Cloth Diapering: Wipes Solution & Diaper Cream Tutorial

So, this is sort of a random post among my babywearing series, but since I was making some of these, I decided I might as well do a post on it.

In addition to babywearing, we cloth diaper. I finally convinced Brett last week to switch to cloth wipes as well. Why not, since we're already doing laundry? As I become more conscious of the chemicals present in so much of the stuff we use on our kids, I also become more determined to get rid of those chemicals! Using cloth wipes is a perfect way to get a few more chemicals out of the house.

Double-layered fleece wipes. There are 164 wipes.

So, since we're using cloth wipes now, we needed a cloth wipes solution. You can easily just use water, but since our kids have a tendency to get diaper rash, I wanted something better. I adapted the following recipe from Ecocrazy Mom.

Tea Tree Solution

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 5 drops tea tree oil
• 10 drops lavender essential oil

I sort of mishmashed a couple different recipes together, to be honest. I omitted the EO because I didn't have any lavender, which is what most of the recipes called for. I measured them into a small mixing bowl, whisked them together, and then carefully poured them into my spray bottles. I have a 12-oz spray bottle for home use, and then a cute little 3-oz bottle for my diaper bag. Just spray the wipe before you use it! Easy peasy.

Then there's the matter of diaper cream. Again, my kids have a tendency to get diaper rashes. Poor Peanut and Squishy got my sensitive skin. I was buying special cloth-safe cream, but Peanut likes to get into the cream and spread it all over my carpet, and I'm tired of wasting expensive stuff. So I decided to make my own, which is great since I have plenty of coconut oil! Again, I got this recipe from Ecocrazy Mom.

Cloth Diaper Safe Homemade Diaper Cream

• 1/2 oz beeswax, grated
• 3 1/2 oz (or scant 1/2 cup) coconut oil
• tea tree oil
• container
• disposable stirring stick (I used a skewer)

Get out a double boiler, or improvise one as I do. Turn it medium-high and get the water nice and hot. Put your grated beeswax in the top of the boiler, or in my case, in your Pyrex bowl, like so.

Let the beeswax get all nice and melty:

Then add your coconut oil. It will re-solidify some of your beeswax. That's okay.

Once again, let it get all melty. You'll see some little white squiggles in there for a while.

But after about 5 minutes or so, it'll be melted completely. CAREFULLY remove your double boiler from the burner and pull out your bowl. Using potholders. Seriously. It's hot.

See? All pretty and melted. Then add your tea tree oil.

After it's mixed, you can let it cool slightly if you wish. I was pouring it into a plastic container, so I let it cool so the plastic wouldn't warp or anything. If you're pouring it into glass or metal, there's no need. Just be aware as you let it cool so that it doesn't solidify before you can pour it. Once you're ready, pour it into your container:

Ta-da! Let it cool completely. Once it solidifies, you're ready to go! Now our diaper cream is ready for cute tiny bums.