My Frugal Baby Tips: 2008-09-21

Thanks to Kara for this Frugal Baby Tip!

I've seen people complaining that they like the adjustability of Aplix/touchtape, but that their toddlers have learned to undo their diapers. I just started making my own fitted pockets, but have an idea that I'd like to share.

If you're making your own diapers and can do snaps (or are a WAHM), but want to have more adjustability, why not make a flap of fabric that attached to the top of the front of the diaper and snaps down over the Aplix?

This would keep the aplix from rolling and scraping the baby's stomach (another complaint I've seen) and would keep it away from little fingers. It shouldn't add that much bulk either if you make it out of a light-weight material.

You could even maybe use a soft flannel. A single layer serged on the edges might work, too. I'm envisioning something with two snaps, one at each side, with maybe one more in the middle if it seemed to gap. It might be a way to keep the aplix from contacting the baby in smaller sizes, too.

Edited to add: I guess I'm not the only one to think of this. Someone forwarded me this link to one that's being made.

Picture from www.backwoodshome.com

Thanks to Oxsion for this Frugal Baby Tip!

There is a multi-sized diaper pattern (free) available at Bramblestitches:

"You can now download the full, multi-sized diaper pattern right here! Cool, huh? (The file will download as a PDF that you can print at home. Just match up the guides [1A to 1A, etc.], tape or glue the pieces together, and pick your size. Seam allowances are already included.) So far the instructions are only available in the magazine (Backwoods Home Magazine) but I know you’re a clever lot. "

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Thanks to Patti for this Frugal Baby Tip!

The wash cloths I use (instead of diapers) are made of white towelling, fairly thin, about 30cm (12") square, from Ikea for £1.60 for 10 (I am English).

I keep them in a stack, and when I want to make a diaper I grab a pile of four cloths.

I lay the pile on the floor, and line up the edges at one side, and then move two cloths a couple of inches towards me.

Then I fold the lined up side of the pile in about ten cm, and then fold the other side in on top.

This makes a long pad with a thick middle section (12 layers of towelling) and thinner front and back sections (6 layers). I wrap a liner around the pad as with a normal diaper and put it into the cover.

Then I put it on Felix - no problem!! I have experimented with having a thicker bit at the front rather than the middle, but have found I didn't need to. This diaper system works out as less than a third of the price of any prefold diaper or English nappy that I have seen, and it is ultra absorbent.

At night I sometimes wrap an extra cloth around the pad but I find this isn't really necessary. Of course if Felix was younger - he is 2 years - I might fold the cloths differently or use fewer of them.

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