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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

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Top 3 Cloth Diapering Accessories I can’t Live Without

1) My cloth wipes/ wipe warmer/homemade wipe solution
2) My homemade fleece liners
3) California Baby Calming Diaper Rash Cream


1. I included three items, but I only counted them as one because they are all related. I absolutely love my cloth wipes. The wipe warmer is just a bonus really, and functions so much better with cloth wipes than with disposable wipes. I actually had a wipe warmer that I used with disposables prior to falling in love with cloth and I hated it! The disposable wipes would dry out and turn brown - they were unusable. What a waste of money and energy! I have the Prince Lionheart Ultimate Wipes Warmer and it works awesome. I bought this item new as I hated my previous wipe warmer so much that I had donated it to the local Clothes Cottage. For my wipes I simply use terry washcloths in assorted bright colors as well as in white. So simple and easy!
I make my own wipes solution using an old cleaned out milk jug. I fill it ½ - ¾ full with water and then add equal parts of Johnson’s Baby Oil* and Johnson’s Baby Bath. I usually use about a ½ cup of each. Then I put the lid on and give it a few shakes and I’m ready to go. I pour it over the wipes as I add them to the warmer. This solution smells so good, even my two older children, ages 3 and 5, absolutely love it! They like to wipe their hands clean with the wipes and I have been known to use them for a quick scrub down on all three of the children when needed!

2. My second favorite thing is my homemade fleece liners that I use in every single diaper. I made them out fleece baby blankets that I found on clearance at WalMart for $1 each! Each blanket yielded 10 liners. They are wonderful! They wick wetness and moisture away from baby’s sensitive bottom and into the soaker where it belongs. They are also useful if you need to treat a diaper rash with a cream or ointment that is not cloth diaper safe. These fleece liners also make cleaning up a soiled diaper ten times easier, just pick up your liner and shake into the toilet, solids usually come of pretty easy with just a pull on the fabric and a little shake! To make these I simply measured my inserts and then measured them out and marked them off on the blankets. Then I used a pair of pinking shears to cut them out so that they would have a cut edging to them.

3. All of the above brings me to my third favorite thing, my cloth diaper safe diaper rash cream. I use California Baby Calming Diaper Rash Cream. I like California Baby because it contains a vitamin grade zinc and truly works great! It instantly “calms” the redness and irritation. It goes on so smoothly and covers so well. It really moisturizes and protects baby’s bottom at the same time. It also has a great smell, not fishy or oily like some other diaper rash treatments. I love that this product is readily available at my local Target and Whole Foods Market. California Baby is an excellent addition to any cloth diaper stash. As an alternative, I usually have some Grandma El’s Diaper Rash Remedy and Prevention around as well. It works just as well, but is not as readily available locally for me.

So, what will be my next addition to my stash of cloth diapers and accessories? I’m thinking maybe a diaper sprayer. Now to decide if I want to purchase one or try my hand, or my husband’s rather, at putting one together for ourselves. We’ll see, that’s a whole other blog in itself! Good luck mama’s … and happy cloth diapering!

-- By Lisa H.

Disclaimer: Please note that most baby oils will not readily wash out of your cloth diapers and can lead to buildup problems if you use too much; use any oil sparingly to avoid buildup problems.

26 comments:

Upstatemamma said...

Hmmm... those fleece liners sound cool. I may give them a whirl at some point.

Katie said...

I totally made my own fleece liners too!! And I use the same wipes warmer - and love it.
Great stuff - thanks for sharing!!

Jennifer T said...

I have not tried a wipe warmer. But it sounds wonderful. I may have to look into it.
I also never thought of making liners out of fleece blankets. Our local Wal*Mart and Target always has fleece baby blankets on clearence. Sometimes you can find them for $0.25!
I normally use Grandma El's Diaper Rash Cream but we don't typically have to worry about rashes. I'll have to check Target to see if they have the California Baby. Thanks for the wonderful tips!

dannyscotland said...

I did not realize that the fleece would wick the moisture away instead of simply repelling it. I will have to try this--thanks for the hot tip!

Becky said...

I love California Baby, especially the Diaper Area Spray. It works great as a travel wipes solution too! :)

Thanks for sharing. I can't wait to find fleece on sale at Wal-mart

laurakcowan said...

Hi Lisa,
What a great idea with the liners! I am treating a yeast rash and dealing with buildup right now, so that is a perfect solution for now, and for when my daughter starts solid foods (we can't flush liners b/c we're on septic). I love CB cream too, but Burts Bees has worked better as a barrier cream for us. CB seems more luxurious though. I also love that it's available at Whole Foods, so I don't need to make a special trip to get it.

Laura C

laurakcowan/at/gmail/dot/com

Sarah Suzy said...

I have got to get some California Baby CD safe cream!!

Unknown said...

Hmmm I don't have any of those. I'll have to check them out.

Crissy said...

Thanks for sharing the wipe solution. I've been looking at getting some cloth wipes (I still use Pampers Sensitive.....) But hearing about the terry washcloths (which we have a TON of) and the easy to make solution..I can see myself switching!

