Is it necessary to iron diapers for a newborn imother.su - everything for the expectant mother

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Published: 04/01/2020

Reading time: 9 min

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• 1 What doctors advise
• 2 How long does it take to iron linen (diapers) for a newborn? And do you need to iron them?
• 3 Until what age should a newborn baby be ironed?
• 4 Arguments against ironing clothes
• 5 Things that can make a mother’s job easier
• 6 Arguments in favor of ironing 6.1 Little tricks

What do doctors advise?

It is not so much the disinfection of diapers that is important, but the correct and professional treatment of the umbilical wound.

Another category of pediatricians is categorically in favor of exposing clothing for newborns to high temperatures. But not for long - until the navel heals, that is, at least 1.5 months. It is also associated with the weakness of the newborn's immune system. Even if you wash baby clothes at the highest setting, 90 degrees, during drying, germs will still get on things. And only an iron can kill all germs.

How long does it take to iron linens (diapers) for a newborn? And do you need to iron them?

After the birth of a child, a young mother’s day is scheduled minute by minute: she not only needs to provide proper care for the baby, which requires constant attention, but also, in between routine moments, do a lot of housework (cleaning, cooking, washing and ironing clothes).

Is it really necessary to iron a newborn baby’s diapers and things? Isn't this a senseless waste of time and effort, which is already in short supply?

Proper care and care for a baby requires a lot of time: the child’s room must be cleaned daily, formula must be prepared every three hours, and in the evening, the newborn must be bathed. Feeding, swaddling, and communication are not scheduled by the hour, but the young mother spends a lot of time on them. But what tires her most is washing and ironing.

If the first process can be facilitated with the help of washing machines, then even the most functional iron cannot help mommy with ironing: it is estimated that this process takes about three hours every day. Many experts began to doubt whether this should be done: perhaps this work was useless. So is it worth spending so much time and effort on it?

Microorganisms, inevitably present in our environment, force the young body to fight infectious agents, thereby creating the effect of natural vaccination;

Ironed linen partially loses its ability to absorb moisture and can cause heat rash or irritation of delicate baby skin.

As for the issue of healing the umbilical wound - the main argument in favor of the need to iron diapers - this part of pediatricians believes that it is not so much the sterility of the diapers that is important, but the timeliness and correctness of processing the wound itself (see how to properly treat an umbilical wound).

With a weak infant immune system. During the first month of life, the baby needs protection from all kinds of diseases.

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I think more than one generation of parents has come to hate the iron after ironing diapers from all sides for many hours. Among Soviet families, there was an opinion that a newborn should be kept sterile for several months after birth.

Doctors recommend that you always iron the newborn’s diapers and clothes until the umbilical wound heals. Ironing should be done on the side that comes into contact with the baby's skin.

With the advent of disposable diapers in our country, the life of mothers has become easier - now they need much less diapers and clothes for a newborn. If suddenly someone else does not believe in the benefits of diapers and uses only reusable diapers, then wash them very carefully - the chemicals contained in urine and feces, poorly washed, in contact with the baby’s delicate skin, cause irritation.

If the baby has no health problems, then there is no need to stroke it after the umbilical wound has healed. It is enough to put very cleanly washed clothes on him, change them often (if he burped, the diaper leaked, sweated, etc.) Even if the clothes still look clean, be sure to completely change them at least once a day.

Be careful - if a child was vaccinated with BCG in the maternity hospital, then around the end of the first month of life it will become inflamed. During this period, it is recommended to resume ironing.

Buy a dryer and don't worry. After it, things become very soft, because... All the salts and minerals go away after the water, just like the ironed steam treatment turns out. And you don’t need to hang anything up, throw in the wet and take out the dry

And you can devote your free time to rest, your child, and your own beauty. We live in the 21st century, it’s a sin not to enjoy the benefits of civilization.

I was amazed! I heard with my own ears that the barely born baby spoke.

I have 50 rompers, 20 blouses

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Pros and cons and nuances

1. The umbilical wound, of course, is open, but with proper care, no bacteria are dangerous for the child. The baby does not yet have his own immunity; it is “developed” only through contact with foreign cells. The baby’s body will be “lazy” as long as we artificially support its immunity.
2. Natural discharge is not dangerous to the child’s health, especially since a caring mother will change the diaper, the vest, and even the socks if they were worn. If the mother is healthy, then a breastfed baby cannot have infected stool. Likewise, if your baby eats packaged baby formula, you don’t need to make any special efforts to wash his diapers from the “infection”;
3. All washing powders labeled “for children's clothing” are hypoallergenic and have disinfecting properties, i.e. After washing, your baby’s clothes will be as clean as possible and will not require heat treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to wash children's clothes - this is unambiguous and indisputable, and whether they need to be ironed is decided by the mother herself.
4. The opinion about “pollution” by “microbes” floating in the air has no basis, since diapers and “all other baby things” are not dried on the balcony. If washed items can become “infected” at home from sneezing or coughing, then ironed clothes also have this possibility. Mommy simply physically does not have time to fold and put each individual item into a sterile cabinet immediately after ironing in order to “protect” it from contamination.

