Do you need to wash new baby clothes?

[Strawberry06]

Heard so many mixed things! Some saying you must do it, others saying why bother?!

What do you think OP?

Welcome to the first of many parenting decisions where you’ll have to go with your own gut.

I did before baby arrived. It felt nice to get all ready for them coming.

Once they were here I just ripped the tags off and stuff the baby in

I did, to get rid of manufacturing chemicals.

I didn't and we never had any issues

I didn't.

Me too.

I did with my first and have with my second too, just feels fresher but I'm sure you'd be fine if you didn't!

I wash all new clothes before I wear them, so definitely would for a baby.

I didn't - DC1 was (unexpectedly) premature and we didn't have any of the tiny size baby clothes so DH used to pop into hospital to see us via Mothercare.

Not a single one of the specialist SCBU nurses said we needed to wash the baby clothes before we put them on her, so I never bothered after that.

I always washed them in unscented washing powder/liquid. A baby's skin is more sensitive.

Yes I would always wash baby clothes, particularly for a newborn.
It’s not exactly life or death but there are all
sorts of things sprayed on new clothes. A baby’s skin is much more sensitive and it can irritate them.

Generally I don't, but I do for second hand clothes (even if they smell freshly washed) or things that have been stored for a while e.g. from an older sibling or because we received a present that was a size too big.

I think with new clothes it's really just your preference.

@Sleepygrumpyandnothappy no need to be so rude.
Mumsnet should be a place we can also share , ask and support each other

I did and still do for my 9 month old, most of her stuff is second hand from Vinted though. Not sure when I'll stop washing the things bought new!

No. It just isn’t necessary, unless they’re hand me downs that are a bit musty from storage. Also it means that you can return them if necessary because there’s always the chance that like my DS they’ll never fit newborn and go straight into 0-3 months and the occasional surprise boy that looked like a girl on the scan is not unheard of either!

Yes i have.

The reason is to wash off the manufacturing chemicals. I don’t usually have sensitive skin but i’ve reacted to new pants before, and during this pregnany I reacted to new pajamas, so I have washed all baby clothes as their skin is obv very sensitive.

I only did as everything was 2nd hand.

That post wasn't In the slightest bit rude?

It was actually very insightful. There are a lot of things about being a parent that have no right or wrong answers and where you have to make your own decisions and judgements, and what works in YOUR family - and late pregnancy is a great time to start preparing for that.

Vaginal birth or C secrion?
Ok to induce or not?
Ok to go overdue or not?
How far overdue should you go to try and get a natural birth?
Epidural or not?
Vitamin K or not?
Breast or bottle feed or mixed?
Use a dummy or not?
Vaccinate or not?
Nursery or childminder?
Go back to work?

And that's only in the first year!

FWIW I always wash new clothes before wearing as I prefer the smell of my laundry stuff and I enjoyed the process of getting everything ready for the new baby, but I'm sure it doesn't make any practical difference. Unless they're second hand and smokey or from some dusty warehouse maybe. Even then, babies survive around dust and smoke, but why would you want to if you didn't have to.

100%. I have a friend who worked in a clothing warehouse and her stories put so much fear in me that I know wash my clothes to before wearing.
It is the same as fruit and Veg. Some people don't wash produce before eating. i worked in a superstore and used to see Rats dancing/running on the produce. So I always wash in white vinegar and scrub.

I didn't and nothing bad happened.

I know about the chemicals but we don't seem to be sensitive to them.

I only wash brand new things if they have an unpleasant smell.

I washed for both of my DDs and will for DS before he comes in April.

If you've ever been in a warehouse where new clothes are shipped from, you'd wash the clothes before wearing them 😅

I did for ds in the first 3 months. I figured that if he did have very sensitive skin it was best to be safe as I wouldn't know that until he arrived and by then I wouldn't have had the time to do lots of washing. It was really cute and exciting to see all his little clothes out on the rails and it meant he smelt really good and like 'us' if that makes any sense.

Absolutely not. It never even occurred to me .

I did because clothes from a shop have formaldehyde on them to keep them "firm"