long trip what do you use?

[mama_kass]

We are going on a long trip to visit family for a week. I'm trying to decide how I'm going to do this. Do you/would you take your cloth with you or would you use sposies? I will have access to a washer and dryer. If you take them how much do you take?

[MamaMonica]

I'd take cloth. Take as many as you figure you'll need between washings. I usually take 2 dozen on a trip. Prefolds pack smaller, dry fastesr than fitteds.

Good luck
nak

[twirlgirl]

we travel to Pennsylvania two times a year to see my family (sometimes three times) always for at least 2 weeks, this past time, for nearly three weeks.
I have attempted to use cloth there, ONCE.
That time, I took about 2 dozen diapers for two boys, and figured at my mom's I could do laundry every other day, and I was able to.
However my mom's washer didnt seem to clean them as well as mine did, and the drying took forever and a week. And with having to then line dry, I didnt have enough diapers for the boys unless I did laundry every stinking night LOL..so much for vacation I was spending more time washing diapers.
Also when I mention her washer not getting them as clean, it actually did, its just that her washer is a very basic model and I'm used to my fully loaded washer where I can set it to soak for a certain amount of time, extra rinse, etc. On Mom's I'd end up having to run it through 3 or 4 full washes if I missed going to the basement during the right part of the cycle. Huge waste of water IMO, and I didnt want to run up my mom's water & electricity bill.
So before the end of that trip, we bought sposies and thats now what I use on every trip.

[~ATenthMuse~]

I went to Florida for 12 days and used cloth the whole time. I would take cpfs and wraps as they are easier. Take as much as you think you'll need, mamamonica, is totally right on that! The more the better!

I plan on being the Queen of diaper trips next month when we move across country, into a house and new city, get settled, visit relatives along te way and all while using cloth!

[danaalex]

we are on a 4 week trip right now. we brought all of our dipes but they are mainly cpf. we also use apronstrings pocket dipes, wool covers and wool in ones. so far, all we have used have been the cpf, pockets and covers.

i have 2 in dipes so i brought 4 dz prefolds, 2 infant for bella, and 1 standard and 1 premium for xandra. 2 wool covers for each, 1 wool in one for each, and all of our pockets (about 20)..........

i have a washer and dryer here so i am going to wash like at home, every three days.

hth

have fun on your trip!!!!

where in maryland are you? that is where we are visiting right now!!! we are at my mom's in towson!!!!

[Marco Esquandolas]

You've already gotten excellent advice/info, but I wanted to chime in too! We use cloth exclusively, and that includes travel, and we usually travel(ed) withOUT prefolds. I'd say like the rest-at least 2 doz and use your most tried and true diapers and covers for the long rides (whether it be by plane or car or whatever). We drive so we are in it for the long haul and a ME AF cover over a Liz's cloth hemp diaper with extra doublers (like from smjae) will do the job! You will need a bag for soileds in addition to your baggie for clean ones and you don't need a pail. If you wanna bring a collapsable rack for drying, that is key, imo...we don't leave home without ours! Don't use your coolest lookin (but don't know performance of) or waiting to try out dipes b/c you don't know how they'll perform. Stick with what works and what packs down nicely and trimly (hence, the prefold suggestions). If you have access to washer/dryer then you really have NO worries! I'm not sure what else you wanna know, but we travel a LOT and always do Ian (and sometimes even mama too) in cloth! It can be done, and can also be NOT a big deal to do, esp if you have access to washing/drying them! GO FOR IT!!!! Let us know how you do when you return

[lifetapestry]

I'll add my $.02, as I just returned from a 10 day vacation where we used cloth. This included two 14 hour days in transit (2 1.5 hr car rides, 2 airplane rides at 3 hours each, for just one way) and a week at a pretty modern mountain cabin with a little stacking washer/dryer. I brought way too many diapers-- I decided to do all wool and WIO's, with a few "traditional" AIO's and fitted dipes for nighttime. It was easy to just toss a day's worth of dipes in the washer, but whoever said above that the laundry system might not work as well as your home system is absolutely right. The washer in our cabin worked fine, but it left some &^&#$% black spots on some of my microfleece topped soakers. With what I was doing, I could have easily cut down on my vacation stash by 2/3. However, I was probably more relaxed knowing that I had plenty of diapers, so if space isn't an issue, you're probably better off with too much rather than too little. Also, I found myself changing DS somewhat less often, as he magically transformed from a 4-5 times/day pooper to a 1 or 2/day (go figure-- I think it's because he had a break in teething his 2 year molars).

My other advice is to remember not to leave poopy diapers in your diaper bag-- they really reek and get hard to clean. The thing I missed most was my mini-shower. Toilet dunking-- yech! Public toilet dunking-- double yech!

Karla

Karla

[Clarity]

I use FB and JB because they are so compact to pack. 2-3 days. I also "grab" the majority of the poop with toilet paper. Hate dunking.