Proper ironing of things: the vest was ironed, folded, placed on the edge of the table or ironing board. We ironed the next vest, folded it, and placed it on top of the previously ironed one. A stack of vests “grows” on the ironing board until they are all ironed. Only then are all the undershirts put away in a regular, non-medical (not sterile) closet. Can't germs get on shirts that are ironed and stacked? Quite, things are in the same environment as everything in the house. Why then iron things if the possibility of infection has not disappeared? It is enough to fold them carefully and put them in a drawer, but there is no need to iron them.

Important Note

You can’t just wash a baby’s clothes, they need to be washed! Washed and then ironed fabric will become rough and damage the baby’s skin, and any damage to the skin gives bacteria “direct access” to the body. Decide for yourself until how many months you will iron diapers, socks and other “clothes” or you will not do this at all, but do not wash things, wash them thoroughly.

Until what age should a newborn be ironed?

Is it necessary to iron diapers and things for a newborn? “Of course, ironing children’s things is necessary!” - the older generation will say out loud. There is nothing more dangerous than germs that threaten the health of a small child, and ironed clothes look much neater on him. And in general, dear mothers, raising a baby requires a lot of effort and time.

1. Firstly, for a small child with an unhealed umbilical wound who has just left the walls of the maternity hospital, well-heat-treated items are a way to avoid contact with various microbes on the skin.
2. Secondly, the fabric of ironed vests and bodysuits is much softer and more pleasant to the touch. Well-ironed seams will not chafe your baby’s already delicate skin.
3. Thirdly, if your baby is susceptible to allergies or dermatitis, the treatment of diapers in this case becomes a must; the mother must provide proper care for the baby’s skin.
4. Fourthly, ironed clothes have a neat appearance, so your baby will always look very cute and adorable.
5. Until how many months do you need to iron your baby's clothes? Minimum - up to 1.5, and more often - up to 2 months of the baby’s life.

How to iron correctly? In order not to waste a lot of time and quickly get the desired result from ironing clothes, do not neglect these rules:

• Correctly selected detergents will ensure easy ironing of laundry. Don't be afraid to use fabric softeners - the right softener to match your baby's clothes will keep the fabric light and pliable.
• Choose the right washing program that will ensure easy ironing of your clothes.
• It’s better to spend money and time choosing a decent iron than to later use precious minutes that you can spend communicating with your child or just relaxing. Use a spray bottle of distilled water if necessary.
• Diapers and rompers should be slightly under-dried. Damp fabric is much easier to heat treat with the most successful results.
• Divide clothes by fabric type, this way you can save a lot of time on changing the thermal mode.
• Ironed items should not be immediately placed in the boxes designated for them. You will avoid creases and folds if the clothes are cool enough before storing them in the closet.
• Organize your work area carefully. Take advantage of the ironing time to listen to an audio book or watch your favorite TV show.
• If you decide to use an iron, you should know that ironing children's clothes from the outside is not necessary; you can only iron them from the inside, because the child is in contact with the inside of the clothes and bed linen.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with How to properly clean your ears. We clean our ears correctly. The article talks about how to properly clean your ears.

If necessary?

There is no consensus on this issue (whether it is necessary to iron a newborn’s clothes), but pediatricians unanimously declare that it is still necessary to iron a newborn’s clothes. Why iron a newborn's things? There is a reason for this.

The fact is that during ironing the fabric is exposed to high temperatures, which are destructive to bacteria. The same effect can be observed in boiling water or milk - disinfection occurs.

Baby and pediatrician

The immunity of newborns is still very weak and the health of babies is easily vulnerable. Therefore, when asked whether it is necessary to iron a newborn’s clothes after washing, doctors answer that this should be done at least until the umbilical scar heals.

In addition, there are a number of other reasons why you should iron things for your baby:

• Ironed items are much more pleasant to the touch. A newborn's skin is very sensitive, and freshly washed items can be harsh on it.
• The iron smoothes the seams of the product, which means they will not scratch the skin and cause discomfort.
• If the clothes are new, then they have probably collected a lot of dirt and germs in the warehouse and factory. It must be washed, and ironing will disinfect the fabric to the ground.
• Ironed clothes look more beautiful and neater than wrinkled ones after washing.

