How does one pack enough diapers for 14 days!?

[WineDown17]

OK- I have to ask...

 

I was doing the math, and my DS will be 27 months when we cruise next year.. Averaging 6 diapers a day... that is 84 diapers MINIMUM.. Plus a, pardon the pun, boatload of wipes!

 

Doesd anyone have any creative ideas on this one? Hubby said we should buy a case, wrap it in brown packaging paper and check it with luggage.. But I fear it will get lost/stolen.. Do we fill a suitcase?? The upside of that is we have an empty suitcase at the end of the cruise for stuff we buy!

 

Can we ship to the hotel we will be staying in Barcelona perhaps?? But again, what if they arent there when we arrive.. risky!

 

I figures someone had some neat ideas on how to make this painless as possible!

[kitty9]

Call the hotel in Barcelona and ask them if they accept shipped luggage. Most will, but it's expensive to ship. And, with something like that, since it's not clothing, per se, Spanish Customs could charge you import duty if you ship it. Since airlines are now restricting the number of bags you check, packing one bag with only diapers could greatly hamper your packing for yourself, your husband and child. I would pack the nappies with some in every luggage. Put them in the nooks and crannies of your luggage. You'd be surprised by how many you'll be able to shove here and there. You might also consider putting a bunch in your carry ons.

[gtalum]

Why not just pack enough for the flight (with a few extras) and buy the rest in Barcelona before you board the ship?

[abitaturbodog]

At over 2 years, it's very likely that your little on will be potty trained. I fact, if I knew that I was going overseas for a long period of time, I'd make it my #1 goal to get him poty trained!

 

Both of my sons were out of diapers by 24 months, so it's very doable. Good luck!

[Kerry's Girls]

I travel with twins on 7 days cruises, so it's the same thing. Since I usually drive, I just tape luggage tags to a box of diapers and send it through with luggage (no need to disguise it).

 

When we flew to London for a week, I stuffed the outer pockets of all our luggage with diapers and was easily able to fit a box-worth of diapers in the outer pockets of 2 suitcases. You wouldn't believe how many fit in those outer pockets, and then don't take up any room inside the suitcase. Plus, they're the perfect item to put in the outside pockets - they can't break! I'm too cheap to pay the horrible exchange rate for a box of diapers:o

 

You could also pack them in a tote bag to check with your luggage, and then the empty tote bag will go inside your luggage on the way back, but with the limits on luggage these days, I suggest you test out how many diapers fit in your outer pockets - I bet it will work.

 

Best,

Mia

[Kerry's Girls]

At over 2 years, it's very likely that your little on will be potty trained. I fact, if I knew that I was going overseas for a long period of time, I'd make it my #1 goal to get him poty trained!

 

Both of my sons were out of diapers by 24 months, so it's very doable. Good luck!

 

I actually put off potty training for my 2-1/2 year old until after our overseas trip since I found it much more convenient to deal with diapers than suddenly having to find a bathroom while we're sightseeing, on long walks, at the beach, etc. (though if it were a cruise, it would have made a difference as far as being able to use the swimming pools).

 

Best,

Mia

[abitaturbodog]

Kerrysgirls--I think I'd still take the chance of maybe dealing with one or two accidents rather than 84 diaper changes!

 

The upside is that the OP has a boy -- he can "go" just about anywhere. I would definitely have him potty trained before you leave.

[crusinmama06]

Well when we did a back to back (1 week disney, 1 week Disney cruise) I used one entire suitcase for diapers. And we had an extra suitcase for souvenirs and extras like that for the trip home. :)

[notentirelynormal]

That's what my DD did. Once suitcase full of diapers - that left room for souvenirs and "over weight" things coming home. She packed the formula in everyone's suitcase just in case.

[WineDown17]

I think the suitcase is the way to go.

 

Would be great if he was potty trained.. but I have learned not to set my expectations too high! We are going to try to get him started.. but given the disruption this trip will be to his 'schedule".. I will plan for the worst and hope for the best in that area!!

[crusinmama06]

I think the suitcase is the way to go.

 

Would be great if he was potty trained.. but I have learned not to set my expectations too high! We are going to try to get him started.. but given the disruption this trip will be to his 'schedule".. I will plan for the worst and hope for the best in that area!!

 

I can tell you that potty trained by 2 is the exception not the rule these days. ;) I have 2 online moms groups. Out of a group of about 100 moms/kids, only about 2-5% of the kids were trained by 2. I got LUCKY that my youngest was one of them. She trained herself. My oldest wasn't potty trained until 3.5. Which is amazing since she is the smartest kid in the world, and she had every logical argument for why she didn't feel the need to potty train...lol.

 

One thing I learned from that whole experience, you can buy every potty chair, sticker board, potty reward and potty book in the universe and one thing remains certain, the child will train when HE wants to. ;) :D

 

Have a great cruise!

[gtalum]

At the risk of being repetitive, I'll ask again: why not just pack enough diapers for the flight and a few extra, then buy the rest in Barcelona? With airlines charging for second checked bags now, it just doesn't make sense to check a box of diapers.

[Baxter]

We always buy our diapers at the destination. I agree -- it is less stress than checking them, or taking extra luggage to accommodate.

