A Few Miscellaneous Tips

Here are a few thoughts that haven't fitted into any other posts.  Maybe something useful for you?

• Planning ahead is important.  Before you travel - particularly if you are staying in a private residence or holiday rental, without a front desk - research your local area.  Find out where the nearest playgrounds are, where the local supermarket is, the location of the closest 24-hour or late-night chemist, the details for an English-speaking doctor or ER details of the closest hospital (ideally with a paediatric department).
• Consider Brolly Sheets.  These are waterproof, highly absorbent pads which tuck in over the top of a made bed.  Even if your toddler is night toilet trained (as our girl has been, for many months), the combination of new places, new beds and upside down body clock / jetlag may lead to accidents.  Hotel beds are unlikely to have a mattress protector and / or spare linen, so tucking a Brolly Sheet over the sheets is a good idea.
• When using a porta cot (we love the Phil&Teds ultra light one), bring along a spare set of sheets and mattress protector.  It's a good idea to bring along the sheets straight off your child's cot at home, so they have a familiar smell.  Zach is mostly in bed with us, but I put him in the cot for naps and the start of the night, when I'm not in bed with him, or else he tries to crawl off the bed if he wakes!  So we are bringing a porta cot.
• You can download some fabulous white noise apps for your iPhone.  I have a free one called Relax Melodies, which allows me to create a blend of river and wind noises (or multiple other combinations), which helps drown out background noises in strange places (or when we have dinner guests at home, as our bedroom is off the main living area!)
• We use MCN (modern cloth nappies) at home.  I love them because they are incredibly comfortable for Zach, cute, and environmentally friendly.  The only downside to travelling with MCNs are a) the drying time, b) you need to have easy access to a washing machine.  If you use a fast-drying nappy like a Pikapu, you can easily get away with only bringing four or so along!  Use the four nappies during the day, then put a disposable on for night time, washing the day's nappies then hanging them out to dry overnight.  Just make sure you have some disposables as backup in case.  The Aldi disposable nappies are quite good, made in Germany, and are available all over the world.  The other advantage of using MCN on holidays, if in hot weather, is that you can just pair the nappy with a t-shirt, no need for pants!
• I am bringing along a jar of almond butter.  Spread onto a sandwich with some wholegrain bread, I have a simple meal for Zach, containing combined complete protein, good fats and carbohydrates, without sugar or salt.  Add a piece of fruit and you're set!
• Bringing along a room thermometer can be useful, particularly if you have a small baby and use baby sleeping bags such as Grobags.
• I like to travel with small Australian gifts for any children you meet along the way.  Stickers, paperback books, badges.  It's a nice way to interact with new friends at parks, planes or cafes.
• When considering room layout, if at all possible, arrange a seperate bedroom for any children used to sleeping on their own.  If your children are used to their own quiet bedroom, trying to get them to sleep on a rollout bed at the foot of your bed, in a single hotel room will likely be a nightmare ending in a lack of sleep for everyone.  I'm not a massive fan of 'adjoining' hotel rooms - that is, two independent hotel rooms with an interconnecting door - with small children, as they feel too far away for me to relax.  In addition, you may find that a baby monitor reception will not carry between adjoining hotel rooms.  My ideal layout is a two or more bedroom apartment or suite.  In KL, we have a serviced apartment with two bedrooms, in Netherlands we are staying in a little farm cottage with two bedrooms, and in both Aix-en-Provence and Paris, we are staying in private two-bedroom apartments.  Tabitha gets her own room, and Zachary is in with us, just like at home.  When we travelled to the US with Tabitha, 10/11 months old, we managed to get away with mostly booking large hotel suites, with separate living areas, and putting her porta cot in the living area while we retreated to the bedroom.  Since about 6 months of age, Tabitha has been a funny little thing, preferring to sleep without any company or distractions.  Zachary, on the other hand, sleeps best with his face firmly nestled into my chest!
• Consider all the options and factors when booking flights.  Going for the cheapest option may be a false economy if the flight is so traumatic that the family takes days to recover.  Consider nap and sleep times, meal times, early wakeups, stopovers vs direct flights, stopover options in terms of airport facilities and entertainment.  Compare airlines in terms of seat width and pitch, opportunity to select seat allocation, reputation of airlines when dealing with children and availability of airline lounges if applicable.
• I hesitate to even say this, for fear of sounding incredibly out of touch, but if it is at all possible (points, savings in other areas of the trip etc), consider business class travel.  Paradoxically, I never found it to be that important when travelling alone (a good book and a cosy blanket and I am happy anywhere), but with children, there are many factors which make it incredibly alluring.  Cleaner bathrooms with shorter queues (I've seen small children have accidents while waiting in line on flights), far higher staff-to-passenger ratios meaning better service (for extra water, hot drinks, an additional blanket etc), priority checkins and baggage claim (less time at the airport and less standing around), lounge access at airports (somewhere quiet to let the children nap, lots of snacks, even kid play areas at some lounges), and, most importantly to us, flat beds.  Tabitha doesn't sleep in her pram or car - she only sleeps in her bed.  I've been on a night flight with her once, 9pm - midnight (long story, we were delayed) and I've never seen her loose control like that - delirious, falling over, screaming, sobbing, nearly falling asleep then flailing around.  I will do anything to avoid her getting into that state again - it was heartbreaking.  Having a fairly quiet business class cabin, with a flat bed for her, will hopefully assist in getting her to sleep.  Also, for myself and Zachary, we can curl up together, feeding him while we lay down, and sleep happily together, just like we do at home.
• While on your trip, try to avoid eating all meals out - it's exhausting for everyone if children are expected to sit quietly at a restaurant three times a day.  Find a deli or nice supermarket, stock up on bread, cheeses, cold meats, fruits and salad, and go have a picnic somewhere (even in your rooms, if you are desperate).  Some of our nicest meals while travelling have been 'picnic style', where we could all relax and enjoy ourselves.  Also, try pubs and even ghastly chain family restaurants (Denny's, I'm talking to you!) once in a while - they will have lots of kids' activities or play equipment, and probably other children for yours to watch or chat to as well.  While I roll my eyes about Denny's, I should explain that we had a really lovely meal there en route from NYC to Lancaster County, PA, when Tabitha was 11 months old.  The food was average, the menu fun in its hilarity ('the food pyramid of bacon' was topped with a bacon sundae in the 'eat sometimes' category).  What really set it apart, however, was the most energetic and enthusiastic male waiter we had - he had two small children himself, and absolutely doted over Tabitha, even giving her his plastic bracelet (she had been pointing at it) 'don't worry, m'am, I've cleaned it up real good with soap and hot water for her first!'.  We were so touched by his service and care that we left him a $100 tip, and the meal still holds wonderful memories for us.  So try a restaurant that might not be rated in the guidebooks - you never know!
• Try to avoid overcrowding your days.  One scheduled activity is plenty.  We found a good rhythm on holidays in the past, which worked for our family:  Wake up, get out of the house for breakfast, fresh air and some physical activity (a local playground, a garden or just a walk around the neighbourhood).  Home for a good morning nap.  Out for the rest of the day, including lunch, an activity in the afternoon (second nap in the pram or carrier), early dinner, then home in time for bed.  Having a fairly predictable routine worked well for everyone, and made planning the trip straightforward.
• Mix in a few child-focussed activities where possible.  A children's museum or gallery, a petting zoo, a ride in a horse-and-cart, lunch at a fun place, a boat ride.  These sort of activities are infinitely more fun for small people than hours at an enormous gallery, or an afternoon spent shopping.  A mixture of all types of activities should keep everyone happy!
• Put away the camera.  Of course we love photos from our trips - we take plenty, and they are treasured.  But I try not to take the camera everywhere, and when I use it, to take just a few quick photos rather than trying to capture every moment.  Live the trip, don't document it.  Don't spend the trip on a smart phone.  For overseas travel, it's often easier to just use a basic call-and-text sort of phone with a local SIM.  Even The Daddy, who is constantly on his for work at home, and does need to bring it with him, leaves it switched off for most of the day, turning it on and spending a set amount of time each day attending to business matters.

