Do you have to wash all your new, newborn clothes before he / she arrives?

[Boobz]

A friend has said she is washing all her new baby clothes before the baby arrives. Did everyone else do this? Do you wash all the moses baskets sheets and cot sheets as well? I thought new from the packet would be clean enough but maybe not? What happens if you then want to take stuff back because it doesn't get worn / used - presumably the shop won't have it back after it's washed?

You're meant to wash everything because of the chemicals used in manufacture and packaging. I washed EVERYTHING for DS1. Didn't bother with DS2. Both have same level of eczema...

yes you should wash them, to remove chemicals and you will see they all shrink slightly so its best to have them organised in real sizes not one on label! if you are worried you have too much wash half and leave other half tagged

there is a photo of me hanging baby clothes on airer pg with dd didnt take photos with ds just got shoved in with normal washing

I washed most things, mainly because a lot of the stuff was second hand and had been sitting in draws / lofts for ages. I did wash some of the new stuff just to get rid of any shop chemicals / dirt especially stuff that wasn't in packets and could have been on the floor or handled lots.

wash five vests and five sleepsuits
and the moses sheets

don;t do anythign else till you need it - you might need to swap sizes if you have a tiddler / whopper

and you won't need cot sheets for months

Meant to wash everything but DD was born at 35 weeks and we weren't ready. All prem stuff from mothercare went straight in her as she was so sickie we were seriously short of clothes for her, constantly changing her

p.s didn't seem to do her any harm. Will be washing everything this time round as its all been stored in mil garage so probably fusty

I didnt wash anything and DS (17 weeks) has no skin trouble (although I have eczema and psoriasis). I have massaged him with olive oil every day since we came home from the hopsital though.

I wasn't too fussed about washng stuff which was in packets. Did wash the fleece blankets as they give me a rash when brand new.

I washed everything. By the time he got to 9-12 (he's 7 mo, but a big baby), I stopped washing them before he wore them, and he got an allergic reaction, and a huge reddish purple rash on his face. It's probably a one off, but worth thinking about.

I have a washload in right this minute and it's filled with wee tiny baby clothes!! Can't wait to hang them out and see them all drying on the line.
I'm just washing hand-me-downs that my SIL gave me, and about 3 newborn bodysuits to pack for the hospital. My next load will be blankets and some sheets, also mostly hand-me-downs.

Boobz I've washed some stuff then got bored and left the rest, so when this baby arrives we'll experiment with both and see what happens!

p.s. I love the fact that on your first day back at work after xmas hols, you're on mumsnet by 9.15, brilliant! .

Also I might not make it for our walk tomorrow pm as got Angeline coming round for third sweep then reflexology, so I'll give the Jojo top to GWTMH this afternoon and she can hand it on to you if that's ok?

I washed one load of hand-me-downs, mainly because they reeked of detergent, but haven't washed any other new stuff. A is fine so far...

It's worth doing for all the reasons listed above but mostly because, if it's a good drying day, the sight of all those little vests and sleepsuits on the line is the best thing ever. I cried and got all excited.

Then with DC2, like Littleducks, it all got shoved in with the other washing.

I havent yet-got 14wk left (she says!!) But will be doing, you dont know who's had their grubby hands on them before you!!!

Thanks for all your advice! I guess I will wash one load and see how I go before ripping all the labels off and washing the whole lot!

Crazy - no worries about missing the walk - I very much hope you are running your own kind of marathon by that point, giving birth to your LO! And as for the work comment, I'll have you know, I start my working day at 9:30. MN with tea and toast after the morning dog walk is the best way to start the day...

See you at Sainsbury's cafe on Thursday Notcitrus.

xxx

I've also washed everything both times. Lots of things clothes wise is just on a hanger without any packaging, how long has it been on shop floor and warehouse? How many people have touched it? Don't get me wrong, I'm not anywhere near a wrap them in cotton wool mum, but would definately say wash everything first, just to make sure it's clean, soft and fresh for baby. I stopped at about 6 months.

On a similar note, this thread (and realisation that people wash brand new stuff) has made me start thinking about the sterilising thing. I found this old thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=breast_and_bottle_feeding&threadid=91585-imho-and-the-opinio n-of-microbiologists-there-is-no-need#2004724

which is from 2005 so opinions might have moved on? Or government / hospital advice changed? Basically the OP in that thread says sterlising is a waste of time and not recommended in any other country. Do all you clothes washers also sterlise everything?

Didn't wash a thing as dd came 3 weeks earlier than planned and in fact, didn't have enough clothes as she was in prem clothes due to growth issues so my mum had to go and buy stuff that went straight on her. No skin complaints at all.

Suddenly thought "Do all you clothes washers also sterlise everything?" sounded accusing or something - didn't mean it to - just genuinely interested to know if there is more than one school of thought on the washing / sterilising angle. Strangely, I am a bit of a clean freak when it comes to the house (poor DH can't move for me following him around with Cif in the kitchen), but the idea of pre washing everything and sterilising everything seems like something I might not do...

I washed my bits and pieces today too. Most were not in packets so I just wanted them to have a quick rinse. One thing was the cardie I wore home from the hospital so at nearly 28 years old I thought that could do with a wash! Nearly lost a tiny sock already! Sure the washing won't be as much fun when it's for real! :O

I washed the hand-me-downs but didn't wash the new stuff and my DD is fine.

I've washed everything, but it's almost all second hand and not all of it was totally clean/most of it had been slept on by cats!!

Have washed some of the new stuff but not all, I have to confess it did seem a bit like a waste of time. I have sensitive skin and have never had a reaction to new clothes, so I'm not sure why babies are supposed to.

i didn't wash anything for my two babies - I know people who have and then it hasn't fitted and they've been unable to return it.

I've washed stuff this time because I've got alot of their old stuff and bits I've bought off Ebay but I don't think I will wash the new stuff

I never washed anything bought new.