Whenever you travel with a little one that isn’t yet potty trained, you’re likely to encounter lots of really dirty changing tables and bathrooms, especially in airports, on airplanes and at road trip rest stops.
In fact, many of these on-the-go bathroom surfaces are so dirty that you probably don’t want your diaper bag to touch them. Plus, lugging your entire diaper bag into a tiny airport bathroom can be a bit of a hassle.
Today’s hint is one tactic for keeping your diaper bag a little cleaner — and making diaper changes more convenient — in such situations.
The trick, which I cover over at travel advice site FamiliesGo! in a post on travel diaper changes: Pack up a small plastic bag (a Ziploc bag works great) with the basic essentials you’ll need for a diaper change – think a couple diapers, a portable wipe container, or some wipes, and diaper rash cream.
Then, when it’s time for a change, leave your big diaper bag near your airplane seat, in your car, in your stroller or on your back, and bring only the small plastic bag with you. And when the diaper change is done, you can dispose of the bag if you want and pack up the gear in a fresh plastic baggie. (And if you’re not a fan of using plastic bags, a small reusable bag that you can easily wash will work great too).
To be sure, I’m not the only fan of variations of this strategy. Shelly Rivoli of Travels With Baby suggests packing up a “diaper purse” for easier diaper changes on airplanes. Hint Mama contributor Olivia Howell also wrote about a similar plastic bag tactic she uses to leave the house faster when she’s driving somewhere sans stroller, and Leslie Neeland Harvey of Trips With Tykes featured my tip in her roundup of “6 More Tips for Changing Diapers on a Plane.”
Of course, you may be more worried about exposing your little one to such germy bathrooms than about dirtying up your diaper bag during airplane diaper changes. Well, you’re in luck if you have this concern: there are tricks you can employ to make the dirty changing spots, and on-the-go diaper changes in general, a little cleaner for your little one.
For instance, you could use toilet seat covers as makeshift disposable changing table covers, and you could always just do standing diaper changes or change your little one in your car.
What are your tips for handling on-the-go diaper changes?
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Thanks for including me in your post! I’ve also used a gallon size slide-lock top bag (insert name brand), which is much easier to wrestle w/a baby in tow. Great to be able to see everything inside.
Fabulous tip for all mamas (and papas). I do the exact same thing when flying and have even found it to be helpful on our day trips – Disney days 🙂
I’m also a fan of the ziploc bag for diaper changes and include a chux disposable pad or two to lay down on the changing table or floor or wherever I’m changing the diaper. They are small and come in handy anywhere!
I make diaper baggies like this to leave in each of our cars. It worked great as a spare whenever we found ourselves short of diapers if we were out longer than we expected.