My Frugal Baby Tips

Somebody unrolled all the toilet paper!, by Rob, Joyce, Alex and Nova

Would you like to prevent your toddler or pets from unrolling the entire roll of toilet paper, and stuffing it into the toilet, or trailing it through the house?

Image: Make your own toilet roll protector by recycling a plastic 2 litre pop bottle

Make your own toilet roll cover/protector by recycling a plastic 2 liter soda pop bottle.

Image: Cut off the bottle top and bottom of the soda pop bottle, to form your toilet roll cover/protector

HOW TO MAKE:

Cut off the bottle top and bottom of the soda pop bottle, to form your toilet roll cover/protector.

Measure your wall mount toilet paper roll holder to see what size you need - mine was 4 3/4 inches (12 cm) across.

TIP: you can use the leftover bottom to make fancy flower shaped ice cubes for punch - and the leftover top for a funnel for sand play!

Image: Cut a slot in this toilet roll cover/protector, to allow you to pull the toilet paper through, about 1/4 inch

Cut a slot in this toilet roll cover/protector, to allow you to pull the toilet paper through, about 1/4 inch (0.64 cm) high and 4 inches (10 cm) across.

If you are using double roll toilet paper, simply cut across completely - from one side to the other.

If you wish, cover all raw edges with plastic tape to match your decor - I only had black tape on hand, but you can use any colour to match your decor.

If using double roll toilet paper, use a piece of plastic tape to tape across the open sides, attaching both sides, leaving an opening of about 1/4 inch (0.64 cm) or larger, for the toilet paper to hang out.

Image: Remove your toilet roll and spindle from the wall mount, slide both inside your new toilet roll protector, and reattach the roll to the wall mount

Remove your toilet roll and spindle from the wall mount, slide both inside your new toilet roll protector, and reattach the roll to the wall mount.

This should at least slow your toddler or pets down!

Thanks to Catherine for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Tutorial Photo credit: Catherine McDiarmid-Watt
All rights reserved

Image: Paws-Free Toilet Paper Cover - Stops children and pets from unraveling toilet paper

Shopping Suggestions:
• Paws-Free Toilet Paper Cover - Stops children and pets from unraveling toilet paper.
• Mom Invented TP Saver - Perfect for kids and pets
• Control-n-Roll - Avoid bathroom messes by stopping waste by children and pets
• EZ-Load Toilet Paper Holder - Spring hinges on both sides makes loading toilet paper a snap
• Plush Cloth Toilet Paper Container - keep pets and kids from playing with the TP roll and unraveling it.

Image: Pecho y lectura. Photo Credit: Daniel Lobo (Daquella manera) on Flickr

Photo credit: Pecho y lectura, by Daniel Lobo

I used Dr. Jack Newman's recipe for the homemade version of All Purpose Nipple Ointment, which one of the labor and delivery nurses gave to me after she saw all the blisters.

Take equal parts Polysporin, Lotrimin, and Cortisone.

Mix in small batches and use after anywhere from 4 to all feedings in a day, remix every 3 to 4 days.

The Polysporin has to be brand name but the others can be generic.

It was a lifesaver and no need to find a compounding pharmacist to mix it.

Thanks to Emily for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Polysporin Ointment | Bacitracin Zinc/Polymyxin B Sulfate | Helps prevent infection in minor cuts, scrapes and burns

Shopping Suggestions:
• Polysporin Ointment
• Lotrimin AF Antifungal Cream
• Cortizone Anti-Itch Creme

Image: Cupboards are Awesome!, by Amber Lynn Lane (amberlynnlane), on Flickr

Photo credit: Cupboards are Awesome!, by Amber Lynn Lane

Entertain baby in the kitchen by filling the bottom drawer in the kitchen with safe plastic aluminum/steel, or wooden kitchen items.

Such as... bowls and containers with lids, tools like whisks, spatulas, wooden spoons, pot lids and other safe kitchen things.

Baby will love to open and close this special drawer, taking the things out and putting them back in.

It may even give you some time to get your kitchen work done!

Thanks to Caroline for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Chef Buddy 6-Piece Kitchen Utensil Set on Ring - Slotted spoon, pasta fork, ladle, strainer spoon, pasta fork, ladle, strainer spoon

Shopping Suggestions:
• Totally Bamboo 5-Piece Utensil Set
• Chef Buddy Kitchen Utensil Set on Ring
• Utopia Kitchen Mixing Bowl set
• Silly Face Bowls Set

Photo credit: Soaker Butt, by Devon

Do you have any old, shrunk and matted wool sweaters?

