Posts Tagged ‘traveling with cloth diapers’
Tuesday, February 5th, 2013
Once you’ve settled into a routine, using cloth diapers is pretty no-brainer. Wash. Rinse. Rinse. Dry. Use. Repeat.
In that challenging period before I figured out not to over-think things, mistakes were made. My No. 1 mistake? Trusting that the other people changing my baby’s diaper would know everything I do. Will someone else be changing your baby in cloth diapers? Be especially cautious. It’s one thing when mom is the rookie. We still read, research, and, well, over-think. Dads, grandmas, and nursery workers might do things, however, that we never even dreamed they would.
Putting On the Diaper
- The best thing you can do if you’re about to leave your baby and your cloth stash in the hands of someone else is have the diapers pre-stuffed and ready to put on. If you don’t it’s quite possible you’ll come home at some point to a baby wearing a diaper with no insert. Even when the diaper is completely assembled, you still might find a rookie is apt to put the diaper on backwards. Something about the snaps throws them off, I think. A FuzziBunz diaper might be more fool-proof than others. I’ve had people put other diaper brands on inside out, too.
What Else They’ll Put On
- There’s something about a day care provider and butt cream. They just love the stuff. There must be some comfort for them in slathering it on generously. But beware: most widely available diaper creams can wreak havoc on your cloth diapers. This happened to me soon after my day care agreed to use cloth for my first son. I’d left his tube of zinc oxide cream with them even after he started wearing cloth. I knew it wasn’t “cloth approved” but didn’t think about them wanting to use it since he was usually pretty clear down there, but boy did they use it. That day’s diapers, though they still function, to this day have some staining left from that incident. Keep the stuff away from your diapers at all costs.
Laundry
- It’s best that anyone who’s going to wash your cloth diapers gets a full explanation of the proper way to do it. A simple laundry mistake can take lots of re-washing to undo. After the rash cream got used with a few of my cloth diapers, I made the mistake of thinking outside the box for ways to wash it out. I ended up trying a degreaser cream from Lowe’s. I have to rinse my diapers countless times to get the orange smell out. My advice? When you’re a rookie, don’t add anything weird to your diaper laundry. It seems simple enough, but it’s important. Also, think carefully about where you wash. I once did laundry at a campground laundromat and ended up with immediate repelling issues.
You’ve done the research and read all the directions (along with a few hundred blog entries!), but make sure anyone else changing your baby gets all the little details, too. You’ll make things easier on your baby that way – and your diapers!
Jessica Wiant is now a stay-at-home mom of two who was once a working mom with a (cloth diapered!) son in daycare.
Tags: award-winning diapers, babies, baby laundry, babysitters, caring for FuzziBunz diapers, cloth diaper, Cloth Diaper Accessories, cloth diaper benefits, cloth diaper detergent, cloth diapering, cloth diapers, daycare, eco-friendly, eco-friendly diapers, fashionable diapers, favorite baby gear, fleece diapers, FuzziBunz, fuzzibunz cloth diapers, FuzziBunz diapers, green living, how to clean a cloth diaper, How To Use FuzziBunz Diapers, parenting, pocket diapers, potty training, prevent diaper rash, reusable diapers, traveling with cloth diapers, washing FuzziBunz diapers
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Thursday, January 10th, 2013
There’s more than one way to cloth diaper. In fact, this fall I learned that there are many ways.
With names like “Frankenstorm” and “superstorm” being floated in the forecast around Halloween, my husband and I started to think it might be a good thing to be prepared for a few days without electricity. He stocked up on jugs of water and propane, and I weighed my options for dealing with dirty diapers.
To help me decide, I checked in with a group of fellow cloth users I’m acquainted with and was shocked to hear some of the other ways mamas were getting prepared. Namely, some were gathering up T-shirts, burp cloths or rags to stretch out their stashes enough so that they wouldn’t have to resort to paper diapers even if the worst happened. In the end, I’m not that dedicated. I washed everything up, stuffed it in the drawer and used disposables until I was sure I wouldn’t be stuck without the means to do laundry.
Luckily, the worst of Superstorm sandy at my house was a night spend in the basement listening to the wind howl. But the experience got me to thinking about how many different approaches people take to cloth diapering. Some would rather use old T-shirts or handwash their diapers than ever put a disposable diaper on their baby. Other people I know only use cloth when it’s convenient, taking disposables with them any time they’re on the road and never using cloth at night.
