Newborn: Due Jan. 4th, should I wash babies clothes??

Question

Im due on January 4th. I just had my baby shower and was curious if I should was the babies clothes, or is that not necessary? I bought some Purex Baby Detergent so I could do them today. Is it too early?


If I do the clothes am I supposed to do stuffed animals & blankets/quilts?? How about the crochet clothes & quilts people hand made? Would those get ruined?

Answer 1

Nope, never too early. When i was pregnancy with my son i washed his clothes, toys, bottles everything!!! u can do any time u want but it's better now than later to wait because you never know when u gotta have babies. it's better to wash babies clothes because so that keep it clean cause do you want keep those dirty clothes keep that way? i mean what if the clothes that had been on floor? or people touch that clothes?.

Even toys, u can read the box said wash it before used, most of the toys i have read are most said wash it before used.

Answer 2

I wouldn't wash stuffed animals, because I'm not sure how they would come out because of the stuffing inside them.

If you have knit blankets, you can wash them on the gentle cycle because it's like washing a sweater. My son has a blanket that my mother-in-law's friend quilted and it has a fuzzy border around it. Something like that I'd be afraid to wash, even on the gentle cycle, but you could spot clean them if you need to.

As for the clothes, I wouldn't wash too many of them at first. I bought an outfit for each of my sons to come home from the hospital in, and because they were premature, they were way too small to wear them and I had to buy preemie clothes instead. They finally wore them when they were two months old. Sometimes babies are too big or too small for the size you think they'd be in. By only washing a few at a time, you're still able to exchange any that don't fit or are for the wrong season by the time your baby could wear them since you still have the tags on. I read one of your other questions that mentioned receiving a box of clothes from a neighbor. I would wash all of those and a few of the new clothes you got at the shower until you see how big the baby is.

Answer 3

Yes, it is a good idea to pre-wash baby's clothing before wearing. Include sleepers, t-shirts, socks, bibs, burp cloths etc. Read the labels to be sure everything is machine washable and dry-able, but everything should be. You can wash it on the gentlest cycle as they aren't dirty, you are simply washing out the sizing put on when the clothes are made. I like to use my washing machines second rinse feature for baby clothes to make sure all the detergent is rinsed out, but it is fine if you don't. Baby's skin is sensitive and can develop a variety of rashes and red marks normally so you don't want to add the possibility of a reaction to the sizing and stiffness of unwashed new clothing. Wash blankets and quilts as well as crib sheets. Anything handmade probably doesn't need to be washed and I would check with the person who made the item for proper care instructions. Stuffed animals typically can't be machine washed or dried and just require spot cleaning with a damp cloth if they get soiled. This is a good time to wash all the clothes and get things ready. It seems as though the last few weeks will never end, but then all of a sudden your baby is here and you haven't done everything you'd hoped to get done.

Answer 4

I am not sure if it is too early but I would wash everything that I could. I would get some Wool Light for the crochet things if they make it that is dye free sensitive skin (I think they do) and hand wash or use a gentle cycle. Dreft is good for baby clothes but more expensive-I think I used the Purex before (it has kid's on the bottle). Maybe you could wipe the toys with a damp cloth if you would feel better.

Answer 5

You should wash all the clothes and blankets. While your child is small you are suppose to wash all new clothing before they wear it. Some tags on clothing even say that. Newborns skin is very sensitive you want to make sure that you don't irritate it. I wouldn't worry about the stuff animals. For the more delicate I would be careful washing them, maybe consider taking them to the dry cleaners or hand wash them. Also, when you wash your babies clothes anything that you would consider a nice or more expensive outfit I would lay flat to dry. The dryer can do a toll on your little ones clothes and make them look dingy and worn out. Good Luck!

Answer 6

Blankets and things that come from a store should be washed, just because you don't know where they've been. However, it is not as important to use the special detergent. The home made thing I would not wash, they are too special.

I asked my mom (who is also an OB/GYN), "Do I really need to wash the baby clothes in the special detergent or is that just a load of crap?" She told me that you really do need to. However, you don't need to buy the expensive detergent (like Dreft), the Cheer Free and Gentle is the same thing (and costs the same as regular detergent). It just needs to be dye and fragrance free.
I washed everything way ahead of time so that I could get the closets and drawers organized. Clothes don't get dirty sitting in drawers, so if you want to go ahead and wash it, go for it.

Answer 7

I don't see a problem with you starting to wash the clothes and blankets now. You probably won't feel like washing them when it gets closer to your due date, plus there's always the chance that you'll go into labor before your date. Wash the clothes and blankets when you feel like it, put them away in the dresser (or whatever), and relax knowing that they're ready when you are.

I have a few crotcheted things, too. I washed them on the gentle cycle, and they're just fine. I didn't wash he stuffed animals, though.

Answer 8

I washed everything ahead of time. I would and then put them in a drawer or somewhere dust won't collect on them. For the crochet blankets you can wash them on gentle and let them airdry, they dry pretty fast. Also don't use fabric softener sheets in the dryer, they have parfume in them, and if you are worried about irritation then skip them for now. Target has a generic version of Dreft that is much cheaper and smells the same.

Answer 9

My daughter is due on Jan 2nd and i washed all her clothes and most blankets (except the crochet stuff) and they are all put away just in case she comes early i dont want to have to worry about it later.

Answer 10

i would wash them all because they usually starch them and they can be rough for your beautiful newborns skin and its softens the seams aswell. I would go easy on the knits though i think they will be ok xx good luck