Stacy Whalen said...

fleece is confusing...it's used as a liner to draw moisture to the other side into the absorbent part of the diaper...BUT it's also used as a diaper cover material????? Can anybody clear up my confusion:-)

B.A. Hunter said...

I love using cloth wipes as well, it is so much easier when you using cloth diapers to be able to throw the wipe in the pail along with the diaper.

Adeleide said...

I didnt know that California baby diaper rash cream is safe for cloth diapers! That is on my list when I go shopping next time =P

Jenney said...

I just use water on my cloth wipes...is that bad? Should I be using some kind of a soap too?

Jennifer said...

I've got to start making some fleece liners. I didn't know that the fabric wouldn't fray, and I thought I'd have to sew them. I have no idea how to sew at all. Sweet news. I'll keep an eye out for some clearance blankets. Good tips!!!

Camille said...

Before I used cloth diapers, when I was still pregnant, I registered for a wipes warmer...and got laughed at by my friends who said it was totally unnecessary! I think I will get one now, though, since I am using cloth wipes as well! I LOVE your fleece liners idea--I bought some at our CD store, just to try, but they would be SUPER easy to make instead! Thanks for the ideas! PS the diaper sprayer is one of my "top three" things I can't live without--it is INCREDIBLE!!! ;)

Stacey Ho said...

I have been wanting to know about fleece liners - is there a certain type of fleece blanket or fabric you should look for?

Liketohike said...

I have heard people who use cloth wipes speak much more positively about warmers than those who use disposables, but your testimony about hating them with disposables and loving them with cloth is extra convincing! I may have to get myself one...

hosiewosie said...

some of my favorites too! next time we need to buy diaper cream I think I'll try the California Baby- I use very little b/c we have so few rashes, so I like when it comes from Walmart!

Kristin said...

I love my cloth wipes - they are far superior to disposables! I used to have "4 wipe diaper changes" now it's never more than one!

Laura said...

I go back and foreth on my cloth wipes. I have the same warmer as you and can not get the musty smell to go away!! I might have to try your solution!

Christina's Cookies said...

I always wondered if it was possible to make your own liners!! Cool!! I will have to try it out!!

Slee said...

i'm loving that you made your own liners. this is something i've considered making (out of some old fleece pjs that i will never wear again)and now i'm thinking i need to try it.
i haven't ever used a wipe warmer. snapdragon hasn't ever seemed to care one way or another just how cold or hot his wipes may be!

Cloth Diaperer Extraordinaire said...

Stacy Whalen: Fleece wicks away moisture. This is why fleece is used as a stay dry liner inside diapers. While fleece is used as a diaper cover - it does NOT repel the moisture from the diaper underneath - this is why you have to be a bit more cautious when you're using fleece soakers/covers because they still can get wet/damp. The purpose of fleece covers is to draw the moisture from the diaper and away from baby so they are dry underneath.

Jenney: You can use water only for your wipes; many people do. If your little one has sensitive or dry skin then a little moisturizer (in the form of oil - either olive oil, jojoba oil, apricot oil, etc...) will help restore moisture to the skin rather than dry it out as water alone can typically do.

Stacey Ho: The best fleece would be micro-fleece. However, I've personally been able to use standard fleece- just being sure to use the thinnest fleece you can find (otherwise, it will take longer to wick through the fleece and can result in leaks for a super soaker of a child).


Laura: Usually the musty smell in a wipe warmer is because the wipes/solution has been sitting for a tad too long. Try making a new batch every day rather than one large batch that will last for a few days. Also, if you consider adding a little tea tree oil and lavender - that will help fight the bacteria that is inevitable when you have water and warmth and ward off the musty smell.

Alternatively, you can use the wipe warmer without the warming feature (simply unplug the unit) and use it as a glorified wipe storage (this is how I use our wipe warmer).

Hope this helps ladies!
-Serena

Lynneskitchen said...

I checked out the California Baby product you mentioned in this post. I noticed it has lanolin in it. Will this cause diapers to repell and leak? Does this stuff completely wash out?

Cloth Diaperer Extraordinaire said...

Lynnskitchen:

With regard to the lanolin - apparently I too was under the impression that lanolin would cause issues with repelling. However, after digging into this a bit further I've found that the way the diaper rash cream is formulated it's water soluble so the lanolin washes away and doesn't stay in the cloth diapers.

I do know lanolin is great for healing, especially wounds - so I definitely understand why they would want to use it. Apparently Grandma El's rash ointment also uses lanolin in the formula and that has been confirmed as cloth diaper friendly!

Glad I learned something new today! I hope this helps!

Unknown said...

I use cloth wipes as well, and love them! I don't use liners in my diapers though, unless we are going out, or someone else is watching DD. My question is: Since I don't use liners in my diapers, is it safe to use the wipe solution recipe you posted? I am worried that the baby wash and baby oil could cause my diapers to repel. I would love it if this is not the case though-love the smell! Also, one of my "cannot live withouts" is my diaper sprayer-you should definitely try one! :)