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Monday, November 3, 2014

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How to Be a Cloth Wipe Whisperer

If you're reading The Cloth Diaper Whisperer, you're probably already using cloth diapers, or at least considering it, but what about wipes?  Did you even know that cloth wipes were an option?  I didn't until a few weeks before our baby came.  I first learned about it from Kelly Wels's awesome book, Changing Diapers, and I immediately loved the idea!  In fact, I was so excited that the day after I read about them I headed to a local cloth diaper store and purchased my very first pack of Thirsties Fab Wipes.

So why try cloth wipes?  For all the same reasons you are using cloth diapers!

  • Economical:  Just like with diapers, there are all sorts of wipe options for any budget.  Kelly's Closet has a great selection of cloth wipes and accessories available at different price points. You can also use inexpensive baby washcloths, or crafty mommas can cut up flannel receiving blankets.  We use a mixture of Thirsties Fab Wipes and baby washcloths, and although I love all things Thirsties and they are a little thicker and softer, in all honesty both types serve the purpose of getting the poop off my little one's bottom equally well!  No matter what price point of wipes you choose, you will save tons of money in the long run because you'll be using them over and over again instead of tossing them after one use.
  • Convenience:  You may think I'm crazy, but I really think cloth wipes are easier!  Instead of having two separate systems for putting dirty cloth diapers in the laundry and tossing disposable wipes in the trash, with cloth wipes after your diaper change you can just toss the whole shebang in the hamper and forget about it until laundry day (yes, we are still in the blissful land of exclusive breastfeeding—I will be learning all about the wonderful world of solids and swishing poopy diapers and wipes soon enough!).  There are lots of different setups you can use for keeping your wipes handy—I like to keep mine presoaked in homemade solution (more on that later!) and rolled up in a wipes warmer next to our changing table.  Some moms prefer to store the wipes dry and keep a spray bottle of solution or water handy.  You can figure out the routine that works for you, but you won't need a trash can in addition to your hamper, and you won't have to worry about running out of wipes and having to go buy more!
  • Comfort for Baby:  With cloth wipes, not only are you using cloth instead of paper wipes, but you can control what they're soaked in and make sure that no unwanted chemicals (or scary bacteria!) are touching your baby's skin.  There are lots of options for wipes solution.  You can buy premade solutions or make your own!  We started out using Thirsties Booty Luster but then I decided to save even more money and try making my own solution.  There are tons of “recipes” available on the internet for homemade wipes solution.  I decided to try the simplest one I could find—1 tablespoon of coconut oil, 1 tablespoon of baby wash, 4 drops of lavender essential oil and 4 drops of tea tree essential oil, all shaken up in a pitcherful of water.  I make up a pitcher about once a week, then when it's time to prep wipes pour some into a mixing bowl, soak and squeeze out my wipes, then roll them up in the warmer. I know EXACTLY what I'm putting on my little one's skin, and we haven't had any rashes so far.  This is actually the reason that converted my hubby.  At first he thought cloth wipes were gross and kept using disposables.  I happened to walk in one night when he was changing our daughters diaper, and saw that he was using the cloth wipes!  When I asked why he changed his mind, he told me, “She likes them better!”
So, all you cloth diaper whisperers out there, I encourage you to become a cloth wipe whisperer too!  It really is easier than you might think, and you'll save time and money and have a happier baby!

Bio:  Leah Bennett is a cloth diapering and cloth wiping stay-at-home mom to a sweet baby girl.


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