Then you can make two excellent diaper covers per sweater. The more matted the sweater - the more waterproof the covers!

To Make: Cut equal-sided triangles from old, shrunk and matted 100% wool sweaters, and zigzag-stitch edges to prevent unraveling (optional).

You can usually get two small "baby bum sweaters" from one adult sweater, or one large baby bum sweater.

Sizing as follows:
Premie.....cut three sides of triangle by 10 inches (26cm)
Newborn....cut three sides of triangle by 12 inches (31cm)
Medium.....cut three sides of triangle by 16 inches (41cm)
Toddler....cut three sides of triangle by 20 inches (51cm)
Super......cut three sides of triangle by 24 inches (61cm)

Image: Cut along cutting lines for one baby bum sweater. Set aside the wrist-bands for use as leg bands on your baby bum sweater

Picture one: Cut along cutting lines (red dashes in picture) for one baby bum sweater. Set aside the wrist-bands for use as leg bands on your baby bum sweater.

Image: This is what your pattern should look like - using the sweater's waist band as the baby bum sweater waist band

Picture two: This is what your pattern should look like - using the sweater's waist band as the baby bum sweater waist band.

Image: Fold up the material towards the waist band. Bring waist-band sides together at front

Picture three: Fold up the material towards the waist band. Bring waist-band sides together at front.

Image: Sew along lines, about halfway along sides to form leg-holes. Be careful not to sew the leg-holes completely shut. You can adjust the leg hole openings, larger or smaller, to fit your baby's legs

Picture four: Sew along lines, about halfway along sides to form leg-holes. Be careful not to sew the leg-holes completely shut. You can adjust the leg hole openings, larger or smaller, to fit your baby's legs.

Image: Your bum sweater should look something like this. Now take the wrist-bands you set aside earlier, and sew around the leg openings

Picture five: Your bum sweater should look something like this. Now take the wrist-bands you set aside earlier, and sew around the leg openings.You can thread a crochet tie through the waistband.

To use: Multi-layered or double diapers work best with these covers. Pull-on over diaper and tie in front.

TIP: Check out your local Goodwill, second-hand stores or other thrift stores for second-hand wool sweaters to use - very cheap!

Thanks to Catherine for this Frugal Baby Tip and instructional pics!

Image: Baby Soakers Vintage Knitting Pattern

Shopping Suggestions:
• Pea Patch Diaper Soaker Knitting Pattern - This pattern is for a knitted wool cloth diaper cover much like your grandma or great-grandma may have used!
• Princess of Patterns - Baby Soakers Vintage Knitting Pattern - Baby Soakers Vintage Knitting Pattern
• Unisex Diaper Cover Pattern - This adorable knit diaper cover is perfect for baby to wear anytime, or for pictures.
• PATTERN PDF - Little man diaper cover and bow tie set -- 2 sizes From CrochetMyLove

Image: Daddy left me alone with the nappy cream, by Hamish Darby on Flickr

Photo credit: Daddy left me alone with the nappy cream, by Hamish Darby

Here is my diaper rash recipe - (I use sweet almond oil) can use olive oil - even extra virgin smells to me.

I make in smaller batches - half the recipe and add a tablespoon or so of Lanolin.

Sweet Almond Oil

After I made it a few times I get more experimental and less anal about exact ingredients.

The lavender oil is a MUST for me.

I use this for everything - chapped lips, skin, elbow, cradle cap. It is similar to Weleda Calendula Cream.

CALENDULA SALVE/DIAPER CREAM
• 2 cups calendula flower
• 1 cup comfrey leaf
• 1 cup chamomile flower
• 1 cup lavender flower
• 1 litre Olive oil (or Sweet Almond Oil)
• Grated beeswax
• (Optional) Essential oil of Lavender
• (Optional) Vitamin E Oil
• (Optional) 1/2 cup marshmallow root
• (Optional) 1/4 cup myrrh gum
• (Optional) 1 cup St. John's wort flower
(it just depends on what you can find!)

Stainless Steel Boiler

1. Combine the herbs and oil in a glass jar. Cover tightly and place in a warm, sunny spot for 2 weeks. Strain through muslin or cheesecloth - squeezing tightly to get all the drops out.

