1. Consider a larger bag
I know it's not fun to imagine being weighed down by a gigantic diaper bag when you are already lugging a baby around. The truth is that cloth diapers take up more space than their disposable counterparts. If you are only out for an hour, the difference will seem minimal, but if you are gone for an entire afternoon, you will need space for several diapers and an extra cover or two. Just be sure that you have space for everything else that you need, like wallet, keys, phone, paperwork from a doctor's appointment, baby's favorite blanket, nursing cover, etc. Juggling anything more than one bag will be difficult, so you will need something to act as purse, brief case, and gym bag all at once.
2. A wetbag is essential
A wetbag is a waterproof bag, typically made from plastic, that is used to store cloth diapers once they become wet or soiled. You will need to bring your diaper home to give it a proper washing, but you need to keep the diaper separate from the rest of your diaper bag until then. Wetbags not only keep moisture in, but they can also restrict bad smells. You will want to remove a used wetbag from your diaper bag as soon as possible after returning home and wash the bag and the contents in your next load of cloth diaper laundry.
3. Be prepared
Try to anticipate what kind of changing facilities you will have access to while you are away. Sometimes, it will be easiest to change your baby on the back seat of your car. Other times, you may have to use a bench or a shady spot of grass. Bring a changing pad or blanket to protect your baby and make things more comfortable. Remember that you will have to change your baby every two hours or less and double-check that you have enough diapers to last the day. Have some extra pins or snappis ready if you use them. Don't forget to bring wipes, and any creams or ointments you normally use during a diaper change.
4. Choose your diapers
If you have only one kind of cloth diaper, you already know what you will be bringing. For those who have several styles, try to pack diaper options that will make the process easier. Pocket or All-in-one diapers may be great choices for convenience, and are easier for a care taker to handle if someone else might need to change your baby. Prefolds are fairly compact and require less covers. Wool covers are great for sensitive skin and dry quickly enough for reuse. Flats can be a convenient choice if you have the time to fold them as you pack them. Remember to stuff pockets, adjust any snaps, and have diapers ready to put on.
5. Do a dry run
Before your first diaper-bag-laden excursion, you should do a test run to see that things go smoothly. Take your baby to the couch or the living room floor and do a diaper change. Make sure your wipes are wet enough, locate the little jar of coconut oil, figure out which tiny pocket is best for your diaper pins, make sure that wetbag zipper is on top, and get the clean diaper on the tiny bum. I promise, your baby won't think you are weird, and it is amazing how easy it is to forget about the little things until we need them. You will be less nervous leaving the house with your baby if you know that you are prepared for everything.
6. Create a launchpad
This may be the most important step of all. It's easy to become complacent about packing your diaper bag once you've had some success, but diaper bags have a high turnover rate, and you may not have everything packed today that you did last week. It's important to have a checklist (even if only a mental one), and to open up your bag and physically check for essentials before you leave the house. My checklist looks something like this:
- Prefolds (will be gone for 4 hours, so I need 3)
- Flats (in case of emergency; I have 2)
- Covers (wool on the bum, one wool and one PUL in the bag)
- Wetbag (the teal one, not my fave, but the flower one is in the wash)
- Changing Pad (wipe down to make sure it's really clean)
- Wipes (6 in a storage bag)
- Spray bottle
- Pins (4 in the little side pocket)
- Homemade Rash Cream (Still a couple uses left; will need to make some more ASAP)
- Extra baby t-shirt (the red one that matches his spare wool cover)
- Extra socks (stripes!)
- Teething Tablets
- Wallet
- Keys
- Cell phone
- Water bottle/sippy cup
- Snack
- Toys
- Books
It might sound like a lot, but it typically only takes me a minute or two to go through my list and replenish the bag as necessary. I always do this right before I leave to make sure I haven't forgotten anything, but other may prefer to get things packed the night before.
7. Bag sharing
One last thought: if you will be sharing diaper bag duty with someone else, you may wish to go with a neutral color or ask the other person to weigh in on your decision before purchase. Try to keep your personal belongings such as keys and wallet in a separate bag so that you can store them separately from the diaper bag. This will help you to avoid the unfortunate scenario of having somebody else leave the house with your car keys on a busy day. Or make it easier on both of you and maintain separate diaper bags. Keep in mind that a diaper bag can really be anything -- beach tote, backpack, cargo bag, large purse -- so long as it has space for all of your essentials. The choice is really up to you.
Cloth diapering on the go is easy, so long as you are prepared. It's also a fun way to start a conversation with other people about cloth diapering. I hope this article will help you to get started.
Join the conversation -- drop me a comment below to let me know what you think.
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