Even the most diligent cloth diaper users may sometimes opt to use disposable diapers for trips around town or while running errands. The idea of cloth diapering while away from home can seem intimidating, but  there are many ways to make cloth diapering while away just as easy as using disposable diapers. 

 1. A Changing Pad

    The first item you want to be sure to have inside your diaper bag is a changing pad, just like you would typically use when changing a disposable diaper. Most diaper bags come with a small folding pad that you can use under your baby when changing,or you can use a small blanket if there isn't or if your baby has grown too big to fit. If you have a leak mid-change , you run the risk of it seeping through the blanket because it does not have a water proof layer. In lieu of choosing between the top and bottom half of your baby, or an unfortunate mess,  look for a blanket or pad with a water resistant layer that is large enough to provide adequate space to change your baby on while also preventing potential leaking while you change the diaper. 

2. Dealing with the Dirties

     When you change a dirty diaper while away from home, remove the diaper as you normally would and roll your diaper closed. Use the snaps on the tabs to secure the dirty diaper closed and place it into a separate bag to be dealt with later once you are home and have access to your usual method of dealing with dirty diapers.

 It can be easier to use a pre-assembled pocket diapers or AIO diapers because it eliminates the assembly step that a 2-part system requires.

 

Disposable liners, which are tissue-thin pieces of bamboo sheets that can be used on the diaper to catch poop, can either be throw away or flushed down a toilet. They eliminate the need to later rinse or remove any mess from the diaper once you've returned home.

Using these liners makes changing a dirty diaper in a public bathroom stress-free. Simply flush your dirty liner down the toilet and dispose of any wipes you use into a trash can.

 

3. Wetbags

     An easy method for storing dirty diapers until returning home is a wetbag.

 

A "wetbag" is made of a water resistant material like PUL or TPU which  allows you to store dirty/wet items safely away from clean/dry items.

 

A dual pocket wetbag can be useful for travel-changing because you are able to store dirty or wet items in one pocket, and clean items in the other. A zippered closure is also easier to open/close with one hand than velcro or snap closures

 

Depending on the age and needs of your child, you may find that having additional bags for things like extra clothes, spit-up blankets, etc can be useful. 

 

4. How many diapers to pack

     It is common practice to change a young baby's diaper ever 2-3 hours, possibly more for a newborn or infant. Older babies may require less frequent changing. The amount of time you will be away will determine how many diapers you should bring. When choosing diapers it may be beneficial to use diapers with bamboo or cotton fibers as opposed to microfiber, because these tend to be trimmer and less "fluffy", which will allow you to pack more items into less space. 

     Using cloth while away from home does not have to be scary or hard. If you use cloth diapers full-time at home, it can be an inconvenience to keep the correct size of disposable diapers on hand exclusively for trips out of the house, especially if they are short or infrequent. Being able to confidently use cloth diapers outside of the home can be essential to some. For others, it just may be another avenue to continue the money saving benefits of cloth diapers.  But no matter what your reason, I hope some of these tips will help you. And as always, MAY THE FLUFF BE WITH YOU!

 

If you would like individualized help getting started with cloth diapering or resolving issues related to your wash routine, please book a consultation with me HERE