Staying Safe When Traveling With Kids

8 Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe While Traveling

Traveling can be exhausting. Packing everything you will need for the trip. Getting to the airport on time. Getting through security should come with chocolate and a beer at the end for the hassle it can end up being. Flight delays and bad seats can make a travel day long and uncomfortable. Add in kids and you are multiplying the problems by ten. The biggest concern for all parents though, is keeping our kids safe on these adventures out into the world. It's so easy to want to stay home in our contained little bubble, but seeing the world through your child's eyes is an experience in itself. These tips are what we use when we travel to help keep our kids with us and protected. Common sense goes a long ways in these situations, but being prepared will help you navigate potential problems that arise.

1. Bracelets that list my phone number

My best friend introduced me to a jewelry line, Keep Collective, when she joined the company. I don't wear much jewelry at all so I wasn't very interested but was eager to support her. It turned out to be one of the best things for helping keep our kids safe while we travel. They had an option to engrave blank sliver charms that are worn on a silicone bracelet. They come in bright colors so they are easily seen. My kids each have their own color. The charm simply says, "Call" with my phone number listed. The one time I forgot them was the one time we briefly lost a child. That 90 seconds was one of the most terrifying moments of my life. Thankfully he was just around the corner from us, but had he been wearing his bracelet, the older couple that was waiting with him would have been able to call us right away. 

If you have a kid that keeps taking it off or can't stand the feel of the bracelet, it can be worn on the ankle instead. It's not noticed as much worn down there, as you can see the black bracelet on my son below. Jewelry on kids isn't common so it would be noticed by other adults more quickly. Plus, as soon as the kids are old enough to understand, we tell them (and remind them) that my phone number is listed.

2. Matching Outfits 

I know this a mixed opinions topic. Some people love matching their kids and others hate it. I find it useful. On travel days when we are flying (which is normally just me and the kids) or when we are going to high crowd places like Disney World or Universal Studios, I try to match the kids as much as I can. I like to sew, so sometimes that means identical sets like in the photo above or as close as I can get like shown below. The reason I do this is because in a crowd I can easily spot my kids. I am looking for one pattern or color. It also makes it easier for others to know that a kid belongs to you. When you have to try and remember what each kid is wearing, it can waste time when a kid gets lost or darts away. 

3. Take a Photo To Start Your Day

I love taking pictures of my kids to the point that they get the terrible, cheesy smiles. But I always make sure we take a photo each day before we go anywhere so I have a photo of them in the outfit they are currently wearing if they get lost. With big families, it can be that much more challenging to keep track of everyone, especially in crowded airports with only one of you. In the event they get separated from you, you want to be able to show police/security what the child looks like but also what they are wearing too so they aren't having to try and make up an image based on a description. It can make their search so much easier and quicker. It also can help if an article of clothing is found, like a shoe, so they know if it belongs to your child without having to bring it to you.

(Pre-Flight routine. Picture by a window showing their complete outfit)

4. Roll Call

This is one we started after seeing it from the Bucketlist Family's videos. However, we add a little twist. They do their roll call to just check in and be silly. We do our's before we leave the hotel room by having them all put a hand on the door. We then use it to get their attention (because its fun and kids love anything fun) and then share our safety reminders for the day. They can range from, "wear your floatie at all times in the pool", to, "don't go in the ocean unless an adult is close by", to, "stay together at all times while we are at the theme park," etc. Whatever important information you need to remind them of, do it then. Which leads me into...

5. Talk to Your Kids Ahead Of Time

Kids are little sponges for information, but they often need to hear it repeated many times before it sticks. The same concept should be applied to safety rules and procedures for your family. What should your child do if they become lost? Are they old enough to memorize your phone number? What should they not do on this trip? What things are dangerous? You want to give your kids enough information so they won't panic (too much at least), if something goes wrong. They should, hopefully, be able to react in a way that aids them, if they know what they should be doing in that situation. The best thing is to take it a step further and role play. This is something you will need to gauge based on the personality of your kid and their age. We don't want scare our kids, but are honest with them why we have certain rules and ways of doing things when we travel. 

6. How To Talk To Strangers

Now I know this seems backwards, but hear me out first. We tell our kids not to talk to strangers, but then they witness us doing it constantly out in public. The person in line at the grocery store, the gentlemen at the gas station, the new neighbor, or even your waiter. We don't tell our kids not to talk to strangers, because its not bad for them to talk to people they don't know. The danger happens when those conversations occur without us (parents) around. I am more than happy to let my kids chat with people on planes, or in line next to us so they learn those challenging, social anxiety provoking, life skills while in a safe space that I provide for them. I also want them to be able to talk to strangers if an emergency happens. What if I pass out and my kids clam up? What if they get lost and adult asks them for information so they can page us over the intercom? Or a police officer is asking them for our names so they can contact our hotel room? I need my kids to be able to talk to someone they don't know, but I want to make sure they stay safe while doing so.

