Travelling with Cloth Nappies

To do it or not to do it - travelling with cloth nappies.

Whether or not you use cloth nappies whilst you’re away will depend on a few things. Will you be staying at the same place? Will you have access to a washing machine? Are you up for it? If you’ve answered yes to these questions, then it’s more likely that opting for cloth nappies is feasible.

If your head is already feeling faint at the thought, then simply don’t do it. Holidays are for relaxing and that should be one of your top priorities. However, with a bit of planning and preparation you can cloth bum anywhere!

If you’re going on a short trip or a weekend away, you might be able to pack enough nappies and not need to wash until you’re back home.

If you’re going on a longer trip and would still like to opt to use cloth nappies whilst you’re away, then here are a few helpful pointers and things to consider.

1. How many nappies should I take?

We recommend that you wash the nappies every other day so that you reduce the number of nappies you need to pack. Take note of how many nappies your baby is using each day and take double that plus an extra few to be on the safe side.

Bonus: Cloth nappies are pretty poonami-proof, and you won’t need many spare outfits for those just-in-case moments.

2.Type of nappies

Some nappy styles such as the Grovia hybrid are great space savers both for when you’re out and about for just the day or when packing for holiday. It’s important that you try the nappy style beforehand and don’t decide to try something new when you’re away from home in case the style just doesn’t do it for you.

3. Preparation is key

Make sure your nappies are prepared with a liner inside (if you’re using one) in order to save time and panic. This is especially important when you’re in transit and cannot easily access the main luggage such as on a plane.

4. Wet bags

These little bags of wonder are saviours when on the move whether you’re using cloth nappies or not! They will simply help you organise your luggage easily. You can get them in different sizes and prints which will help you easily locate what you need.

5. Washing powder

Carry a small bottle with some of the washing detergent you normally use at home. The last thing you want when you’re away is a reaction to a new washing detergent. So keep things simple and take some of your own. It also means you don’t have to buy extra stuff especially since washing powders normally come in large bulky boxes and you surely won’t need that much whilst you’re away!

6. Drying time

Try and pack the quickest drying nappies or a few extra inserts. Consideration for drying time is especially important if you’re not going to have access to a tumble dryer.

7. Go hybrid

If you think using all cloth is going to stress you out, there are other options you can consider including using disposable wipes instead of reusable, disposable biodegradable liners or even disposable inserts. Some brands such as Charlie Banana have disposable inserts available particularly for cases like this when you’re away from base. We all know that inserts take the longest to dry so you can opt to have disposable inserts for the few days or weeks that you’re away.

And of course, you can always have some disposable nappies as a back up… in case the nappies didn’t dry in time or your baby decided it was the perfect time to up poos and nappy changes!

If you’re going to be visiting the beach, remember to pack your reusable swim nappies!

A break is sometimes good and most of all remember that minimising stress is key, especially when you’re on holiday!