Should I use cloth or not?

[KristyMum]

yeh well I'm useless coz I won't use anything but cloth - on bums, for picnic plates whatever.
For me it's about my beliefs and being true to them.
If you believe differently then that changes it.
So you know my answer - not hard, feels good etc etc
as you know we did 4 weeks on the road (thread in the trav section) cloth all the way, for eating off and for bums and Mums
a lot of that bush camping - so either hand washing or using the travel washer (turn and roll thing)
so yeh, lol, non-cloth didn't present as an option,
for me - you do what you think fits you best
Go for it.

[Emma]

Well only you can make that decision - how much extra time do you think using cloth will take? It is totally doable but just requires a bit of planning. As does everything else about travelling with kids imo.

That said, we've used both cloth and single use nappies while on holidays. I keep forgetting to come in here and start a thread reflecting on what we could have done differently so we could have used more cloth on our last trip (to Europe)... maybe later on tonight...

Oh and I hated using single use nappies. It totally reaffirmed for me why we don't

[tiffanysmummy]

I think sposies definitely have their place and would have originally been designed for times like going on holidays.
The only times we've been away are to visit the in-laws and I've used pockets then and washed as required. I think that if we were going elsewhere I'd go sposies so I could have a relaxing holiday - well as relaxing as a holiday with a toddler can be!
It's really up to you, as others have said. Whatever is going to enable you to have the kind of holiday that you want.

[~*Bron*~]

Originally Posted by ~Melissa~

Funny story though, when we recently went to Melbourne Chelsea got quite upset a couple of times because she didn't want to wear the disposables. She kept asking for her purple nappies (her purple BBB are her faves )! I was actually quite chuffed because my best friend who came with us often makes comments about cloth being too bulky & that it can't be comfortable for Chelsea so she was quite surprised that Chelsea kept asking for her cloth nappies

Not surprising really Melissa Who'd prefer to wear plastic pants to soft fabric?

the other day we got caught somewhere much longer than I thought we would, with only one nappy (the one on her bum!) the lady whose place we were at said she might have a disposable inside (from her grandkids), and the feelings of distaste I experienced were surprising even to me. Fortunately she didn't so we put a pair of pants on Josie. Then she did a big poo, all down the slide (Wasn't a concern, we were buying the slide and a huge cubby house off her, and we just washed the slide off. Much cleaner than before she pooed )

[mummygeorgie]

It's totally up to you, Suzanne. Personally I now hate the smell, feel, etc of disposables so I've used cloth when we've gone interstate (done both laundromats - took a book and used it as a bit of timeout while Garry sat at the hotel w' the kids - and handwashing).

I think I will have to use part-time only when we go to the UK in January, but that's really a luggage allowance more than worrying about washing. (Garry isn't coming, and even though my mum is, we're travelling without her for a little bit and as the adult in charge of 2 kids I can't be dragging two full-size suitcases, Emma will have to use her small one which restricts our space). I wouldn't dream of going without ANY cloth in case A. reacts to the disposables or something.

[Pobie]

Thanks girls I think I am use to doing my 2 hour cycle on my washing machine, I can do a quick 30 or something while away can't I?

I might pack some fitted nappies and some AI2's and pockets and see how we go. I have never bought a packet of sposies for Kai - EVER - although he has worn a few when I forgot to pack nappies (eg last night ) at a friends place. I dont like using them either, they feel wrong, however I am not totally against the idea on holidays. I think I might use them at night rather than packing night nappies.

Keep the ideas coming!

[mummygeorgie]

Night nappies are a toughie, because they take a while to dry! Alastair's not a huge wetter, so we can get away with something like a large Fuzzi Bunz stuffed with a 2-layer microfibre trifold (so 6 layers MF) and a 2-layer hemp trifold (so 6 layers hemp), none of which takes too long to dry.

Pockets are excellent, because not only do they dry quickly but if you DO run out of inserts (as they take a little longer to dry than the shells) it's easy to improvise - when we were in Sydney I found $1 facewashers at Coles and used those, cotton tea towels or microfibre cleaning cloths would also do and are often easier to find these days than flats.

[becboo]

Originally Posted by mummygeorgie

I think I will have to use part-time only when we go to the UK in January, but that's really a luggage allowance more than worrying about washing. (Garry isn't coming, and even though my mum is, we're travelling without her for a little bit and as the adult in charge of 2 kids I can't be dragging two full-size suitcases, Emma will have to use her small one which restricts our space). I wouldn't dream of going without ANY cloth in case A. reacts to the disposables or something.

Georgie - just a quick one - you can request help from the staff at any airport with the luggage (onto taxi etc) - they will actually be there waiting for you if you let them know you have sole care of two kids - just let your travel agent know and also confirm a couple of days before you check in - very handy. And don't forget you get excess baggage allowance for those nappies

[Emma]

Originally Posted by becboo

And don't forget you get excess baggage allowance for those nappies

Definitely worth checking with your travel agent/ the airline, but we got an extra 10kg allowance for Mish when travelling overseas (she didn't have her own seat - just sitting on my lap). Plus Emma would have her own baggage allowance seeing as she has a seat of her own.

If you need to borrow luggage with wheels/ handle or an Ergo backpack let me know

[KristyMum]

The other thing is if you use pockets, for the bags that are getting stowed in the gut of the plain, then don't pack them stuffed - lay the boosters out flat sep to the nappy, and lay the nappy out flat (like you were using it as a pattern flat on a table) - takes up less room that way.
Another option is to roll them, the inserts, then the nappies - not sure which one would work better

ditto what Emma said re phone ahead and ask exactly what your baggage allowances are.
Also nappies are not heavy (clean ones that is ) so that will work in your favour.

The other thought is they don't ALL (for the bags that go in the cargo hold) have to be in ONE bag - ie you could pack them last (on top when you open the bag) in a few bags - since you won't be 'looking' for them while actually on the plane, and then just 'regroup' them when you get where you're going.
The other thing is then when you DO get there - doesn't matter which bag you open first your nappies are right there