New Mom Tip: How to Pre-Wash Baby Clothes
When I was pregnant last year, I spent most of my time running around like a mad woman trying to get everything ready for my daughter. As a first time mother, I wasn’t sure how stressed out I would be during the first few months, so I was determined to have everything in place and ready-to-go before Summer arrived. My husband and I searched for months to find the perfect home for our soon-to-be family, and I spent weeks researching the best baby gear for our little one. I wanted to be as prepared as I could possibly be, so in addition to spending my entire pregnancy reading what seemed like all of the baby-related posts on the internet, I also reached out to the mothers in my family. After all, the best advice always comes from those who have experienced something firsthand.
As I suspected, I learned so many incredible things about motherhood and raising children from the women in my family. The helped me wittle down my registry list to the bare necessities and taught me all of the basics about taking care of a newborn baby. The information these women shared with me was priceless, and I felt completely confident about becoming a first-time mother towards the end of my pregnancy. A little over a week before I was due, I was going over the list of things that still needed to be finished before our baby’s arrival, and my mother-in-law asked me a question. “Have you washed all of the baby clothes yet?”
I’ve been around children my whole life, but to be honest, I haven’t had any experience with newborns. I honestly had NO idea pre-washing baby clothes was even a thing people did, but thankfully, she taught me everything I needed to know. She recommended that I head to the store to pick up a bottle of Dreft® Stage 1: Newborn detergent, which is the detergent she used on her children’s clothes. I suddenly remembered that my mom had also used Dreft Newborn on my brother’s clothing when he was a young child, so I immediately headed to Amazon ((because busy moms-to-be don’t have the time or energy to trek to the store, am I right?) and ordered a double-pack of this highly-recommended baby detergent (exact two-pack here).
Long story short, I went into labor about a week before my due date, but I thankfully managed to get all of my daughter’s clothes washed and ready to wear before her arrival. In all honesty, I only finished a few hours before I headed to the hospital, and I folded her laundry to distract myself from the pain of my contractions! No matter how rushed my last-minute preparations may have been, it got done, and it turned out to be one of the BEST things I have ever done for her. If you have a baby on the way, a newborn in your household, or are just curious about babies, keep reading to learn why you need to pre-wash baby clothes, why we changed our laundry routine, and the best laundry products for babies. Don’t forget to read through the end because I’ll be sharing an awesome discount code with you!
Why You Need to Pre-Wash Baby Clothes
Let’s rewind to when my mother-in-law told me I needed to pre-wash my daughter’s clothing. I legitimately had no idea why this extra step would be necessary, but I assumed it was just a precaution to make sure our baby clothes were extra-clean. I couldn’t have been more clueless, so I’m going to fill you in on why you really need to prewash baby clothes. Babies have very delicate skin that’s sensitive to all sorts of things, so it is imperative to only expose it to products that are specially-formulated for babies. Before clothing is sold in stores, it is sometimes sprayed with products that improve the appearance or performance of the fabric. Unfortunately, that coating can irritate your baby’s sensitive skin. To prevent irritation and ensure your baby’s skin is only exposed to gentle products, you’ll want to prewash all of their clothing with a baby-safe and gentle laundry detergent that’s made exclusively for newborns like Dreft Newborn.
Best Laundry Products for Baby Clothes
After learning from my mother-in-law that I needed to pre-wash Summer’s clothing, I asked all of the moms I knew which laundry detergent to buy. Without a doubt, the #1 recommendation was Dreft Newborn. The moms who recommended it to me said it was gentle and effective, but most-notably, they told me that the smell was intoxicating. Time after time, I heard people mention how they associated the detergent’s smell with the scent of their own babies. As I mentioned earlier, I bought a two-pack from Amazon before Summer was born, but I have to tell you that I never dreamed how quickly I would fall in love with this product. Based on the rave reviews from people I trust, I knew it would be a good product; however, I didn’t realize just how good it would be. I knew it was the #1 pediatrician-recommended baby detergent, but I just didn’t buy into the hype before I used the product myself.
Before Summer was born, I washed all of her clothes, bedding, blankets, and swaddles with Dreft Newborn, and I thought it was a good laundry detergent. After spending a few days in the hospital with Summer and smelling her in her cute little onesies, I suddenly understood the hype. The scent of Dreft Newborn on a newborn baby is something that can’t be described. Even seven months later, I still associate this dreamy scent with my precious baby girl. I’m not alone either. 94% of parents who use Dreft say that the scent reminds them of their baby, and I just love that the simple act of using a baby-safe detergent can also be an easy way to stay connected and bonded with your little one!
After a week of using Dreft Newborn, my husband literally sniffed our daughter’s freshly-laundered clothes and declared that we’d be ditching all of our laundry detergents and switching over to Dreft. Yep, even a grown man wants his clothes to smell like Dreft! As much as we love the scent, I love knowing that everything that comes into contact with my baby’s skin – our clothing, towels, and bedding – is made exclusively for her delicate skin. Like a lot of babies, my daughter’s skin is prone to irritation and eczema. Even two days without exfoliation and lotion can lead to a new eczema rash, so I try to avoid exposing her delicate skin to the chemicals on new clothing. My husband and I both have sensitive skin too, so we can benefit from the gentle formula too.
After seven and half months of use, I can safely say that I think Dreft Newborn is the best laundry product for babies. It’s great for pre-washing baby clothes before delivery, but it’s also an incredibly effective laundry detergent for everyday use. Our little girl gets all sorts of things on her clothing each day, and Dreft is fantastic at cleansing her clothing and removing stains.
While we love Dreft Newborn for our clothes, we use it almost everything in our home, including our bedding and even our daughter’s blankets and lovies. It honestly works great on everything in our household.
Best Place to Buy Laundry Detergent for Babies
Since I can’t always make it to the store with the baby, I have the two-pack of Dreft Newborn detergent on auto-order from Amazon. I love the extra savings, free shipping, and the ease of knowing I’ll never run low on our family’s laundry essential. You can also order a single two-pack on Amazon, and you’ll still score some great savings. I haven’t found Dreft for a better price anywhere else, and you can’t beat Amazon’s free and crazy-quick shipping. With that being said, Dreft Newborn is available at all major retailers, so you’ll be able to stock up on this essential baby care item no matter where you shop.
Click here to buy Dreft Stage 1: Newborn on Amazon today and use the code 15DREFTDEAL for 15% off Dreft orders on Amazon.While our little girl is quickly becoming a big girl (cannot believe she’s already standing up in her crib), I have a feeling we’ll be using Dreft Newborn for years to come. I will always associate the scent with her sweet little personality and remember the precious moments we shared together while she was a baby. Whether you’re a mama-to-be, new mom, or just looking for an essential baby care item for a friend or family member’s baby shower, definitely pick up a bottle of Dreft Newborn. You won’t regret it!
