Baby laundry

Yes everything that comes in contact with baby needs to be washed. A little tip is that you don't HAVE to use Dreft. I use the All Free and Clear which is free of dyes and fragrances and can be used for everyone's laundry, not just the baby's. Also, you can use liquid fabric softener. I just use less than I normally would and have no rash problems with the baby.

Yes before I had mine I washed everything even walkers and what not but for the towels and clothing I used dreft with no fabric softner they say that can bother a baby now he is 13months and I still done use fabric softner on his clothing. Stopped using dreft though when he was about 7 months old

Yes, definitely. All cloth contains sizing (an additive to make it look nice and a little stiff) and this needs to be removed as it could be too rough for a baby's tender skin and could even cause an allergic reaction. Also, washing everything will make it much softer for your baby.

Yes, especially new things. Consider how many different places a new blanket or towel has been or how many different hands it has touched on the way to the store where you bought it. (Even if it was home-made, the material was probably handled a lot before you acquired it.)

Yes I always washed everything for the baby in baby laundry detergent before using them. You never know if they might break them out if you buy them straight from store. And when people give them to you, you don't know what they have been washed in. And regular detergent might be to harsh for the baby's skin.

Yes, i used dreft for awhile then all also but definatly wash everything before it comes in contact w/your baby its been many places before it gets to your baby it needs cleaned ......

I would wash everything that the baby is going to wear, to include towels and wash cloths, before it is used. You won't really know until later if your baby is going to have sensitive skin or not, but you want to minimize the discomfort of your baby in any way that you can! Of course considering whether you and your husband have sensitive skin can be helpful in determining how long you should use the more gentle detergents.