7. The Buddy System 

We are a big family so this is something we have to do. Before we start the day, everyone is assigned a buddy for the day. They need to stick together at all times and make sure each other doesn't get lost or wander off. Now, my kids are still young so I tell them this but don't actually give the actual responsibility of keeping track of a sibling. It gives them a task (which is great for self-esteem) and something to focus on while we walking through an airport or a busy park. It's also easier for me to spot two kids holding hands than two individual kids if they happen to get a little separated from me in a crowd. I normally pair the two oldest together and have kid 3 with me. I tell him he needs to make sure I don't get lost which makes him feel like a big kid being in charge of mom's safety. Kid 4 isn't walking so he is stuck in the baby carrier for now. Even if you have just one kid, they can still be assigned a person to keep track of. Sometimes it can be Dad or Grandma or even yourself. 

8. Physical Contact

My oldest son has some special needs and likes to bolt on me. He does it very quickly, very quietly and always when I happen to glance away for the briefest moments. He sees something interesting or wants to find a quiet place in a loud crowd and is gone 5 seconds later. Toddlers are the same way and very easily distracted. To help combat the moments of panic I have had in the past of hunting him down, we use physical touch. I will hold his hand when I know my attention will be diverted to things like getting through security, navigating a crowd or just going through a hotel lobby. I can feel if he tries to pull away and catch him before he goes anywhere. If there aren't enough adult hands to go around and I have the stroller, than each kid who's not riding will hold onto the stroller. It's not the best solution as a kid can let go and not be caught as quickly, so I use this if we are walking and I can easily see them take off. It's become so engrained in my kids that they automatically hold the stroller as we walk, even if it's just around the neighborhood. 

What things do you do to keep your kids safe while traveling? I would love to hear from you! 

My Natural Birth

Child Birth.
Its a hot debate in the mommyhood circles. There are so many options: home, hospital, birth center, drugs, no drugs, water births, hypnobirths. And all have research looking at how safe each one is for the mother and child. With Makena, my first, I was more worried about pregnancy and then the after, how to care for said child. I was terrified like any new mom is. How am I going to know what to when the kid comes home with me?

We all figure it out and raise beautiful little people.

The second time around, I wasn't worried about either of those things. Pregnancy was a breeze. I had morning sickness this time around but made sure I worked out more (not hard while chasing a toddler). My first kid was still alive so I figured I got the raising part down. So I had time to focus on the birth. 

I am a person who is constantly needing to learn. I get antsy if I am not reading and researching something. I started looking into the different birthing options. I moved from Washington to Florida in my 7th month. I saw an OB that came recommended. He was great, but I didn't feel like they were listening to me (which their records proved they weren't). I had wanted to try for a natural birth this time and wasn't supported in that decision. I got an epidural with Makena but wanted to try for not having one this time. I was starting to learn that it tends to cause more problems than help. My delivery with Makena went smoothly, so it wasn't a choice made out of fear. I was just more informed this time around.

I watched the Business of Being Born. I read articles on deliveries, epidurals, IV fluids, and recovery periods. I talked to friends who went the natural route. I bugged my doctor friends and stole their class notes. 

So now I had to find a new Doctor. I kept hearing about this birthing center. My crunchy, hippie ways seemed to be a blinking light for strangers to tell me about this place. I googled it and loved it. The place is homey and comfortable. The staff is so wonderful and gentle. They were engaging Makena at our appointments, not annoyed and leaving the room like at the OB's office. 

We switched and made the plans to have Gabriel at Gentle Birth Options with the midwife, Cindi. I have to admit I was nervous and so was Josh. OB's are constantly throwing the "what if's" and worst case scenarios at you. In reality, I was a perfectly healthy women who had one easy delivery already. After meeting Cindi and the staff, I learned they are just as trained to handle most complications, and at the very least able to do enough to get us to the hospital in time. 

So Gabriel's delivery...

I was growing so impatient. I was 38 weeks and done. I had my appointment with Cindi and wanted to get my membranes swept in hopes that it would get things started. Well, I was already 3cm dilated and he was right there. She did it anyway, but didn't think it was needed. That boy was coming out SOON. 

Contractions started immediately. I had been having lots of braxton hicks, but these ones hurt. The staff started checking who was on call that night. They predicted I would be having that boy that night. 

They were right.

I was told to go home, get some rest, sleep if I can. Eat a meal and just relax. So I tried. We put Makena to bed. I texted our sweet friend, who was watching Makena during the delivery, that things might be happening if the contractions progressed. I stayed up making sure I had the food ready, our bags by the front door (they had been packed for weeks) and just fiddled like pregnant, laboring women do. I finally laid down and managed to get a few hours of sleep.

