What factors does one consider when taking disposables on vacation (or not)

[Sandra Dee]

I am reevaluating my diapering needs for our trip to Walt Disney World. We are thinking of driving now, rather than flying (so I wouldn't have to check my diapers and risk them being lost).

Also, I have recently switched systems to cpfs - and I MAY even be able to bring enough diapers for the whole trip

Can I really wait to wash a weeks worth of diapers? Or, am I asking for trouble? LOL

Should I plan on washing once while we are at WDW? CPFs don't take long to dry, I can always put them through one cycle and then hang them in the hotel, right?

Or, should I just say forget it and get the wretched disposables?

What would you do?

[mlia]

Honestly I would love to never use cloth on vacation but for me that's not plausable. We usually take cloth if we're only gone a day or so. But I am not going to find a laundromat to do laundry. So we use disposables. But for me it's ok cause it really doesn't happen that much. So far she's only been in disposables for a trip once for 4 days when I went to Baltimore.

If I did do cloth on vacation I wouldn't wait a week to wash I would find a laundramat.

[Mayapapaya]

So far, the three times we've been away, we've had friends or family with washing machines either where we were staying or nearby. So we've used cloth. If I were you, I suppose I would see if there were a nearby laundromat or laundry facility, and if it were convenient, I would do the laundry while away. Otherwise, wow, a week of dirty dipes? Yuck. But then again, it is possible! Depends on how grossed out you will be with a bag of smelly cloth vs. how grossed out you will be putting sposies on your little one's bottom!

[WithHannahsHeart]

Well, I feel like a weenie for admitting this, but when we go to Atlanta next week for the day, I will be bringing sposies :. THis is because hauling a rambunctious toddler around the state all day is going to be stressfull enough without hauling around a big bag of wet AND dry diapers for the day. I judge how I should deal with diapers based on how it will affect my stress level and my enjoyment of the trip. Now, in August we will be going to Myrtle beach for a few days, and I will certainly bring cloth then.

[m&m mom]

Sandra...
We are going to use sposies for our trip to MI because won't have a very close laundromat. I probably would be taking our cloth if we had a washer in our cottage or even one we could walk to. I was a little freaked when I found out I was going to use sposies, but then I realized that my 5 year old was a completely sposie baby, so a week for Mason isn't going to be the end of the world!

In your case, I can totally see using sposies. I wouldn't want to be lugging dirties around with me all day in the Florida heat! I'd say the lighter you can travel while walking through the parks the better!

[HeatherSanders]

Short and sweet.

CDs are more convenient IMO (I know - some will say *huh?*)
Take Prefolds and several light covers (like a pull-on - they air dry exceedingly fast)
Take (3) small totes for when you are in Disney World . . . that way you can go back to the car or hotel room (if in the park) and drop them off when you get 3 or 4 in there. You are going to take 'breaks' anyway from the heat, to rest the feet, to eat . . . etc. . .
Take enough for the entire trip if you can.
At night, clothespin your nose and do the diaper dunk. I'm serious . . . get all poop off in the toilet .
Then rinse them ALL out in the tub with just water (even the pee ones - they can actually smell worse).
Lay over the side of the tub/curtain to dry.
This removes the acrid smell, makes them stack thin, lightweight and neat and helps you not retain any stains from your trip.

I HAVE DONE THIS! THIS WORKS!
Oh, and if you aren't washing them there and have enough, then you won't have to sweat getting them dry overnight somehow.

Edited to say: Also take (1) XL Tote to place the diapers in when you are done drying them. - - - >> Definitely wasn't suggesting putting them back in their original container! HA!

[Trishy]

Where are you staying at WDW? I know for sure that all of the All Star hotels have coin op washers and dryers there. I would definately take my dipes with me but I wouldn't wait a week to wash. I would wash mid week and the night before I left. It would have to be a pretty extreme situation for me to consider using sposies but that is just me.

[mommy2boys]

We are leaving for vacation on thursday and we thought about doing sposies but ds is so allergic to them that would just be unfair to him. We are going up to SLC so we are going to have to find a laundermat because the hotel we are staying at doesn't have laundry. But I really don't mind too much. I think it should work out. BTW Thank you heather so much for the tips, I will be printing them and doing them.

[USAmma]

Factors I would consider are:

1) how long you will be gone
2) how many diapers you have
3) if you don't have enough to last the trip, if you have access to a washing machine (and consider that family may not be so eager to let you wash dipes in their machine)
4) how badly you want to use cloth instead of sposies

If it's hot and humid where we are going I try to bring cloth because sposies are hot and sweaty inside, and dd tends to get heat rash.

Darshani

[AnnR33]

Here's my 2 cents
If your child does not have any problems with sposies then I'd say just take them and not worry about it.
Your trip is to have fun and relax, so why take time away from your trip to take care of the diapers. It would take considerable amt of time to go find a laundremat and sit there while they wash while you could be doing something else with your family.
In the long run you want to remember the fun times, not that you had to clean out a major blow out while the family went down swimming
You can return to CD the minute you get back and say ahhh-what a cute soft diaper butt while you look at all your souveniers! LOL
Have fun!
Ann

[AuntNi]

I thought Heather's suggestions were great.

