Why do you have to wash the clothes for a new born?

ALL clothes fresh from the store have a good deal of starch/stiffener on them as well as the surface layer of the flame retardant required by law. Babies can absorb the excess on the surface of the fabric through their skin, which can cause serious problems. The less chemicals their body absorbs, the better. Washing with soap and water takes this layer off. Fabric softener puts another layer back on.

It's recommended to make sure they're clean.

They've gone from a factory to a warehouse then onto a freighter or lorry or other transport to a distribution centre then transported again to the shop where they've sat in a store-room before being put on display. If they've been manufactured in a different country then sometimes the packets the clothes are shipped in are sprayed with a mild insecticide and this can potentially penetrate to the contents, plus there chemicals used in the manufacture of clothing that remain on the clothes until after the first wash.

From a practical point of view washing softens them so you know they'll be comfortable for baby rather than stiff. Also you don't know who has been touching them in the store, they could have be bought then returned as unworn and then re-sold, they could have been knocked on the floor and stood on. It's nice to make sure they're clean.

Fabric softener is fine to use, I've always used it with no problems for my son's clothes and you can get mild softeners suitable for sensitive skin.

Due to the chemicals on the clothes plus people have touched them in the store. Items get returned not always before being worn. I would say 50% at least of babies skin is to sensitive for regular laundry detergent and softeners while some babies are fine with what you use. That is just something you will have to see once your baby is here. Thankfully I have never had to use dreft for if the baby's skin is sensitive you will have to use that or another detergent that doesn't have scents and what not

them clothes were stored for who knows how long before they ever got to the store collecting dust and who knows what else and before that the material to make them may of been stored for a long time. Besides all that who knows what germs that they might carry because of how many people have touched them. No I'm not a germaphobic and yes, my babies wore brand new clothes that haven't been washed and they're just fine. Washing them makes them softer. I don't know about the fabric softener. I always bought baby detergent and just washed them in that and then I think i used a dryer sheet. After that 1st bottle of detergent was gone, i just washed their clothes in with ours and they were fine. I like the baby detergent for when they're newborns.

When you first but the clothes, all of them have starches and other chemicals to help keep them stiff and nice looking. Some clothes have formaldehyde which is bad for us let alone a baby! Its best that you wash everything so you wont chance a reaction to your baby's new skin. Also they advise you not to use softener for the same reason. I did, but I made sure to always buy things that were unscented and hypoallergenic. They have softener from bounce called free, and I used the Dreft detergent for a while but I switched to a cheaper non scented hypoallergenic one. Its all to protect your baby's skin!

New clothes in the package have all kinds of chemicals on them, including harmful ones to preserve them and keep them looking great no matter how long they have been on the shelf. Newborns especially are prone to strong, potentially harmful reactions to these. I guess you don't HAVE to wash them, but why even take the risk? Seems ridiculous to me to gamble on my newborn's health for a few minutes of inconvenience to ME! Congrats on the baby! =)

i never washed them with my 2, and used softener, its jus another thing to make parents parnoid

Honestly it may be recommended but with haveing laundry built up from 3 other kids plus my husband and myself and working 40 hours a week i could not find time to wash her new clothes as well as her handme downs and yard sale clothes and my daugther is alive and 100% healthy. Really up to you i honestly feel it makes no difference.

Do you not wash clothes for yourself when you get home from a store? There's chemicals, someone else could have tried them on...all I have to say is Ewwwww.

Don't use products with perfumes in them there's a lot of infants who will be sensitive.