Traveling with Cloth Diapers – How Many Diapers Do I Need for Vacation?

Photo by @isabelplett

The first vacation with a baby is always particularly exciting. Suddenly, everyday life revolves around the new family member, your child seems to require twice as much luggage as you and you have to ask yourself: "Is it feasible to use cloth diapers on vacation?" Absolutely! With a little planning, it's quite simple to continue Diapering sustainably diapers while on holiday, just as you would at home.

But how many diapers do I need for vacation? Depending on your washing routine, for a one-week vacation, you'll need five outer covers and about 18 to 25 inner diapers. For safety, you should plan for an additional two to three diapers.

In this article, you'll learn everything you need to know if you're planning your first vacation with cloth diapers. We'll show you what you need to consider and provide you with some secret tips. This way, diapering on vacation remains as easy as it is at home.

Which Diapers Should I Take on Vacation?

Traveling with modern cloth diapers is hassle-free. In the following, you'll learn which cloth diapers are best suited for vacation and why.

The best-suited for vacation are simply designed cloth diapers, such as those from Judes Family. These consist of an inner diaper, which is firmly sewn to an absorbent pad, and a waterproof outer cover. This concept is particularly simple as it requires little preparation for diapering your child, nothing needs to be folded, and it takes up little space in the suitcase. Moreover, the system is highly absorbent and keeps dry for up to twelve hours - making Judes Family the easiest solution for both day and night.

Thanks to their smart design, the diapers fit perfectly to your baby and its movements without being bulky. With our cloth diapers, you remain flexible, as there's no prep time needed to put a new diaper on your baby. Changing diapers is just as quick as with disposables, but is significantly more sustainable and healthier.

The least suitable for longer vacations are wool diapers, as washing and lanolizing them requires significantly more time compared to cloth diapers that you can simply wash in a washing machine.

Photo by Lawrence Crayton from Unsplash

How Many Diapers Do I Need for Vacation?

The number of diapers you'll need depends in part on the age of your baby or toddler. While a newborn still needs eight to ten diapers within 24 hours, a one-year-old child will only need five to eight diapers. In general, the number of required diapers naturally depends on the individual needs of your child. Since you know your child best, you are also the best person to estimate how many diapers are needed per day. Your child should always feel comfortable, and by changing regularly, you can prevent diaper dermatitis.

But back to the question of how many diapers you should take on vacation. At Judes Family, we differentiate between:

• Outer covers: The outer cover represents the outer layer and thus the moisture barrier of the diaper. It ensures that what should stay inside does. With Judes, the outer cover is made from 100% certified, recycled PUL. When changing diapers, the outer cover only goes into the laundry if actually necessary. Otherwise, you hang it out to air and continue using it. This is why you need fewer outer covers than inner diapers.
• Inner diaper: It doesn't get easier than with Judes – when changing, you just take the inner diaper out of the cover and place it into the diaper bag as it is. Later, the diaper bag, along with the used diapers, goes into the wash.

It's best to choose the number of diapers you use at home per day. So, if you're planning a week's vacation, you'll need about five outer covers. If you usually wash your outer covers more often, then take an additional one or two.

On my last vacation, due to a lack of knowledge, I overdid it and took a total of 15 outer covers. In the end, at least half of them remained in the suitcase. However, I personally find it practical to have one or two prepared diapers in reserve in a backpack or car.

Therefore, you'll need a greater number of inner diapers. A one-year-old child requires five to eight diapers in 24 hours. The amount you need on vacation depends on various factors. If you expect a lot of sun, it will speed up the drying of the diapers. Also, having accessible washing facilities saves you from needing additional diapers. Depending on your washing routine, you should therefore have about 18 to 25 inner diapers with you. To be on the safe side, count your diapers for 24 hours and calculate the number for three to four days, depending on how often you typically do laundry.

Even though I had way too many outer covers and inner diapers on my journey, I still want to advise you to take a bit more than necessary. This way, if things don't go as planned, you're on the safe side and don't have to meticulously count the used diapers.

Comparison with Disposable Diapers

When converting the number of required diapers into disposables, you'll need 35 to 56 diapers for seven days of vacation, depending on usage. Depending on the brand of diaper, this corresponds to additional costs of about €25.00, which you can save by using cloth diapers. Moreover, you protect your child's skin and do something good for the environment by avoiding waste.
Doing good has rarely been as simple as with Judes Family.

What Additional Supplies Will I Need?

It's best to ensure that you have access to a washing machine in your accommodation. Alternatively, public laundromats are also suitable. Pack some of your own laundry detergent so you can continue your usual wash routine just like at home.

If you don't have access to a washing machine, you can also wash the diapers by hand for a short time. However, once you are back, you should give the absorbent material a thorough wash in the washing machine.

Of course, outer covers and inner diapers alone are not enough. At this point, let's summarize what you should bring with you on vacation in addition.

• Diaper liners: Our Poo Paper is perfect for capturing your child's stool. This allows you to dispose of it conveniently and protects your diapers.
• Diaper bags: Our diaper bag is an essential for your trip. It's the optimal way to store used diapers. It also allows for hygienic laundering – just place it in the washing machine and open the zipper at the bottom end, so the diapers tumble out by themselves during the wash.
• Cleansing wipes: Our washcloths are a perfect alternative to traditional wet wipes. Lightly moistened, they clean your child's skin very gently.
• Laundry detergent

Tips and Tricks for Cloth Diapering on Vacation

Despite good preparation, things naturally run a little differently on vacation than at home. Perhaps you're missing a dryer or you suddenly run out of diapers. Below we've compiled the most important tips and tricks.

1. Diaper Bags in Large and Small Sizes

Unlike diaper pails, diaper bags are incredibly space-saving. Taking several with you on vacation in different sizes brings you great flexibility.

On my journey, I had one large diaper bag at the accommodation and two small ones in my backpack and car. Besides diapers, these bags are also perfect for storing wet clothes from the beach or dirty laundry in general.

2. Clothesline and Pegs

Especially when camping, you should consider the best way to dry your diapers. But even in a rented accommodation, it's not guaranteed that there will be a clothes rack or similar. A clothesline and pegs hardly take up any space in your luggage and allow you to dry all sorts of items wherever you find it suitable.

If you don't have access to a dryer on your vacation, feel free to get creative. Perhaps you are traveling a lot with a bike trailer; then, by all means, attach your absorbent pads there and let them dry in the breeze. Or use the sun and spread your diapers on rocks at the beach; they will dry in no time while you enjoy yourselves in the water.

3. Diaper-Free Time

Summer vacations are perfect for some diaper-free time. Especially at the beach or in the garden, little ones love to run around naked. Simply bring along a foldable potty or find a suitable spot for potty breaks.

4. Don't Stress Yourselves

Vacation is meant to be enjoyed. If everything goes wrong, take some pressure off and switch to disposable diapers for a short time. Especially for longer car rentals and sleeping in unfamiliar beds without waterproof protection, you can make your holiday a little more relaxed.

Photo by @madame.vio

Conclusion

As you can see, cloth diapers are also perfectly suited for vacation. Judes Family has set itself the goal to be the simplest cloth diaper in the world and has brilliantly achieved this. It's best to count how many diapers you use in 24 hours and calculate your needs for your vacation accordingly. Also, remember to bring all the tools you need for Diapering sustainably diapers. The most important thing: Have a wonderful holiday and create memories! If your child happens to wear a disposable diaper in some of these memories, no one will hold it against you.

What experiences have you had with cloth diapers on vacation? We'd love to hear about them in the comments!