The world is awash with suggestions of ‘reusables’ in order to combat something else it is even more awash with: Plastic.
You may have already ventured down the path of eco-friendly products in order to limit your carbon footprint…reusable bags, reusable sanitary products, reusable bottles, reusable straws, reusable nappies etc, but, what if your journey doesn’t allow for a full dive into the world of reusables and you’re actually looking for a cost-effective product which will potentially make life easier too?
There is no denying that switching to eco-friendly products, although kinder to the planet, often comes with an additional cost. New parents usually don’t have the additional funds, or time, to dedicate to a full eco-friendly switch, it has to be something that will actually make their life easier…
One of the very first reusable products we tried ourselves over 7 years ago now, and loved, was cheeky wipes. Traditional baby wipes don’t just block toilets, oceans and landfills – they are also nowhere near as effective as mopping up a poonami, and believe me, there will be plenty of those! Whereas a dirty nappy will often require, on average, 4-5 baby wipes to get your baby’s bits spotless – you’re looking at 1, max 2, cheeky wipes and no accidental fingers through the cloth either.
Your questions answered live by senior midwife Louise Broadbridge. A workshop covering what to expect in the early days, coping with morning sickness and planning for your first antenatal appointment.
In my opinion, the best thing about cheeky wipes is the smell. Yes, for a new baby you will just use cool boiled water, but as they get older (6 weeks+) you can add some of the cheeky wipes essential oil blends to the water and they smell divine! (and make your baby smell even more delicious too!)
Cheeky wipes cloth wipes are not just for bottoms and bits, they are perfect for hands and faces too. We used different coloured cloths for faces and hands so as not to mix them up. They are plastic-free and completely natural which means much less chance of nappy rash and suitable for sensitive skin.
But what about cleaning and carrying on the go I hear you ask? Well, this is also super easy! When at home, you pop your dirty wipes into a Tupperware tub (also filled with essential oil-laden water) which has a mesh bag insert. Once full, the bag goes straight into a normal 30-60degree wash. If you’re out and about you take one of their waterproof mucky bags (also with a mesh insert) which you can just put in the washing machine once home. In terms of taking wipes out and about, you can either use one of their waterproof bags or use a mini sandwich Tupperware tub if preferred.
One of the great things about switching to reusable wipes is the cost-saving. Over the years we have not only saved on hundreds of wipes going to landfills, but we’ve also saved pounds! 7 years later we are still using our cheeky wipes as mini flannels in the bath, wipes after dinner, makeup removers and cleaning wipes in the shower. Now with number 3 on the way we will be replacing our oils and checking our stash ready for when baby arrives in a few months.
