My Frugal Baby Tips

Extra long electrical wires, including extension cords and phone cords, may trip your little one - and are tempting for your baby to tug or chew on.

These cord holders will hold those loose wires snugly against the wall.

Just cut 2+ pieces of 1" (5cm) wide sticky-back Velcro® about 2" (10cm) long.

Place the sticky-back side Velcro® pieces along your baseboard, or wall, where the cord runs along - a foot or two (30-60cm) apart.

Stretch your cord out tight and place the other side of the Velcro® over top of each piece attached to the wall, to hold the cord in place.

Use as many pieces of Velcro® as you need to hold the cord securely to your wall.

Thanks to Catherine for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Legrand - Wiremold CMK50 Cord Mate II Kit | Raceways Cord Management Kit to Hide Cables, Cords, or Wires

Shopping Suggestions:
• Cord Mate II Kit

• Velcro® Brand Sticky Back Tape

• Velcro® Sticky-Back Hook and Loop Fastener Tape with Dispenser

• Safety 1st Power Strip Cover

• Power Strip Cover Cable Organizer Box

Image: Elimination Communication, by Ikonstanski on Flickr

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 their 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

MORE FREEBIES:
• [FREE PRINTABLES] The Potty School Coloring Pages

• Elimination Communication Observation Log - Go Diaper Free

• Free Go Diaper Free eBook PDF

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: Cloth Diapering - Recyled Tee, by Amy Sue on Flickr

All out of diapers, the diapers are all in the wash - or you left the diaper bag at home or in the car??

And your baby needs to be changed, RIGHT NOW!?

Why not use your cotton T-shirt!

Any size T-shirt will do, but the bigger the T-shirt, the bigger the baby it will fit - and the better the absorbency.

Image: Place your T-shirt on a flat surface

Place your T-shirt on a flat surface.

I used a child's size large organic t-shirt for my pictures.

Fold over one side to the middle.

Repeat with the other side, to form a tapered end (cross over each side in the middle) at the T-shirt hem.

If the sleeve end is not wide enough to go around your baby's waist, simply widen your fold more.

Image: Fold up the t-shirt hem to about half-way, to fit your baby

Fold up the t-shirt hem to about half-way, to fit your baby.

Place baby's bottom on the center of the T-shirt.

Bring folded end up between baby's legs.

Wrap the sides around baby's tummy.

Image; Use cloth diaper pins or a Snappi(r) to fasten diaper securely

Use cloth diaper pins or a Snappi® to fasten diaper securely.

Or simply place inside a Velcro® or snap diaper wrap.

More Emergency T-shirt Diaper Ideas:
• Origami Fold a T-shirt into a Diaper - No Sew!

• The No Sew T-shirt Diaper

• Diapers from T-Shirts

• No Sew T-Shirt Cloth Diaper

Thanks to Catherine for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Diaper How-To Photo credit: Catherine McDiarmid-Watt ~ All rights reserved

Image: Snappi Cloth Diaper Fasteners | Easy-to-use, safer, and more reliable alternative to diaper pins

Shopping Suggestions:
• Snappi Cloth Diaper Fasteners

• Dritz Cloth Diaper Pins

• Professor Stink Smell Proof Reusable Bags

• Diaper Bag Buddy

• Cetaphil Baby Mommy and Me Travel Kit

MiniOwls Toy Storage Hammock

Make your own net which will match with your decor and hold all of baby's stuffed toys.

Just cut out a triangle of strong, stretchy fabric measuring about 1 metre by 1 metre by 1.4 metres (or 40" x 40" x 60").

Tie each corner of this triangle tightly to a metal ring, and suspend up in one corner of your baby's room with hooks screwed into the wall.

Fill with all those toys!

Thanks to Catherine for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Jumbo Toy Hammock | Organize stuffed animals or children's toys with the mesh hammock | Looks great with any décor while neatly organizing kid's toys and stuffed animals | Expands to 5.5 feet

Shopping Suggestions:
• Jumbo Toy Hammock

• Jolly Jumper Jumbo Toy Hammock

• Prince Lionheart Multi-Purpose Toy Hammock

• CHECKYS DEALS Deluxe Pet Net

• MiniOwls Toy Storage Hammock

Image: Socks drying, by Waldryano on Pixabay

My baby is just starting to learn how to walk, and it is cold in the evenings (the reason for not being barefoot).