At different points in my time as a mom I’ve taken slightly different approaches, but I – probably like most moms – usually fall somewhere in the middle. When I first started, I used a single, solitary diaper for a few days to give it a try. Next, I bought enough diapers so that I used cloth at home in the evenings and on weekends, but my son was in disposables during the weekdays at day care. Eventually, I upped my stash again and used cloth full-time. I’ve taken cloth diapers on trips and vacations, and I’ve left them at home, too. If I at all have a choice, I stick with cloth.
Every single time I avoid putting a diaper in the trash can, I feel like I’m doing something good. And when I can’t use cloth, I try not to beat myself up too much. However we work cloth diapers into our lives as parents, every little bit is worth it.
Jessica Wiant is now a stay-at-home mom of two who was once a working mom with a (cloth diapered!) son in daycare.
Tags: caring for FuzziBunz diapers, cloth diaper, cloth diaper benefits, cloth diapering, cloth diapers, eco-friendly diapers, FuzziBunz, fuzzibunz cloth diapers, FuzziBunz diapers, green living, reusable diapers, traveling with cloth diapers, washing FuzziBunz diapers
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Monday, December 10th, 2012
BY JULIE MURPHY
It is that time of year. The holidays are upon us. With the majority of us traveling to spend quality time with friends and family, a question may start to creep into your mind: “will I travel with my cloth diapers?”
At first the idea may sound overwhelming or even impossible to accomplish, but rest assured that it is not as difficult as you would think. I recently took a trip across the country with my son in cloth diapers and it was far less stressful than I thought it would be.
Here are a few tips for traveling this Holiday with your Cloth Diapers:
Have a game plan, and a back-up plan that answers some questions such as:
- What if my luggage (with the cloth diapers) gets lost?
- What if I don’t have access to a washer and dryer?
- What if my little one breaks out in a rash?
- Will you use cloth during the actual travel, or when you arrive at your destination?
If at all possible, it is best to travel with the minimum amount of cloth diapers you will need. It may be more loads of laundry, but it will less hassle, especially when flying. Depending on the age of the baby this number can be anywhere from 6 to 12 cloth diapers a day.
It is best to carry-on your cloth diapers when flying. This way you do not have to worry about lost luggage. This is part of your “game plan.”
Don’t be afraid to use disposables. When I flew across the country to visit my sister I did use a few disposables simply so I wouldn’t leave dirty diapers sitting in my diaper pail at home for 2 weeks. Pop a few disposables in your bag for those “just in case” moments.
I recommend using the FuzziBunz Large Hanging Wet Bag when traveling. It is easy to store any place and takes up very little space. It is important to have a large wet bag to store all your dirty diapers when traveling.
The less bulky the cloth diaper, the better. Try to choose your most trim fitted cloth diapers that will take up the least amount of room.
Don’t forget your cloth diaper safe rash ointments and detergents. A lot of time you can purchase sample packages of detergent or rash balm for very inexpensive or even free with some orders. These sample sizes would be perfect for travel.
Be creative with your packing. As mentioned above, sometimes cloth diapers can take up a lot of valuable space, especially if your space costs extra money on an airplane. Try packing your cloth diapers in your carry on or even use them to protect more delicate objects such as a lap top or other fragile gifts you picked up in your travels. The more creative the better! When I traveled with my stroller, I stuck my bag of cloth diapers in the bottom of the stroller, so that when it folded up, you couldn’t even tell! This way the stroller boards with me and baby and I don’t have to pay for extra luggage!
Have a spraying strategy. If you can’t bring your diaper sprayer with you, it is best to bring some type of flushable biodegradable diaper liner that can simply be tossed or flushed away after use. This will make your traveling with poopy diapers much more enjoyable.
If you are going to be around people who don’t normally cloth diaper, what a great way to introduce and expose them to cloth diapers. I first learned about using cloth diaper from watching friends who did it. Every time I travel with my cloth diapers I quickly grab the attention of everyone in the room! You never know, you may have a convert on your hands!
Have you ever traveled or plan to travel with your cloth diapers? What are your favorite tricks or hints when traveling with cloth diapers?
 Julie Murphy is a stay-at-home mom who was thrown into the cloth diapers when her husband bet her she couldn’t last two months on cloth. 11 months later, she is still cloth diapering…and blogging about it at My Cloth Diaper Stash.
