Alice Johnstone from Seventy Seven PR sent me a pack of Derma H2O’s new product Water Wipes recently. Water Wipes contain 99.9% water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract, and nothing else. They are therefore completely suitable for use on newborns. Once opened they last for a minimum of three months. Oh yes, and they’re completely biodegradable.
What I would have given to have something like this when Rosemary was a baby. Cotton wool and warm water is fine and not too much hassle at home, but when you’re out and about it is such a faff. And even at home, the idea that you could occasionally just pull a wipe out of a packet, especially in the middle of the night, is very appealing.
If you have a small baby or are expecting one soon, I would really recommend buying a pack of these. They’re available from some Boots stores and from www.boots.com and www.amazon.co.uk. The only issue, really, is that they aren’t cheap, at £4.49 for a pack of 72 wipes. We usually get a pack of (80, I think) Simple wipes for around £1. But there’s no way I’d use them on a baby.
So… I’m keeping the pack I was sent for when Eleanor is born and will probably buy another pack, too. But I’ll most likely stick to the cotton wool and warm water at home (unless I’m really tired!). There will be a pack in my hospital bag, and in Eleanor’s changing bag. (Hmm, wonder if I still have any of the many changing bags I bought for Rosemary, or if I’ll get the opportunity to buy a new one.)
It is funny how the cotton wool and water seems to be a British thing. Here in the US they give you a pack of ordinary Pampers sensitive wipes at the hospital, and people wipe their infants bottoms with wipes from that very first sticky poop!
ReplyDeleteI only heard about the cotton wool and water faff when my mum came to stay and help me with my first baby! I wonder why the difference?! Maybe the hospitals here are in the pockets of Procter and Gamble, but I must admit I was quite happy with wipes, there is enough to do when changing a pooey nappy for the fifteenth time in 24hrs without having to use damp cotton wool to clean!
That's interesting. I wonder what other differences there are? What about biological versus non-biological washing powder/products? And not using fabric softener. Using shampoos and soaps on newborn babies?
ReplyDeleteAll of these things are (I'm pretty sure) down to avoiding sensitive skin problems and you're supposed to stick to them for the first six months, which we did. I've recently discovered fabric softener and am loathe to give it up for baby Eleanor, but I have a family history of sensitive skin, so would like to avoid potential problems if at all possible.
I wonder if there are things that you are advised to do in America that we don't over here? Might have to do a separate post about this!