothing about factory cleanliness, types of chemicals sprayed on to clean and protect garment prior to transport or the name of the 5 year old Vietnamese boy that stitched the item together in the first place.

I am only repeating what has been told to me by someone who visits overseas factories for a reasonably expensive brand. Also see earlier post on this thread from someone saying the same - as in they've visited some of the best clothing factories in the world and would also wash before use. I dread to think of the state of the factories for cheap clothes.

Each to their own. Wash or don't wash, I don't care! Just adding the info.

No! Fuck that. Can't even manage regular washing never mind adding extras!

buckyou

I always wash a newborns new clothes before they're worn. For me, smell is a huge part of the bonding process. If my dc don't smell 'right' they don't feel like mine. So my baby smelling right straight away really helps.
My dc3 has just started nursery and on nursery days from when I pick her up until her bath she smells so wrong that it hurts.

I washed everything for DC1 but I am funny about germs / contaminants etc. I still wash everything before he wears it at 18 months - I must be a bit of a weirdo.

SIL was shocked when she realised I wasn't ironing everything before DC wore it though so it just goes to show that it takes all sorts!

OP I've been thinking about this thread and realised I got completely the wrong end of the stick, you're not asking if babies need their clothes pre washed, you're asking if it's too risky (maybe even tempting fate) to pre wash clothes when your pregnancy doesn't feel 'safe' to you. I understand that now. I think most people feel similar to a greater or lesser degree, I can see why you feel this so strongly given the difficulty in conception and the passing of DT (my sincere condolences, I can't even imagine).

I washed a bunch of stuff pre birth, but not everything, enough to tide us over for a few days. I couldn't bring myself to fully and wholly get excited until DD was safely with us.

You haven't got long now, it's normal to feel trepidation (and that doesn't stop, I keep finding more and more things to worry about re: DD (she's 4 months old) and (unless there are medical risks you haven't mentioned) there is a FAR greater likelihood of your DC being delivered healthy, safely and well than any other outcome.