Babies-R-Us has a brilliant marketing strategy: make parents, especially new ones, think they can’t possibly raise a child properly without a thousand must-have products. While, I saw through that marketing scheme pretty quickly, we still have a lot of baby “stuff”. To compound the issue, my regular vocal protests regarding baby stuff do not deter my mother and mother in-law from buying my daughter all sorts of unnecessary things. So... my ability to eliminate many unnecessary baby products is limited.
We already use reusable diapers for Maddie, but we do use disposable baby wipes. Not only are baby wipes made of paper, but manufacturers includes lotions and chemicals to make them soft/scented/moisturizing/etc. Baby wipes make up a small fraction of household waste. However, I started thinking, “If I’m already throwing diapers into the diaper pail and washing them, why not throw cloth wipes in there as well?” Plus, I also want to control what substances are included in the products I buy for Maddie.
For this challenge, I wanted to use materials that I had around the house and that would be gentle on Maddie’s skin. Fortunately, I had a large stack of small, thin flannel receiving blankets; the kind that are too small to actually be very useful but fall under the “must-have” category. I also had a huge supply of the traditional cotton tri-fold diapers. I cut several of the receiving blankets and diapers into large squares, and Presto! I had a stack of cloth baby wipes.
The next and critical thing I had to think about was a cleansing solution to apply on the wipes (I decided right off that I wasn’t going to pre-soak the wipes in a solution). I decided on a recipe I found online that is simple and made of ingredients that I trust and have around the house. I mixed 2 cups water, 2 Tablespoons organic baby wash delicately scented with chamomile and lavender, and 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Simple!
So far, I’m mostly happy with my choice to switch from disposable to cloth baby wipes. I do want to experiment more with the wipe solution. I'd like to try a variety of oils in the solution that are equally or more soothing than olive oil. Changing diapers is still………well, changing diapers, but now I know what materials and substances are touching Maddie’s skin and I can easily wash them along with her reusable diapers!
Liz, as always, I'm impressed by your awesomeness. You continue to open my eyes to potential ways of being. A happy, well-balanced marriage, sustainable child-rearing, challenging career, civic engagement...let's just say I kind of think you're the coolest. :)
ReplyDeleteEnough gushing. In any case, gold star for combining conscious consumerism with our upcoming chemical-free efforts!!
Liz,
ReplyDeleteOut of curiosity, I wonder if you are using FuzziBunz for Maddie's diapers. We have been gently encouraging Joselle's son John and his wife to consider them for their baby (due in September). We offered to get them started with a supply of these, because this choice makes sense for the environment and the budget. Thus far, they are not embracing the option.
http://www.fuzzibunz.com/
I love that you have taken this a step further to eliminate store bought wipes and make your own. What a great idea!
Hey Liz,
ReplyDeleteI love your way of coming to a solution that is so sensible! I think baby wipes just hit the market when my oldest kids were born, our only thought when it was needed was a warm wash cloth (water, maybe a little baby bath) as that is what most people did at the time.
To be honest I never even thought about the wipes I used on my younger two children, maybe because it was almost 20 years ago, but your thinking through to such a great idea makes me wonder what else I am doing that I could do different. I am really going to start paying more attention. You are a great example to moms and the need to rethink what we are doing.
Liz,
ReplyDeleteI love your open and questioning mind and committment to keep upping the bar. I would suggest trying calendula oil. It is great for skin and heals up dried, burnt or tender skin problems. It can be made locally - you can even grow the flowers yourself. I have used it on children with really bad skin problems and it is a dream. I swear by it personally.
Yes when I think of how my mother raised five children with no idea of anything like a disposable diaper and disposable wipes, I wonder how it is we think we can't raise healthy children without these things. Warm water and a soft cloth works really well... that's all my mom used.
Your daughter is really quite fortunate for a mom like you.
This is AWESOME! It's interesting to look at the trends of consumerism and disposability. I almost think that one's ability to easily and quickly dispose of items (diapers, tampons, etc) is a status symbol amongst developed countries. We don't consider the consequences of such a lifestyle because we do not regularly see them (waste barges, dumps, etc).
ReplyDeleteI also think there's been a growing trend of avoiding bodily products/functions. We want to clean and dispose of our body products as efficiently as possible and this translates into immense waste. I think there is reluctance to use cloth diapers and Diva Cups because it means that we can't just throw away what is "gross"--we'd have to deal with it, and dare I say...touch it! This draws us even further away from dealing with bodily functions and I believe that we are continuing to mentally separate ourselves from our bodies.