Got Grovia, Will Travel

On our third road trip with our four month-old, we have successfully completed a three day journey, yes that is 72 hours, exclusively cloth diapering away from home. And let me tell you, it was easy. As easy as cloth diapering at home really.

The first road trip when she was a wee three-weeks-old was over Thanksgiving week. I was tired and new to cloth diapering, and not up for the challenge of messing with it while at the in-laws for four long days. I didn't think I had enough to get me though the four days. Plus, I think I was too tired, foggy, and busy to even care.

Our next three day road trip over Christmas we ended up cloth diapering, but used biodegradable disposable inserts. The inserts went into the garbage, however, and I didn't like the feeling of adding to environmental waste.

This trip, I decided to just go for it. Here is how I managed to cloth diaper for 72 hours away from home:

1. Loaded my big (clean) diaper wet bag full of Grovia covers and inserts.

2. Loaded my diaper bag as usual for day outings with a couple covers, few inserts, cloth wipes, spray bottle (for cleaning up the poo), and small travel wet bag.

3. Put baby in fresh diaper and away we go!

4. Change baby #1 after three hours into a 4.5 hour drive, putting wet diaper in small wet bag. Note: she slept the first three hours. Diaper was wet, but didn't leak.

5. After arriving at destination, took out all items in big wet bag and piled them in new temporary diaper changing area.

6. Moved all dirty diapers and dirty cloth wipes to big wet bag.

7. Loaded up diaper bag as usual for daily outings. Transferred dirty diapers in small wet bag into big one at end of day.

That is pretty much it. She only pooped once, and that one was wrapped up tight in the cover. I was worried it might smell so I put it in a plastic bag and then stored it in the wet bag.

We just got home and I emptied the contents of the big wet bag into our washer, including the wet bag, and prewashed, then laundered as usual. Diapers are hung out and drying now.

Here is a run down of what I ended up using:

     - 5 Grovia covers

     - 16 cloth inserts
     - 3 cloth wipes
     - 3 biodegradable disposable inserts.

I brought more covers than I needed, but you never know when you might get leaks, especially in the poo department. I am a pretty new Grovia cover user, and I wasn't overly confident. However, from my trip, I can say I am very confident with Grovia now. It only let me down once, and that I believe was just user error. My husband attempted a snap cover, followed by a feeding in bed where she leaked out the side.

I am really loving the Grovia covers. They really do lock the wetness in, even overnight. The covers, for the most part, don't even get wet and I can just switch out the insert. Poo is a little different. Since my dd is exclusively breast fed, her poops are quite liquid and I have to change out the cover with the insert. BUT I rarely have had poo get on her outfit.

I am surprised it wasn't any harder than normal or inconvenient. I am confident I will continue to CD while on trips. I love not creating more waste for the environment and feel better knowing what I am putting next to my baby's skin.