Cloth Nappies Out and About: What You'll Need

When you first start cloth nappying, it can be really daunting to think about going out.

What will I need?

What happens if they poo??

What do I do with the dirty nappies?

This blog post will help you understand that it’s not actually as difficult as it might at first seem, and it doesn’t have to be scary or off-putting. You just need a few core items that you can keep in the car or in a nappy bag so that when you do need to go out, the nappy bits are ready to go.

If you’re cloth nappying a newborn, you’ll probably need more cloth nappies then when you are nappying an older child so it’s very much dependent on the age of your child, but as a general rule you’ll want one nappy for every two hours that you’re out, plus an extra.

You’ll also want some wipes. Now this might just be face washers or they might be dedicated cloth nappy wipes. It doesn’t matter, as long as you’ve got something that you can use to wipe a messy bum.

Also make sure you have a wet bag to store your dirty wipes and dirty nappies in. There is nothing worse than getting home and finding that your smelly nappies have stunk out the entire contents of your bag.

Remember to include any required nappy creams or nappy powders, as well as any liners that you might use. If you use liners (disposable or reusable) as a general part of your nappy routine, instead of having them separate in your nappy bag, you can actually pop a nappy liner inside each nappy that you take with you so that each nappy is all ready to go when you need it.

In terms of using reusable wipes while you’re out, if you are not sure if you’ll have access to clean running water, make sure you bring a bottle or thermos of water with you so that you can easily and quickly dampen the wipes.

It can also be really handy to take a clean blanket or change mat so that if you have to change your baby on a surface that is unclean or too hard for baby, then you’ll have something to spread out. If change mats and blankets take up too much space in your bag, a flat cloth nappy will fit the bill for this task perfectly. And as a bonus, you’ll have an extra nappy on hand should you need one.

So, here’s that list again for you:

• One nappy for every two hours, plus an extra
• Wipes
• Nappy cream or powder (if applicable)
• Liners (if you use them)
• Blanket or change mat