Homebirth prep- the baking of baby clothes

[KBinSATX]

I got my instructions for homebirth including the suggestions for baking the towels and clothes in a paper bag in the oven at 250 degrees with a pan of water to prevent scorching. Then store the stuff in the paper bags until needed.
Does that mean just his shirt, socks and hat? Or should I bake the CDs, too? Won't the plastic snaps melt? Should I use disposables?
I am guessing I am only baking his first set of clothes and after that he will just get regular clean clothes, right?

[mama_at_home]

I didn't bake the towels or clothes or anything. I just washed them and dried them on hot. Maybe next time I will be a little more careful, but I don't think the baking is necessary. I am not sure about the snaps melting on cloth dipes, maybe just use some prefolds if you really want to bake them. I used disposables the first few days because I didn't want to deal with the meconium.

[wednesday]

I've never heard of this. My son was born in a birth center and we dressed him in clothes we brought from home. We didn't do anything special to the clothes.

[my4magpies]

I had my last 2 babies at home & my midwife said that baking the clothes were not necessary. My babies actually stayed naked (just diaper) for about 3 or 4 days in my bed or my arms, so they didn't need clothes for a few days. Then I just made sure that their clothes were clean!

Rhonda

[KBinSATX]

Yes, my instructions also note that this is optional. I may just skip it on the clothes all together. Perhaps just do the towels, etc...

[alegna]

We didn't bake anything. It's absurd IMO.

-Angela

[BethSLP]

I was just told by my MW to wash and dry 8-10 receiving blankets twice and then put in paper grocery bags and staple shut (to keep dust out). during the birth, they will put the bags in there on 170 degrees to warm them. I also have to do this with a few towels.

but I would not put CDs or anything else in the oven for that matter. In fact, I'll leave it to them to put the bags in the oven, as the whole thing is a little sketchy to me (although 170 degrees is a heck of a lot lower than what you are talking about).

XOXO
B

[txgal]

Sam midwife as Beth, we just put blankets and towels in the oven when labor starts to have warm ones on hand after the baby is born. Helps to control body temp and feels nice and snuggly too. As far as I know it has nothing to do really with cleanliness.

[teachinmaof3]

For my 3rd birth (1st homebirth) we did this b/c it was in my mw's instructions. Later on my mw said it isn't really necessary. She said she has it in there b/c sometimes they go to a home and it's FILTHY!!!!! So having the Mama do that insures the things are clean for baby.

When I was preparing for my 4th birth I just washed everything. Then I stuck all my supplies in a big rubbermaid box.

[georgia]

I've never baked any supplies.

[Quagmire]

I posted in I'm Pregnant about this too...it sounded really silly

My midwife said as long as you're washing and drying stuff in your own house and putting it away so the dog can't coat it with hair and slobber you're fine to skip the baking.

[tinyshoes]

Heh....I thought that the blanket baking was a token task assigned to pesky birth guests by the midwife!

Dryers will kill EVERYTHING. I wondre if a dryer gets hotter than 250 degrees?

A heating pad keeping laundered blankets warm for the impending birth is nice.

[Zyla]

Three homebirths -- never baked anything.

[provocativa]

If anyone is baking anything in my house for after the birth, it better be brownies.

[myniyer]

Originally Posted by provocativa

If anyone is baking anything in my house for after the birth, it better be brownies.

:

[Zyla]

Originally Posted by provocativa

If anyone is baking anything in my house for after the birth, it better be brownies.

Yep. At each of my births, my mother was busy in the kitchen, baking her incredible brownies, and her delicious lasagna! Yum! (And at the last birth, she was busy minding the 2 year old as well!).

[pamamidwife]

silly, silly, silly. I'd ask your mws WHY they want this done. part of the beauty of a homebirth is your baby will be born in YOUR home with YOUR germs. your baby, in many ways, is already acclimated to these germs. and, it won't be long and he/she will be completely!

[CrunchyKat]

Never heard of this. Sounds unnecessary to me? Like the other gal said, part of the reason I HB is because I felt my baby would be safer around our own germs than the ones in some random hospital.

[Snowdrift]

Originally Posted by Quagmire

yeah
My midwife said as long as you're washing and drying stuff in your own house and putting it away so the dog can't coat it with hair and slobber you're fine to skip the baking.

I want one of those washing machines that removes dog hairs!!! Anyone know where I can get one?

I was boxing everything up in cardboard, and my midwife suggested that that was too much trouble--just pile it in laundry baskets! We changed our minds about that since we're taking our homebirth on the road to in-laws house and so everything will need to spend some time in the car, so we're using closed containers, but yeah, just silly.

[georgia]

During our second birth, our fishy pool had a leak, and water went everywhere. We literally used every towel, bedspread, blanket, etc in the house to sop up the water. Baby ended up with a scraggly (but clean ) handtowel on his head after he was born. I remember thinking later glad I didn't bother to bake those towels that ended up being floor cleaners!