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Tuesday, November 8, 2011

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Figuring out Cloth Wipes

Some things about switching to cloth diapers came naturally to me, such as washing and reusing instead of throwing away. Other things, namely cloth wipes, took a little figuring out. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to use cloth wipes when I switched to cloth diapers, it’s just that I couldn’t seem to find a routine that worked for me. Pre-moistened wipes just weren’t cutting it. They were either not wet enough or they were too wet, and I never seemed to have enough on hand. So I tried to wet my wipes in the sink when diaper changing time rolled around. But I got lazy about that too and I hated getting 3 wipes wet when I only needed 1, but not as much as I hated having only 1 wipe wet when it turns out I needed 3.

Then, it finally dawned on me; I needed the convenience and the flexibility of having two containers at my changing station. One with solution—just solution—and one with dry wipes. I hate to buy something new when something I already have on hand would be good enough, but I couldn’t think of anything better to keep my wipe solution in than a thermos so I splurged and bought a wide mouth food thermos. Best cloth wipe investment yet! It keeps the solution from getting cold throughout the day (although I’m guilty of going two days without changing it, completely negating the thermal benefits), and it keeps my toddler from spilling solution everywhere. It is also quick and easy to refill and can be repurposed when I’m done with diapers.

To fill my thermos, I simply warm up a cup of water with ¼ of a baby bit, stir to dissolve, and then pour the solution into the thermos. The bits are lasting so long that I don’t know if I’ll ever try another solution, but really anything from pre-mixed solution to water with essential oils will work. And for wipes, well, I’ve repurposed my bummis fleece liners. I bought a bunch of them when I switched to cloth because I just couldn’t imagine diapering without all the thick creams I used to use. And as you can probably guess, I don’t need those creams any more. So I use the liners for just about everything else, runny noses, messy hands, basic first aid, and now mostly as wipes. They are pretty thin and can be awkward at times because of it, but they are so soft and if I only wet one half of the wipe I can use the other half for drying baby’s bottom. They are also super easy to clean off after a messy diaper and since the fleece doesn’t exactly hold in the moisture, they are great for a more sponge bath like clean.

Now that I’ve been using cloth wipes for several months I’ve come to love the flexibility of wetting my wipes during the diaper change. In the morning I can soak up a bunch of solution and give my daughter a sponge bath. And after a messy diaper, she really can be clean and fresh just like after bath time. I’ve also noticed a decrease in the severity and duration of my daughter’s diaper rash thanks to cloth wipes. I’m so glad I kept at it until I found a routine that works for me.

Like everything with cloth, if it doesn’t come naturally at first, keep on trying. It is worth it.

Bio: Toria is a stay-at-home-mom who loves playing with her very active 3-year-old boy and delightful 18 month-old girl. She started cloth diapering when her little girls was 9 months old and hasn’t looked back since.

3 comments:

Sabrina said...

What is a baby bit?

childrens clothing said...

One thing that new parents notice is that babies cause a lot of waste from toy packaging to essential yet short-lived baby products to, of course, diapers. While cloth diapers have been long touted as the most environmentally friendly diapering option, some claim that the energy and water needed to wash cloth diapers evens out the landfill waste.

Jessica Morrison said...

We use a spray bottle and spray our wipes. I like the idea of the thermos keeping the solution warm!!