Cloth diapering really is as easy as using disposables - without the huge financial and environmental price tag. At 4 months old, my daughter has not worn a single disposable diaper since she was in the hospital at birth. Just yesterday we were away from home for the whole day, including 2 hours in the car. No diaper problems at all!
Cloth diapering on the road does require a bit of planning. However, using cloth diapers requires no more planning than any other aspect of leaving the house with a baby. Even for longer trips of several days, you can successfully cloth diaper on the road.
Obviously, you will want to pack as many diapers as you think your child will use during the time you plan to be away from home. Then add an extra diaper or two for backup. I like to keep an extra couple of diapers and some cloth diaper wipes in the car at all times, just in case we are out longer than I had planned.
What do you do with wet or messy diapers?
I highly recommend getting a cloth diaper wet bag. These waterproof zippered bags look great and do a great job of containing diaper odors. A regular size bag will typically hold 3-6 diapers and a larger bag typically holds 5-8 diapers. Just empty the bag into the washer and wash it along with the diapers when you get home.
What about wipes?
We use cloth diaper wipes and a spray bottle or foaming bottle of wipes solution. Just spritz or foam the solution onto the wipe and clean baby's behind. Then, wash the wipes along with your diapers. Our favorite wipes are made with a cute flannel print on one side and soft bamboo velour on the other.
What about overnight trips?
If you plan to be gone for more than a day or two, you will want to either bring along some extra diapers or plan to do a wash load while you are away. Since modern cloth diapers wash and dry quickly, you can run a load in a short amount of time. If you are staying somewhere where there is a washer and dryer, doing a quick load of laundry is no big deal. If you won't have access to a washer, another good option is to purchase some inexpensive flat diapers to allow you to have extras or to allow for handwashing, such as at a camp site. Simply wash and hang dry any wet diapers and save the messy ones for washing when you get home.
Cloth diapering saves you money at home and on the road, and it is easy on the environment. Sure, you do need to bring the diapers home with you, but is it really the right thing to do to leave dirty diapers wherever you visit? Cloth diapering on the road can also be a laundry saver. Most parents tell me they have fewer diaper leaks once they start using good cloth diapers.
Julie R. Holland is an attachment parenting author and owner of Little for Now cloth diaper store - where you can learn about cloth diapering and choose from 11 different brands of cloth diapers. Subscribe to the free Little for Now newsletter for cloth diaper savings and more great articles like this one.