2:30am hit.

Ouch. Those suckers woke me up and would not let me rest. I got up and moved to the couch so I wouldn't wake Josh. I didn't know how far alone things had gotten and didn't want to jump the gun. So I put on Alaska State Troopers and tried to ignore the tight pain around core. 

3am: they couldn't be ignored. 

I kept hearing my moms questions from that night about timing them. So I did. I was having them every 2 to 3 minutes. This went on for 1.5 hours. Oops. 

Shit is happening!

Shortly before 5am I text my midwife. We start talking about when I need to come to the birth center. I say I think I can wait a little longer. I wake up Josh and tell him to get ready. He jumps in the shower and my contractions get much worse and I start to feel more pressure. 

Cindi tells me I need to get to the birthing center, no more waiting.

I shower, Christa rushes over and stays at our house to wait for Makena to wake. Side note: The BEST thing was being able to leave Makena to sleep and be at home than have to transport her somewhere. I strongly believe its one of the reasons why she adores her brother so much. It was such a smooth introduction. 

6:05am: We get to the birthing center. I swear I am doing a home birth next time just so I don't have to ride while having contractions. My mood was still playful between the contractions at this point. We moved into one of the birthing suits and just tried to relax.

Josh has been my savior during the deliveries. He knows how to comfort me, when to give me space and be the most encouraging man I have ever met. I could not have told him to be more perfect for me, he surpassed anything I could have thought of. I do truly believe my deliveries are so easy because of what he does for me. 

He had taken a comfort measures class at the birthing center and was giving me different things to try while my labor progressed. As things got nearer, Cindi realized that Gabe was stuck on my pelvis. She was having me try different positions to get him unstuck. All the while, I could push if I felt like it. At things point, transition hit. I started doubting myself, thinking I couldn't do it. The pain was too much, I was tired. I didn't feel like I had the strength. 

Josh convinced me otherwise. Even though I did not voice a single one of those thoughts, he knew. And he said what I needed to hear

"You are so strong. You can do this. You are so amazing. I am so proud of you. Keep going babe."

How amazing is he?

And I did do it. Transition passed and the pain got manageable again. Now, there is the hard part for me. I can handle the pain, which had been pretty easy actually. It was a LOT less painful than with Makena. The hard part for me is pushing. I'm terrible because I always use the wrong muscles. I tried laying on my back for a little bit. Cindi had to break my water and tried to help me remember which muscles to use.

10:30am: I found that on my knees, leaning on a ball was better for me. So after, what felt like an hour, of failed pushing he came down. I do remember that I yelled at this point. Screamed would be a better word. I wanted that kid out NOW. I was done, I kept telling myself that all I had to do was push him out and I could rest. I couldn't keep my scream in as much as I tried. I was so silent with Makena and most of the delivery until this point. I could feel him right there and Cindi said, "Reach down and catch your baby". All I could think of was pushing this freaking kid out! So one actual push and he came shooting out. He landed on the bed and I reached down and grabbed him. In my daze, I missed Cindi unwrapping the cord from his neck. I just cradled him close and moved to lay back against the pillows. Josh laid next to me and we stared at our little boy. He gave one big cry and then latched right on and starting eating. He hasn't stopped. Gabe did have some swelling and a nice black eye because of my stupid pelvis. He was a little beat up to say the least. But a few days later he was the handsome little man he is today. 

After getting some time to just bond, and making sure we were both healthy and doing well, Josh started heating the food we brought. I got showered and cleaned up.

Then Makena joined us at the birthing center. We wanted her to be there as soon as possible. We felt like she needed to be included in this early bonding time as well. Christa brought her over about 30 minutes after Gabe was born. She was a little confused at first I think, as she hasn't spent much time away from me. 

She quickly became interested and comfortable again. 

3:00pm After we all ate and made sure Gabe was eating well. We went home. 8 hours of labor and home 4ish hours after he was born. I felt so good in my recovery. We even went to Target the next morning. The labor was much easier than I thought and surprised me in how smoothly it went. It was peaceful and quiet and supportive. I never felt alone in it and had constant reassurance. Cindi was always softly giving me directions or words of encouragement. I would feel a gentle rub during a hard contraction. I felt more cared for than I could imagine, and no where near the care I got in the hospital. 

Josh and I both walked away completely converted to natural child birth. We recommend it to everyone who is even thinking about it. I know it's not for everyone, but I ask that it's something you at least look into. Here is our little guy a month later on Thanksgiving. So blessed is our little family.