Arguments against ironing clothes

• Microorganisms, inevitably present in our environment, force the young body to fight infectious agents, thereby creating the effect of natural vaccination;
• Ironed linen partially loses its ability to absorb moisture and can cause heat rash or irritation of delicate baby skin.

As for the issue of healing the umbilical wound - the main argument in favor of the need to iron diapers - this part of pediatricians believes that it is not so much the sterility of the diapers that is important, but the timeliness and correctness of processing the wound itself (see how to properly treat an umbilical wound).

Some pediatricians argue that additional disinfection of children's clothing in the form of ironing can be harmful to the baby.

• The bacteria that surround the child enter his body and force him to fight. This promotes the formation of natural immunity.
• If the diapers are ironed dry, then their fabric absorbs the baby’s moisture less well. This can lead to diaper rash and heat rash.

On the question of the factors influencing the rapid, without complications, healing of the navel, all pediatricians are unanimous in their opinion: timely and proper care of the wound is much more important than sterile and clean diapers.

Doctor Komarovsky's opinion

A well-known pediatrician believes that for a small child it is much more important to have happy parents than perfectly ironed clothes.

We suggest you read: How to remove rust from white clothes

To save mom from countless washings and ironing, you need to use modern inventions, namely: a diaper.

According to the doctor, washing children's clothes must be done using special means. Rinsing should be done in 2-3 cycles.

The issue of ironing clothes is strictly individual, the main thing is not to the detriment of family relationships.

What can make mother's work easier?

Of course, it is worth remembering the lack of time and chronic fatigue of modern mothers. After all, they have so much to do during the day that there is no time or energy left for the iron and washboard. But a rested and happy mother is very important for a baby. If you can’t cope with the mountain of tasks that has fallen on you, you can try to avoid ironing.

After all, modern household appliances: in particular washing machines and irons, have many functions and modes responsible for destroying all kinds of microbes.

• You need to wash clothes for a newborn with special baby powders or gels. In stores you can buy numerous detergents designed for washing children's clothes, created specifically to destroy all kinds of germs.
• When using a special conditioner for baby clothes, the clothes will become softer.
• With proper drying, vests and rompers will not lose their appearance and will not require heat treatment.
• Using a dryer will save a lot of time.
• Some experts argue that excessive disinfection of everything around has a negative effect on the baby’s immune system.

In general, whether or not to iron clothes and diapers for your long-awaited baby is up to you to decide. Be guided by your inner feelings and pediatrician’s advice that applies directly to your baby. Try to find a middle ground between household chores and time devoted to direct communication with your child. And remember: motherhood is a great happiness.

A young mother and her attitude towards ironing children's clothes.

Mom and ironing baby clothes

What happens if you don't iron it on both sides?

Although pediatricians advocate ironing baby diapers and clothes, they also agree with some negative aspects of such an event:

1. Ironed bedding or clothing can cause heat rash in a child, as it loses its ability to absorb moisture to some extent. Therefore, you should not try to iron your child’s things too carefully and for too long.
2. Germs are present everywhere around children and adults. If a child’s underwear is over-disinfected, the young body will not develop natural immunity and resistance to harmful environments. This can lead to the baby getting sick often.

Therefore, there is no need to try too hard to disinfect and iron children's accessories. Everything should be in moderation.

It is believed that in the modern world it will be enough to iron only the wrong side of clothes and diapers, and not, as in the good old days, on both sides.

During the period of caring for an infant, it is dangerous for a mother to burden herself with unnecessary work. Postpartum recovery, hormonal changes, daily household chores - all this contributes to the accumulation of excessive fatigue.

If the child is healthy and developing well, there is no need to carefully iron the linen, especially on both sides.

And if you use modern technology, ironing can be a pleasure. Knowing the basic rules for washing and drying things will help you completely forget about ironing.

The only disadvantage of refusing to iron children's clothes is possible condemnation from relatives, loved ones, and friends. Some mothers find it difficult to bear this moment.

Arguments in favor of ironing

• With a weak infant immune system. During the first month of life, the baby needs protection from all kinds of bacteria. Even if the baby’s clothes are constantly washed in very hot (up to 90 degrees) water, when drying on the balcony or radiator, germs still get on the fabric. A hot iron and steaming system effectively destroy all microorganisms and disinfect children's clothing;
• During the ironing process, residues of detergents that can provoke an allergic reaction in the baby are neutralized;
• Steaming and ironing can make natural fabric softer. The same happens with the seams: having softened, they do not rub the delicate baby skin.
• Diapers that are ironed will last longer;
• Well-ironed items look aesthetically pleasing, which is important when visiting a clinic or during a visit from your mother-in-law