Tags: cloth diapering on the road, cloth diapering while traveling, fuzzibunz cloth diapers, holiday traveling, julie murphy, traveling with babies, traveling with cloth diapers
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Monday, November 5th, 2012
BY SARAH SCALES
The holiday season is just around the corner and when traveling to spend the holidays with out-of-town friends or family, diapering your child(ren) is an important consideration. When you’re traveling with cloth-diapered babies this season, remember that when it comes to fluff, you have plenty of options!
Traveling with Cloth Diapers
If traveling by car, bring as much of your cloth diaper stash as you typically use before washing. For me, that’s two days worth of diapers plus a few extra. Flushable liners can add ease to your diapering routine on the go.
If traveling by plane or other transit, bring as little of your stash as you need to get by to reduce baggage fees. If laundry facilities are easily accessible to you, this would be about a day worth of diapers with one or two spare. FuzziBunz cloth diapers are lightweight and compact compared to other cloth diapering options, making them an attractive choice when dealing with space and weight limitations.
Supplementing with Disposables
Your options: to use cloth diapers or for a short period of time use disposable diapers. The overall positive impact made by using cloth diapers most of the time far outweighs the impact of a few days of using disposables.
There were periods of time during our recent relocation and move that occasionally using disposables was the most practical answer. I have always been one to point out that cloth diapering doesn’t have to be an all or nothing choice.
Washing Your Cloth Diapers Away from Home
Washing your cloth diaper stash at a relative’s home is the best option if they are open to you using their machines. You may want to ask first to make sure it’s okay with them. They will more than likely be happy to help. After a load of diapers is washed, it’s just as clean as any other laundry; a reminder of this can help overcome reluctance. Remember, you may need to alter your laundry routine slightly when using a different machine. The amount of detergent or different wash settings needed may vary.
Washing your diapers at a Laundromat is a good option if you do not have access to, or relatives are not open to you using their washing machine. When my oldest was a baby I regularly washed his diapers at a laundromat. A wetbag will make transporting the diapers for washing easier.
Another option is to bring dirty diapers home unwashed. By bringing dirty diapers home you are able to wash them in your own machine with a routine you have perfected and are comfortable with. This option is most feasible if you are traveling by car and your trip is short.
Sarah Scales is a mom of five including two sets of twins in cloth diapers! When she isn’t blogging for FuzziBunz you can catch her at Upper Middle Mom.
Tags: cloth diapering, fuzzibunz cloth diapers, sarah scales, traveling with cloth diapers
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Monday, April 2nd, 2012
Last week on Facebook we asked “what is your favorite cloth diapering tip or trick?” Well, you answered. Your answers were so helpful and informative that we couldn’t choose just one. Today’s Monday Mama feature is a compilation of moms who have great tips and tricks about how to cloth diaper when you’re on the road, leaving your little ones with a babysitter or preparing the diaper station for dad to take over diaper-changing duty.
Pull Double Duty. ”When out and about, I bring two wet bags: one to hold the clean diapers, wipes and change pad and another bag to keep the dirty items after changing the baby. This will help you keeps everything in your little one’s diaper bag neat and organized.” – Erika Isenor
Diaper Prep for Dad. ”I like to “prep” my night time diapers ahead of time so that my husband knows the difference between lighter diapers and heavy diapers for our heavy nighttime wetter. To make it super easy, I keep our “night diapers” in a separate place and prep each one with the extra insert/doublers and an additional fleece liner if that diaper needs it. That way, all he has to do is pick a diaper from that stack and put it on her. He can be helpful and I don’t get frustrated that my daughter was in the ‘wrong’ diaper for the night!” – Jennifer Peplowski Perrite
Get Supplies Ready To-Go. ”Instead of wet bags, we use quart-sized freezer bags to store wet bunz when out of the house. Before leaving, I prep our bunz by putting a wipe and a freezer bag folded inside each stuffed diaper, so i just grab one “packet” per change. The bags are airtight, smell-proof and pretty much leakproof. FuzziBunz diapers fit really well inside.” – Benoit Pascale
Insert Insight. “When you’re away from home, remove the insert before you put the wet/dirty diaper in the wetbag. Then you don’t have to fish through dirty diapers when you get home. I like to remove the insert, lay it across the open diaper and then fold up the diaper with the insert on the inside, that way the wet/dirty part of the diapers doesn’t touch my wetbag.” – Jodi Jordan
Be Prepared. “I always keep two extra diapers in the car in case I forget to bring them when we’re out and about,” – Mallory Templeton
Tags: cloth diapers, Monday Mama, traveling with cloth diapers
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Tuesday, April 5th, 2011
 Sarah and her daughter soaking in the Florida sun after a long Chicago winter Just as this brutal winter is starting to show signs of breaking, I and throngs of other sun-seekers had the good fortune of going to Florida this month. It was a glorious couple of weeks (we are very lucky to have grandparents willing to allow one high-maintenance infant, one energetic almost three-year-old and one very tired mama to invade their home and space for a some soul-lifting time in a warm climate!).
