Outings With Cloth Diapers
If you have a child in diapers, then chances are pretty great that at
some point you're going to have to go out into the world to, you
know, get groceries, run errands, and (hopefully) do fun stuff where
a diaper change or two will be needed. And to some parents, the
idea of using cloth diapers while away from home can seem really
intimidating. Well I'm here to help put your mind at ease, because
travelling with cloth diapers is so much easier than you may be
imagining.
(Even with POOP?)
Yes. Even with poop.
To begin, you will want to make sure that you pack enough cloth
diapers to last you the entire time you're out. If you can estimate
how much time your errands/outing will take, you can take an
average of one diaper for every two hours away from home, plus
one or two extra just in case you have to change a diaper sooner.
Pack plenty of wipes, and wipes solution (if you use cloth wipes) for
those expected or surprise poops.
Bring something waterproof to change your baby on, or try to find a
changing table or other safe surface to change your baby on. I
have had to try and change our one year old on the front seat of
our truck, and it isn't exactly easy... or fun... or easy.
TAKE A WETBAG! This is probably one of the most important
parts of travelling with cloth diapers. What are you going to do with
soiled diapers when you're out for hours? Bring a travel wet bag (or
a full size one if that's all you have), or even a plastic bag if that's
all you've got on hand. Just something to contain the dirty diapers
until you get home, because there's nothing worse than having to
smell urine and poop as you bop around town (especially in the
dead of summer).
If you're still concerned about the smell permeating your vehicle,
you can bring a little tupperware container of baking soda infused
with a couple drops of essential oil like Tea Tree, Lavender, or
Sweet Orange. Sprinkle a bit into the wet bag (it's fine if it gets on
the diapers), or put a few drops of essential oil directly onto the
cotton tabs that are attached to the inside of many travel and full-
size wet bags.
And finally: Do NOT forget about the diapers in your vehicle! I
know. How could that possibly happen? Well, it does (not that I
have personal experience with that or anything..... ahem...), and
the only thing worse than having to smell urine and poop as you
bop around town (especially in the dead of summer) is trying to
figure out what that horrible smell is permeating your vehicle only
to discover a bag full of soiled cloth diapers from the week before. I
won't go into what can happen inside of a poopy diaper after being
forgotten for days, but it can be pretty gross... and terrifying.
So there you have it the easy guide to travelling with cloth
diapers.
Do you have any extra tips? Let us know!