Traveling with Cloth Diapers…*gasp*! It can be done!

Honey, pack up the suitcases, we’re going on vacation!

You should be doing the happy dance when you hear these words…but instead your mind turns to poop, pee, washing machines and various types of cloth diapers.  Lets mill over the possibilities.  Weigh the pros and cons of traveling with cloth…it can be done…it may not be as “convenient” as disposable diapering, but you’ll save money, landfill space and your baby’s bottom.

Situation A: You’re hitting a resort for the weekend via automobile.

• Easy!  Just plan on taking your WHOLE stash!  (assuming you have enough cloth to last you 3 days).
• Bring a pail liner or 2 and all of the wet bags that you own.
• Tuck away a little bit of your diaper detergent in case you end up hand washing a few diapers…you can do this in the tub of the hotel (just stick with the peed on diapers).  You can hang them up on the handy clothes line in the bathroom of your hotel room.
• You’ll be driving home with lots of dirty diapers, so get that washing machine ready the second you walk in the door.
• Worst case scenario you run to the grocery store and buy some disposables…but I’m betting you won’t need to.

Situation B: You’re traveling cross-country and staying with relatives for more than 3-4 days.

• This can be the easiest scenario for traveling with cloth diapers because your family likely has a washer/dryer.
• Bring your diaper detergent with you in a sealed container or ship something to their home before your arrival.  You can ask them to start using it on all of their clothes before  you get there or you can just strip their machine upon arrival.  Do kindly ask them to refrain from using fabric softener for the duration of your stay, this can break down the fabric in your stash, cause rashes and decrease the absorbency of the cloth.
• You’ll want to bring 2 large wet bags/pail liners and at least 2 smaller wet bags for day trips and outings.
• There are a few tricks you’ll need to work out:
• Day of travel to and from destination…you’ll be doing diaper laundry on these days…set aside that time for yourself or you’ll be getting on a plane with some funky luggage.
• You’ll have to get used to a new washing machine.  Front loaders or he‘s do not use as much water as traditional top loaders, so you may have to tweak your usual cycle routine.  If the diapers come out of the wash smelling like pee, put them back in for another short cycle with a tiny bit of soap and an extra rinse.

Situation C: You’re staying in a hotel for a week or more.  You do not have access to a personal washing machine.  You will be utilizing a laundromat 2-3 times.

• No biggie!  City dwellers deal with this all the time.
• The pro is that you will absolutely have VERY clean diapers because these washing machines do an excellent  job agitating and rinsing.  The con is that you will be mixing in with many different types of detergents and or fabric softeners.
• Give it a try.  If your child’s bottom seems irritated you can always add an extra rinse to your load or even run an empty was through a machine before you begin.
• Another option is to see if their are any diaper services in the area that will do business with you temporarily.  Then you would only need enough diapers to get you through the days of travel…and you could rewash them when you get home.

Just remember, cloth diapers are not a new invention.  Women have been traveling with cloth diapers for years and years.  Take the words disposable and convenient out of your mind and say to yourself: http://www.aviva.co.uk/health/
“I must diaper my child.  Diapers are made of cloth and must be laundered.  This is my mommy duty and I’ll tackle it with pride!”

Have a wonderful trip!  Take lots of pictures and imprint those memories of washing diapers on the road…you can pass this invaluable information on to future natural mommies.