How do you all determine how many diapers you’ll need for a week+ long trip (flying)?

[enthusi]

I have worn diapers full time for years now. Between vacations and work I go on several 1-week+ trips a year. Usually I fly, and when I do I prefer to ship diapers to my destination ahead of time.

However I find the process of determining how many diapers I’ll need to be insanely stressful. If you underestimate you’ll run out early. If you overestimate you’ll have to figure out what to do with the surplus.

Plus I tend to use a variety of diapers for different situations and it’s hard to stick to a changing schedule when traveling. So yeah it’s a mess.

I’m very interested to know how others here determine how many diapers they’ll need when out of town.

 

[Fireball44]

I have worn diapers full time for years now. Between vacations and work I go on several 1-week+ trips a year. Usually I fly, and when I do I prefer to ship diapers to my destination ahead of time.

However I find the process of determining how many diapers I’ll need to be insanely stressful. If you underestimate you’ll run out early. If you overestimate you’ll have to figure out what to do with the surplus.

Plus I tend to use a variety of diapers for different situations and it’s hard to stick to a changing schedule when traveling. So yeah it’s a mess.

I’m very interested to know how others here determine how many diapers they’ll need when out of town.

 

[Fireball44]

I have worn diapers full time for years now. Between vacations and work I go on several 1-week+ trips a year. Usually I fly, and when I do I prefer to ship diapers to my destination ahead of time.

However I find the process of determining how many diapers I’ll need to be insanely stressful. If you underestimate you’ll run out early. If you overestimate you’ll have to figure out what to do with the surplus.

Plus I tend to use a variety of diapers for different situations and it’s hard to stick to a changing schedule when traveling. So yeah it’s a mess.

I’m very interested to know how others here determine how many diapers they’ll need when out of town.

 

[Fireball44]

i usually will put in 3 to 4 heavy duty diapers, and 4 to five pullups when traveling..I usally sleep in the heavy duty with tapes straps., unless drininking more than usual

 

[slimjiminy]

I've only been IC for 2 years. But with my last cabin adventure I started with what I thought the absolute requirements were. Then I added others that can be worn in overlapping situations if necessary. For example, it was ok if I had to wear extra absorbent diapers at times. The objective was simply to reduce the number of different products to bring, given that IC can be so variable. Yet not to be under protected.

 

[enthusi]

For example, it was ok if I had to wear extra absorbent diapers at times. The objective was simply to reduce the number of different products to bring, given that IC can be so variable.

Good point. I never thought of it as having different objectives when traveling compared to at home. At home I prioritize value which I accomplish by having a wide variety of diapers of different absorbency. But if I were to prioritize space, I would bring a mix of premium diapers and a thinner ones like ATN’s since you can pack 2-3 for every Megamax.

 

[hbic60]

Im IC since only about one year, but also traveling sometimes. I can rely very much on my daily need of diapers - two of my daytime diapers, one of my nighttime diaper I need for every day - then I pack a few additional ones just to be sure.
First I started with several products for different situations of IC, but found at least that my "maximum" daytime protection (Attends Flex) are discreet and comfortable enough for all situations, but also bring me (with two of them) without problems through the whole day even in worst case I have no opportunity to use the toilet. My nighttime diaper (Tena Maxi) is enough to bring me through the complete night without leaking, discreetness there is no issue as my wife of course is aware
So, calculation is easy, 2+1 for each day!

 

[SparkyDog]

pack for the amount you wear every day at home + a few extra just in case

Diapers take up a lot of suitcase room.
If your destination sells what you wear that likely be a better option

 

[CheshireCat]

If going away for a longer period of time, check with the airline whether a medical supplies bag can be checked for free. Most airlines allow this, but there cannot be anything but medical supplies in the bag. Disposable diapers, pull-ups, diaper covers, disposable bed pads, ointments, creams, powder, plus any non-incontinence medical supplies. This allows you to pack what you need and not pay for shipping. If you can, use a waterproof soft bag. At the end of the trip, if you can manage to fit leftovers into your regular luggage, you can fold up the soft bag and pack that as well. Even if you can't, pack just your leftover medical supplies in the bag for the trip home to avoid paying a luggage check fee.
Important: Call and discuss this with the airlines disability desk in advance, so that everyone is aware for all legs of your journey.

