My Frugal Baby Tips

Image: Play Mates, by Jeff Osborn on FreeImages

🧺 Tip #1 - Use a laundry basket for baby's toys. It will fit right under your baby's crib.

✂️ Tip #2 - Use coloured construction paper (or black, depending on baby's age) and cut shapes out.

Multi-Color Construction Paper

Put on the wall around the baby's change table, but out of baby's reach.

It helps to distract the baby a bit.

🖼️ Tip #3 - Use putty adhesive, so you don't damage the wall.

Move shapes around once in a while.

🪞 Tip #4 - Plastic pocket mirrors work better for older babies.

Thanks to Renata for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Oooh, soft, by Jenny Cu on Flickr

Here is the diaper wipes recipe I use now:

👶 2 1/2 cups warm water (distilled is best, but I'm lazy)
👶 2 teaspoons castile soap or baby shampoo
👶 1 tablespoon baby oil
👶 2 drops tea tree oil
👶 3-5 drops lavender oil

Here's another diaper wipes recipe:

👶 2 1/2 cups warm water
👶 2 teaspoons almond castile soap
👶 1 tablespoon sweet almond oil
👶 2 drops tea tree oil
👶 2-3 drops ylang ylang

I think the Tea Tree oil is still necessary to keep in from getting funky.

Thanks to Julie for this Frugal Baby Tip!

I re-use an empty Foaming Hand Soap dispenser for all liquid baby soap I buy, and I've found it makes liquid soap go way further.

Shampooing my baby's hair or washing a slippery baby is much easier when I can squirt foam soap out of a dispenser.

Cuisipro foam pump dispenser

I usually put an inch of liquid baby soap (Johnsons, Aveeno, etc.) in the dispenser, fill the rest of the bottle with water, give it a good shake, and it's ready to use.

I have also bought an empty Cuisipro foam pump dispenser from a kitchen/bath store, which also works well.

Many products now come in foam pump bottle styles, which can be rinsed out and used for this purpose.

I've been saving lots of money by stretching one bottle of liquid soap about five times instead of using it straight from the container.

Thanks to Suzie Mah for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Gustav in gDiaper, by Majorbonnet on Flickr

Here's a fast and simple way to make all your flat, prefold and shaped diapers into easy Velcro®-closing diapers!

Just cut one piece each of both hook and loop Velcro®.

Sizing: Small - cut 12" (31cm) long; Medium - cut 18" (46cm) long; Large - cut 24" (61cm) long; XLarge - cut 30" (76cm) long.

Trim off all the corners, into curves.

Place the Velcro® pieces back to back (with the hook and loop sides facing out, away from each other.)

Image: DIY Velcro(r) Diaper Fastener, by Catherine McDiarmid-Watt

Photo credit: Catherine McDiarmid-Watt

Sew together, around all four edges.

That's it! One fastener is all you need! If you wish, you could make one or two more, in case one gets soiled or lost.

Is that too much work??

Then you could just buy the One Wrap Velcro straps - no sewing involved!

Care: Wash by hand in the sink and hang to dry for longer wear.

To Use: Simply place the diaper on your baby as you normally would.

But, instead of using pins or clips, simply wrap this Velcro® diaper fastener around the diaper at your baby's waist, with the hook side facing the diaper, overlapping the Velcro® at baby's front (or back, if your baby can undo the strap!) to fasten.

The Velcro® hook part helps to hold the diaper in place.

Make sure the hooks are completely covered by the diaper, or they may irritate your baby's skin.

Thanks to Catherine for this Frugal Baby Tip!

One Wrap Velcro®

Shopping Suggestions:

🧷 MPI One Wrap Velcro® Hook/Loop Fastening Tape - Blue

🧷 MPI One Wrap Velcro® Hook/Loop Fastening Tape - White

🧷 MPI One Wrap Velcro® Hook/Loop Fastening Tape - Red

🧷 MPI One Wrap Velcro® Hook/Loop Fastening Tape - Green

Image: Baby Splashing the the Tub, by StockSnap on Pixabay

Honeysticks Beeswax
Bath Tub Crayons

Here's how to make soap crayons for bath-time fun and easy quick clean-up!

I am wondering if we could use cookie cutters or somehow get them into better shapes than just the ice cube tray, but I haven't tried it myself yet.

Ingredients:
🖍️ 1 3/4 cups Soap Flakes (powder)
🖍️ 50 drops food coloring
🖍️ 1/4 cup water

Directions:
🖍️ Mix water and soap flakes together.
🖍️ Add food coloring.
🖍️ Put mixture into an bottle stick ice cube tray.
🖍️ Allow to harden.
🖍️ Break or cut into pieces.
🖍️ Fun to write with on the tub when bathing as well as your face and hands!

Image: Reading in Bed, by Squiggle, on Flickr

Gerber Birdseye Flatfold Diapers

Have you got a bedwetter, but not enough money to afford those expensive cloth Bedwetter Pants, or the on-going expense of the disposable ones?

You can make your own - NO sewing required!

You will need: Two padded training pants (you can also use underpants, but padded training pants will be more absorbent), one or two flat or prefolded diapers, four diaper pins and a waterproof outer cover.

Or use a waterproof covered training pant for your outside layer - for a two-in-one combo!

Using the cloth diaper, fold it into a long thick rectangular pad. Lay this inside one of the training pants, so the folded diaper pad lays down the center of the training pant.

