New babies come with cuddles, giggles, and loads of kisses. They also, however, come with dirty diapers, spit-up, and a ton of laundry. As a new mom, it is super easy to get overwhelmed looking at the mountain of dirty clothes. Especially if you have another little one and a partner to look after, the mountain of laundry can continue to grow and grow with no seeming limit. Baby’s onesies, your sweatshirts, and all the news clothes you bought along with your new bundle of joy seemingly come with consequences. Don’t worry, you are not alone! We, at Pregistry, put together tips on how to handle baby’s clothes and your new loads of laundry!
- Just throw it in (JTI)
I like to shorten this into the acronym ‘JTI’, which my partner knows by now. JTI means the second it gets dirty, take it, collect it, and dump it. Even if your load only has four onesies, a bib, and your favorite terry cloth robe it is much better than waking up on a Friday morning to realize you have no clothes for baby because they’re all in the laundry mountain.
- If it smells, soak it
If the baby had a particularly large diaper and leaked through the onesie, it is always best to pre-clean the really dirty stuff. This works twofold, first being that if you don’t get around to JTI, then you don’t want your laundry pile to smell because of the particularly dirty onesie, and the second being it’ll be easier for the stains and smell to come out if you pre-soak or spray it with a hypoallergenic and baby-friendly clothing freshener.
- If it’s black, it’s dirty
I wish someone had told me this earlier. I used to think I could get away with wearing a black sweatshirt covered in baby spit-up because it was black and therefore unstainable. Wrong. Baby spit-up shows up even more on dark-colored clothes. If your baby threw up on your favorite comfy black sweater, JTI.
- Pre-wash new clothes
I also wish someone had told me this earlier. Many baby stores mass buy their inventory at warehouses and larger clothing stores. Although the baby boutique you bought your baby’s onesies and PJs from looks clean and well kept, it is always better to be safe than sorry and prevent your baby from clothing dye, chemicals, and other harmful substances. Wash the clothes alone, and try and prevent mixing them in with baby’s already worn clothes in the laundry pile.
- Bedding counts too
All too often new moms forget that baby’s bedding must be washed on a regular basis as well. Especially when your baby is in the first few months, the crib or bassinet will not have blankets or pillows to cover or prevent the actual sheets and bedding from dust, mosquitoes, or other potentially harmful environmental teratogens. Always remember that if your baby sleeps on it that means your baby breathes it.
- Your load is separate
Not because of any dangerous or particularly health-conscious choice. Simply put, your baby’s clothes are a lot smaller than yours and more baby socks will get lost in your clothes than you will have previously thought possible. It is easiest to have two separate hampers, one for your dirty clothes and one for your new baby’s.
- A day and an hour
Set aside a day in the week and designate it laundry day and designate one hour in the day in which you will start the laundry. This has helped me get over my laundry slump immensely in the past. Giving yourself a specific time within the day will definitely help you get up and off the couch!
One of the most important things to keep in mind is how normal this feeling of complete overwhelm is. Pretty much all new moms face a similar laundry mountain and many have spent years trying to tackle it. It is okay to be overwhelmed and it is healthy to take a step back and breathe. If need be, ask a spouse, partner, or friend to come over and help you tackle your laundry for a while after your baby- you won’t be able to use that excuse for long!
