When we brought Luke home, we had everything ready for him. His crib was assembled, a changing table was stocked and ready, and we had dozens of towels and blankets at the ready. What we didn’t expect to add to the nursery was a little electronic wipe warmer. It seemed like such a waste of money, until we got one.
Before the wipe warmer, every time we took Luke’s diaper off and touched the cold wipe to his skin he wailed. His cries made diaper changing sound like a form of torture rather than the refreshing introduction of a new diaper that it was. Angela put a warm blanket over his chest to attempt to ease his discomfort. She assumed that his cries were the result of the cold air of the room making contact with his body.
This helped, a little. Once the wipe touched him he’d start in on the screaming and crying once again.
So, we broke down and purchased a wipe warmer. It’s a little box that plugs into the wall and keeps your wipes warm. You just have to make sure you get the kind of wipes that pop a new one up when you take one.
Luke still cries from time-to-time on the changing table. He doesn’t like being naked. But, the difference that introducing warm wipes made were night and day. He doesn’t wail at the touch of a wet wipe anymore. Luke fusses a little, but we are free to clean him off without the torturous scream that he once had.
There are some things you should know before buying a wipe warmer. First, not every warmer is created equal. You want one that keeps your wipes warm without introducing swarms of mold and bacteria. A good seal is important, but there are also options out there with anti-microbial treatments that inhibit the growth of bacteria. One example is the Prince Lionheart Ultimate Wipes Warmer.
Also, just about every warmer out there will require you to add water. Some of them ask you to pour the water directly in the wipe compartment. Others include a pillow that you have to keep moist. The warming process, in addition to a lack of air-tight seal, introduces evaporation. Your wipes will dry out very quickly if you don’t add water.
As much as it looks like one of those annoying baby luxuries that no one really needs, a wipe warmer can make a difference if your baby is fussy every time you apply a cold, wet wipe to their skin. It made a world of difference for us.