Wipes or cotton wool and water for a newborn?

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I'm currently 31+2 with my first baby and went to an all-day antenatal class on Saturday. The MWs said that they only recommend cotton wool and water for cleaning baby bottoms as wipes have so many chemicals and can cause problems.

If that's really true, I'm more than happy to stock up on cotton wool, but would love to hear what all you 'normal' mums think. Are wipes really that bad? Even, for example, ones like Pampers sensitive?

All views appreciated!

I used wipes - well used cotton wool for a day with dc1 but realised fiddly- bought the johnsons sentive ones and had no probs.

Aren't you meant to use baby lotion and cotton wool ?
There's no way water alone would have cleaned off the first poo.

When small - cotton wool and water, and a pile of cheap flannels for drying their bottoms - no cotton wool shredding to pick off.

Baby wipes are brilliant for removing gloss paint from paintbrushes, hands etc - which is great for decorating but I wouldn't be keen to put turps on my baby's bottom either.

I just bought a whole lot of flannels/face cloths - cotton wool got everywhere!

Flannels also easy to get into all the creases and folds ...

I started of with using cotton wool and water with DS but he suffered terribly with nappy rash. That cleared when I started using non perfumed wipes.

yes babywipes are very good for household cleaning! Try them on your cooker hood some time. The jellified grease comes off a treat.

"By mamatomany Wed 12-May-10 20:30:09
Aren't you meant to use baby lotion and cotton wool ?"

No you're not supposed to use baby lotion - just water and cotton wool.

"There's no way water alone would have cleaned off the first poo"

Well it did with both my kids! Bit of scraping of course, but water did just fine.

Absolutely up to you of course OP - the first few nappy changes are always carnage whatever you use

I used cotton wool and warm-ish water for both my DCs until they were about a month old. Apart from when I was out and about.

I used wipes pretty much from newborn on both of mine and they were fine, I use the pampers sensitive I did find johnsons seemed to irritate ds1 a bit but pampers fine

Wow, thanks everyone - thought I'd pop on to see if I'd got any replies and have 36!

I always say: If it doesn't sting when you put it up/just under your own nose, it is probably ok for a newborn. Having said that, I have not yet come across a wipe that does not sting, as far as I can remember. Even the pampers sensitive has a certain sting to it. I used cotton wool and water.

I found the cotton wool and water just didn't touch the tar like first poos he had so I used the wipes when we were in hospital but it made him v sore, mentioned this to the midwife and she reccomended using baby lotion on cotton pads and it worked a treat.
He's 15 weeks old and still use it now when we're at home and use wipes if were out and about, he's never had a sore bum since, it'd def be my top tip for newborn nappies!! Good luck with rest of your pregnancy

I haven't read the rest of the answers, but I did read some stuff on this when my little one was little.
There is nothing bad about wipes, regardless of the sensitive, fragrance free or even normal ones you buy from whoever makes them. It isn't the wipes that give nappy rash.
Nappy rash is caused by not drying your babies bottom after wiping.
Whether you use water or wipes your baby will get painful nappy rash unless you ensure the bottom is dry before putting on the nappy. I carry Waitrose large square cotton wool pads round and wipe dry, following the use of my Johnsons normal wipes and prior to popping on my bad for the environment Pampers active disposable nappy.
I confirmed this by looking into wet hygenic wipe use on adult bottoms and found they too experience nappy rash if they don't pat dry after wet wiping!

We used cotton wool & water at first, but progressed to washable wipes dipped in chammomile tea with a splash of oil (any vegetable oil is fine) and a few drops of lavender oil. I got the 'recipe' from the Nappy Lady website and it works a treat. Cammomile and lavender are naturally anti-bacterial and the oil makes it easier to wipe across the baby's skin, as well as moisturising it. It works with cotton wool too.

My absolute top tip for newborns is to rub oil on their bottom (we used olive/vegetable oil but baby oil would also work) - it meant that the horrible tarry sticky meconium wiped straight off, even with just cotton wool and water. Just re-oil after cleaning / drying baby's bottom.

I used just water but dd had horrendous nappy rash which cleared up when I used wipes and didn't return.

All the very best.

We used water & cotton wool for 7 months, then switched to wipes.

We always use cotton wool and water for first 6 or so months. Wipes are too harsh.

Washable wipes which I made - towelling on ones side & soft fleece on the other, get anything off.
Mine are very poncey having made them myself but in reality a pile of cheap flannels would do the job just as well.

Still going strong on dd2 who is nearly 15 months.

When out & about I used cotton wool & a bottle of water with a small plastic bowl at first but now take my washable wipes with me.

Wipes are expensive & full of horrid chemicals. Most advice is to avoid chemicals on newborn skin as much as possible, at least for the first few months.
BTW this also goes for bath products, baby bath shampoo etc etc - all you need is water & a flannel to get a baby clean.

I used cotton wool and water briefly and then switched to huggies pure wipes. I have pretty much been loyal to these to 3 years and have had no problems with them.
I found other brands to be oily/ slimey in comparison

Meant to say drying the bottom after cleaning is important too . Clean flannel is perfect for this.

Ds has very sensitive skin if I used cotton wool and water on him till he stopped wearing a nappy and wipes when out. If I had a whole day out and used wipes for a whole day his bum would be literally bleeding so we stopped using them altogether (but he is sensitive to most things). BTW the pampers sensitive were actually the worst we used natural fragrance free ones which if you read the back have a lot less chemicals.

DD wipes when out (no real problems) but cotton wool and water still using at 9months. It is not really that hard and is cheaper now if she has a messy pooh I use a wipe then wash chemicals off with cotton and water.

No probs doing tar poohs here took a little longer but it came off alright. Actually find wipes don't clean pee off as well as water.

Gosh, I am impressed at aactionmum for using cotton wook for seven whole months. I used cotton wool and water with my DD1. DC2, due October, will be introduced to baby wipes straight away, there is no way I am faffing around with cotton wool, water bowls, this time around!

First time on mumsnet, so forgive me if posting not right style!

I asked our paediatrician this question at my daughter's 6 week appt last week, and he said best to use cotton wool and water indefinitely, just use wipes for going out. But he said the ideal is to run baby's bottom under a mixer tap, then pat dry, as this avoids the constant wiping of the area. I'm sure, like me, most people don't have a sink in the room they change baby, so prob not that practical.

I've used only cotton wool balls and water on my daughter, just wipes when out, and have had no nappy rash. I always dry her bottom with a dry ball after wet one, including creases, and have no problems with bits coming off. Also apply a thin layer of Bepanthen every time. Currently using disposables, planning to move onto the reusables I have ready when her bottom is a little bigger!

With regard to wipes, I think Johnsons with green stripe seem most gentle.

I have a 2.5 year old at my nursery and we still use cotton wool and water on her at parent's request.

i used wipes on all my 3dcs no problems

water and cotton wool for as long as you can manage.