 

Traveling with Bebe

Mastering the Art of Flying with a Little Person

So, most of you have seen the frequent flier miles that Makena has been racking up before her first birthday. There are many. I really do wish we could start counting them. I have had several friends ask about tips and advice on traveling with little ones since we have done 4 flights and will do a 5th, before Makena is 1. We have had direct, short flights from Seattle to Salt Lake City and Disneyland. There were two layover trips from Portland to Kauai via Maui and Oahu, and Columbus via Denver. I prefer early morning flights, thought a lot of people like the red eyes so kids can just sleep. I find that just makes everyone grumpy, so I choose to fly when I have the energy and am awake enough to deal with it. I have flown with Makena myself twice (Disney and to Ohio). With my Mom to SLC and with the Hubby on the way back from Ohio. Kauai included my parents and the hubby, which was the worst of all the flights because she had an ear infection and we lost the Ergo on the flight over. I have to say that they have all gone pretty well, minus the one where she got an ear infection (and so far only one) on our longest flight. Even with it, she was still pretty good. 

To make things easy, I'll start the tips in order with how a trip normally goes from booking to landing. 

First off, I do want to tell you about this blog. This is where I got a lot of my tips, however it will take you days to read through it. Mine will be a condensed version, with a few extras. The writer was a Flight Attendant who flew consistently with her 3 children. It covers a wider age and more details, but like I said, it's dense.

Packing the Diaper Bag

This is the piece that you need to make sure you do it right and don't forget anything. Most airports don't have a lot of baby friendly items, or if they do it's one item with no choices. I haven't ever seen diapers at an airport (but I haven't looked to hard either). This is also the only bag I carry. I don't carry a purse, if I want one on my trip, I pack it in my luggage. For kids still in diaper, you will want to pack enough for each hour of travel. For example, flying to Ohio to see family requires a lay over and 6 hours of flight time, making our total travel time around 8-9 hours. I normally pack 10 diapers for that trip. I have had a trip where I had one diaper by the time we got to my in-laws house. Kids do a lot of sitting so you want to make sure they have a fresh diaper often to avoid rashes. For cloth diapers, I use disposable inserts by Charlie Banana. I do the same rule as disposable diapers in how many inserts I bring. I also make sure I have at least 1 extra cloth diaper in case there is a leak or disaster. Here is what I normally pack:

• Diaper (1 per hour of travel)
• 2 extra Oneies and pair of pants
• package of wipes
• Bottles and container of formula
• Blanket (one thick enough to lay on and warm enough for the plane)
• Lovey or security item
• Change of clothes for Mom ( I have used the change of shirt and could have used pants a different trip too)
• Snacks for kid (Important! You will need these because time change and the stress of flying can make you forget the time and miss meals)
• Kid water bottle (seals better than sippy cups with the pressure change)
• Toys/Entertainment
• Hand Sanitizer
• Disposable Change pads (look like giant paper towels)   
• Tylenol (You will need this the one time you don't pack it)
• Disposable diaper bags (Exactly like dog poo bags, small plastic bags that come on a roll)
• Burp Cloth (x2 if you have a spit uper)

For the diapers and wipes, get a large ziplog bag and put one or two diapers, changing pads, and the package of wipes in it and pack it on top or an outer pocket. When you get to your seats, take the bag out and put in the pocket on the back of the seat in front of you. This will give you easy access to it when you need it and the ziplock can work as a "OMG that poo went everywhere" bag for the clothes. I always pack the spare clothes in large ziplock bags as well so they stay dry if something spills or contain any mess if they are used. The disposable bags serve the same purpose. We used them a lot when we flew with disposable diapers as Makena was having constant blows out (those happened all the time not just flying, which is why we switched to cloth diapers). They work great at containing the mess or just using as trash bags. Very handy.
For the toys/entertainment part: if your kid loves movies and still sit through a whole one, don't count on him doing it while your flying. It's a new experience and a lot of people to interact with. That doesn't mean you can't give it a shoot. For the toys, you can purchase a new one and wrap to give them on the plane. This will keep them engaged for the flight. Or you can hide an old toy a month or two before the flight and wrap and give it back. They will probably have forgotten about it and will see it as something new.

Booking and Checking In

You can carry a baby in your lap until age 2, then the airlines require you buy them their own ticket. It's cheaper to go this route and when they are tiny, much easier. I would recommend, if you can afford it, to get the kid their own seat. Kids fare is normally half the price of the adult ticket. Being able to have the extra space is great. Also, most kids tend to be more comfortable in a car seat than held for hours at a time. And you will be more comfortable too. However, most people don't go this route. I would highly recommend that you gate check your car seat and not at baggage check. The airlines consider car seats fragile so if it breaks they aren't responsible, and you probably won't notice it until it doesn't perform in an accident. On top of which, if it doesn't make it your destination your SOL. I'll talk more about gate check later. 

When moving through the airport, I found using our Ergo is easiest route.

