Just my opinion, Hobbs 80/20 or a polly batting generally have a nicer feel for baby quilts then Warm and Natural, heavy and stiff. I often do use it because I have it on hand but I always regret it after wards. I don't prewash batting. Life is too short for that. I do wash quilts after I make them or tell new parents to wash it in their favorite detergent before giving it to the baby. I love the puckered look quilts get after washing so I was on warm and dry the quilt really well in the dryer.

I generally use Warm & White/Warm & Natural and have never found it to be stiff, after washing.

I prewash my fabric, but never my batting. I always use Warm & Natural off the big bolts, but intend to try the Hobbs.

I think only washing the outer fabrics and not the batting is a bit like washing only one's outer clothing and not washing one's underwear.

But to each his/her own way of doing (or not doing) things.

The only reason I prewash the outer fabrics is because of my sensitivity to the chemicals or dyes used, not because of shrinkage or color running issues. Since I don't have to handle the batting much and it's sandwiched while I'm sewing, it's not a problem. Like you said everyone has his own way. ~:)~ Please trust me when I say, I really do wash my underwear.

I'm not a fan of the crinkled/puckered look for children's quilts. Once I heavily spritzed the warm and natural heavily with water and placed it into a plastic bag overnight to get it eavenly damp. In the AM i put it into the dryer until dry. Did it shrink? I don't know as I forgot to measure it. It did have some crinkling in the finished washed quilt but not as much as unwashed .

I purchase W & N by the roll and do not pre wash it. I always pre-wash my fabric in hot water and dry in hot dryer.
I have not had a shrinkage problem when my own quilts need washing, I use warm water, never hot, and dry until almost dry in dryer and then let them air dry

I usually prewash my fabric and batting which is W & N. I'm not a huge fan of the crinkly look. However, I'll have to try Tartan's idea of blocking a nearly dry quilt to get a smoother look. I don't bother prewashing the batting for wall hangings. Right now I'm working on a quilt which has a wool batting - my first time using it. I didn't prewash that as the instructions said not to. I'm curious to see how it turns out after I wash it.

If I pre-washed the batting, it wouldn't give me the "old-fashioned" look, I so dearly love! BTW, I also wash my undies! :D

Hmmmm.....I bought my first Hobbs 80/20 and I find that it is too stiff for my taste compared to the W&N I am accustomed to. I am in a bit of a quandry. I needed a king size batting and no W&N that size available. Bought Hobbs 100% cotton. WAY too thin. Bought 80/20 and it feels like card board. Back to the internet to find a W&N in a king no matter the cost!