|
Baby
Products You Can Make at Home
By Kimberly Danger
With more toiletries, creams and clothes
than a supermodel, your little diva can be high
maintenance. There’s no doubt that baby products make
the busy mom’s easier, but they can be tough on the
pocketbook. If you’re willing to spend a little time
making these things at home, you can save big bucks in
the long run. Good news: It’s easier than you think!
Baby Wipes
One of the easiest, most cost-effective
ways moms can save money is to make baby wipes at home.
You can tweak the recipe to your liking; adding
fragrance oil if you wish or scented baby bath. Since
you can adjust the amount of baby bath and oil, this can
be a lifesaver for moms of babies with sensitive skin.
1 roll of premium brand paper towels
2 ¼ cups of water
2 tablespoons baby bath or shampoo
1 tablespoon baby oil
Cut the roll of paper towels in half
using and electric knife. Mix all the liquid
ingredients together. Put towels in a large mixing
bowl, and pour the liquid over the top. Let the mixture
soak through for 5-10 minutes and pull out the center
core. Wipes will pop up through the middle. Wipes can
be stored in a plastic container or a gallon-size
plastic bag. A word to the wise: Don’t try to save
money by using cheap paper towels. The towels will
disintegrate.
Baby Cereal
Instant oats pulverized in a blender
makes instant baby cereal. You can purchase the oats in
bulk. Prepare it ahead of time and store it in an
airtight container. When you’re ready to use it, just
mix with breast milk, formula, or water.
Baby Food
Making your own baby food at home may
seem like a daunting task, but a week’s worth of food
(or more) can be make the same amount of time you’d
invest grocery shopping. Cook your vegetables, meat,
and fruit, then put them in a blender or food processor
and blend well. Spoon the mixture into ice cube trays
to freeze. Empty the ice cubes into freezer bags and
thaw as needed for each serving.
Antiseptic Hand Gel
Along with babies come diaper changes,
spit-ups, runny noses, and lots and lots of germs. One
way to combat those little bad guys is stashing an
antiseptic hand gel in your purse or diaper bag. You
can make your own by combining equal parts of vodka and
aloe vera gel with approximately 10 drops of fragrance
oil. Stir and store in a plastic bottle. Use when soap
and water isn’t available.
Soothing Baby Bath
Make a soothing bath for baby with
oatmeal. Put plain oatmeal in the blender and pulse
until powdery. Add about ½ cup in the tub water for a
soothing oatmeal bath. This works well for diaper rash,
too.
Electrolyte Solution
Combine:
2 quarts water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ C. sugar
1 packet Kool-Aid
Gatorade diluted with 50 percent water is
also effective in re-hydrating baby and much less
expensive than over-the-counter electrolyte solutions.
Decongestant
Onion makes an inexpensive natural
decongestant for your baby. Cut an onion into chunks
and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of
sugar, cover, and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
The syrup that is created makes a sweet and natural
decongestant. Feed baby the syrup and leave the onions
behind.
Baby Bibs
You can make your own baby bibs
inexpensively by purchasing kids’ T-shirts or
sweatshirts secondhand at garage sales or thrift
stores. Leaving the front and its design, cut off the
sleeves and the back. Finish the edges with a zigzag
stitch or with a serger.
About the Author:
Kimberly Danger is the owner/publisher of
Mommysavers.com, an online resource for parents
interested in saving time and money. Portions of this
article are excerpted from her book,
1000 Best Baby Bargains, available online at
Amazon.com. Ms. Danger lives in Southern Minnesota with
her husband and two kids.
|
