do i need to wash brand new clothes for baby before he's born?

[pipinmybelly]

title says it all really...just wondered how many of you actually wash ur brand new clothes before they go on the baby...because although id rather wash it all, what if he isnt a he and iv taken all the tags off!!

i wash everything, although most stuff is probably too big, i only bought 0-3 months, all the new born were presents, let's see how big he is, if he happens to be a girl, will were lots of blue,...

The link is

What were people doing to end up with poo etc on blouses etc?!

Just to add though, it is marginally less shocking if one remembers that in America (it is a link from the States) "pants" in that context are trousers rather than underwear.

I didn't wash anything and nothing terrible happened. If you have time and feel inclined then do it, but it really isn't necessary imo.

you don't know where it's been, and some fabrics have fluffy stuff that doesn't go away until washed, you wouldn't want baby breathing that, although posibly would not kill him

I never washed anything...

i might be a bit paranoid, or maybe i have too much time now that i am in maternity leave, and being my first baby... it might be the famous nesting instinct, clean everything in sight

Yes yes yes. You must wash everything.

(checks no-one is looking)

Unless you can't be arsed in which case it will be fine.

I washed everything for my DD till she was a year or so, plan to do the same for next bubba (due in 5 weeks ;0)) don't knopw what I'm having this time (much to my disappointment! scan inconclusive!) So I have loads of pink I've had to go an buy quite a bit of neutral stuff! Last time I bought only 3 babygro's in newborn and dd was only 6lb 6oz so she was drowned in all the stuff 0-3 months!

i ddin't

feel bad now

Never did
Never will

I didn't wash anything (apart from a few handed down bits which I'm not sure we ever used).
He survived.
He'll forgive me I'm sure .

I still wash everything before dd wears it and she is 19mo
I can't imagine sweat shops clothes factories are the most hygenic of places

thank you everyone for all of ur comments!! think i will wash his stuff, just because im a worryier although im sure the clothes wouldnt harm him if they werent washed!!
thanks for advice on leggings onepiece i think they're really cute too!!
i havent bought any booties just lots of socks coz iv bought a few shortie rompers coz he'll be a summer baby...how do u tell the difference between an all in one thats supposed to be worn to bed or can be worn in the day?? or doesnt it matter as long as there are no refs to bed time or sleepy time written on the front?

It doesn't matter at all - they can't read.

It's worth washing stuff just for the cute factor of all these teeny tiny little clothes hanging up

I also found things noticeable softer after they had been washed.

Definitely - just smell them! I continue to wash all new clothes for DS and he is 3. I would do it for myself, but it's the only time most of my clothes actually look nice - that first wear!

Just wanted to add that DS gets eczema and if your baby has this you will want to wash them

I didn't wash anything and given that my two didn't seem to wear anything for more than 5 minutes before it needed washing anyway I think I would have wasted my time.

I also didn't wash the nursery furniture with milton.

I didn't wash anything beforehand. Admittedly most of my things were from eBay and charity shops, but we did get some presents. DD is a perfectly healthy 2 year-old so there were clearly no ill-effects!

Sorry about the fabric conditioner comment, it probably doesn't matter all that much and I'm not usually such an anti-chemical hippy! I think I just got it into my head that it wasn't particularly necessary and if you could cut it out it would be better for their skin. If you've used it already I wouldn't worry about it.

Re: size of clothes, you're probably right to buy minimum newborn, more 0-3m size in case of 10lbs baby. Worst case scenario, you get a tiny 4lb 15oz dot (this was us with dd!) and a kind family member (my Dad) legs it to Mothercare on the birth day and buys a raft of tiny baby size clothes! It wasn't too much of a problem, we just tied the legs of the babygros up out of the way. She looked daft until the next day but we didn't care I'll be secretly a bit gutted if this baby's over 7lbs and won't squeeze into the tiny stuff for even just a few first photos!

erm... if you have washed the blue stuff and it turns out to be a baby girl just dress her in blue! What harm will it do?

Wow, I've never done that. I've obviously been missing something.

fatseal no worries just me being a worrier and a first time mum!! iv got a feeling my baby wont be very big, me and my partner are not very big or tall and my 23 week bump is only just a bump...does this have any outcome on size of baby?? when are u due with ur next one?? was ur previous baby premature or just tiny?? cant wait now!!

Who washes their nursery furniture with Milton??

BTW, I got our old cot out of the garage recently. It is slightly damp in there and the cot had gone pretty mouldy. I thought this was quite odd seeing as it is painted wood. I then realised that it was all the crap (milk, saliva, etc) that had never been washed off the cot, but I couldn't see it. How gross is that?

With hindsight I wish I had cleaned the cot with Milton!! Mind you, DS is fine and hardly ever gets ill, maybe that's why

domesticgoddess thats hilarious!

id never heard about washing the nursery furniture, do u think i should do this too??