Should I Wear a Diaper on a Road Trip
Traveling with kids for long drives or flights is never easy, and it is even more stressful when traveling with kids in diapers. Dealing with the bulk, mess and inconveniences will make you regret the trip.
If you are traveling with more than one kid, there will come a time during the trip when everyone will want to use the bathroom in the middle of the highway! This post will discuss tips and strategies that will help you deal with kids diapered for travel.
Diapered for Travel
For a successful trip with a diapered kid, you must ensure that they are comfortable and dry. You should carry enough diapers and other diaper products and stick to your routine.
Sitting for long distances in wet diapers will irritate the child and cause diaper rash. Therefore pay attention to clues and signs that your child has messed up their diapers and change them as soon as possible.
If your child is potty trained, do not put them in diapers. Stick to your routine, and this might call for frequent stopovers. If the kid is only diapered during naps, stick to the same. You do not want to get back home and start all over potty training.
Carry a potty in the car for the kids to ease themselves when it is impossible to stop over or if there are no real toilets around. Another reason to have the potty with you is that the child might be afraid of using the public bathrooms.
What’s more, be prepared with enzyme cleaners if the child stains the car seat. Enzyme cleaners remove the stains and bad smell instantly.
Travelling is stressful for kids; therefore, you should take all the necessary measures to calm them. Sticking to their diaper routines is one way to assure them that everything will be alright.
Tips for traveling with diapered kids
Carry enough diapers
The number of diapers to pack depends on how many diapers your kid uses in a day. Most babies use 5 to 10 diapers. Therefore multiply the number of days you will be away with the number of diapers your child uses daily.
If you are going away for a road trip, carry enough diapers for the day plus extra 2 or 3 pieces, to cover accidents. What’s more, pack the diapers in a separate bag for accessibility. Pack all other diaper supplies, including the wipes, rash cream, and any other diaper essential, in the same bag so that everyone else can help you with the baby.
You can purchase diapers at your destination but research to make sure that the brand you use is readily available on the other side. To avoid any logistical challenges, carry enough diapers to take you through the first days or buy online and have them shipped to the destination.
Carry a changing mat
Do not assume that all airlines will provide a changing table if you are traveling by air. Many parents are surprised when their airline does not provide a diaper changing table. If that is the case, your changing mat will come in handy.
Be prepared to change the diapers in the car
If you are traveling by road, let it sink that you will have to change diapers in the car. While you might have many stopovers, most public toilets do not have a diaper changing section. As the other people ease themselves in the bathroom, you will be in the car changing diapers.
Adjust the car seat and spread a fluffy blanket on the car seat for a comfortable change. If you have other kids in the car, change the diapered one first before unbuckling the rest, unless you have someone else to watch over them.
Pack the diapers and diaper supplies in the same bag to make diaper change in the car easy.
Read also My mom put me in diapers and baby clothes
Bring distractions to toddlers
Toddler parents understand how stressful it can be changing toddler diapers. Your active toddler will be more restless during the trip, hence the need for distraction.
You can let them watch a cartoon show or bring their favorite toy. The idea is to keep the baby as calm as possible to avoid messing up the car seat.
Do not start potty training before the trip
If you had plans of potty training your child around the same time you are going for the trip, pause with the potty training first.
Potty training is a life transition, and you do not want to do it during the stressful travel period. Keeping up with a potty training schedule during a trip is nearly impossible; therefore, save yourself the stress.
Read also All about wearing diapers on vacation
How to dispose of diapers on a road trip
Disposing dirty diapers on a road trip can be very challenging. To manage the disposal, pack dirty diapers in bread bags or diaper bags and dispose of them at every opportunity that represents itself. Check around for dustbins or pit latrines when you stop over and drop them.
If you changed smelly diapers and there is no sight of a stopover, put the diaper in two bags and tie them outside the car until you can dispose of it.
You have a mandate to take care of the environment, so you should never drop a diaper by the road.
Should I put my potty-trained children in diapers?
Potty-trained children should not be put in diapers when traveling. Many parents are concerned that the child might pee on the seat when asleep. While this is a valid concern, placing the kid in diapers sends mixed signals and might lead to regression.
The best way to deal with older kids is to stick to their toilet schedules. If your kid pees after every two hours, let it be so even during the trip. To reduce the number of stopovers, pack a small potty for the kid to use while in transit.
The potty-trained child might refuse to pee in the diapers, which means whining and tears. If they agree to use the diaper, they might develop diaper rash because of sitting on wet diapers for long. Dealing with diaper rash will turn the trip into a nightmare, and therefore to save yourself the stress, do not diaper a potty-trained child.
Can I child use cloth diapers when traveling?
Cloth diapers are cheap and good for the environment. However, they are not highly absorbed and should be washed after use, making them inefficient for road trips. If you choose to use cloth diapers on a road trip, consider the tips below:
- Confirm that you have access to laundry services at your destination
- Be ready for frequent stopovers because they are less absorbed
- Stick to the brand your baby is used to prevent reactions
- Use fleece liners to avoid skin rash and burns from prolonged sitting
- Apply generous amounts of diaper cream
- Keep the used diapers in the roof box because smelly diapers in the car will spoil your road trip
Cloth diapers are affordable and come with many other benefits, but I would never recommend them for a road trip.
Read also how to put in diapers at school
FAQ on diapered for travel
Should kids wear diapers on a road trip?
Yes, diapered kids should remain in diapers on a road trip. However, if a child is already potty trained, do not put them in diapers no matter the distance. Putting them in diapers will remove the inconvenience of frequent stopovers but might send the child to regression. It is, therefore, better to stick to the kid’s toilet routine than have to start potty training all over again.
How many diapers do I need for a road trip?
The number of diapers you need depends on how long you will be away and how many diapers your child uses in a day; if your child uses six diapers every day, pack 6 plus 2 extra in case of accidents. You can carry the diapers from home or purchase them at your destination.
How many diapers are allowed on a plane?
There is no restriction to the number of diapers you can carry on a plane as long as you are not violating the regulations. Pack enough diapers and other essentials in a bag you can easily access.
Read also Jobs that require wearing diapers