I am a native Midwesterner, but man, this was a tough winter wasn’t it? I know many of you in the Northeast had it even worse than we did, but the morning I woke up to 21 inches of snow (and a husband “stuck” in Orlando on business), I seriously considering moving to Mexico. I’m sure many of you can relate when I tell you that by early February, we were starting to climb the walls and really get on each other’s nerves. Add to that a newborn baby and a mama not willing to take any chances of exposing her to all the icky germs out there and therefore keeping her (and the rest of us) inside the house for days on end… and you get a seriously cranky family.
So, the trip was rejuvenating to say the least. The baby got to wiggle her toes out in the open for the very first time, my preschooler got to burn off all of his energy playing basketball, swimming and learning to ride a bike with training wheels, and I got to have a couple of extra hands and some adult conversation during the day!!
But…this post is not about how great our trip was (or how depressed I am to be back in the cold!!). It’s about my discovery of how truly great it is to travel with cloth diapers instead of disposables. Yes, I said instead. I’ve read a lot of blog posts that talk about how to travel with diapers, so I knew I could do it, but I was surprised that I actually preferred traveling with cloth. Here’s why:
1. It’s fun! Provided you have access to a washer and dryer, which I did, I found it easy to find time to wash while on vacation. Away from the other chores of life, washing diapers is fun again!
2. No worrying about where the next diaper will come from. Whenever we visited family when my son was in diapers, I would either stress about sending a box of diapers ahead to our destination, or pack a ton of them in the suitcase. Inevitably, one of two things would happen, either a) we would run out and need to find a grocery store in an unfamiliar destination, usually in the middle of the night or early morning; or b) we would constantly ask each other “do we have enough diapers?” or obsessively check the stack to make sure we didn’t run out and inconvenience the rest of the family with a stop at the store on the way to dinner. This time, I just made a mental note to wash when I had about four diapers left and we never had to worry about it.
3. More room in the suitcase. I vividly remember going to the airport with disposable diapers stuffed in every possible pocket, crevice and cranny in the suitcase. If I planned it right, on the way home, we would be lighter, but we always seemed to need to buy diapers right at the end of the trip and, not wanting to throw out new diapers, we’d stuff them back into the suitcase for the trip home. With our cloth, we just packed enough for two days worth, a wet bag and we were all set. (*Note: I did ship a package of detergent to my mom ahead of time).
4. Fewer clothes needed. Since the diapers are so cute and we were going to a warm place, I skipped a lot of the “diaper covers” and pants that I would have normally taken and let her hang out in just a diaper and a shirt most of the time.
5. No embarrassing diapers to dump. I don’t know about you, but when we fly – especially if we have an entire row to ourselves and there is no poop involved – we usually end up changing diapers right at our seat with our laps as a changing table. I like it because we can have four hands working and get it done quickly – less chance for a little body to touch some gross airplane surface. But the downside is that the next time the flight attendant comes down the aisle with a trash bag, we would sheepishly dump the dirty diaper in the bag. We knew that there was just harmless pee in there, but I always felt that the attendant and everyone seated around us was wondering what was in there! (ok, maybe this one is a little lame, but I was happy to just stuff the diaper in my zippered pocket in my diaper bag and forget it!).
Who knows, maybe I would feel differently if I had spent my week in a hotel with limited access to laundry or I had bigger toddler-size poop messes to deal with, but this experience was very positive and boosted my cloth diapering confidence…for now!!
Sarah is a mom of two and blogs about her adventures in motherhood, cloth diapering and everything in between. Catch her “Cloth Diapering Unwrapped” series on the FuzziBunz blog every Tuesday. Learn more about Sarah here.
Tags: Cloth Diapering Unwrapped, traveling with cloth diapers
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