It keeps both hands free. You can keep the baby in there going through security and they won't run off. This is especially useful for when you are trying to board. It allows you the space to get stuff out of your bag, compact strollers or just buckle your seat belt. In the picture, Makena was about 4 months old, I just kept her in the Ergo and she would just sleep the entire flight. 

Strollers and car seats are FREE to check at the check in desk. I have taken the stroller to the gate and checked it. Both work just fine, but I found having the stroller when I was flying alone to be really handy. It gave my back a break and made peeing easier (but it is possible to with the carrier as well!) Make sure the stroller/car seat are covered or in a bag. It helps to protect from dirt and any scratches and tears.

Now if you don't get the kid their own seat, go to the desk at the gate, and ask how full the flight is. If its not full most airlines will book the seat next you for the child. This will allow you to bring the car seat on and you get a free seat! Don't count on it though. Do make sure your car seat is approved to fly BEFORE you leave your house, otherwise you will not be allowed to use it on the plane. 

Every flight that Makena has been in her seat, she has slept the entire flight. In this picture, we were flying back from Salt Lake City. She was asleep before take off, slept through the flight, landing, getting our bags and the 45 minute drive home. It was amazing.When she was in the convertable car seat, we used a little handy item that makes it like a rolling luggage bag,here is the link. We used a car seat bag when we gate checked it. The first picture is just cute :) I have done a few flights by myself and a few with the hubby or my mom. It's great to have the extra hands but I find it less stressful to fly with just me and baby, weird I know.

This second picture is the only one I have with the wheels attached. Its super easy to push through the airport and as you can see, the kid can sit in it while you push so it can be a sort of stroller as well. It breaks down small and flat so it fits easily in an overhead bin.

Getting Through Security

There are family lines in all airports that I have flown in. I would use it if you see it. There are normally extra agents, the other fliers are more patient and you get a shorter line in general. If you take your stroller or car seat through to the gate, it will need to go through the scanner or be hand checked by a TSA agent. It doesn't take long to do, it's just getting the free agent to do it. If you have your baby in a carrier, they will just need to wipe your hands and check for explosives (funny I know). And you get to skip those new body x-ray machines. All liquids including diaper cream, breast milk and hand sanitizer will need to come out of your bag and set in a different bin when it goes through the scanner. I use another ziplock bag and put all of those items in it so I can just wipe it out and then stuff it back in.

Waiting

Before you board, put a new diaper on your baby. Even if you just change it an hour ago. You want them to be as comfortable as possible, and you don't want to realize you need to change them mid departure. I have made that mistake and it's a long take off when it happens. If its getting close to meal time, feed them early. Make sure they have plenty of time to run around and get some energy out. You will also need to go to the desk at the gate and get a gate check tag for your stroller/car seat. They will print one off that states your destination and your name. If you have a layover, you will most likely have the option to check it to the final destination or to use it during your layover. Also, it's a great time to get a latte and feed yourself. It will be a needed. 

Boarding

Airlines allow families with young kids to board first. Take that chance. Its so much nicer to get settled with the extra space and time. If you are gate checking your stroller/car seat, make sure they are folded down and covered at the bottom of the gate. You don't want the guy loading your stroller to try and figure out how to break it down, he doesn't have the time. When you put the car seat on the plane, it must be in the window seat. It it too big to allow anyone to pass it so it has to be in that window seat. They require you buckle it in so get that all situated before you put the kid in it.I wouldn't strap them in right away, it will take awhile for everyone to board so let them move around a little before they have to be buckled in. I would make sure you get out the diapers and any other items you will need right away. Putting the bag under the seat is best if you can spare the leg room. I am tall and never put the bag under the seat, so I can attest to how annoying it is to get stuff out of the over head bin while dealing with a baby. I would wait until you are in the air or about to take off to give the new toy. This will have them focus on what's in front of them and keep them calm during take off. 

All kids will fuss during this time. Its ok. There are a lot of people doing a lot of stuff and it's confusing. Don't stress out. It will just increase their stress and make things worse. Just remain calm, sooth them and just wait until everyone is seated, you will find your babe will settle too.

Flight

So everyone always asks me about her ears during flights. That is a myth. out of the 12 take offs we have down so far, she was eating (drinking) during maybe 3 of them. Most people panic and think that they have to drink or be chewing during take off to pop their eyes, and if they cry during a flight, its just their ears and they can't do anything to sooth them. This is the real story: kids are prone to ear infections, like any adult who has a sinus cold, the pressure hurts. If a kid is healthy, then they will adjust to the pressure just like everyone else. Makena has slept through most take offs without a hitch. The picture below was taken during take off.