What other travel tips for children do you have?  I will add to the list if I, or you, think of any more useful ones...

Babies and Toddlers on a Plane

Personally, I would rather have Snakes on a Plane - but then, as I have a pet snake, I would say that.

Long haul plane travel with small children is dreadful.  Let's not beat around the bush.  There is nothing good about the actual travel part.  It is means to an end - the end being travel, wonderful new experiences, visiting friends and family.  It's worth it, I think, but it's still dreadful!

The best case scenario is a baby or toddler who will happily sleep on the plane (in which case, a night flight is the way to go), or who is content to sit relatively still, with stickers, colouring, movies and the like as entertainment.  Many children are like this - I have heard from friends with incredibly easygoing toddlers who literally watched Peppa Pig for 8 hours straight, with the odd pause to snack.

My children aren't like this - Tabitha is a wriggly worm Class A.  She's never sat still through a movie at home - she likes to potter around, dancing and fetching dolls as she watches.  Zachary has been crawling from 4 months and has never stopped going since!  So clearly, I need to plan ahead.

I have always maintained that ages 12 months to 2.5 years are a International Travel No-Go Zone.  That is, if it can possibly be avoided, long haul travel for that 18 months is a bad idea.  Of course, this is a gross generalisation, and I'm sure there are kids out there who will travel just fine in that age range.  I just haven't met any!

With this in mind, we were keen to get a big overseas trip in before Zach turned one.  Zach is 7.5 months, Tabitha is 3.  Babies under 1 are relatively easy to distract, tend to sleep easily in new or strange places (wrapped up in a carrier or with a mouth full of breast).  Toddlers over 2.5 / 3 have far greater language and comprehension, and can (sometimes) be reasoned with.  They are also hopefully toilet trained, and capable of walking reasonable distances on their own.

I mentioned night flights - truly, this is the path of least resistance.  If you can spend the majority of the trip asleep (or at least, your child can), you have far fewer hours in which to provide entertainment.

