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.