You can see she is really bothered. If you are worried, have your child checked a few days before your flight to make sure they don't have an ear infection. Makena had one when we went to Kauai. We didn't discover it until we were there and it explained why she struggled on the flight over. The flight back was better since we kept up on the Tylenol, but she still cried some. So the lesson is, if you kid is crying during take off, they might be hungry or scared or just overstimulated so work on meeting their needs like you would normally do and they will settled down.

Now Makena isn't walking yet, so we just let her do a lot of standing and talking to everyone. When I fly alone, I take up the offers of those sitting next to me to hold her and let me pee or just have a break. Your on a plane, they can't kidnap your child. Plus, its free entertainment for the child for at least 10 minutes. Makena normally sleeps so I lack tips on keeping your kid busy. I have seen coloring books as great option. The new toy, a movie on an iPad or iPod (with headphones), a favorite book or even the free magazines on the plane. Remember to keep you and the babe well hydrated. Yes they will pee more but they will recover from flying faster and make the overall trip better. Again, change their diaper before you land, as that can take as long as 45 minutes to an hour before you can get off the plane and to a bathroom. 

Last tips

I have found that one piece outfits work great for flying. Like sleepers or rompers. Its less elastic wearing on their skin and makes diaper changes easy. Layers also work well. Sweatshirt with a shirt and sweats for baby so you can adjust to how hot or cold they are. If you are holding them the whole flight, they will get hot and need to be stripped down (Makena normally ended up in a oneies by the end). It also makes it easy if you are catching an early morning flight to just wake them and put them in the car without having to put on a new outfit. 

Some Flight Attendants love children and are willing to help you, if they have time. Remember they are working and their job is not to help you handle your kid. I have only run across one rude FA (and caught her to and from Kauai!) who yelled at me for walking the aisle with my in pain daughter. Everyone else was extremely nice and helpful anytime I asked for for anything (like water with a lid, crackers for Makena, or just took up their back cabin to pace with an almost walker) 

Some planes will not want you to throw the dirty diaper in the trash in the bathroom. It's considered a biohazard. If you remember, just ask the FA, and they will give you a bag to put it in so they can put it in a different trash bin.

Wear something comfortable yourself. I wear yoga pants because I grew up in athletic uniforms so it's my comfort zone. I use the pocket on the Ergo for my wallet and cell phone. I have worn shorts with pockets, also very handy and great when you are flying to a warm place.

I'm sure there are stuff I am missing. Fill free to ask me about any part of the flying process or any fears you have about your first flight.

The Second Favorites And Traveling with Cloth

FuzziBunz

Our other love in Cloth Diapers

FuzziBunz are also a one size pocket diaper. They have been around awhile and have a great following of CD loving Moms. Below is a picture of a FB on the right with a CB (Charlie Banana) on the left.

FB cover and insert:

 

Differences

The FB have a smaller front flap and are a little bit narrower. They are noticeably trimer (i.e. smaller when on) than most CDs. They look more like a dispoable on than a cloth diaper. On a side note, most people call the big cloth butt "fluff". 

Trimer fit:

They also load from the back. This means that the back elastic needs to go over the fleece over wise it will leak. Having to do this means the elastic sits right on the skin. 

 The one size sizing is numbers and buttons than the bra strap style of CB. They have a chart that describes roughly what size each number is. Then you take a button that is sown to the diaper and looser or tighter the elastic. They have elastic sizing in both legs AND the along the back. That is an awesome feature. But they have few snaps on the front and you don't have the option to over lap the sides, as seen below:

 

 Disadvantages

The elastic sits on the skin so it leaves red marks compared to CB's. Many people complain about the back loading and having to touch more poo. This is only happened to me twice maybe. And there was poo everywhere. I have had the same problem with CB's and poo getting into the diaper itself. Sometimes motherhood is just plain messy. The elastic sizing is confusing and hard to get at as you have to turn the diaper inside out to adjust the legs. The button sizing is also a more exact size instead of the bra strap sizing for CBs. 

Advantages

Trimer diaper. I can get pants to fit a little easier on her, she has less fluff to shove into pants. The diaper fits a lot snugger which is great for newborns and skinny babes. My child is not lacking on rolls so they are little tighter. Now the pictures make it seem like they are too tight, but its not at all. I can easily stick my fingers in the thigh opening. Its more that the diaper is trim compared to CB's so you can see the fit on her. She is on the verge of going up a size around the waist. 

Hands down the biggest thing is that FuzziBunz has a LIFETIME WARRANTY. If the diaper becomes to worn or you go through both pairs of elastic bands. They will send you a replacement band or a whole new diaper! And you don't have to send the damaged one back. This is the only company that I know of that does this. That says a lot about this company.

