question about a baby oil + wash wipe solution

[msmiles]

Hey ladies. I just stumbled across a new product…Johnsons and Johnsons baby wash with baby oil. So I'm thinking, "Hey, I could pick this up, mix it with water and use it as my wipes solution for less money!" And then I got to thinking…nevermind that I'm not totally sold on J & J products…will the oil--a staple of many solutions--bother the absorbency of my prefolds? Which leads to the larger question: won't any oil, besides olive oil, mess with the absorbency of my prefolds? I guess I could go au-naturale and be an exclusive H20 user, which would be the safest bet for my baby's skin and my diapers, but I'm worried that just dampened fleece or terry cloth used to scrub a baby bottom will be too harsh. EBF poos are usually a cinch to wipe up, but I'm thinking about those toddler poos that sometimes require a little elbow grease. I could use some diluted baby soap as a solution--I've got a few bottles hanging around--but the internets has suggested that I use oil as a medium and a softener. I don't want there to be anything lingering on my baby's heiny, either, because I'm sensitive to soaps, myself. So I'm not even convinced that a baby wash + oil solution is the wisest way to go. I'm aware that I could make a witch's brew of EOs, but I'm trying to be thrifty, here.

Any experience/suggestions?

[mamandedeux]

I personally wouldn't mess with that stuff. I use just warm water on my cloth wipes - I wet a few cloth for each diaper change, and never had any issues. I've done that for BF poop and toddler explosions (and still use cloth to wipe my big boy after he uses the bathroom).

[Comtessa]

Good question! 

I would NOT use Johnson & Johnson products on my baby unless I had no other choice.  On the safe-cosmetics database, all of their baby products rank between "moderate hazard" and "high hazard."  Here's the link: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?brand_id=1128&category=baby_soap&brand_id=1128&&showmore=products&start=0.  I definitely wouldn't use it in a wipes solution. 

Here's what I do for baby wipe solution:

1 tsp. baby wash (I use Burt's Bees right now but am thinking of using Dr. Bronner's instead because it's more natural)

1 tsp. olive oil with tea tree oil diluted in it (I use about 4 drops TTO to 1 cup EVOO)

1 cup water

It's very easy, which is what I prefer about it.

IME, there's not enough oil in this solution to be a problem with CD's.  The idea is to have enough oil in the solution that it offers a little bit of moisture-protection to the baby's skin in between diaper changes.  I would definitely use olive oil (or another skin-happy vegetable oil like grapeseed or jojoba) over baby oil (which is frequently mineral oil, or maybe a vegetable oil with perfumes and other junk added).  I've never noticed that it affects my diapers at all -- it's really very little. 

As for the baby wash -- the real reason to use it is because it's an emulsifier for the oil in the solution.  If you don't use some kind of soap, the oil just beads up on the surface of the water.  If you use a very sensitive all-natural baby wash, I don't think that the tiny amount on the wipe is going to harm baby's skin (of course, all babies are different, so try it and see, and you can always switch brands or desist altogether if you suspect there's a problem). 

Lastly, I like using a bit of tea tree oil because it is naturally antibacterial, so it prevents mold/bacteria from growing on the wipes while they're in the wipe solution.  Since mine sit for a couple of days in there sometimes, I think it's pretty important to have something that inhibits bacterial growth in there.  And it's so diluted it's safe for sensitive skin. 

I don't think wipes solution has to be fancy -- and you could certainly get by with plain old water on a rag, like most of our parents did -- but something like this is a good "middle ground." 

[CookAMH]

I'm not a fan of J&J, but I have used some oil in the wipes solution almost since the beginning. I've never had an absorbancy issue with my prefolds and have never stripped them. DS is 21 mo.  I use a squirt, maybe 1T, of Burts Bees apricot oil.

I also freely use coconut oil on his skin as needed. And I use zinc oxide creams. Never had an issue!

[treeoflife3]

I definitely say no to JandJ and baby oil.  I don't think olive/coconut/etc oil would be a problem though.  I have used coconut oil as a moisture barrier AFTER wiping so the bit you'd have in your solution wouldn't be a big deal.

I also sometimes just do water with TTO and lavender.  No baby wash or other oils.

[dayiscoming2006]

I am simple. I just wet some wipes in water - squeeze out the excess and put them in an old huggies wipes container. I only put enough to last a day or 2 and toss any extra in with the diapers at wash time so they don't mold. I've only had a problem once when I took a break from cloth diapers for a couple weeks and had forgotten some wipes in the container - those said hello to the trash but overall, I've not had any issues. I only use wipes for poopie diapers. My friend taught me that one. Pee is clean so no need to wipe after a pee. Maybe a dry wipe if the baby is wet from peeing on themself and not in the diaper? LOL

I would not use J and J either. I like burts bees baby wash and I've found it at target. I'm sure it's other places too, just letting you know of one place I've seen it. :)

[msmiles]

Thanks all!