Travelling abroad with reusables...

[MrsBadger]

I admit I haven't filled in the NappyLady questionnaire yet but I can guarantee she won't have a section on this...

If you were planning to travel to a developing country (say, Pakistan or Afghanistan) for three or four weeks with a bf 4mo, what kind of nappies would you choose to use?
Likely to be staying in an apartment in an expat area, laundry would be sent out, but I wouldn't be working so no need to explain to anyone else how to use them.

Any suggestions?

Hmmm... do you know how hot the laundry would be being done (thinking about the wraps etc).

I'm thinking the main things you need are absorbancy and containment - you need something that you can change as little as often, but you can be sure won't leak poo - so minimal nappies needed etc.

Not sure what happens with the drying - if things are being dried for you then I would go with bambineos with nippas, you can pull them to get a really good fit around the waist/legs to fix the poo issue, and they are very absorbant so will last a good 4-5 hours each (or do on most children).

If not being dried for you then nippa fluffles (for the same adjusting reasons) - they would dry fast, hold a lot because they are microfibre, and are fairly bombproof with b/fed poo.

Wraps - you need reliable over pretty - motherease rikki (aplix) or airflow (popper), whichever style you prefer, I have always found to be the most reliable out there. They wash out easily by hand if necessary.

B/fed means you can use fleece liners with no issues, it just shoots straight through to the nappies.

How's that? (I can't remember if you are already using cloth - hence the explaining rikki and airflow )

This is indeed our first foray into cloth so I was hoping to factor ease-for-travelling into the 'which nappy to buy' equation.

Laundry will most likely be bashed on rocks in the river (no kidding) and dried for us, so I'll probably wash wraps by hand to save the poppers getting mauled.

Bambineos + nippa and airflow wraps sound fabulous - may also invest in some quick-drying Fluffles for home.

Thanks for your help!

Hmm, was ging to suggest an AIO for slimness in packing but not sure if any come with aplix as it would be an expesive mes if the poppers got wrecked!

sorry for the typos, trying to type round a LO in a sling!

I travelled to France once with my motherease and had to pay quite a lot extra because of the weight. If it's just for 1 month I wouldn't bother tbh.

Would do if it was Europe but not sure on availibility / quality / sustainability / waste impact of using disposables elsewhere.

squares might be a sensible option. they should survive ANY washing experience and dry quick.

I'd do terries, they clean really well and it doesn't matter if the laundry boil them to death, in the heat (I'm assuming heat), they will dry real quick and during the day at home, you may not even need a wrap on.

I would launder the wraps myself tho or take plenty of cheap ones you don't care about.

You may well be able to get some whilst you're there too or have some made up.

We used terries in Spain and I forgot to turn the hot water on for the ancient washing machine for the ENTIRE holiday and they still came out lovely and clean (unlike some of the shaped I took. I used fleece at night as that's easy to clean too

I would ask on nappy lady website because they may not have a tickbox for such a question but the advisors are incredibly exoerienced and I can bet you a pound to a penny that someone on there will know the answer!

Oh and if you want an AIO with aplix you could ask at Bumbeano nappies. Lily is an excellent nappy maker and can do AIOs and because she makes them all herself she would probably be able to do you some with aplix fastening!

Oh yes - bumbeano are great. A really reliable aio.

ooh - or a quick flip would give you the easy drying option without the folding of squares

id go for terries and maybe rikki wrap.easy to wash,dry quickly.

I've never used terries but they sound like the best option. That or get some second hand motherease, they're pretty rugged. If you don't spend too much you won't have to worry about them getting wrecked on the scrubbing rocks, and you can leave them behind when you when you return.