AIO's and Flips (Hybrids)

AIO (all in one) are great in that they don't have any "parts". I have many friends that love them and they work great for them. There are even little pockets in the insert flaps where you can add a little additional inserts. There are many kinds, but the one I have is BumGenius FreeTime AIO. I have heard that they can take a little longer to dry. They have a different sizing system as it's all external snaps, instead of internal elastics.

 CB on the left and BG AIO on the right

Flips

The diaper is a water proof cover and an insert. I have the normal inserts but just couldn't find one to take a picture of. Here is what it looks like. We use the organic prefolds. They just look like a burp cloth. They are great at absorbing a lot of liquid compared to the microfleece inserts that CB uses or the mink inserts that FB uses. To fit the prefold into the cover you need to fold it into thirds. For the large size, you just fold it the long way and it just slides in. For the medium and small sizes, you fold it the shorter way so it's wider, and then fold a part of the prefold down. This is where I REALLY hated the flips. And where Makena did too. That is just too much material to be dealing with. it made the diaper really bulky and uncomfortable for her.

The first picture is set on the smallest size and the next is set on the largest size. 

 This the Velcro cover, instead of the snaps. Some people like this better as you can get a better fit, however, the snaps last a lot longer.

Traveling with Cloth

Since we didn't start using cloth diapers until Makena was 3 months old, we had already done 3 flights/trips by then with disposables. One the next trip to Kauai, we had just bought only 6 CB's and were still trying them out. (Basically, I was convinced but was still working on Josh). We just packed the 6 diapers in our check bag and used them with disposables through out the trip. We also hadn't found the right combination for the nighttime stretch either.

Finally, we had another trip coming up! Disneyland Half Marathon and seeing my amazing little cousins who live in California. We are all cloth now. I don't even know what size of disposables she would be wearing right now. I started to look into my options. I know some people use the Flips a lot on vacations but I want to find a way to use the CB's. They just fit her so much better. Well most companies make a disposable insert for their diapers. It is possible to use one brand with another. They are mostly the same thing. For the Charlie Banana insert, it is a soft material that is the size of the diaper. You lay it on top of the fleece, tucked under the front flap.

Then you just change the insert and re-use the diaper! It's a meet half way solution. Some inserts are flushable, but most are just biodegradable. My only complaint with the inserts is that there isn't a more water proof side, so there was a couple of times when she leaked through to the diaper. But I just kept a few on hand and did one load of wash while I was there. It was a super easy way to travel and Makena was comfortable the whole time! 

Ok that was a lot of information. I'll get to cloth wipes next time! Again, please feel free to ask me any questions you may have. Even if it's not a brand I have personally used, I have a LOT of friends who CD and have used almost all of the brands out. I will try to add their reviews on the next post.

Cloth Diapers 101

 Cloth Diapers: All the dirty details

Why?

I was one of those people who looked at moms that used cloth diapers and thought 

"eeewwww, hippie.."

I just couldn't understand why you wouldn't use disposables. They are easy and convent, right? I became a parent and discovered how messy diapers really are. I had a child that would have a blow out almost every time she pooped. Seriously. It got old really fast. We tried every brand out there. Honest diapers seemed to be the ones that at least caught more and even had times where there wasn't a blow out at all. (For you moms who have experienced blow outs, you can feel how disparate we were to find a solution). Then one day I had some friends who were interested in cloth and I tagged along. 

I was hooked. 

There were so many different kinds and brands and styles. But best of all they were CUTE. And we only had to buy them once FOR ALL OUR CHILDREN. 

What..? SOLD

My reason for switching was mainly cost. Josh and I had decided I was going to stay home with the kids for the first few years. This meant we need to find some ways to save money. Depending on what kind you get and how many you buy, you save around 2,000 for the first kid and 2,500 for all other children. You pay $0 on diapers for the 2nd and 3rd child. Throw in hand me downs and breast feeding and those kids don't cost you much! 

The second reason we switched was that cloth never has blow outs (unless the diaper is not tight enough then you could have a leak but nothing like a blow out), and the kid never gets a diaper rash. Our girl has some sensitive skin so this was just icing on the cake.

I'm not a big environmental person who uses cloth to save the dump, however, I only take the trash out in her room maybe once a week and it hardly ever smells because there is barely any poop in her trash or left on the diapers, It all goes down the toilet!

Finding the perfect fit

The best advice I can give you when it comes to picking a style and brand is to buy a few and try them out. Don't buy your entire stash all at once. It takes some trial and error to find the diaper that will work on your baby and for you. You can find gently used diapers on eBay or Craigslist. There are also a lot of cloth diapers stores popping up. They are great because what you see online is different in person. With that said, we thought Flips were going to be saving grace and it ended in a flop. 

The Flip is a cover with an insert. The cover is used many times, or until it gets soiled. They are a hybrid diaper. They can be used with a cloth prefold, microfiber or disposable insert.

