Fabric softener on baby clothes?

I am using Dreft on baby clothes, but can I use a fabric softener? I recall hearing that it eliminates the fire retardent from baby clothes but am not sure if that was a rumor...

Thanks for your advice

Jenn

[megs4413]

I'm not sure about the flame retardent thing although i've heard the same rumor. The basic problem with fabric softener on baby's things is that it can irritate the skin fairly easily with a newborn especially. If you want to use fabric softener I recommend using liquid without a strong fragrance in the wash cycle and putting the baby's clothes through an extra rinse. FYI: it will negate using the Dreft so I would switch to something less expensive if you are going to put them through two rinses in order to use the fabric softener.

I think you are thinking of soap residue which inhibits the fire retardant coating on clothes. Detergent is okay, soap flakes are not. Try a Google search and see what comes up.

I agree with the PP that the scent of fabric softener can make very sensitive babies itchy/rashy. DD has that problem, but she is very sensitive (as DH and I both have allergies.) My FIL uses *both* liquid softener and dryer sheets, so when DD was on the bed coverlets, the one side of her face got all red.

HTH!

I too am not sure about the fire retardant aspect, but All makes a "Free and Clear" dryer sheet (no fragrance or dyes) to go with the All Free and Clear detergent. I started using it on DS's clothes at 12 weeks with no problems so far (at 15 weeks.)

Kathy

I can't speak about the fire retardant issue, but I would like to say that much of what we've been taught about a baby's sensitive skin probably isn't true in the majority of cases. I have an extreme preemie, born at 25 weeks. (She's now 36 weeks gestionally.) I asked her nurses whether or not I should buy special detergent for sensitive skin...and they said there was absolutely no need. All the babies in the hospital sleep on bedding and wear hosptial clothes that are washed in very harsh detergents and bleaches. The detergent you and I use at home is much less harsh. Yet the nurses have never seen a case of rash or skin irritation caused by the bedding or clothes.

Just passing it on...

Kristina
www.kristinaseleshanko.com/baby.htm