your alternative to nappy wipes

[mummyjen]

What do fellow green-mums out there use instead of disposable nappy wipes?

I've been using sorbolene cream (mixed with 50% water + a few drops of lavendar) on a tissue, but I've found that when my daughter has stinging poos (when she's teeting or has diarroeah) it just makes her bottom sting even more.

What can I use that will be really mild, but still clean her up well & remove the pooh smell from her skin?

[alzarex]

warm (if she's got a sore bottom) water and a cloth wipe
if there are sore spots then i put cream on afterwards
worked for all three

[timestwo]

I use warm water and cloth wipes as well.
You can get these little face cloths in packs of about 8 (from Best and Less) even though they are a little smaller than flanels they are softer.
Then I just use some paw paw cream if his bottom is red.
Damp chux cloths are also nice and soft and good to use on a runny nose or sore bottom.

[emd]

I use plain water and flannel cloth wipes. Some people prefer terry cloth as it's more grabby for messy clean-ups, but I think flannel is softer and it's cheaper if you make your own wipes. I also find that 1-2 cloth wipes is enough, instead of previously using 2-3 disposable wipes for a messy clean-up.

Some people prefer a weak chamomile tea instead of plain water, to soothe rashy skin.

[Bronnie]

face washers and water. many sorbolene creams are petrochemical based, which may be an issue for you

[Nyree]

Yep - water & washer here, too. I was going to point out about common sorbolene being petrochemical, too - which would explain why it makes her rash worse.

I got some flannels in Ikea. Pack of 10 - can't remember how much they were. They have cotton loops which I find really useful to hold onto while I get all the lumpy bits off with the little squirt.

[jbie]

i use organic baby wash, a drop in a cup of water, as i like to have something which "cleans" besides plain water.
sometimes i add a squirt of aloe vera gel.

my wipes are chux squares (i cut them up, and wash them in a lingerie bag; they dry in the bag even if all scrunched up)

[Amanda.R]

I use chux cloths too, they also make great nappy liners, I used to use paw paw ointment on his bottom which made it really easy to clean with just a cloth and water.

[Julianne]

I used dampened cotton wool and washers/flannels. Seemed even the 'sensitive skin' commercial wipes were perfumed...

[emd]

Our childcare centre used to have a cloth service, and used just terry washers and water for wiping bottoms. They said they were disappointed to have to use commercial wipes when the cloth service closed down, because so many of the kids reacted to the chemicals used in them. Makes me think that my kids are not super-sensitive if they rash from disposable wipes - just normal kids whose skin was not meant to be cleaned with soaps and perfumes six times a day.