Open prefold on the left and it folded in the "large" setting on the right. The picture on the right also has a cloth insert (Charlie Banana insert). Bottom picture is the prefold folded on the "medium" setting compared to same CB insert.

Problems:

It is a lot of material between the legs not matter how you fold it. Makena cried and became frustrated anytime she tried to stand because she couldn't really close her legs. It's a big diaper as well. 

The material bunches easily and can soil the cover. We were changing the cover almost as often as we were the inserts. 

Not a fan of the snap sizing. It's an all or nothing deal and it left material bunching at weird spots.

Stains easily.  The fleece seems to wash out poo spots very well while the prefolds don't. 

CB diaper on the left and Flip on the right

Advantages:

It's worked great as a night diaper for us. The prefolds are very absorbent, more so than most inserts. Since she was sleeping, it didn't matter that it was hard for her to move.  She has slept 12 hours in one diaper and not leaked before. However, I just have to make sure I make it tight enough or it will leak out the top. 

Traveling. I have heard CD (Cloth Diaper) users will use this one while flying and use the disposable inserts.

Our Favorite: Charlie Banana Pocket Diapers

First off, pocket diapers are a diaper that has an all enclosed "pocket" where an insert is put in to absorb all the mess. Each time you have to change the whole diaper since there is a fleece lining between the insert and baby's bum. 

You can see the flap on the top of the diaper where the insert goes in. This picture shows the CB orange one size diaper (on large sizing) on the right and the Large white sized diaper on the left. We love the one size as they have a large size range and can easily adjust with the baby. It has a bra strap like sizing on each leg so you don't have to pick a set size but can change it to fit your babe's legs perfectly. I bought a pack of the large sized diapers because they can fit a little bit bigger kid and I am pretty sure Makena is not going to stop her massive growth anytime soon.

The inserts vary in size as well. You will get one small and one large with each one size diaper. We got 2 large inserts with the sized diapers. They send you two so you can have a insert that fits with the different sizing, but also to double stuff the diaper for long naps or night time, which has worked for us. 

Fit

Makena is a chunk so I love the fleece that runs around all of the elastic (which isn't found with all pocket diapers). It should be snug but not too tight that it leaves big angry red marks. If it's too loose things will leak out, too tight is just painful. So it's a learning curve on finding the right sizing. One nice part is that cloth diapers sit like underwear do and not up high on the stomach/backs like disposables do. This seems a lot more comfortable to me, personally. 

Also, lesson learned that I should have read the print as my daughter is wearing "bad boy" dipes haha

Process/Set Up

We didn't switch to cloth until after Makena was eating food so with EBF babies, you can just take the whole mess and throw it in wash as it's water soluble. This means it will all wash out including out of your washer. When you move to solids, you will need to get the poo off before it gets tossed in the wash. So those who feel putting poo in you washer, you aren't. I have a comfortable stash of around 20 diapers, (though I did just 12 more as they were on sale we will are planning for baby #2 soon). But 20 is a comfortable number that lets me have enough for daycare and at home, while only washing every other day. If there are any messy diapers, I just wash that night so it doesn't sit for too long. I wash at night and then hang dry them over night. By morning they are dry! If there are any stains I put them in the sun to sanitize and bleach the diapers.

I can stuff all the diapers in about 10 minutes. It doesn't take long at all to get them ready. I keep them in a draw at the changing table along with the liners.

 

Liners

Liners are amazing. We don't use a spray. That just sounds dangerous. They feel like a dryer sheet. Very soft and very thin. I love the Osocozy liners. They are $8 for a roll of 100 and I cut those in half because they are huge. You put the liner between the bum and diaper.

Then you just take it and flush it along with the poo! No need to touch the poo or have any in your wash. This is great for when you are out and about since you can flush it and not carry a messy diaper around with you. 

WARNING MESSY DIAPER BELOW

I wanted you to see what it looks like AFTER you flush the liner.

Not bad uh?

Then I unstuff the inserts and throw it into the wet bag which can all go in the wash!

I recommend getting a smaller wet bag that you throw in your diaper bag for when you are running errands and such. It's just easier and it seals the mess from your car/stroller/diaper bag. 

Extra Clean

When the diapers are looking dirty I just do a soak overnight with Rockin Green soap and they return all white and fresh looking!

I do pre-wash any messy diaper so it doesn't soak with poo.

For everyday washing, I use Honest detergent. There many kinds out there but you have to make sure they are good on cloth diaper. Most that you find in the store is NOT good for diapers as it leaves a residue and makes them not as absorbent.

Just some cuteness to end the post:

Any questions or something I didn't cover and you are wondering about, ask away! I am open to talking about anything.

 

Next entry will cover other brands that friends have used and cloth wipes!