My Frugal Baby Tips

Image: Christmasy Fleece Diaper Covers, by Ashley Barrett on Flickr

I make fleece pull-ons for my little ones and love these covers for both day and night.

If you use Polartec or another outdoor-gear level fleece, you will need only one layer.

If you use thin fleece, you will need at least two layers.

Cut into triangles and make similar to the wool version below.

You can add elastic at the waist and legs, or cut the rib knit off the bottom and cuffs of an old sweater to sew on.

For wool pull-ons, recycle old sweaters - if you don't have any to use, check out the second-hand shops!

You could also buy/find cheap pull-ons, cut them apart and use them as a pattern. Good luck!

Thanks to Lauren for this Frugal Baby Tip!

You'll need the following to make a baby butt sweater:
• Old wool sweater. One with no holes will make two covers.
• Elastic (1/4 inch wide)
• the obvious sewing machine, thread, scissors, etc.
• Ten minutes

Image: Cut off the sleeve cuffs and neckline. If the sleeve cuffs are very long, only cut off a few inches of them

Wash (on hot) and dry (on hot) the sweater at least 2 or 3 times, until it is pretty well shrunk.

This step not only felts the wool, making it quite waterproof but also allows the butt sweaters to be machine washed and dried without shrinking.

Lay the sweater out on the floor. Cut off the sleeve cuffs and neckline.
If the sleeve cuffs are very long, only cut off a few inches of them.
You're not making pants!
Cut the neckline piece in half.
Set aside.

Image: From the front of the sweater, cut out a large triangle, with the bottom being the hem of the sweater, and the top point being up at the neckline

From the front of the sweater, cut out a large triangle, with the bottom being the hem of the sweater, and the top point being up at the neckline.
Do the same from the back.
Discard sleeves, or save for another project.

Lay the sweater-triangle down so the waistband is on top, and the triangle points down.

Image: Fold in the two top corners to meet each other. Fold the third corner (the bottom one) up to almost meet the other two

Fold in the two top corners to meet each other.
Fold the third corner (the bottom one) up to almost meet the other two.
Pin.

This will create two seams, each starting at the top center, and extending downward at a diagonal.

Image: Sew each of these seams, from the top, stopping about 4 inches from the bottom

Sew each of these seams, from the top, stopping about 4" from the bottom (less for skinny-legged babies).
The open spaces are the leg holes.

Trim the leg holes as necessary.
Sew in the sleeve cuffs to finish the leg openings.

If the waist is not snug enough, sew the ends of a piece of elastic (long enough to fit snugly around child's waist) together, and slip over sweater like a belt.
Fold the top edge over to encase elastic and sew down.
Voila!

Image: Trim the leg holes as necessary. Sew in the sleeve cuffs to finish the leg openings

Finish the second one the same way, except first sew the ends of the neck-piece together to make two small circles.
Use those to finish the leg holes.

Drawings by Angela from BorntoLove.com - All rights reserved

Image: Twin Girls with their dolls, on Pixabay

I made my own dolly diapers (though my daughter thinks all her dollies should be naked) from a cheap Gerber prefold.

It was pretty easy - just cut one in half, cut them into contour shapes sort of, and then put on some Velcro®.

Image: DC-BEAUTIFUL 4 Pack Baby Diapers Doll Underwear for 14-18 Inch Baby Dolls, American Girl Doll

Baby Doll Diapers

Here are a few patterns to make doll diapers:

🧷 How to make cloth diapers for a baby doll

🧷 Goodness Gracious Preemie/doll diaper pattern

🧷 Wee Weka Patterns Doll Nappy

🧷 DIY Doll Diapers – Free Pattern + Tutorial!

🧷 Felt Baby Doll Diaper Pattern

And if you want to make diapers for your own baby, here's a few great links:

🧷 Zany Zebra | Free Diaper Patterns

🧷 Wee Weka Patterns | Free Diaper Patterns

🧷 Diaper Sewing Supplies | Free Diaper Patterns

🧷 Making Baby Cloth Diapers – 18 wonderful Patterns {FREE}

🧷 Free Cloth Diaper PDF Patterns and Tutorials

Thanks to Angela for this Frugal Baby Tip!

