My Frugal Baby Tips

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

Image: Changing Fun, by Toby Bochan on Flickr

Photo credit: Changing Fun, by Toby Bochan

Place a bulletin board or sheet of cork on the wall near (but well out of reach) your baby's bed or change table.

When objects and colors begin to fascinate your newborn, you can attach different objects and pictures to your Discovery Board for your baby to look at.

Later, this can be a place to display your toddler's artwork.

Watch out if you are using pins, though!

I prefer to use a TAC-ON MAT or a fabric Memo Board.

You can post up or rearrange your notices without using risky push pins or any other pin!

Image: TAC-ON MAT | just remove the backing and stick to almost any surface | add and remove posters, displays, notes, pictures, graphs, or memos at will!

Shopping Suggestions:
• Pinless Pinboard
• Fabric Memory/Memo Photo Bulletin Board
• Happy Babies Photo Frames
• Large Colorful Vibrant Butterflies

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.

Ziploc Big Bag Double Zipper

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!

How do you reuse your used Ziplock bags?

Thanks to Traci Bourque Johannson for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Diaper Change, Kevin Phillips

Tea Tree Oil cured my Abby's recurrent yeast infections, plus her skin just has a more healthful, and translucent quality to it with the addition of the lavender.

Tea Tree oil comes from a tree (Melaleuca) in Australia.

You can purchase both tea tree oil and lavender at your local health food store.

Image: Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Pure Oil 25ml for Relieves minor cuts, burns, abrasions, pimples, bites and stings, made in Australia

Tea Tree Oil

However I bought my tea tree oil and lavender from Amazon.

It was half the price of my health food store, the tea tree oil was Thursdays Plantation brand.

Both are antibacterial and antifungal.

Wonderful things to have on your baby's bottom.

Thanks to Julie for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Dressing Everett, by Peter Dutton on Flickr

Photo credit: Dressing Everett, by Peter Dutton

When old cloth diapers, receiving blankets, or terrycloth towels wear out; cut them into squares and serge or sew around the sides.

Or just buy some inexpensive washcloths!

Then put them in a Tupperware container or old wipes tub or a ChangePal.

Add a recipe for home-made baby wipe solution.

Image: ChangePal (Pink)-3-in-1 Case for Diapers/Wipes/Ointment | Portable-fits in diaper bags, totes, strollers, vehicles, baby stations | holds 1-2 day supply of baby changing items

ChangePal 3-in-1 Case

You will have reusable wipes that are super soft, and last forever.

- Baby Wipes Recipe -

• 1 1/2 - 2 cups distilled water
• 1/4 cup Aloe Vera gel
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup olive oil (use extra virgin so there are no chemicals)
• 2 tsp. Baby Shampoo
• 2-3 drops Tea Tree oil or Calendula oil (optional)
• 2-3 drops Lavender oil (discourages molds)

Mix this solution together, use to wet your recycled wipes

Thanks to Maggie Atkinson for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Photo credit: Ouch, by Joshua Allen on Flickr

I haven't had to try it myself, but a lot of people swear smearing an antacid like Maalox or Mylanta on your baby's diaper-rashed bum will help clear it up.

Image: Mylanta Maximum Strength Antacid | Paraben-Free

It will fight the acidity of urine hurting the rash. It makes sense to me!

Thanks to Jennifer Ward for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Picture Caption: Cashen had a bit of a diaper rash this weekend and was not too happy about it.

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 color 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
• Toilet-Seat-Belt Lock - 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.

Car Seat Strap Covers

Protect your baby's tender cheeks from rough shoulder strap webbing in strollers and car seats, with these easy-to-make covers.

Just cut two 5" (13cm ) squares for a baby under 6 months from quilted fabric, acrylic fleece or Sherpa fabric. For an older child cut a 5" by 8" (13cm by 20 cm) rectangle.

Bind with bias tape, or serge around all edges.

Sew a strip of hook Velcro® down one edge, and loop Velcro® on the opposite edge (and side) of fabric.

Or hammer-in a row of three snaps.

Fold one cover over each shoulder strap, and fasten Velcro® or snaps.

Thanks to Catherine for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Shalan Bate posted: As a certified child restraint safety tech: I highly advise against putting aftermarket covers on your car seat.

1. It could interfere with harness during an accident,
2. it is not even tested with the seat. So no idea how it would work in a collision.

Most seats come with covers, but if you find the harness is bothering baby's neck, the best bet is to snug the shirt up some, so it is between neck and straps.

Image: Jeep Strap Covers- The strap covers can be used on any harness strap - perfect for car seats, strollers and more

Shopping Suggestions:
• Jeep Strap Covers
• Jolly Jumper Soft Straps Carseat Strap Covers
• Organic Sherpa Natural Fabric
• Double Fold Bias Tape
• Velcro® Brand Soft and Flexible Sew-On Tape
• Dritz Heavy Duty Snaps

Button Bum Diaper cover and hat

I also am a crocheter, but no knitter. I haven't found a whole lot of patterns but have found a few, and I'm working on creating one myself.

A good place to go is Ravelry.com - a free site for knitters and crocheters.

I just found this site last week and I'm completely in love with it! The wool soaker group on Yahoo also has a few good patterns.

Here are a few others I found...

Little Fire Crochet Soaker Pants

-- The first one is super easy!
This pattern is written in four sizes

Click for pattern: Little Fire Crochet Soaker Pants

Tickle Turdle Wool Wraps

- allows you to select the closure method you prefer. A Snappi works great! So do diaper pins!

Click for pattern: Tickle Turdle Wool Wrap

Rolled Edge Wool Soakers

- Crochet it, put it on your baby and adore how cute it looks!

Click for pattern: Rolled Edge Wool Soakers Pattern
(archived on the Wayback Machine)

Thanks to Jennostlund for this Frugal Baby Tip!