Randi Talks about Traveling with Cloth Diapers!

November has arrived! The holidays are coming up quickly and for many of us, that means traveling. For the cloth diapering family, this often leads to many questions. Is it possible to use cloth while traveling? What will I need? How many will I need? How do I wash them? To be honest, many choose to not bother with the extra hassle and choose to use disposables during their trips.Others choose to use hybrid options that allow them to use disposable inserts in cloth covers giving them the best of both worlds. Both are great options, but for those who choose to stick with cloth (be it due to need or choice), using cloth does NOT mean you must give up your holiday travels...it simply takes a bit more planning ahead. Here are a few quick tips to help you cloth on the go:

• Know Your Destination. Figure out what laundry options are going to be available. Personally when we travel, we always stay with family, which means I always have access to their washers. If you're staying in a hotel or don't otherwise have easy access to a washer at your destination, you may consider other options.Will it be worth the extra effort of going to the laundromat? Is hand washing an option? Will you be gone long enough that you will NEED to wash? Take all of these factors into consideration.
• Choose Your Diapers. Personally, I find that our all in twos are much easier for travelling as they tend to take up less space for more diapers, but choose what works best for your needs. Again, you might consider disposable inserts to make things a little easier as well. Or disposable for the road, cloth when you reach your destination. There truly is no wrong way to go. If you will be spending many hours on the road, consider insert options as well. Microfiber can often lead to compression leaks when sitting for too long, so other options may be necessary. I typically go for hemp for these long drives and prepare much as I would for a nighttime diaper.
• Don't Be Afraid to Overpack. I'm an overpacker in general, but have tried to get better about this...except when it comes to diapers. We personally have a stash that would allow us to go nearly a whole week between washes, and I always bring each and every one...even if only for the weekend. It's better to have too many than not enough...this is especially true during the holidays when it seems to be busy, busy, busy! I never want to worry that I won't have time to wash when needed.  
• Don't Forget The Extras. Wet bags are an absolute must when travelling with cloth, but they're not the only things to be certain to pack. Bring plenty of wipes, liners (if you use them), etc. Many areas don't have places to purchase these if you realize you forgot/need them, so plan ahead. I also always try to bring my own detergent as well...premeasured to make it easy! Even while staying with family, I don't always know what detergents they will have available so I want to be sure I have something appropriate for our diapers! If you hang dry your diapers, know ahead of time what options are available. We have an octopus hanger from Ikea that we take with us every time.

Do you travel with cloth diapers? What tips do you have?


Contributed by Randi!