Why buy a wipes warmer?

Image: Samuel by Raphael Goetter.

Many new parents think a wipes warmer is a luxury item … until that first late-night diaper change. The last thing you want at 3 a.m. is an angry, wailing and fully awake baby, and a cold wipe is guaranteed to give you just that.

Read a dozen reviews of wipes warmers, and you’ll start to recognize a familiar story.

“Before our baby was born, we tended to dismiss things like this as being over-the-top baby items.”

“We thought a wipes warmer was optional, so we didn’t buy one. After our first baby was born, we used cold wipes, and he flinched and cried.”

“The wiper warmer sounds a bit extravagant, but it’s one of the best purchases we made.”

Image: Buckle Up by kennymatic.

Is a baby wipes warmer really necessary?

Let’s be totally frank here. A wipes warmer is not necessary in the way food, water and air are necessary. It’s not even necessary in the way diapers are necessary (and even that point is debatable … see The Diaper-Free Baby: The Natural Toilet Training Alternative).

If you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck, by all means forgo the wipes warmer and spend your money on the essentials.

For me, buying a wipes warmer was not about “pampering” my children or having the latest silly baby gadget. A warm wipe helped my babies get back to sleep easier after a late-night diaper change, and sleep is not easy to come by at that age. Warm wipes are still helpful today on my toddler’s constant runny noses (he has allergies).

I don’t know about you, but peace and quiet is definitely worth my 20 bucks!