Do I need to wash new clothes for my newborn, before she wears them? Can I also use a dryer sheet?
Yes you need to wash them. There's a big debate about whether you need to use Dreft--I didn't. I used All Free and Clear. I also used dryer sheets, but some folks wouldn't do that.
I did, but really aren't we just trading one allergen for another by using detergent and exposing the clothes to our polluted water? I never understood why we washed.. I just played along :)
Here are some links:
http://www.google.com/search?q=why+do+newborn+clothes+have+to+be+washed+before+wearing&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
i didnt do it unless they were used clothes. but some moms feel the need to wash everything. its just a personal choice. as for the dryer sheets my daughters skin is very sensitive due to eczema so i dont use them i use those dryer balls.
I washed everything before my daughter wore it. I had no idea what happened to the clothing before I got them. I was more worried about the stuff I bought from the store (or received as gifts) then I did from clothing that were handed down to us.
Yes you should wash them first, it is rare but there have been some cases of skin diseases forming from new clothing, and just because you don't know what those cloths have been exposed to. Some say to use Dreft detergent, i used All Free and Clear and the sent free dryer sheets.
I never washed any of my baby's new clothes before he wore them, and we've never had a problem. I've known a few people who did and then the clothes didn't fit, and they couldn't return them because they'd been washed. That's probably why clothing stores recommend you do it. :P
We stopped using dryer sheets after he was born. I initially stopped because I'd heard they were bad for baby's sensitive skin. Now that he's older, we still don't use them because I've read they're bad for the environment.
YES! You need to wash them. My husband used to work for a major department store unloading boxes from the delivery trucks. He saw what sometimes got into the boxes of clothing. YUCK! All kinds of stories of bugs and such.
We used Dreft until my son was about 6 months old. Then, made it easy on ourselves and washed his stuff with ours. Regular old Tide and dryer sheets.
Good luck!
~Amanda
Hi Kim,
Yes, you should wash the clothes before she wears them. Try Dreft detergent.
Carrie
It's recommended to wash everything and no, I wouldn't use a dryer sheet.
Yes, wash the clothes, probably in a gentle cycle with All Free and Clear, no phosphates or perfumes, considering how little they are. Yes, you can use fabric softener, but use one with no dyes or perfumes like Downey free and clear, in the white bottle, so that there will be no irritants for the very sensitive little skin.
I would highly recommend it. Clothes are packaged and transported in somewhat dirty 'environments' so yes....not to mention ALL the shoppers (and kids) that touch the clothes while shopping, may be sick, etc... germs galore! :)
Dryer sheets - I never used any until my babies were one years old because of their skin sensitivity. "METHOD" has the BEST 'baby' dryer sheets (they are hard to find but you can find them at Babies 'R' Us). LOVE THEM!
Congrats on your newborn! :)
Yes you need to wash the clothes, and use a hypoallergenic pure soap. Dryer sheets are TOXIC. Don't use them on anything. Wash all bedding too. Congratulations on the baby!
WASH EVERYTHING that she may come in contact with...
Yes you definately need to wash them. The stores put chemicals on them to keep them from getting dust on them. Some also put a fire repellant. I would use a very mild detergent for them like Dreft or one of the products that have not scent on them. As natural as possible for the delicate skin. I would stay away from dryer sheets or anything scented. They are just to sensitive at that age and what smells good to them is mama, not detergent or dryer sheets, unlike us. : )
for a newborn, I would-wash in dreft type detergent. When they were about a year old I stopped. I wouldn't use a dryer sheet. that is just me, 2 of my kids had eczema.
I washed all my daughters clothes with Dreft before she was born and during the first 3 months or so. We didn't use a dryer sheet or fabric softener until we were certain she would not have an allergic reaction to them. Even then we added one item at a time to see how she reacted and after about 3 months her clothes were washed with ours, with our detergent and dryer sheets. Hope this helps!
Absolute, wash them! If you can, wash them closer to your due date, so they don't accumulate dust and allergens. No dryer sheet till your child is much older. We never use one in our house.
I would wash everything with Dreft or another gentle detergent and skip the dryer sheet.