I read all the posts a few weeks ago about the car seats kinda halfheartedly - I mean I'm NEVER going to be in a wreck - right?

WRONG!

Yesterday morning, for some reason, I decided I just had to tighten up the girls' seats.

I remembered someone saying how they basically climbed in, and used their knees to tighten them up as much as possible.

So I did that and took up about 2" from both of them.

Yesterday afternoon we were involved in a major wreck (to me at least).

My van is probably totaled, and the other car definitely is.

My middle daughter bumped her head because she had the shoulder belt behind her, but she's okay.

The car seats held firmly.

My seat belt came undone somehow, and I ended up in the back with the kids.

This morning we are all bruised and sore.

Diono Mighty Tite Car Seat Tightner

So please don't ever ignore or brush off the importance of seat belts, and especially those car seats!

If not for them, my kids might be really hurt today!

Thanks to Ginger for this Frugal Baby Tip!

• Diono Mighty Tite Car Seat Tightner -- ISO 9002 certified factory quality inspection. Child proof release. Small size works with all carriers and car seats. Crash tested in US and Europe. Anyone can tighten a car seat in seconds

• Buckle Up Basics

• Car Seat Safety for Kids

• Tips for Installing Child Car Seats

Image: Children Playing in a Wash-up Bowl, by Martine den Engelsen on Pixabay

I have some trim fitted flannels I made - I add doublers to for added absorbency.

When I ran out, I tossed in one of those cheap terry washcloths (which I use as wipes) from Costco we all were talking about a while back.

Anyhow... tonight I got to thinking that I could use them as a poop catcher too...

Especially since when I used the disposable diaper liners the other day I was feeling like...

This isn't what I use cloth for -- just so I can stick in a paperish synthetic thingie next to my son's skin.

The washcloths are great so far...

I may splurge and buy some 100% cotton washcloths for this, but so far the cheapies are good.

Thanks to Elke for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Teddy bear bookends, by Camila Sanabria (cahmeelah), on Flickr

Decorating a little one's room can be so much fun! And can be so expensive!

But it doesn't have to be!

Steiff Teddy Bookend

I took a look around and a Teddy Bear Bookend can cost you as much as $295.00 EACH!

Did you know... you can make your own matching stuffed toy book-ends out of your own adorable stuffed animals?

Simply undo the back of your stuffed toy, take out some of the stuffing and fill with marbles for weight.

Re-sew the back opening by hand.

Image: teddy bear sewing another teddy bear

To prevent sliding, glue a non-slip rubber /silicone mesh pad on the bottom of the stuffed toy.

This works great for matching the decor in your baby's room.

Thanks to Renata for this Frugal Baby tip!

Shopping Suggestions:

🧸 Country Teddy Bear Bookends

🧸 Ty Shaggy Bear

🧸 Mega Marbles

🧸 Non-Slip Jar Lid Rubber Pad

Image: Newborn Wrapped in Towel, by Florenciaaldaco on Pixabay

Turkish Cotton Bath Towel Sets

I cannot find good terrycloth by the yard either.

I use thick terry towels to make doublers, that I find on good sales.

Like Mervyn's, Sam's (like Price Club or Cosco) Walmart, etc.

This is the only way to go in my opinion... the other stuff is not absorbent enough!

My sister-in-law asked someone who makes a business of it.

She said to order true thick terry toweling by the yard you had to order something like 200 yards... ouch!

So I use towels. I end up not wasting a lot, because I use the ends for cloth menstrual pads.

You can always use your older towels, and then buy yourself the new ones too!

The older ones, unless showing signs of serious wear, will do just fine and they are more absorbent because of more washings.

Hope this helps!

Thanks to Christy for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Baby with puzzled look reclining in highchair, by Ben Husmann on freeimages

When my son started feeding himself, I got tired of cleaning up the sticky mess he left under his highchair.