Pack as if your incontinence will be at its worst everyday, plus a few extra, and then add lighter diapers for how you hope your days will go. You don't want to be wishing you had brought more MEGAMAX diapers, or needing to change constantly in unfamiliar surroundings.

Pack high end bed pads that have SAP (I use ones from Northshore), as they stay flat as you move in your sleep, contain and minimize wetness from leaks because of the SAP, and can be reused multiple nights if clean. I've used a single pad for up to two weeks because they don't self destruct when you lay or sit on them.

Those are the few guidelines I've followed for many years of traveling in the USA and abroad, and never had an issue.

P.S. Pack plenty of changes in your carryon in case your medical case goes astray for a day.

 

[SherriLil]

I've wrestled with this several times over the last few years. It would have been more often, but the pandemic curtailed my once-frequent business travel for a while. I don't have any rules of thumb, just guidelines. My packing decisions are based on where I am going and what I am going to be doing there, as well as how hard I think it will be to find suitable diapers on the ground.

First, I generally take more diapers with me than I would use per day at home, for this reason: at home, I'm comfortable wearing a diaper into the last quarter of it's game, because a leak, if it occurs, is not a catastrophe. But when I'm on the road, leaks can be deeply inconvenient, so, I tend to retire diapers at the 50 - 75% mark, depending on how much I trust them. Ergo, I need more of them. Second, depending on what I'm doing, I may lean on the slimmer, quieter players on my roster, and they, of course, do not hold as much as big plastic ABDL products do, but, I can't wear a Mermaid Tale under a business suit and make a presentation, and my hat is off to those of you who can, by the way. But, ergo, I need yet more of them with me.

Finally, if I'm going to, say, a tropical destination, where I'll be swimming and walking on the beach, I might be in and out of diapers, and I don't tend to save a wet diaper for later, I generally start fresh, so, there's that to build into the calculations. As an aside, I have not yet found a convincing swimming diaper - they all look like grandma's knickers, and since I'm not incontinent, I just skip it, much as I might wish I had a diaper for such circumstances.

Sometimes, all of the above considerations result in my having to take almost a whole extra suitcase worth of diapers with me. So, there reaches a point where that's not practical, or, where paying $60 to do so vexes my spouse, at which point, I will consider "going local" for diapers. Not in, say, Mexico. But, when we went to Europe for two weeks in 2019, I brought enough diapers to last me all of the nights, plus a few days worth of daytime products, but, once I was there, I went looking for not-completely-heinous off-the-shelf diaper options in France (our first stop), and ended up with packages of a store-brand white adult diaper from Auchan that was okay. They worked for daytime purposes if I didn't push them past a few hours.

I hope this helps, @enthusi!

 

[enthusi]

As an aside, I have not yet found a convincing swimming diaper - they all look like grandma's knickers, and since I'm not incontinent, I just skip it, much as I might wish I had a diaper for such circumstances.

Yes this does help. I used to pack a lot of swim diapers for tropical weather vacations, but not really any more. They’re basically useless for me. They don’t really protect against urine loss and I have enough bowel control that I don’t have to worry that. For me the struggle with beaches and pools is what to do when I’m out of the water for short periods of time. Usually I just wear dark trunks and if I leak a little so be it. “Luckily” my bladder has shrunk to the point where I don’t really create a puddle any more and I’m sure to shower before returning to the pool.

