Some questions on cleaning bottoms etc. All opinions and advice welcome, please!

[wastingmyeducation]

Ok, here goes:

1. What is baby lotion for?

1. At what age/stage should I/can I start using flannels instead of cotton wool/wipes?

1. What type of cotton wool? I've seen pleats, balls, and pads - is one better for cleaning bottoms, and another for the eyes etc?

1. I've seen some fab recipes for home-made bottom cleaning fluids mentioned on Mumsnet, at what age/stage did you start to use those? And what type of bottle do you keep them in?

I'm nearly 32 weeks pg and am finding this research much more fun than my dissertation was!

xx

1. never used baby lotion - is it for keeping skin soft?
2. have always used wipes (apart from the occasional use of cotton wool and water)
3. I preferred the pads as you get less shedding (especially if using for eyes)
4. never used home made stuff

No idea what baby lotion is for, my mother bought me two large bottles when I was pregnant (as part of a 'baby hamper' gift) they are still unopened!
I think the idea is you use just water and cotton wool (or soft flannel maybe) from birth as baby's skin is too sensitive for chemicals. I switched to wipes from about 3 months iirc.
I always found pads easier, the quite big square ones were great for a newborn bottom!
Not used home made stuff, still only use water or sensitive skin wipes.
HTH

I have never used baby lotion. Go for cotton wool and water until the baby is weaned when the poo will be stickier and the skin less sensitive - then wipes are more practical. Don't bother with cotton wool balls, as they are just too tiny once wet. Otherwise, any type of cotton wool will do. Big rolls are the most economical but pleats or pads are easier to handle.

Baby lotion is good for removing your make up!

I used cloth wipes from about a week I think. Once the meconium stops I guess.

And you can use the baby lotion for home made solution - just mix with water and scoot onto the wipe then clean the bum. I find this useful to have in a little bottle when out and about, as there is not always access to warm water, which is all I use in the house.

Other solutions that are good are - chamomile tea. Some people add some oil (baby/olive etc) and some add a slug of baby wash too. You can even use the free pampers/huggies tubs that you get to store cloth ones that are already soaked in yoru solution in. Have never got into this, as I just use warm water in my top and tail bowl.

I agree about the research being fun. I was an expert before DD1 arrived.

PotPourri - I never thought of using it to remove my make up. My DD is 14 months old, at last I have a use for it!

Oh another tip - when changing your first nappy, smooth a little bit of vaseline onto newborn baby's bum, it makes wiping the meconium much easier for the next nappy change.

I only ever use baby lotion & cotton wool to clean my lo bottom.

Cooton wool pads are definately better for cleaning eyes as they don't leave bits behind.

We used cloth wipes (fleecy ones) as soon as the meconium stopped. MUCH more effective! Now he's on solids I use loo paper first to get the worst of it off, then give him a wash with a cloth wipe.

I found cotton wool USEless, just completely hopeless. Dunno what to use it for now, I used 2 balls and thought this is stupid!

We put olive oil on his bum quite often, seems to keep it all happy. Not a fan of creams - tho when he had horrid horrid rash once the anti-fungal cream from the doctor was miraculous.

The only thing I have ever found baby lotion useful for is removing greasepaint (stage makeup).

Use only cottonwool and water (or washable wipes and water) on a newborn's bum 'n' bits for at least the first couple of months. If you can avoid using commercially impregnated wipes at all then that is generally better for the LO's skin. If you do use wipes then you may find it worthwhile to try several different types, both for your like/dislike of the pong as for the baby's reaction to them. BTW, the better quality disposable wipes are washable, and you can reuse them several times before they wear out.

I prefer cottonwool pleats. Balls and pads are too small, and rolls are a complete faff to deal with one-handed. I became a dab hand at ripping off a strip of cottonwool pleat and tearing it into three pieces, one-handed!

I never bothered with home-made lotions unless the LO had nappyrash. Boiled water with honey and olive oil is very good. I never kept it for more than a couple of days, though, by which time the rash was generally healed. If the LO has bad nappyrash then use cottonwool, not wipes or washable wipes, as it's softer.

Commercial wipes will also sting on nappy rash.

1. No idea what baby lotion is for.

1. I used flannels pretty much right away with dd2 as I was using cloth nappies so just easier....Dd1 was about 6 mths I suppose. Wipes do have a place for out and about though and for cleaning skirting boards .

1. You want BIG cotton wool balls IME. The pleats are a faff, pads too flimsy and normal balls too small. Asda do BIG balls in their baby section. I used big balls for cleaning everywhere.

1. I used camolmile tea with a dash of olive oil when I started with the flannels. I had a plastic container and made a days worth up and put the flannels directly in it in the container.

HTH Babies are much more fun than dissertations. I had hours of fun researching and trialling cloth nappies . Took it VERY seriously. It was important.

1. as a means for Messrs Johnson & Johnson to con you out of your cash

1. straight away - the 'cotton wool for newborns' thing is to stop you using babywipes, not to stop you using flannels

1. see above. Pads if you must, the biggest you can get (superdrug are good)

1. plain water is all you need

1. Baby lotion is one of the many unneccessary things baby product manufacturers have dreamed up to get their hands on your money.

2)You can move over to flannel or other fabric wipes whenever you want to.

3)I used whatever type of cotton wool was cheapest - not much difference in performance considering the huge price variation. I think buying it on a roll was the cheapest and I just rolled in to whatever shape was required. I found it more economical to buy a small natural sponge and use that for eyes, neck etc than buy loads of cotton wool.

4)I started using the home-made stuff when I discovered it when DD2 was 4 months. I would say use as soon as you feel the desire to use something other than cotton woll and water. I can't stand disposable wipes, they are really expensive and stick like mad on nappy rash (just wipe one over an open cut or on your wind chapped face and you'll see what I mean. I just have an old cot sheet which I have cut up to make wipes. Recently, instead of making a wipe solution I just put one under the warm tap when I need one. When I do make my own solution, I use an old mineral water bottle and tip the required amount onto the wipe. Also used a purpose bought spray bottle but can't rmember where I found it. Solution tended to get too cold in the bottle over time hence moving to warm tap just before use. I keep a bottle for my change bag in case there is no warm water at the change facilities (which would make them pretty poor facilities if there is nowhere for the changer to wash their hands after the job is done).

hth