I'm starting to gather supplies for baby and pulled out the bottle of homemade baby wipe solution. I made this right before Sadie--when I was on a crazy brain/pre-baby freak out and all I could do was research cloth diapers and get up at 5 AM every morning and sew baby wipes like a mad woman. Seriously. I didn't really do anything like this pre-Delia. I'm sure I had other issues (I have blocked them out.) and I'm not even going to talk about my crazy pre-baby brain right now, ahem.
Pulling out this pile, I get almost weepy, which seems to be my constant state nowadays. I am so happy I made all these wipes (about 30) almost 5 years ago, how ever early in the morning it was. The wipe solution is the best. I have used not only the wipes but the same cloth diapers for both girls and the same covers too. (This was after a bit of trial and error, but after we found the perfect diaper/cover combo, we even shared the covers with friends back and forth with multiple babies.) Washing the wipes is super simple-just throw them in the diaper pail and wash them with the cloth diapers. I need to make a few more wipes (where do they disappear to?) and a fresh wipe solution and then we are all set. Then I just need a dirty baby bottom, which will come soon enough.
The wipes are just a single layer of flannel surged with a rolled hem. I made nursing pads the same way, but with 3 layers of flannel. (Thank you old flannel sheet for providing for all of this.) You don't need a serger though, just a small tight zig-zag would work. If you don't have a serger, for the nursing pads I would trace a circle on a square of flannel, add 2 more layers behind it, zig-zag, and THEN cut out close to the edge, to avoid swearing at the shifting flannel while you sew.
The wipe solution recipe I use is:
3 cups cups water
1/8 cup olive oil
4 drops tea tree oil
8 drops lavender oil (not for baby boys, it can affect hormones)
1 tablespoon baby shampoo (I use Dr. Bronners Unscented Baby Liquid Soap or California Baby Liquid Soap)
Pour into a spray bottle and shake. I don't use this until baby is older, just water for a few months, but then when I need it, it's ready to go. It lasts a long time, in fact, it goes bad before you can use it all-you can tell when it smells "off" which seems like it takes months and months, or even longer.
There are a ton more wipe recipes here too, ones that look good for diaper rash, etc. And on the topic of homemade body stuff-check out Nikkishell's great cloth pad post over at Sew Green.
