Cloth Wipes = $$ Savers!

While I was very thankful to get a bunch of disposable wipes at my baby shower, I realized pretty quickly after Owen arrived that wipes don't last long! I didn't relish the idea of having to buy them constantly. He started to develop some redness and I noticed that it was decreased when I used the GroVia wipes, which are free of perfumes. Those are more expensive than the typical wipe brands available in brick-and-mortar stores, plus I would have to really stock up so that I didn't run out while I was waiting for an online order to arrive.

I knew I wanted something to combat the potential growth of yeast (since Owen and I had thrush at the time), and using most diaper creams will cause liquid repelling. Instead, I decided to nip the potential for yeast infections in the bud, and solve my issues with perfume reaction, and cost, all in one decision. Solution? Cloth wipes!

I use the cloth wipes from GroVia, but really you can use any absorbent cloth as a wipe. Some moms who are talented with a sewing machine will buy fabric, cut it into squares, and hem the edges so that the wipes don't unravel. Since you're going to be washing your diapers anyway, it is no extra work to wash your wipes.

Sometimes a dry wipe does the job very well, but of course there are times when a wet wipe is needed. For this, I make a solution and use my peri bottle from the mother-baby unit to apply it to the wipe! I'm considering buying a spray bottle at some point, but for now the peri bottle gets the job done. My recipe for the wipe solution is as follows:

1 cup water

1 Tbsp baby wash- any brand you like, the more gentle the better!

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

3 drops tea tree oil

I combine gently in a cup so the baby wash doesn't foam up, and then use a funnel to pour the mixture into the peri bottle. I shake it up before each use. The combination of cloth wipes and this easy at-home mixture is cost-effective and so simple to use!