Is it really necessary to wash baby clothes before birth?

[spu]

I've heard that the baby clothes should be washed prior to wearing. Is this true? The clothes look so nice and new and I usually don't cut the tags until they wear them incase the outfit is too small.

Also, what's the deal with fabric softener? Is it ok? should I try it first and see if they have a reaction? And is dreft really necessary or can I use my regular detergent? I'd like to be able to wash the baby clothes with our regular laundry...

thanks so much!
susan

twin girls edd: any week now...!

[HOBSON725]

I was told the reason to wash the clothes prior to wearing was b/c there might be some "film"(that may not be the right word to use,but I can't think of a better one at this timeLOL) that the manufacture puts on new clothes. I didn't wash all the new outfits I recieved and my daughter did just fine. I never used DREFT. I use ALL FREE AND CLEAR. I also use this for our (me and DH) laundry too. Good luck!
~EH

[suzska]

I think the material might have "sizing" on it (I think that's what the "film" is called). I pre-wash everything before my son wears it. I don't use fabric softener (this means NO dryer sheets--there's no problem with static except for really fleecy stuff) because I don't want to compromise the flame retardency (is that the word?) of the sleepwear. I use Tide Free Liquid on everything, including our clothes. Pretty much everything gets washed in warm water despite what the tags say, and Evan's stuff goes on Medium/Low in the dryer. I wash his stuff separate from ours (because I do use dryer sheets on ours), but he usually has enough for a load or two every week. Also, the small items like socks and washcloths I put in a mesh laundry bag. They don't get "lost" and I don't have to pick them up off the floor when I transfer stuff from the washer to the dryer to the laundry basket.

[luvbeinmama]

I don't always wash baby clothes beforehand. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I suppose it depends on my mood. My son hasn't had a problem with that.

You don't have to use Dreft at all. I DID have a problem with a cheap detergent I picked up at Costco which gave my son a rash. But then I went back to my normal detergent (I order Amway detergent online--no dang distributors to deal with!) and all was well. I wash all our laundry together, although I do wash all my son's stuff in cold usually. When I still had that nasty detergent, I just used it on loads that didn't have my son's laundry in them and used it up slowly that way rather than ditching it.

[Windy City Heather]

I personally wash everything first (even my clothes). I think about it from a germ point of view. I have know idea how many hands have been on the clothes and I would not want their germs on my baby.

Heather

[jenneric_2000]

I washed all of the baby clothes prior to the baby being born--goodness, it was like pure heaven in those last weeks to see those little shirts/onesies folded in their drawers--lol! Anyway, it was silly b/c I had a big baby who went right to 3-6 mos stuff! So I think you are very wise to not remove the tags! In my family we call it "packing chemicals" and we are split down gender lines about the need to prewash but I felt more comfy doing it but I washed everything--swing pad,car seat cover, baby bjorn....just wanted everything that touched her to be clean at least for a minute!

[zoethebeagle]

I would highly recommend washing your clothes before your newborns wear them. Absolutely skip any fabric softeners. I would also recommend using Dreft. If you have any history of sensitive skin, I think Dreft makes a big difference. You just never know what a little baby may react to so why not try to prevent it?

My daughter had ezcema and we tried All Free and Clear and it gave her a horrible rash. Our pediatrician and our two dermatologists in NYC all said to wash everything in Dreft. Now it is everything in Dreft. If you want to wash your laundry with your daughters' clothes, just use Dreft for the whole family.

[Melanie]

I was everything first to remove the sizing. I use either ALL or Tide Free (depending what Costco has). I use a tiny bit of fabric softner so the clothes aren't stiff or scratchy, but no where near what they recommend. Now that there's the unscented type, I am going to buy that.


Mommy to Jonah

[Elaine]

Personally I can't imagine NOT washing new clothes before putting them on my daughter! For one thing, clothes are treated with chemicals to look "new" (prevent wrinkles, etc) during transport. You can usually smell them! For another, I have no idea what germs they've accumulated while in transport, while being unpacked, while being hung up in the store, while being looked over by other customers...?? Think of all the people who've come into contact with them -- or they could have fallen and lain on some dirty floor...? The first thing I do when I get home from shopping is wash my hands! I wash everything I buy for myself prior to wearing, I certainly would never put something on my child without washing. Just my opinion, but it seems to make the most sense to me.