Reusable wipes?

[lurcherlover]

Opinions please on reusable wipes? I like the look of Cheeky Wipes, but they're bloody expensive, so I don't want to buy them if I won't use them. I can see how using them is probably nicer than wipes/cotton wool and they're certainly better for baby than disposable wipes, but the washing bothers me - putting poo-covered wipes in with a washload as the website advises sounds a bit minging to me - is it really OK and doesn't make the rest of your washing gross??

I just used normal bathroom flannels. Just get 10/20 or so in a certain colour that you know are for bum wipes. Dry pail them (are you using cloth nappies? Chuck them in with them) and then do a load when you have enough. Keep a spray bottle of water next to the flannels on your changing area to wet them. Both my sister and I have done this.

I am going to start with disposable nappies for the extreme poonami stage, then hopefully move on to reusables when baby's bowels have settled down a bit! How do you stop them smelling when you dry pail them?

Ah see I think nb poos are much better, esp when BFing! Solids are foul!

If you have a shower hose near the toilet, just give the nappies a quick spray ito the toilet, then they wont smell, but you will probably do a load every one or two days anyway depending on the size of your stash. nb wees tend not to smell much anyway - it is the sposies that do that!

I use fleece wipes - you just need to buy a fleecey blanket and cut it into wipe size squares then keep them in a tub with some chamomile tea.

another vote for cheap flannels - I run them under the tap as our change mat is in the bathroom

re poo, use a piece of loo roll to get the worst off and flush it, then do the rest with the flannel

dry pailing doesn;t smell

I would suggest using cloth for the newborn poonami stage - Seriously! I used cloth nappies on DS from about day five and I never had a moment when liquid bf poo escaped a nappy onto me. Mums with newborns in disposables however, frequently talk about taking spare clothes for themselves as well as baby everywhere they went.

Far less leaks in cloth!

Can I second the use of reusables for nb stage. They are FAR less leaky than disposable and really no effort at all. Honestly, I am a total diva and wouldn't have bothered if in they weren't good and user friendly.

I also made my own wipes by chopping up some microfibre cloth (asda, 6 for 2 quid) and keeping them in some tupperware, slightly damp. They wash beautifully and more importantly, wipe well!

For people who have used resuable nappies at the newborn stage what did you use?

I used Cheeky Wipes for my DS, thought they were brilliant and I'm reusing them for DS2

Baby face cloths from poundland - 6 for a pound. Perfect. And oh god yes better than cotton wool/disposable wipes for milk fed babies.

I chopped up a fleece blanket that DD was given when she was born
(We had loads of blankets and it was just an ordinary one, I don't think the person who gave it to us would mind, although I haven't told her!)

Then as others have said we got a pack of face flannels from Savers which we know are for wipes and between the two types we're sorted. We only use disposable wipes when we use disposable nappies which is not often. It saves so much money!
We drypail with the reusable nappies.

I also went for the disposables for a couple of months (moltex or naturebabies) but then moved on to Fluffles.

Oh and another little tip - sometimes the liners from the reusables (which you don't need until they are on solids) go through the washing machine and come out ok for a second use.

The ones which are a bit tatty after a wash or two I save and then use them as a "first wipe" to get the nasty bits of poo off, they can then be flushed away with the poo liner, and you can wipe with the reusable wipes. That saves having loads of lumps of poo on the reusable wipes.
Ahh... poo conversations... love 'em!

I buy cheap fleece in funky colours and chop it up for wipes and liners. Put a drop or 2 of lavendar oil in the pail if they get smelly. I didn't have dd in reusables until she was about 11wks because I had birth-to-potty nappies which were huge on her. This time I plan to start asap and have got some little lambs nappies which are dinky and should be great for a newborn.

oh and you can't beat size 0 Bimbles for newqvorns
v good nappy and so teenily cute

Never thought of using reusable wipes - just had a look at the cheeky wipes website and they do look expensive for what they are.

Has anyone created their own oil blend to use with homemade wipes?

Interesting...I have my reusables ready (Bumgenius and another brand I can't remember, got a pack of both discounted at the baby show) but assumed it would be better to get through the first few weeks in disposables. You've persuaded me to try the reusables a bit earlier though! As polkadotty said, does anyone have a recipe for an oil blend for homemade wipes? That's what I like about the cheeky wipes - the oils you get sound like they smell lovely.

Nah - I just use plain water - works fine, tbh.

ditto plain water

lurcherlover just found this old thread that has some recipes for wipe solution

Great, thanks! I think reusable wipes are def the way forward...I find babywipes really drying on my face and hands so don't want to use them on baba except when we're out and about. Just have to persuade DH now that it's not completely minging!! He isn't convinced!

I know, my DH isn't keen either - what is it with men and baby poo!

I've used chopped up bits of fleece for my DD for as long as she's been in cloth. I bought 2 bits of fleece material for less than £5 and we just dip in water to clean.

It works fine and much better for everyone than packets of horrible smelling wipes.

:)