You can totally travel with all in one cloth diapers.
Just because I once posted a blog post about my perfect travel stash using prefold cloth diapers and covers, and because the people fo the internet suggest flat cloth diapers (like four sack towels) is the way to go doesn’t mean your current cloth diaper system can’t work on a travel trip.
What is an all in one cloth diaper? It’s a simple one-step cloth diaper. Everything is sewn in from absorbency to snaps, and you don’t have to stuff it or nothing. Sometimes you need to attach an insert that should stay put for most wash cycles. Learn more about the basic types of cloth diapers at this podcast episode.
See the thing about cloth diapers is they are super easy and I guarantee you are over thinking life on this one.
When Can’t You Travel with AIO Cloth Diapers
If you’re going to be handwashing your cloth diapers while travelling, I would advise against bringing your all in one cloth diapers. This is probably the only situation I can accurately play out as ending badly.
The other situation that could perform poorly is if you don’t have access to a dryer and live in a humid area where it might take an entire week to maybe dry out enough. Hang drying all in one cloth diapers can be tedious, but it can be done.
Take Them & Go
There are situations where maybe AIO cloth diapers are not a good fit, but seriously, most of the time they will work. There’s no need to buy a separate stash of cloth diapers when you’ve got some amazing diapers on hand.
Sure, they take up more room in your bag, but do they really take up MORE room? I think it’s like 30% more space compared to prefold cloth diapers.
I don’t trust my AIO cloth diapers in a Strange Washing Machine…
If you don’t trust your AIO cloth diapers, then I wouldn’t trust any cloth diaper in a strange washing machine.
My mother’s front-loading washing machine eats the inside of PUL. I can’t figure out what causes it but it just devours the insides and I’m left with a handful of destroyed diapers. Now, I only bringing lined all in one cloth diapers (like the bumGenius Elemental, Best Bottom AIO, and Bummis Pure) when I go to her house. This way the insides of my diaper don’t get destroyed.
I dont know why it doesn’t destroy cotton or the exterior of the PUL. It’s a diaper mystery.
The Best Part?
All in One Cloth Diapers are petty low maintenance when it comes to washing, drying, and putting away.
And if by putting away you mean tossing in my suitcase unfolded, then yes, we are on the same page.
I do find myself frustrated with putting them together and folded correctly, but they are easy for grandparents to manage, or strange babysitters!
They are also just fewer pieces (theoretically, but we know some AIO like the Dream Diaper and Best Bottom come apart) to theoretically loose, assemble, and figure out.
My Real World Travel Experience?
I just finished my second trip with a stash of 24 all in one cloth diapers. That’s right, you don’t need millions of cloth diapers, just a few.
One week, 24 diapers, washing every 3rd day because (mostly in swim diapers and she doesn’t pee/poop as much as she used to).
It was awesome. I have zero regrets. I know there was a time in my life where I packed up my AIO cloth diapers, but after these few weeks this summer, I’m not sure where that came from.
We road trip most of the time, so space is less of an issue, but truthfully, I kinda feel its the same amount of space as anything else.
If space is an issue, you might want to consider a different strategy. I used to always travel with this stash of prefolds and covers. I’ve also brought covers and disposable inserts like Flip or GroVia. Other strategies for travelling with cloth diapers include vacuum sealing like All About Cloth Diapers, and flying with cloth diapers like Monarch Mommy.
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