Mommy tip to save money on wipes, use cotton balls instead.

For my three boys and now, for Yael, I use cotton balls soaked in boiled water to clean their delicate parts after each nappy change. Sometimes, I use Cetaphil then wipe them again with cotton soaked in water. I seldom use baby wipes as most of them contain alcohol or perfume, which may disturb the natural balance of the baby’s skin. Add to that, of course, is excellent savings as wipes are more expensive than cotton. For heavy poops, though, I let lukewarm water run over the penis, scrotum, and butt cheeks. Then I gently rub the skin and apply Cetaphil.

Too much rubbing can damage the delicate surface layer of a baby’s skin, so after each diaper change, I let Yael be nappy-free for a few seconds. Also, instead of using a towel to pat his skin dry, I let natural air do the task.

Save money on cotton balls than baby wipes

Absorbent cotton vs. rolled ones

When we did our grocery for this month, I picked the most significant absorbent cotton instead of those rolled ones. I want to know how much I could save if I roll the pieces of cotton myself. After all, I could roll a few for a minute or two before sleeping. I have learned that 150-gram absorbent cotton priced at PhP 49.00 can produce around 400 cotton balls. A 300-piece cotton ball, on the other hand, costs between Php 65.00 to PhP 70.00. The ones I have rolled are thicker and bigger, which can clean more in fewer rolls than those cotton balls in the market.

The savings I did for rolling my cotton may be too minimal, but then, I would prefer to do it again. It gives me another reason to stay beside my baby and sing to him than be glued on the television, and before I knew it, I have watched the entire show and wasn’t able to sleep as my baby sleeps, too.   The most frequent advice I get from my mother and husband:  Sleep when the baby sleeps.

More than the savings, though, I also find rolling cotton therapeutic.  With the many household duties I need to do everyday, cotton rolling gives me the time to be at ease and just relax.  It is a task that demands no time but requires the same motherly affection I give in everything I do.  Yes, even rolling cotton demands motherly love.  It’s the way I am and the way I serve my boys.

So again, for mothers who want to save even a little from their budget, use cotton instead of wet wipes.

admberlin