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 entirely around the new family member, your child seems to need twice as much luggage as you do, and you wonder: "Cloth diapers on vacation, does that work?" Indeed, it does! With a little planning, it's just as easy to diaper with cloth diapers on vacation as at home.

But how many diapers do I need on vacation? Depending on your washing routine, you will need five covers and about 18 to 25 inner diapers for a week of vacation. To be safe, you should plan for two to three extra diapers.

In this article, you'll learn everything you need to know when your first vacation with cloth diapers is approaching. We’ll show you what to watch out for and share some insider tips. This way, diapering will remain as easy on vacation as it is at home.

Which diapers should I take on vacation?

The best suited for vacation are simple design cloth diapers, like Judes. These consist of an inner diaper, which is firmly sewn to an absorbent insert, and a waterproof cover. This concept is particularly simple, as it requires little preparation to diaper your child, nothing needs to be folded, and it takes up little space in the suitcase. Additionally, the system is very absorbent and stays leak-proof for up to twelve hours – Judes are thus the simplest solution for day and night.

Thanks to the intelligent design, the diapers perfectly adapt to your baby and its movements without adding bulk. With our cloth diapers, you remain flexible, as it does not require preparation time to put a new diaper on your baby. Diapering is just as quick as with disposable diapers, yet cloth diapers are healthier for your baby and also sustainable.

Wool diapers are the least suitable for longer vacations, as washing and greasing them takes significantly more time than cloth diapers, which you can simply wash with the washing machine.

Photo by Lawrence Crayton from Unsplash

How many diapers do I need on vacation?

The number of diapers you need depends, among other things, on your baby's or toddler's age. While a newborn still needs eight to ten diapers within 24 hours, a one-year-old child needs only five to eight diapers. The number of diapers needed generally depends on the individual needs of your child. Since you know your child best, you can also best assess how many diapers are needed per day. Your child should always feel comfortable, and by changing diapers regularly, you prevent diaper rash.

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

• Covers: The cover is the outer layer and thus the moisture barrier of the diaper. It ensures that everything stays inside where it should. At Judes, the cover is made from 100% certified, recycled PUL. The cover only goes into the wash when absolutely necessary when changing diapers. Otherwise, you just hang it out to air and continue using it. For this reason, you need fewer covers than inner diapers.
• Inner Diaper: It doesn't get easier than with Judes – when changing, you take the inner diaper out of the cover and put it as it is in the diaper bag. The diaper bag, along with the used diapers, later goes into the wash.

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

In my last vacation, I overdid it out of ignorance and took a total of 15 covers. In the end, at least half of them stayed in the suitcase. However, I personally find it practical to have one or two prepared diapers on reserve in the backpack or car.

For inner diapers, you therefore need a larger number. A one-year-old child needs five to eight diapers in 24 hours. The amount needed on vacation depends on various factors. If you expect a lot of sun, it speeds up the drying of the diapers. With freely accessible washing facilities, you also save on additional diapers. Depending on the washing routine, you should therefore have about 18 to 25 inner diapers. To be on the safe side, count the number of diapers over 24 hours and calculate the number for three to four days, depending on how often you usually wash.

Even though I had decidedly too many covers and inner diapers on my trip, I still want to advise you to take a little more. This way, you are on the safe side if something goes differently than planned, and you don't have to meticulously count the used diapers.

Comparison to Disposable Diapers

If you convert the number of needed diapers into disposable diapers, you will need 35 to 56 diapers for a seven-day vacation, depending on usage. Depending on the diaper brand, this corresponds to additional costs of about €25.00, which you can save by using cloth diapers. Additionally, you protect your child's skin and also do something for the environment by avoiding waste.
Doing good has rarely been so easy as with Judes.

What else do I need?

It's best to make sure that you have access to a washing machine in your accommodation. Alternatively, public laundromats are also suitable. Pack some of your cloth diaper detergent, so your washing routine can run just like at home.

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

Having only covers and inner diapers is, of course, not enough. Here we summarize what else you should have with you on vacation. Additionally,

• Diaper Liner: Our Poo Paper is excellently suited to catch your child's stool. This way, you can dispose of it conveniently and hygienically while protecting your diapers.
• Diaper Bag: Our diaper bag should definitely not be missing on your trip. It allows you to store used diapers optimally. Additionally, it enables a hygienic washing process – just put it in the washing machine and open the zipper at the bottom – this way, the diapers come out on their own during washing.
• Cleaning Cloths: Our washcloths are a perfect alternative to traditional wet wipes. Lightly dampened, they clean your child's skin particularly gently.
• Detergent: Our Judes Family Care Complete Detergent is not only perfectly tailored to cloth diapers, but it can also be used for all other laundry.

Tips and Tricks for Cloth Diapers on Vacation

Despite good preparation, everything naturally goes a little differently on vacation than at home. Perhaps you are missing the dryer, or you suddenly run out of diapers. Below, we summarize the most important tips and tricks.

1. Diaper Bags in Large and Small

Unlike a diaper pail, diaper bags are incredibly space-saving. Taking several of them in different sizes with you on vacation provides you with high flexibility.

On my trip, I had a large diaper bag in the accommodation and two small ones in the 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 Clothespins

Especially on a camping vacation, you should think about the best way to dry your diapers. But even in a rented accommodation, there is no guarantee that there will be a clothes rack or something similar.

A clothesline and clothespins take up hardly any space in your luggage and allow you to dry everything where you find it suitable.

If a dryer is not available during your vacation, feel free to get creative. Perhaps you are traveling a lot with the bike trailer; then attach your absorbent inserts there and let them dry in the slipstream. Or use the sun and spread your diapers on rocks at the beach, so they dry in no time while you enjoy the water.

3. Diaper-Free

Summer vacations are ideal for diaper-free time. Especially at the beach and in the garden, little ones love to run around naked. Just take a foldable potty with you or find a suitable place for elimination.

4. Don't Stress Yourself

Vacation is meant for enjoyment. If everything goes wrong, take some pressure off and switch to disposable diapers for a short time. Especially for longer trips in rental cars and sleeping in unfamiliar beds without moisture protection, you can make your vacation a bit more relaxing.

Photo by @madame.vio

Conclusion

As you can see, cloth diapers are also perfectly suitable for vacation. Judes has made it their goal to be the simplest cloth diaper in the world and has brilliantly achieved this objective. It's best to count how many diapers you use in 24 hours and calculate your needs for your vacation. Also, remember all the necessary accessories needed for diapering with cloth diapers. The most important thing: Have a great vacation 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? Feel free to tell us about them in the comments!