That being said, since I have all fitteds, we used mostly sposies when we went to Tan-Tar-A for four days last month. I'll tell you why:

a) I didn't know where any laundromats were in the area (and when I got there and saw it, I was sure glad I *wasn't* committed to washing there!

b) Even if I did wash them, I didn't think I'd ever be able to get them dry.

c) I'm scared that dipes will mildew if I leave them any longer than two days in the St. Louis humidity (can you imagine Florida????)

d) And honestly, I wanted to spend Marlena's naptimes relaxing with her instead of at the laundromat!!!

So I used sposies the first two days, and cloth the last two days. DH & I were really glad how it worked out. DH's only complaint was how thin and unsubstantial DD's bottom was in sposies. He thought it was hard to hold onto her without cloth "love handles". :LOL

Whatever you decide, have a GREAT time in Florida!!! I'm so jealous.

Best,
Nichole

[Mommy&Will]

I am struggling with this, too. We are going to Conn. and Maine and will be in 2 different hotels, and also camping for 3 days. We'll be gone for 9 days.

I have some sposies still in the closet so I am going to take those and use them up, and then by the end of the trip, use cloth.

I really don't want to use sposies, but I don't want to be stressed out by my diapers, either.

Gotta go check and see how many sposies I have left.... I really don't want to buy any more. That could be the same cost as a pretty fleece cover for me!! LOL!

Julie

[Free Thinker]

Just something to consider. I use sposies mostly on my DD (she's in a Fuzzi Bunz now, though ) We recently took a 3 day vacation, and spent plenty of time in the cabin. I used all sposies, and DD got a rash from the heat. I had to use CDs when I got home to get rid of it. I think it was the combo of being in the car seat, and all of the heat that caused the rash. If your baby is used to the CDs I think it might be worse: Just something to think about. Have fun on your trip!!!

[LuvMy2Kidz]

Check with the hotel you're staying in and make sure they ahve a washer/dryer. When you go back from WDW in the evening, throw the dipes in the wash, go back to the room, get the kids ready for bed, throw dipes in dryer. Take a shower, get dipes out of dryer We took cloth on a 6 week trip to Alabama, granted we were in a 2 bedroom apt. with washer/dryer, but we've used cloth on many trips. The only time we've used sposies is for the 2-3 day drive to where we're going(simply b/c I don't want wet/dirty dipes in my car in the heat) or when we know that there won't be a washer/dryer readily accessible.

[LilMamiBella]

We're supposed to be going to Mexico in December and staying with family for a month! I'm definitely using sposies there because his family does not have washing machines and it can be expensive to wash via washing machines there. I may take prefolds and covers but none of my good stuff ya know?!

[MamaMonica]

I just always take cloth- I like it, know how it works and do a little planning ahead of time. It really is easy to vacation with cloth. We find a hotel with a coin-op washing machine and its no biggie- just throw them in.

[detergentdiva]

I always use cloth also. As Heather said things can easily be handwashed as long as you are not using AIO's

We spent 5 days at Disneyland in May. Used cloth the entire time. You will have to bring diapers into disney and the other parks either way. The only difference is you won't be making your load lighter with each change. Make sure you have a decent size wet bag you can bring into the park with you and just empty it when you get back to the hotel.
DD has a tinkerbell backpack, we filed that each morning with clean diaper and put the dirties in a wet bag after each change.

If using prefolds and covers you can handwash the prefolds/covers at night or throw them in the hotel laundry. I would first opt for the handwashing.

For camping, I always use my same system. Since pockets are so similar to prefold/covers they work just as well. I clean out every diaper then handwash, hang to dry and I'm set. I do this every evening that way I am never in a bind waiting for the diapers to dry.
We have done a 3 week vacation on the road using cloth exclusivly and currently have 2 trips planned, one is 2 week and 1 is 1 week. Both places do not have laundry facilities but I will use the above washing methods.

The only thing not to do is if you are staying in a hotel do not use a trashcan as a dirty bucket. The maids will surely throw them out.

[Mommy&Will]

Linda, what soap do you use when handwashing? I am starting to think I could cd full time on my vacation.... hmmm....

Julie

[HeatherSanders]

Originally posted by detergentdiva
The only thing not to do is if you are staying in a hotel do not use a trashcan as a dirty bucket. The maids will surely throw them out.

Hmmm . . . speaking from experience?

[melaniewb]

I am trying to make the same decision right now. We are going away this weekend for 4 days and driving. We're staying in a place that has a washer/dryer, so it makes sense to bring cloth, but I just don't know that I want to spend my vacation time doing laundry. And, cloth DOES take up room. We are taking down all sorts of baby gear and food, so space in the car is limited. Sometimes sposies are just easier. I don't know what we'll do, but I need to decide soon, I guess.