Bum, bum bum bum….drumroll, please! It’s the baby wipe!
Yes, this is a gripping topic. But for those of you whose children have suffered through the trials of diaper rash, it’s quite gripping indeed. Some children have very, very tender bottoms, and it’s important to have baby wipes that will clean well while keeping your child’s skin rash-free. It’s a big thing to ask, actually.
Most baby wipes use alcohol to clean and perfumes to scent the wipes. The perfumes are not necessary at all. And yes, while you are dealing with baby poo, it’s not the scariest thing in the world. After all, we use toilet paper and flush it, and then we bathe regularly. Why can’t a baby do something similar? Conventional baby wipes are also bleached white with chlorine bleach and may contain dioxins.
For the most part, we combined our organic cotton all-in-one diapers with organic cotton baby wipes. These wipes were lovely and soft, at least for a few months. After that, we did need to invest in new ones, since the flannel started to get pills on it and it became rougher to the touch, a little too rough for anything but cleaning the floors. We still use the wipes as household rags, though, so they were a good investment. Each wipe was about $1 to $2, but you can easily buy bulk organic cotton terry or flannel and create your own wipes for much less. We kept an old disposable wipes container with warm water by the side of the changing table, added a tiny amount of nontoxic soap, and then threw the wipes into the diaper pail after we used them. We would add a little bit of baking soda to the wash if we wanted to neutralize the ph of the wipes.
At the very beginning, we also used Seventh Generation baby wipes. These do not contain alcohol, chlorine bleach, or perfumes. Alternatively, look for unscented versions of your favorite brand or wipe with cloth for pees and use disposable wipes for poop.
A baby’s skin is so sensitive that it’s important to make sure that it stays clean, but it’s equally important to make sure that it stays free of harsh chemicals. What do you use as a baby wipe?