[Oklahoma Mama]

I take cloth, all that I have It takes up a whole suitcase though

[momtokay]

I just got home from a trip on Monday. I took cloth, but used a few disposies too. I didn't have the luxury of being able to use a whole suitcase for dipes (with two kids, a stroller, etc.), so I packed 2 dozen dipes. I washed every other day and just filled in with disposables when all 2 dozen were dirty. My little one goes through lots of dipes in a day. When my older one was still in dipes I used to bring about 15 for her and that was enough to wash every other day. I think she has a bionic bladder though as she just didn't wet very often. LOL!!

[little red monster]

When I go to grandparents and sisters house out of town I take cloth but they are use to me coming down and washing diapers, On long trip I use exclusively my fuzzibunz

[bradenboy]

I would DEFINATELY use cloth too!!! SPOSIES STINK! PEEEE UUUUUUU! I just take all my diapers w/ about 26-28 Lukes Drawers Candy Wrappers.


Kayla

[Jachut]

I'd take disposables. I dont like them, I think they stink and I feel very uneasy about what's in them, but I like even less lugging round huge piles of dirty nappies.

Most of my outings I take cloth with me, since usually Im only going to change her once or twice or Im parking at Mum's house or a friend's and I dont have to physically carry everything everywhere. But, for example, I took the kids to the zoo during the recent school holidays - we were there all day. A few disposables and a travel pack of wipes, and being able to throw the disposables away made it a lot easier when I was also carrying enough food to sink a battleship.

I'd also feel funny about using someone elses washing machine to wash nappies - I dont want somebody else's babies poo in my washing machine so I could understand if it grossed people out.

[Mizelenius]

I've been debating this, too! We're going on a vacation via airplane (about a 4 hour flight, so not bad) and staying in a friend's house, but they won't be there. I could use cloth since I'll have access to a w/d, but I just don't know if I want to worry about it while I'm there . . .packing the diapers would take up a lot of room, we'll be doing a lot of side trips, and I'd have to wash diapers in someone else's machine and get permission (rather not put them on the spot). Granted, I always rinse poo before pailing the diaper, but still. I'd definitely do it if I'd get DH support, but that's not gonna happen. Excuses, excuses!

[jtraynham]

We use cloth

We are on vacation right now. The last time I traveled, we used mainly prefolds, but since we were spending a total of 6 days in the car (out of 11) I packed our fitteds as it keeps DS feeling dry.

Julie

[5kidsmama]

I'm getting ready to go on a 9 day vacation this Sat. I'll be able to wash when I get to MIL's on Wed(day 5), but I only plan on doing it that one time. We have a fair bit of driving that we'll be doing, but we've always done cloth on vacation so I wasn't about to buy sposies for this one!! The only stumper for this trip is that MIL insists that the poopies be very well rinsed before hitting her washer Which isn't a problem when we go straight there and I can do it in her bathroom. I refuse to dunk in a public bathroom, and feel uneasy about it in other realatives (don't know them as well) So we came up with this solution: I bought some cheap fleece at JoAnns (used 50% off coupon!!) and cut it into contour shaped liners to cover the WHOLE diaper inner. I'm bringing 2 dozen diapers(including pockets) and cut 30 liners. My plan is that when Aislinn has a poopy, I can just toss the fleece liner- it wasn't that expensive. The ones that don't get poopied on will go in the wash to be reused(that's why 30 liners for 24 diapers). We've been testing the liners in the diapers I plan on using, and so far have not had a problem with using a fleece liner on top of a fleece lined diaper or pocket diaper.

I've also been counting how many diapers she goes through in one day(5 currently) and added 1 more for each day to get my total. I've always brought way more than I needed before, and space is at a premium this time, so I needed a pretty accurate figure. If I run out, I can wash before we get to MIL's, just not as convienent.

Sorry this got so long, but hope it helps someone !!!

[DreamingMama]

Long trips

I use Cloud 9, or Lukes Drawers, and Elbee. Those last long enough that he will not spring a leak along the way.

[Jachut]

That disposable fleece liner idea is a really good one!! Im going to file that away in my memory for when I need it.

[Mizelenius]

Originally posted by 5kidsmama
I've also been counting how many diapers she goes through in one day(5 currently)

Only 5? That's not bad at all! My DD goes through at least 10 a day. And when it's a poo day, well, that number goes up! It's amazing how frequently she wets!

[Jachut]

I would only change my daughter five or six times a day (she's 19 weeks) - I take my hat off to those of you who manage to change each time their baby wets. I mean, I changed her at 7.30 this morning when she woke up, got her dressed and raced around getting the boys ready for school. At 8.30 we were in the car, walked to boys into school and stood around chatting until the bell went at 9am. I popped Eliza back into the car for the 5 min trip home. She fell asleep and so I put her in bed. Its now 11.10 am and she's still asleep, so that's about 4 hours in one diaper. But when in that morning full of activity would I have reasonably changed her? She'll get another change when she wakes up, and then several through the afternoon, about 2 hourly until she falls asleep again for another hour or two. The last one goes on her at 6.30 or so and she's usually asleep for the night by 7.