[PrincessYoga]

Fyi You can buy Pampers in Spain. They are called "dodot". I would just pack enough for the flight.

[calikak]

We're also planning to buy them when we get to our destination (although we're sailing out of a US port and there's a store right by our hotel, so that probably makes it easier for us than the OP). We thought we'd do the box of diapers thing too and just slap a luggage tag on it, although we'll have some emergency diapers in the carry-ons just in case--enough to get us through the first sea days until we get to port and could buy some if the box doesn't make it to our room.

[WineDown17]

DS had a HORRIBLE allergic reaction to Pampers.. It was the equivalent of a 1st-2nd degree burn.. down there.. The entire area that was touched by the diaper was red, raw, hot and incredibly painful for him for days. It was traumatic for all of us. (Including trips to pediatric dermatologist specialists at a teaching hospital etc..) So I am VERY careful about the diapers I use now..

 

So needless to say, I need to bring the ones I know he wont have a problem with. Since different countires approve different chemicals in their diapers (both is the suparbsorbant gels and fragrances) I dont want to take the chance it hapens again..

 

And believe it or not, if you Google Pampers and allergic reactions, there are more incidents than you would think.. I was shocked. My first son, I bought whatever was on sale.. this one.. no such luck!!! :)

[sharktums]

We did three weeks in Japan/Korea with our then six month old. I bought the BIGGEST duffel I could find at the sporting goods store and loaded it with diapers, wipes, formula, etc. Make sure to keep the diapers in their original packaging as that helps conserve space since they're pretty much vacuum sealed in there. 84 diapers really won't take as much space as you think.

 

Also, for piece of mind, put enough for three days worth in another bag just in case the big bag gets lost by the airlines/cruise.

 

Oh and another reason to bring it all...cheaper! Even if you have to pay for an extra bag! That Euro is kicking our butt right now!

[sas80]

OK- I have to ask...

 

I was doing the math, and my DS will be 27 months when we cruise next year.. Averaging 6 diapers a day... that is 84 diapers MINIMUM.. Plus a, pardon the pun, boatload of wipes!

 

Doesd anyone have any creative ideas on this one? Hubby said we should buy a case, wrap it in brown packaging paper and check it with luggage.. But I fear it will get lost/stolen.. Do we fill a suitcase?? The upside of that is we have an empty suitcase at the end of the cruise for stuff we buy!

 

Can we ship to the hotel we will be staying in Barcelona perhaps?? But again, what if they arent there when we arrive.. risky!

 

I figures someone had some neat ideas on how to make this painless as possible!

 

 

Plan ahead and scope out your ports of calls and determine which ones have supermarkets close enough so that you can purchase diapers and wipes there.

 

Then pack enough diapers & wipes to "cover" you temporarily and purchase more when you get there.

[profesionalstudent]

We have traveled a lot with little ones. First, by the time your child is 27 months old--potty trained or not--you may find that he is not going through 6 diapers a day.

 

The other thing that we found is that the most compact way to pack the diapers seems to be in the original plastic that they come in. So, I would by the diapers, and take that large "brick" of two rows of diapers and split it carefully so that they stayed wrapped and stacked tightly. We then found that we could put them in our suit case as a unit and pack socks, underwear, swimsuits, etc. around them. Then as we used up the "bricks" we had space for things that we bought.

 

As far as the wipes, we would buy the large pack of wipes that are made to be a refill pack and use those. Then in the diaper bag, we would carry one of the small hard side wipe box, which you can refill for when you are out and about. And then we just used the ziploc refill pack in the room for when we were there. Again, as the trip progressed, the refill pack gets smaller, leaving you with added room.

 

Good luck

[c-cruise]

We just bring enough for the flight and then buy what we are going to need when we get there. We bring an empty duffle bag with us and then fill it up with diapers/wipes/formula/whatever and then check that onto the ship. At the end we have a spare bag that we can use for those extra purchases we have made along the way (or an empty bag that we can fold up and put in a suitcase).

[notentirelynormal]

My DD also brought with her some nice smelling baggies (not sure what to call them) that she got at BabiesRUs that are for disposing dirty diapers both in the cabin and out on excursions. They worked great. Properly disposed of, and none of the great lingering smell.

[broberts]

1. You may want to check with the manufacturer of the diapers you prefer to see if the product is available in Barcelona. Make sure you explain the allergy issue.

 

2. There is generally no problem with non-suitcase luggage provided it is well labeled and packaged to withstand rough handling. On more than one occasion I've brought aboard, as checked luggage, cardboard boxes. I affix several labels, 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" or so, with Cabin #, Passenger Name, Ship Name, Departure Date in large print, to the box. I usually use (sp?) labelopes (clear pouch used by courier companies), but clear packing tape would also do. If you are going to bring the diapers from the States a dedicated suitcase, while an expensive option, is probably the way to go.

[WideOpenOcean]

We used a giant duffle and packed all kinds of baby stuff in it, including dipes and wipes, when my DD was 20 months. Granted, we were only packing for seven nights and weren't flying, but it was amazing how much stuff we got in there. Plus we used those pockets on the outside of the suitcases as another poster suggested.

 

Good luck!