How to Cloth Diaper
While Traveling

You may be wondering how to cloth diaper while traveling. You've made the commitment to use cloth diapers, but now you are going on vacation and you are not sure if you should just go buy a package of disposables.

Really, it's totally up to you, but it is possible to keep your baby in cloth while on the road. We have done it with both of our children. It just takes a little planning and forethought.

Where are you going and for how long?

Are you visiting your sister, who also happens to use cloth diapers? Are you camping for just a few days? Or are you staying at a hotel in Disneyland for 2 weeks?

If you are going to stay with a relative, make sure to ask them beforehand if you can use their laundry room to wash your diapers while you visit. Some people won't mind at all, others may not like the idea one bit!

When I go to see my sister, she also uses cloth diapers, so she totally supports and understands my need to do a few loads during the week.

If you are staying with someone who is not comfortable with the idea or that you are not comfortable doing laundry at their house, you might consider making a trip or two to the laundry mat. Yes, this will take time out of your vacation, but I kind of like the few hours of time to myself after a busy and hectic traveling schedule. Even better if someone volunteers to take the kids off your hands for a few hours! A good book, a cup of coffee and the quiet hum of the laundromat. ahhh..

If you are planning on using a laundry mat, make sure to bring along quarters and the right kind of detergent so you don't get stuck using whatever they sell in the machines.

If you will be staying in a hotel during your vacation, see if they have on-site laundry facilities. Many hotels do and you can even have this be a requirement when you select your hotel. If not, will need to ask the front desk where the local laundry mat is.

My advice for how to cloth diaper on short trips of just a few days like camping or a weekend with relatives, is to bring enough diapers to last the whole trip. I keep all the dirty diapers in a cloth pail liner and bring them home with me to wash.

If you are camping for longer than a few days, bring along an environmentally friendly soap and wash your diapers by hand, hanging them in the sun to dry. Use diapers that dry quickly, like pocket diapers, so you don't have to bring as many with you. Stuff your pockets with flat diapers, they dry the fastest! Or you could just use flat diapers with a cover, that would also be a fast drying solution.

One consideration when traveling with cloth diapers is that they do take up a lot of space so you have to pack your bags with that in mind. A great tip for how to cloth diaper on the road is to use diapers that are a little more trim, again like pockets, because they will take up less luggage space.

If your travel day is long, use whatever diaper solution you normally use at night so you don't have to do as many changes throughout the day. This way you have less dirty dipes to carry around.

You don't want to end up packing a bunch of dirty diapers into your suitcase! So, plan on doing a wash the morning or night before flying out. That way you can pack the clean ones in your suitcase and keep the dirty ones in your diaper bag, same as if you were out and about for a long, busy day.

How to cloth diaper while traveling really is all about smart planning!

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