Newborn baby hats make good ice pack covers

Amy's smart hack will help cool down summer scrapes:

In my house, when someone needs an ice pack, we always wrap it with a towel to take the "bite" off. I recently discovered that ice packs fit perfectly into newborn hats, and it stays in there much better than using only a towel!

What a great idea. I find that most towels are too thick -- they never get cold enough.

Anyone else have a good suggestion for insulating ice packs?

Related: Baby feeder converts to teething ice pack

Comments

[Heather]

Instead of putting the ice packs in the freezer I put a couple in the refrigerator, they get cold but aren't too cold to use directly on skin.

[Chic Momma]

This is a great idea! I will be sure to hold on to a few when Baby #2 has outgrown them.

[mes]

Good idea, and good use for the hats that baby just tosses on the ground! I've always used one of hubby's tube socks because it can wrap around and tuck in to keep the ice pack in place.

[Nancy]

I use baby washcloths - similarly thin and small.

[reen]

I use baby washcloths too, but the hats are a neat idea. The key to getting any pack insulator cold enough is to get it wet first.

[Sue]

We've used kids' underwear on more than one occasion.

[Kari]

Great idea! For minor boo-boos I use a single ice cube wrapped in a baby wash cloth and rubber-banded. It works great for those little owies.

[Altissima]

Small tea-towel or table napkin, wrapped around and secured with a couple of elastic bands.
A pack of frozen peas or corn makes a great emergency ice-pack as it is flexible and can mould around the body shape.

[Jenna]

I've been using old tube socks. A second use once they have been worn out.

[Melanie]

I have a couple of "magic bags" (you know the ones filled with beans or wheat seeds or something earthy-crunchy like that.) They are great when frozen because they don't get as cold as the gel ice packs but they stay cool for quite a while. They also mold around bruised body parts well, and their inherent weight tends to keep them in place. When I do have to use the gel ice packs, I wrap them in a kitchen towel which is not too thick.

[Patti]

Like Kari, I use a single ice cube in a baby washcloth, but I put the cube in a baggie first and then wrap them both in the cloth and put an elastic around the whole lot. It's the perfect size for small hands and when it starts to melt we put the whole thing back in the freezer for the next time. My 3yo can open the freezer drawer and self-serve whenever he wants/needs his cube.

[mommainthefog]

this one will sound a little crazy (and is slightly off topic) but it works great--freeze a wet diaper! of course, i would recommend wetting it with WATER instead of *ahem* baby pee. they used these in the maternity ward at the hospital where i gave birth.

[Mindy]

A wise nurse recommended to me a small diaper. Split the diaper apart and fill it with ice. When the ice melts it is absorb by the diaper and doesn't leak out.

[Kristi Henson]

I sewed a small cloth bag and filled it with rice. We keep it in the freezer and it is great for bumps and bruises. For aches and pains, we put it in the microwave for 2 minutes and have the perfect heating pad (or footwarmer for cold winter nights!)