Image: Use two diaper pins to fasten the folded diaper pad in place. Place one pin through the short end of the diaper pad and training pant at the front waist

Credit: Catherine McDiarmid-Watt
All rights reserved

Use two diaper pins to fasten the folded diaper pad in place. Place one pin through the short end of the diaper pad and training pant at the front waist.

Place another pin through the opposite short end of the diaper pad and back waist. Pin from the outside of the training pant, so as not to cause discomfort to your child.

Next, add the second training pant on the inside of the first, so you now have a training pant | folded diaper pad | training pant sandwich.

Add nylon, vinyl or other waterproof pull-on pants over top of everything. Or check into some of the newer fleece pull-on pants!

Dappi Nylon Diaper Pants

These work great for kids embarrassed by the baby-like nylon or vinyl pants. Your bedwetter sandwich now has four layers - training pant | folded diaper pad | training pant | waterproof cover.

Use the two remaining diaper pins to pin through the three layers - two training pants and one waterproof outer cover - this time placing one diaper pin at each side waist.

Push the pins through the same area as the stitching on the waterproof cover to prevent damage.

These pins help to hold everything all together, and will allow your child the independence to quickly pull up and down their Bedwetter Pants when they need to go to the toilet.

If your child needs even more absorbency, you can add another layer of folded diaper, but this could be very bulky.

These Bedwetter Pants can also be used during the day, for older children not quite ready, or not completely potty-trained.

Potty Training Pants

Shopping Suggestions:

🚼 Gerber Birdseye Prefold Diapers

🚼 Gerber Birdseye Flatfold Cloth Diapers

🚼 Dappi Waterproof Diaper Cover

🚼 Luvable Friends Training Pants

🚼 OsoCozy Diaper Pins

Your baby needs to nurse, but you are out in public and you are uncomfortable about showing off all that skin when you lift your top?

Layer one crop top, blouse, shirt, etc. over an old T-shirt or tank top (mix or match colors!).

Image: Smallshow Women's Maternity Nursing Tank Tops Breastfeeding Clothes 3-Pack

Nursing Shirts

Cut two nursing slits in the old tank top or T-shirt and hem around the raw edges (hemming is not necessary, but it's up to you).

The top layer shirt will provide discreet coverage, yet your baby will still have easy access to nurse.

When you lift or shift your outer shirt to nurse, your tummy is fully covered. If you unbutton your blouse to nurse, your cleavage is not exposed.

Your baby's head and your outer garment cover the exposed portion of your breast.

Plus, there are no slits or panels to readjust after feeding!

Thanks to Catherine for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Sosolism Rayon Nursing Tank Top for Breastfeeding Sleeveless Maternity Vest Pregnancy Clothes Maternity 3 Pack

Nursing Undershirts

Here are a few more no-sew nursing top ideas!

👶 DIY Nursing Top: Budget-friendly, No-sew, Totally Stylish

👶 30 second zero dollar NO SEW nursing tank top

👶 No-sew Nursing Tops

👶 Modest no sew nursing tops

👶 DIY Cute no sew nursing top

Have you ever wished there was an accurate up-to-date website, listing all the breastfeeding laws and their provisions for enforcement - all in one place?

Click for the: Breastfeeding Laws For US and Canada

Naked Nursing Tank

Shopping Suggestions:

👶 Naked Nursing Tank - Lily White, Charcoal, Midnight Black

👶 Sleeveless Nursing Tank Top

👶 Undercover Mama Nursing Tank

👶 Nursing Cami Tank Top

👶 Long Sleeve Nursing Top

👶 Short Long Sleeve Nursing Tops

From the picture's description: This was obviously taken before people started suing sucker companies for choking their babies to death!

Anti-Choking Hazard Device

Every home should have a choke tester to check if toys and other objects are safe for baby play.

However, commercial choke testers can be complicated to find, expensive, and too small to be effective.

Did you know you have a frugal baby choke tester in your home? (No, I don't mean the baby...)

How about an empty toilet paper tube!?

Commercial choke testers are made to gov't. regulation size of 3.5 cm (1 3/8") in diameter.

Your ordinary toilet paper tube is 4.5 cm (1 6/8") in diameter.

Image: You can consider any toy or object in your home that fits inside this toilet paper tube to be a choking hazard

However, the Consumer Products Safety Commission in the U.S. has reported many deaths of babies and children who have choked on objects slightly larger than 3.5 cm (1 3/8") in diameter.

Any toy or object in your home that fits inside this toilet paper tube can be a choking hazard to your baby or child.

Thanks to Catherine for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Choking Rescue Device

Shopping Suggestions:

🧪 Safety 1st Small Object Choking Tester

🧪 Safety 1st Small Object Choking Tester

🧪 Choke Tester for Small Objects

🧪 School Supplies Choke Tube Set

🧪 CDN - Safety 1st Small Object Tester

I had a dream last night about my baby product business, Born to Love, which I started way back in 1982!

I woke up and felt a strong need to create a new Facebook group for it.

As if I needed more work! 🤣

Do you know anyone who uses cloth diapers, or is considering it?

I have many articles to share, along with the baby product deals.

Join our new group: Facebook.com/groups/diaperdeals

More blogs to visit:
• Life Begins... - Pregnancy stories of loss, hope and help
• Pregnancy Stories by Age - Daily blog of hope and inspiration!
• You Can Get Pregnant in Your 40's - Sharing articles, discussing options and suggestions
• Stories of Pregnancy and Birth over 44 - sharing news stories I find online, for inspiration!