This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
There are lots of things that remind me of having a small baby. The theme tune of Waybuloo. Walking past the church hall where Baby Sensory classes are held. The music that our baby monitor plays to soothe a child to sleep. The smell of fresh laundry. I cuddled my friend’s seven month old son today and he smelled of washing powder. It immediately transported me back to a time when we seemed to be endlessly washing baby clothes. Our washing machine often got a thrice-daily workout as we laundered muslins, vests, babygrows, bed sheets, t-shirts, pillow cases. You name it, we laundered it.
I distinctly remember walking into our kitchen one day (where our washing machine and clothes dryers live). My daughter must have been only a week old, and the warm damp air hit my face. It smelled – and felt – like an actual laundry! It was the strangest sensation, but no stranger than the whole new reality of being a mum to a tiny, wrinkly, yawning baby.
Another memory that always comes back to me is laughing to myself that our laundry had done from being lots of dark loads – jeans, black tops, dark dresses, black gym gear – to whites and pale pinks. Our drying racks were fit to burst with white muslins, white sleepsuits, pale pink sleeping bags, pale pink vests. We were those totally stereotypical parents of a daughter who had pale pink ‘everything’.
Now, our laundry drying racks look very different again. We’re back to the jeans, the gym clothes and our (nearly four year old) daughter’s wardrobe is filled with bright fun colours. Yes, there’s a bit of pink there, but there’s also red, green, purple, blue…
When we became parents, we suddenly became aware of the type of detergent we used in our washes too. We went from buying the cheapest brand (or the one on offer) to buying Persil non-bio and Comfort Pure fabric conditioner. I even had to explain to Mr P what ‘non-bio’ meant. It was important to me that we protected our little baby’s sensitive skin. And we still use it, four years later. I’m happy to admit that I’ve forged brand loyalty with a fair few products that I started buying as an expectant and new mum. One of the things I love about Persil is their link to Tommys and their #Mums4Tommys campaign.
Tommy’s funds medical research into the causes and prevention of miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth, and provide a free information service that educates all parents-to-be about health in pregnancy. What’s totally brilliant is that Persil non-bio and Comfort Pure will donate a total of £100,000 to Tommy’s to support their research. You can look out for special signage pairing Persil non-bio 25w/ Comfort Pure 42w products at your local ASDA stores from August 23rd.
In the meantime, we’re going to carry on dressing our three-year-old in bright clothes and doing fun things that get them mucky! Isn’t that what life is all about?
• This shop has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
we are in a BIG Waybuloo phase at the moment, and enjoy doing the Yogo together. The theme tune makes my heart clench a bit, it reminds me of such gentle times. Tommy’s is a great, great cause – good to see it being supported by a big brand like Persil.
I love the smell of wash powder and you are totally right smell is so evocative of memories.
The smell that whisks me back to the heady days of newborns is kamillosan nipple cream (or basically chamomile oil) 🙂
Great news that big companies are taking their corporate responsibility seriously and helping raise vital funds for important charities. x
I remember when we had our first baby, Charlie (8 years ago) and I looked out of the kitchen window one day during the week he was born and saw a row of blue, yellow and white vests on the washing line. It was one of those real moments when I thought wow, we really are parents. I even took a photo of it and it sits in his bedroom now (until one day when he’ll probably banish it).
I’m ALL about getting the clothes grubby in my house! All kids clothes should be puddle-worthy! Love that this supports Tommy’s. I’m an ambassador for them. Hosting their Baby Awards again next March for the second year running. Wonderful charity xx
You just took me on a trip down memory lane- I remember being completely surprised by how much washing we were suddenly doing! Ours was all baby blue xx
a really interesting read. not being a parent myself, i find myself intruiged by others stories.
It’s really lovely to look back at those newborn and first year days – and OMG seriously I have never used the washing machine as much as when Mr A was a baby – just went into washing overdrive
Laura x
I love the bit where you write it smelt like actual laundry, I totally remember that feeling, like almost now with this tiny person there was a whole new layer to washing clothes that wasn’t there before. love how your drying rack has changed to so much colour. x
Oh Alison. You have hit the nail on the head for me! Washing sums up motherhood for me. Following the first few nights at home where Thing 1’s nappy kept leaking I remember days of washing sheets, baby vests and gros. Nowadays, as a teen I am constantly being asked by him if I have washed and where are his Jack Wills tee , his hollister shorts, or Superdry jumpers.
although it’s almost never ‘done’ I actually love washing and my most love thing of all (well maybe not of all) is hanging them on the line! I love the washing smell and all the nostalgia it comes with 🙂 x
Oh you brought back so many memories to me of when my daughter was a baby – those lovely smells of freshly laundered baby clothes! #client
Really it such an informative post. I love this! My daughter loves playing dress up but it usually includes her changing clothes a million times during the day. I have always struggled to find a dress up activity for her that is durable enough but still easy for her to play with, and I LOVE this idea. Thank you so much for sharing!