 

[SherriLil]

For me the struggle with beaches and pools is what to do when I’m out of the water for short periods of time

Same deal here. I haven't been on a beach vacation in a long while (thanks, Covid), but we rented cottages that were beach-adjacent, and my wife likes to spend the day on the sand. So I was in the water with the kids, then sitting on chairs reading, then in the water, then barbecuing, then on the chairs again... in, out, in out. If I wanted to go get a diaper on, I had to walk back to the main house - there were no change facilities on the beach. Eventually, I said that mornings were for swimming, and afternoons were for walks and barbecuing and reading etc, and I'd go back before lunch and put a diaper on and then not go in the water after that, so that I could actually relax on the beach!

 

[NorthwestDiaperDude]

Great topic and timing, having just spent two weeks in the US Northeast (I live in Seattle), and was one of my longer trips away. Plus a nearly 6 hour domestic flight to consider. I generally go thru 3 diapers per day, sometimes more. I wear MegaMax diapers and Northshore booster pads 24/7, so that takes up a lot of space. I of course was wearing one for the flight and took about 5 diapers and booster pads in my carry-on plus 3 more in my duffel bag, and about 8 diapers and pads in checked baggage. Also, because I was staying in an Airbnb for the first several days, I shipped 3 bags of MegaMax diapers at 10ea plus same # of booster pads to my Airbnb. Came home with only 3 spare diapers. That's a lot to think about. Because we are literally planning another 2 weeks again in the new year. Definitely a lot to consider for travelling with diapers!

 

[Muhdeee]

Im a bedwetter only, but if I am on long a flight I'll wear one for that too.

I plan for each "instance" of wearing plus 2-3 extra

 

[Jorelaxed]

I usually use my daily usage as a guide. Then I add about another 6 diapers just in case.

 

[Cammer]

I have only been wearing for the last 6 months or so and I can’t answer to the shipping or the flying but I do travel a decent amount for my job. I’m a land surveyor and we travel all over the state, and sometimes out of state for jobs. When I know I’m going to be away for a 5 day week, I will pack 5 full days of diapers and 4 nights usually 2 better drys a day and a mega max at night . Then I will pack 3 extra better drys and 1 extra mega max plus 3 boosters. I have found that I may not need all of the extras but I know I will need at least my daily and sometimes more. With this set up I’m confident that if I need a little something extra or a tape breaks, I have a booster or another diaper to get me through, and if I end up not needing the extra mega max I will wear that on my trip home to reduce the bulk in my bag. I like the boosters cause they don’t take up much room in the bag and if all else fails and the bag whole week is a little more than usually atleast I have some boosters to make up for the few less diapers.

 

[Deleted member 57331]

Depends on the vacation. I usually have 1 ABU pack if it's a week's vacation, I usually go through 1-2 diapers per day

 

[diapernh]

So i tend to plan for 4 diapers a day and plan for an extra day. Honestly if you are going to a destination where you will be for several days, i would ship diapers ahead.

When i travel and it is a road trip i just put my diapers in a big plastic tote and not worry about packing them in a bag. I take a backpack with my needed changes for the night and morning plus spare into the hotel, and restock from the van when i leave the room.

 

[GoodniteQueen]

I usually travel light and pick up a pack as a souvenir if its out of country if its in the states I just pick up a small pack of something

 

[EcoIncon]

Agree packing the right amount can be totally stressful if you don't have a routine... For years this was a daunting task. 26 years of about 50% travel with incontinence has made this is a drill I know well...

I bring enough night diapers for one each night I am gone + 4 extra (2 for risk mitigation and 2 for travel on planes). I pack 2 day's worth of supplies in my carry-on (pull-ups, daytime diapers, bed pad, swim diaper, disposal bags, powder, wipes, and cream). I put the rest of my supplies in my checked bag.

• If I'm going for 4 days or less, I will pack enough pull-ups and daytime diapers in my checked bag for the trip.
• If I am gone 5-12 days, I'll buy daytime diapers at my destination (Mexico, Europe, USA, it's all easy... Middle East is more challenging).
• If I am traveling for 12 days or more, I have day and night diapers shipped to my destination and pack enough for 4 days in case something happens with shipping.