Changing baby

[Heirhelp]

I am just buying a few things for when baby arrives and I am looking at waterwipes for when out and about. For how long should we only be using water and cotton wool or water wipes and when can you start using wet wipes?

Gosh, I don't even know what water wipes are! Oops.

Bum cream: I used the waitrose own-brand olive oil based bum butter. Worked a treat.

DS is almost 2 and I've never used a bum cream on him - what are they for? Do some kids get dry skin on their bums??

I've used sudacrem for nappy rash but I assume that's different from bum butter type products as they would obviously do nothing for nappy rash.

I'm using huggies pure wipes on my 8 day old. Absolutely no issues so far and the hospital were fine with me using them.

I used cotton wool at home and wipes (sensitive ones) out and about with. Dc1. Dc2 I just used sensitive wipes from birth.

Even the midwife said "we're supposed to tell you to use water and cotton wool but most wipes are gentle enough nowadays not to need to use cotton wool and water".

I was told to use cotton wool and water, so that's what I packed in my hospital bag. When DS was born the midwife had to tell me he needed changing and dressing (I was on another planet!) and asked if I'd brought wipes. I was absolutely horrified that I'd forgotten wipes! I can recall the terror in my heart even now! And then I remembered about the cotton wool and water.
Second baby might just be getting wipes from the start

You're supposed to use something other than wipes?

Cotton wool for first few hours with #1, don't think we bought any for #2. Just used wipes from day 1

3 weeks in and using cotton wool and water at home (gotta use those balls up!) And water wipes out and about. I can't stand the smell of babywipes so think I'll stick to cotton wool and water at home, I don't find it any harder than wipes.

You only need cream if they get nappy rash. We have some free samples of sudocream and bepanthen so if we need it I'll make a choice based on those.

I used cotton wool for first 6 weeks. I imagine with my 2nd due in May I will move on a bit quicker but I still intend to try for a few weeks! Get a bottle of baby lotion though, squirting a bit on a wipe gets sticky poos off really easily.
I use sudocrem for regular changes and be bepanthen on more persistent nappy rash.

DD1, used cotton wool and water for the first week then water wipes then huggies pure.
DD2, used huggies pure from day 1. She ended up with nappy rash within a week, switched to water wipes permanently and used bepanthen for nappy rash. DD2 now 4 years old and prone to eczema so I'm sure her reaction was an early form of that. Sudocrem I found horrid though, too thick and gunky, gave them both spots when applied. Bepanthen was amazing, more expensive but only needed a tiny bit.

Water wipes from birth and then washable Cheeky Wipes (love these, and really easy to use too).
We got a spray on nappy cream but yo be honest we've used it a handful of times and DS is nearly 5 months. He's never really had nappy rash and I do wonder if it's down to the washable wipes and naty nappies (soon to be reusable)

Wipes are fine, but try wiping yourself with them before using a new brand on your baby, some of them sting like buggery and I can't imagine what they would be like on nappy rash.

We did try to clean him with cotton wool and water but meconium is evil stuff and it ended up looking like he'd been tarred and feathered...

So wipes all the way.

Pampers wipes from birth, I can't imagine getting meconium or even normal poop off with cotton balls,must be a faff. Had kids in France and Switzerland and even the hospitals used wipes.

I used pampers sensitive from the start hospital was happy with that. DS rarely had nappy rash usually only is he was unwell and doing lots of poos and only every used bum cream if he was very sore maybe once or twice. I'm a big believer in fresh air being best very messy but great for the skin. The cotton wool and water I found I had to run and rub to get clean used it on the odd occasion we ran out of wipes

For first poo, Vaseline on babies bum when first put nappy on, poo will glide off.
Consider cheeky wipes or making your own version.
Ever wonder why dribbly toddlers scream when you try to wet wile their faces? Try a wetwipe on own dry/spotty skin, they sting like fuck! Can't imagine doing that to a sore bottom / face

I'm going to get a few packs of water wipes this time then switch to huggies pure. may use cotton wool for wees but didn't find it very practical in hospital to have to get up to get warm water etc.

Never used a barrier cream, don't see the need and they make the nappies less absorbent so counter productive.

I wouldn't use pampers sensitive, I remember using them on myself after birth the last time and they stung like crazy. Just because they have the word sensitive on the packet doesn't mean anything!!

Another Cheeky wipes washables recommendation, they aren't a faff, just buy a good amount of them (to make sure you don't worry about running out), and you can get a nice wetbag for out and about to take them home again, or you can just use a plastic bag if you want.
We've used them for 22 months now, we keep about 10-12 at a time in a clip-lid box already wet, initially with just water, and since 18 months a VERY diluted essential oil/water mix.
If you sign up to their website they give discounts (and hardly ever send emails). Also often some second hand on Ebay.
Good tip whatever wipes you get is to dry baby's bottom well, helps prevent nappy rash. We bought some of the large Cheeky wipes bamboo ones just for this as they're super-absorbent.