Highchair Splat Floor Mat

So I went to Walmart and found they had rolls of heavy-duty clear plastic in two thicknesses, about 60" (152cm) wide.

I bought a 60"x30" (152x76cm) piece and cut one to fit under his high-chair - 30"x30" (76x76cm).

You could use a tablecloth from the Dollar Store, but since it's on the floor, I found the heavy-duty plastic lasted longer and didn't tear.

Splat Mat for Under High Chair

I still had a second piece of plastic left, so I put the second piece under his car-seat in the car, to protect our seats from wet, muddy or snowy boots and any food or drink spills.

You could reuse it when your little one gets older, and starts doing fingerpainting, easel painting, arts and crafts.

Or a picnic mat at a park, as a table cover for playtime, and just about anywhere you need extra protection.

Another idea is a Clear Heavy Duty Tablecloth Protector available in most dept stores, and maybe your local Dollar store?

Thanks to Cathy for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Image: Sanitary towels, Sunny Days, by Yanasha Itch on Wikimedia.org

Gerber Prefold Gauze Cloth Diapers

I use cloth menstrual pads (or did before I got pregnant, anyway!).

I use my old cheapie cloth diapers - Gerber prefold diapers - the kind you can buy at Amazon, Target or K-Mart.

Those things are worthless in my opinion as baby diapers, but GREAT as menstrual pads!

I just fold them into the right size (shorter for daytime, longer for night-time), and place inside a snug-fitting cotton panty.

I almost NEVER have leaks or slippage - in fact, less than I did with disposable pads. Yeast infections are history, and washing is no big deal.

I just keep an extra diaper pail in the bathroom and toss in the used pad (and often a washcloth - much nicer to cleanse oneself with at that time of the month than toilet paper!). It is a dry pail.

The first time I did this, I soaked, and the smell was HORRID!

Took FIVE washes to get them clean again.

With the dry pail, there is no odor problem.

Charcoal Bamboo Panty Liner

When my cycle is done (about 4-5 days), I just toss everything in the washer and run a cold cycle to rinse them.

Then I add detergent (my homemade stuff!), baking soda, and fabric-safe bleach or whitener.

Sometimes vinegar, if I think of it. Hot cycle, and then they go into the dryer.

Stains are minimal, and I don't care if they're stained anyway - no one sees these but me!

Best of all - the cost to me was essentially nothing, as I'd purchased the diapers years ago for my babies (and used them quite unsuccessfully - just not absorbent enough!).

Thanks to Amy for this Frugal Baby Tip!

MORE IDEAS:
• Make Your Own Cloth Menstrual Pads Pattern

• Make-Your-Own Frugal Cloth Menstrual Pads

• Reusable Menstrual Products

Image: washing laundry in India, by alheyse on Photobucket

I've been meaning to post to you my letter which ran in the New York Times Sunday, August 1st.

It was a response to a June 27 article Taking Children to Exotic Places which told parents to use disposable diapers when traveling.

I would be happy to discuss diapering issues further with anyone who is traveling soon to India! -- Sujata

To the Editor:
I spent three months traveling with my baby daughter in India, and I have one tip contrary to Martha Stevenson Olson's advice: forget disposable diapers for travel and use cloth diapers instead.

Disposables, especially those with plastic exteriors, are too hot for warm countries.

They cause diaper rash, and public health problems in developing countries without good trash collection and landfills.

It's also inconvenient to have to keep looking for poorly made disposables at twice the United States price.

I brought my cloth diapers to India, and this turned out to be a wonderful convenience.

I never ran out, and they were washed daily for a minimal charge at all hotels and resorts.

While staying in a private home in Calcutta, I contacted an agency providing a cheerful young woman to wash baby laundry, and do nanny duty -- all for just $1.50 a day.

I bet similar excellent help is available in other countries.

Thanks to Sujata for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Photo Credit: Washing laundry in India, by Alheyse