washing baby clothes...

Some people been telling me that I need to start washing baby's new clothes before she arrives so it won't cause any harm to her skin... is this true?
Also do I have to use a special detergent when washing her clothes?
And do I separate the lights and darks?

I wash all of the babies clothes. I use a free and clear detergent. All Free and Clear is my favorite. I never separate clothes unless there is something red in there.

Most children are fine with standard laundry detergents. My son was slightly allergic as an infant and young toddler but at almost four can tolerate much better now, so I wash everything in just Tide instead of cloth diaper detergent, which he did better with when he was younger.

After myself having a bad reaction to not pre washed clothes that left me with a severe rash for months, I wash everything before he or I wear it.

Some people buy baby detergent but I have heard using one free of dyes and perfumes works just as well.

i would wash them before your LO got here. there could be something on the clothing that could irritate a newbs skin.

i used baby All for laundry detergent for the first year of my DD's life. you do'nt have to. i just did it because SO has sensitive skin, and i was worried she would too (which she does).

i never separated any of her clothing. i just washed it all together with just her stuff.

Honestly I did with my son. But with my daughter I haven't washed any of the new clothes since shes been born (until after shes wroth them of course). It hasn't hurt her. And I do use baby detergent. I use dreft. I don't separate lights and darks. I just wash all their yields and pajamas and socks and blankets together (in warm water). And I wash their clothes they wear out in cold water.

Thank you for the replies  

<blockquote><b>Quoting Cayden&Paisley's Mommy:</b>" Honestly I did with my son. But with my daughter I haven't washed any of the new clothes since shes been ... [snip!] ... their yields and pajamas and socks and blankets together (in warm water). And I wash their clothes they wear out in cold water."</blockquote>




Worn not wroth. And towels not yields lol

I personally would. I did for my son, and I'm already starting to for my daughter.

I wash all our stuff before wearing or using. It's been in a store with people touching it. it was made who knows where, it was shipped. it's dirty. it might have even been tried on or returned.
I would use a free and clear detergent. and stay AWAY from dreft. that stuff is crap.

I always wash everything, but I just use regular detergent, cut the amount of detergent in half & give it one extra rinse cycle so no soap residue is left in the clothing (THAT is what gets irritating to sensitive skin - what isn't rinsed out). That is how they TELL you to wash cloth dipes (I do those too) and if it's good enough to get the poop out, it's good enough for clothes.