Out and About with Cloth Nappies

Originally written by Emma Davidson for the Summer 2008 edition of The Nappy Wrap, quarterly e-zine of The Australian Nappy Network

Having had three children in three years and three months, I've had two in cloth twice over. And I've learned a few things. So I present to you some of my embarrassing, messy, and downright stinky moments with cloth nappies while away from my change table – hopefully you can learn from my mistakes!

Lesson One: Pack plentifully
Always pack one more nappy per child than you think you'll actually need.

There's many a time when I've been having so much fun that I don't want to leave the party. Not even when I put the last clean nappy on the baby, thinking “I should head home before I need to change this again”.

And then my hubby passed me a lime and soda, and my sister brought out her latest gadget purchase to check out, and before you know it the baby had done a #2 in the last clean nappy. And I'll be damned if I'll accept offers of disposables from my friends, especially when they're not even the right size for my baby.

Lesson Two: Pack light
One-size nappies, terry squares, pre-stuffed pockets, and dry cloth wipes can all be multi-purpose. With two in cloth, and having learned to pack plentifully, I realised that I was lugging an overnight bag around as a nappy bag. And my handbag was separate to all that... I felt like a mule, not a mum.

To cut down on the luggage, I started packing nappies that would fit either of my nappy-wearers. One-size nappies are great for this, and pre-stuffed one-size pockets mean I don't even need separate covers. Another benefit of pocket nappies is that if I run short on nappies, having not learned the first lesson, I can get away with just replacing the stuffing if the nappy is just wet (not soiled). And you get to look smug when disposable nappy users run short of nappies in the right size, or realise the nappy that's been in the bottom of the nappy bag for a month has been outgrown.

Which brings me to wipes. If you pack washcloths or large cotton cloth wipes, they can double as nappy stuffers if necessary. Although I didn't limit myself to wipes (which I also run short on when out for long periods). My car is so full of discarded children's clothing that I could stock an op-shop, so I have been known to stuff nappies with spare t-shirts or skirts. If it's cotton, it can be wee'ed upon.

Terry squares are probably the ultimate in multi-purpose cloth nappying. They fit all shapes and sizes, can be used as a change mat or nappy or wipe or chuck rag or pocket nappy stuffer, dry quickly, and can live in the car without being missed at the main nappy change station in the house.

Lesson Three: Pack often
Restock the nappy bag as soon as you get home, so you can make a quick getaway.

I am not known for my punctuality. Having three small children has not helped in getting me to events on time. So I cut down on the last-minute get-out-the-door panic by making sure the nappy bag is restocked as soon as I get home. This means I can grab the nappy bag in one hand, baby under my arm, herding the older two out the door, and not even think about whether I'm out of wipes. Mind you, I have been known to teach my pre-schooler new words when I arrive at the party to find daddy does not share my habit of restocking the nappy bag on getting home from the previous outing.

Lesson Four: Pack it away
If you sometimes wonder if you should become a bus driver and just get paid for what you do all day anyway, keep the nappy bag in the car.

I may live in the city, but there are no buses or public schools in my suburb. So we spend a lot of time driving to one location, staying a short time, then driving to the next location. I can be out for an entire day and not change a single nappy in public. This is because I have a blanket in the boot of the car with a fully stocked nappy bag – the overnight bag that I got sick of lugging into my friends' houses. As a babywearer, I don't have a pram in the boot, so I always have space for a quick nappy change without risk of forgetting a favourite nappy stinking up a plastic bag in my friend's bathroom. I still regret losing Sophia's custom-made pocket nappy with the cute sheep pictures on it...

Lesson Five: Pack 'em up
A super-absorbent nappy can stretch out the time between changes.

In an ideal world, my babies would wear cotton nappies with no cover and be changed every hour. In the real world, I might have to take my children to places that I know are not ideal for changing nappies. My previous office was one of those places. Don't tell my former boss, but my first baby did a wee on the conference room table when she was two weeks old. So when I went to visit work mates with the second and third babies, I made sure to use the most absorbent nappy I owned, with stay-dry liner, to minimise the chance of needing to change the nappy while out. Sometimes I made a last-minute nappy change in the car boot before going on, to really be sure we'd last the distance. Explosive poos might still happen, but at least they can wee with glee and not end up with a rash.

So learn from my mistakes, and hopefully your outings will be stress-free.