Caring For Your Baby's Clothes Posted: 12-25-05 08:58am
Hi
new parents are full of concerns about
what regular household
activities may pose a threat or present
problems for their newest
family member. At some point the
question about the best ways
to wash baby clothing will arise.
Parents typically ask whether
there is a certain type off detergent that
they should use, whether
it is safe to wash baby clothes with the
rest of the family's clothing
and what special steps should be taken
with cloth diapers if they
are being used.
Detergent
this is a valid concern. It is not
atypical for certain detergents to
irritate the skin of adults and older
children, so it is certainly
feasible that a baby's tender and
sensitive skin can be easily
irritated by harsh detergents. There are
several detergents on the
market that are supposedly intended for
baby's clothing, but there
is not much difference between them and
other mild detergents.
The best choice for parents to make in
this area is to purchase
mild detergent that is free from added
colors and fragrances and
wash the clothing in that. If the baby
does develop a rash or
seems to be experiencing skin discomfort
of any kind, the first
thing to do is consult the family
pediatrician. The doctor may
simply recommend that a different
detergent be used, but will also
be able to determine if there is a more
serious problem.
Washing baby clothes with family clothes
some parents feel that the baby's clothing
needs to be washed
separately from that of the rest of the
family. The rationale for
this is that the other family members'
clothing could somehow
taint or contaminate the baby's. There
is no reason to worry about
this and it is perfectly safe to wash
baby's clothes and bedding
along with everyone else's. The
exception to this rule is cloth
diapers. If parents are using cloth
diapers and washing them at
home rather than using a diaper service,
they must be washed
apart from everything else.
