Are cloth or disposable diapers best during travel?

Expert Answers

Laura Sutherland, family travel writer

When traveling for short distances or limited periods of time, some parents simply stick with the kind of diapers they use at home. For long travel days or extended trips, however, there's no question that disposable diapers are the most convenient choice.

Disposable diapers eliminate the need to cart dirty diapers around. They also save you from spending time finding — and using — laundry facilities. Of course, if you have access to a washing machine at your destination, you can use whichever kind of diapers you prefer.

Take special care in laundering dirty diapers away from home, though. If they're not properly washed, your baby could get a diaper rash. If you're traveling in developing countries or remote areas, whether you're using cloth or disposable, you'll probably have to carry the soiled diapers with you until you can dispose of or clean them properly. Although cloth diapers might seem like the more ecologically correct choice, depositing the waste water used to clean them can be a problem. Disposables do have some advantages over cloth: They hold more liquid so you won't have to change your baby's diaper as often and they weigh less.