Alternately - combine 1/2 the herbs with oil for 2 weeks/strain - then other half for 2 more weeks in same oil for a stronger infusion

2. Place mixture in a double boiler and warm for 1 hour over very low heat. Strain.

3. Add 1/4 cup grated beeswax for each cup of oil. Continue to warm until beeswax is melted.

4. Check for desired consistency by placing 1 tablespoon of mixture in the freezer for a few minutes. If too soft, add more beeswax. If too hard, add more oil. (it should be easy to spread on a baby's bum but firm enough to keep it's shape)

5. (Optional) Add Vitamin E oil and Lavender essential oil.

6. Store in small jars or tins.

Thanks to for LJ Stewart this Frugal Baby Tip!

Photo credit: Noa in the crazy back seat, by Ario Fredewagon

As a Mom, I use a lot of Ziplock bags.

When I'm finished with them, I put them in my car and use them as trash bags.

That way I'm not just throwing them out, and I don't have to clean my car out as often.

Plus I always have a plastic bag on hand to store a used diaper till I get home, or pick up after my little doggie!

Ziploc Big Bag Double Zipper

How do you reuse your used Ziplock bags?

Thanks to Traci Bourque Johannson for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Elimination Communication, by Ikonstanski on Flickr

Photo credit: Elimination Communication, by Ikonstanski

Lori H. asked: I'm wondering if you know about Elimination Communication?

It is a gentle, natural, non-coercive process by which a baby, preferably beginning in early infancy, learns with the loving assistance of parents and caregivers to communicate about and address his or her elimination needs. This practice makes conventional potty training unnecessary.

Basically the idea is babies know when they need to eliminate, and their caregivers can figure it out just as they know when baby is hungry or tired, and they can hold the baby over an appropriate place - like a toilet or potty.

The Diaper-Free Baby:
The Natural Toilet Training Alternative

It's also called Natural Infant Hygiene (because it's what 80% of the world does) or Infant Potty Training .

Although the ideal is seen to have a diaper-free in infancy, typically most families using this do use cloth diapers most of the time. And boy, does it make cloth diapering easier!

- shared by Lori H., Vancouver area mentor

Request your FREE EC Resource kit at: DiaperFreeBaby.org

Image: BABYBJORN Smart Potty - compact, stable and easy to clean

Shopping Suggestions:
• BABYBJORN Smart Potty
• Tiny Undies Unisex Baby Underwear
• Diaper Free: The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene
• The Diaper-Free Baby: The Natural Toilet Training Alternative

Image: When I was a girl, we had to wear J-cloths for shirts, by Bess Grant on Flickr

Photo credit: When I was a girl, we had to wear J-cloths for shirts
by Bess Grant

For a newborn... Instead of buying throw-away baby wipes, I cut up reusable Handi Wipes into fours, and dampen them.

Then I carry them in a Tupperware case for away-from-home diaper changes.

At home I have a Tupperware dish of water on my change table (fresh each morning), and a stack of Handi-Wipes quarters ready to dip and wipe.

Wash in a net laundry bag with a load of laundry. Hang bag over clothes line to dry.

Thanks to Helen Rolfe for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Hanging Wet/Dry Bag

I actually stopped using a pail altogether! I dry pail in a fleece and PUL wetbag (I have 2 in rotation).

The bags coordinate with my bathroom and I have one hanging on a robe hook in the bathroom, instead of a diaper pail.

I put 1/2 cup of baking soda and a dribble of tea tree oil or lavender essential oil in each empty bag before I bring it up from the washer, but there really hasn't been much smell...

I've actually had friends ask me where I put my diapers, even after spending 2 days in my house and using that bathroom!

I simply plop any solid poops into the toilet and throw the diapers/wipes/soiled covers into the doorknob bag.

Image: Cloudyfocus Wet and Dry Cloth Diaper Bags | Baby Nappy Organizer | Zippered Pockets Wet Bag for Swimsuit, Underwear, Breast Pump

Wet/Dry Cloth Diaper Bags

Every 2-3 days I take a wetbag down to the basement to run a load (cold wash with detergent, hot wash with no additional detergent, cold rinse) and throw the whole wetbag in with the diapers.

After the first wash I take out and hang the wetbag and my covers on the line and finish my routine and dryer the diapers.

I used to use a Diaper Champ diaper pail with an Reusable Pail Liner bag as a liner... the smell was pretty intense as I had to open the whole lid to get toddler AIOs into the Champ.

I was SICK of the smell and SICK of washing out the pail so the pail-less solution has been fabulous for me!

Thanks to Julie for this Frugal Baby Tip!