Instead of buying socks with grips on the soles already, we buy the socks in the bulk bag and use puffy paint on the soles.

If applied properly, this doesn't peel off (if you're worried about this, you can also get the non-toxic kind).

You can write anything you want, or draw pictures, and your baby has a better grip on the floor.

Thanks to Lisa for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Tulip Dimensional Puffy Fabric Paint | Dries permanent | won't crack or peel | machine washable

Shopping Suggestions:

• Tulip Puffy Paint

• Luvable Friends 10-Pc Baby Socks

• 3D Fabric Paint Set Kit

• Skidders Baby Gripper Socks

• Non Skid Baby Socks

I know this is going to sound absurd - but it really works!

Homemade Diaper Cream

Mix Crisco shortening with corn starch (or even better: Johnson's Baby Powder Pure Cornstarch) to make a paste and apply liberally to baby's bottom.

Image: Crisco All Vegetable Shortening-16 OZ

Crisco shortening

Johnson's Baby
Powder Pure Cornstarch

The shortening provides a barrier to wetness and the cornstarch absorbs any leftover wetness.

Since there are no artificial fragrances or preservatives it is hypo-allergenic as well.

I know it works for my little princess and for the amount of money you would spend on a manufactured diaper cream you can make a whole tub of this!

Thanks to Mrs. Holdridge for this Frugal Baby Tip!

I invented a cheap disposable training pant for travel.

I bought my son some cotton Thomas the Train underpants and put inside an extra large overnight feminine hygiene maxi pad.

Image: Thomas the Train Toddler Boys' Briefs | Made of 100% combed cotton

My son loves them because he is wearing big boy underpants.

Of course, I don't think they would work for beginning potty training, but they are a good transition to underpants.

For a little girl you could buy some Disney Princess panties!

Thanks to Victoria DalPozzo for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Babysitter Information with Infant and Child CPR | Laminated Card Comes with Dry Erase Pen | Magnets on Back

Reusable Babysitter Notes + Emergency Contact List/Infant + Child CPR First Aid Instructions

If you call your local American Red Cross or Heart Association (Canadian Red Cross or Canadian Heart and Stroke) they will send you a poster (8X10) of CPR instructions.

Even though I am CPR/first aid certified for my daycare licensing, when the time comes it is sooo easy to freak out and forget!

The poster really is good to keep and use if that time comes.

They will send it free or cheap if you call.

Thanks to Veronica for this Frugal Baby Tip!

More Free CPR Posters:

• Free CPR Steps Poster - Download our FREE printable CPR Steps poster, learn how to save a life, and empower others to save lives!

• Free CPR Posters - Choose for babies, children or adult posters.

• Free CPR Posters - There is an adult/child/infant CPR chart, separate child and infant charts with poison control, and emergency numbers in larger print, and a Heart Attack and Stroke sheet.

• Free CPR Poster - This poster is a step-by-step guide to what you can do until medical help arrives.

• Free Workplace Resources and Posters - Check, Call, Care Poster, Helping a Choking Adult Poster, Helping a Choking Child Poster, CPR Poster, Handwashing Guidelines

• Get healthy / Healthy kids | Heart healthy lesson plans

Image: First recycled soaker, by Tara Hyde on Photobucket

Just wanted to share with someone who understands...

Tonight I made Benjy the cutest wool soaker out of a shrunken wool sweater vest.

100% Organic Wool Cover

I got the vest at a thrift store for $1.99.

I washed it on hot to felt it even more.

I used a pair of nylon pull-on pants as a pattern and made the soaker in about an hour or less.

He's been wearing it all evening and I've changed several wet diapers, but the soaker isn't wet.

The vest was a heather gray lambswool from Old Navy, so he's looking very fashionable right now!

I think I am going to make a bunch of these.

Thanks to Elissa for this Frugal Baby Tip!