Most babies will sleep fairly easily on a plane.  In the past, I (and other parents I've travelled with and alongside) have put the baby to sleep in carriers, wraps and slings, or on the breast or bottle, or by walking-and-patting.  The baby then either sleeps on the parent, or is carefully (and perhaps riskily!) transferred to a plane bassinet (if one is available, and if the baby fits in it, and if the baby will have a bar of it whatsoever - mine don't).

While the baby is awake, he or she can be entertained by scrunchy paper, new shiny toys, a rusk or snack, babbling to her parents or the passenger in the seat behind.  It can be tedious, but it is perfectly manageable.   If you have easy-going flight attendants (luck of the drawer) your baby can possibly crawl up the aisle with you every now and then, or sit and play on the floor at your feet if you have a bassinet seat (which has a little more foot room than regular seats).

If you happen to be flying business or first class, and therefore have a flat (or nearly flat) bed, you can hopefully just pop the baby on the breast or snuggle him to sleep, and both get a reasonable night of sleep.

Moving onto toddler sleep.  If you are travelling in the 12m - 2.5 year age gap I mentioned (The Mummy's Avoid-at-all-Costs-Flight-Zone), my thoughts are with you.  It might be tricky, as your munchkin is thrilled and stimulated by the new environment, break to normal bedtimes, new faces trying to chat and engage etc.  All you can do is your best.  Try to follow the bedtime routine - PJ on, night nappy or toilet, brush teeth, milk, a few bedtime stories and then perhaps some quiet guided meditation with either parent ("focus on your feet.  Think about how much they have walked today.  Feel the toes getting very sleepy.  Feel your feet getting tired and still" etc, for possibly an hour, until sleep appears - yours or theirs!)

Do prepare your child for the trip - talk them through what will happen on the plane.  Discuss what their meal might contain.  Practice laying still.  Let them bring a favourite stuffed toy.  Perhaps introduce some 'portable' elements to their bedtime routine in the weeks or months leading up to the trip (for example, a hand and foot massage with a lavender oil or balm).  Try some calming music or an audio book with headphones.

It may be possible to bring your car seat with you on the plane.  Many sources recommend this, as your child may be used to (and happy with) sitting for prolonged periods of time in their car seat, and it can be more supportive for sleeping than a regular seat for small children.  You will need to contact your airline, and it will depend on the type of car seat you have.  Also, bear in mind that once the seat is installed on the plane, you are stuck with it for the entire trip - you can't decide to stash it in the overhead lockers if it's not working out.

Certainly bring an extra squishy pillow, comfy clothes, a snuggly toy, warm socks, perhaps a favourite lightweight blanket, and likewise pack light clothes in case your child feels hot.

Speaking of clothes - pack plenty of spare, for the baby or child and for yourself.  Long-time readers of the blog may recall our flight to America when Tabitha was 10 months old.  She developed a stomach flu a few hours into the flight, and spent the rest of the flight to LA (and the 5 hour stopover in LA, and the 5 hour flight to Boston) with a 40 degree fever, vomiting non-stop.  From this I have learned two things:  firstly, pack lots of clothes, wipes, plastic bags.  Now add some more.  Certainly a full box of wipes.  You might not need them all, but if you do, you had better hope you have them!  Secondly, it takes a lot to deter The Daddy and myself from international travel.  Many (either made of weaker stuff than us, or else eminently more sensible, depending on how you view things) would have sworn off travel with children forever after that trip.

Apart from clothes, you will need an ample supply of nappies, wipes, smell-proof bags for nappies, a lightly padded change mat (those airplane change tables are rock hard), bibs, a small tub of nappy balm (pick one which can double as a lip balm or salve for dry skin, such as CJs

On the opposite end of stomach flu, we have eating and drinking.  Many children (and adults) become dehydrated on long flights.  Remember to drink plenty of water yourself, of course, but you might also need to remind and encourage your toddler or small child to drink as well.  I recommend bringing along their own familiar drink bottle - bring it empty (darn liquid and travel laws), then fill it up on board or once through security clearance, buying bottled water and decanting it into your child's water bottle.  Remind them often to drink.

Snacks and meals tend to be plentiful and regular on long haul flights.  If you have a child who eats properly, and happily eats the same food as you day-to-day, it might be tempting to turn your nose up at the children's meals offered on flights, and request a regular meal.  After all, you don't order from the nuggets-and-chips kiddie meals at restaurants.  I urge you to reconsider, and request the kiddie meal on the plane.  It comes out first (meaning that you can help them with their food if necessary, and they don't get hungry and ratty waiting), and it is includes a couple of fun treats that (if you are like us) aren't things they regularly eat, so the novelty adds to the entertainment.  If you are travelling with a baby, it might be worth ordering a 'special' meal for either yourself or your adult companion (such as a vegetarian meal, low fat etc).  This is because the special meals come out earlier, giving one of you a chance to eat your meal first, while the other adult holds the baby, then vice versa.

How about baby meals?  Infants under the age of two, who have not purchased a seat, can order a baby meal.  This differs between airlines, however generally includes some pureed and / or steamed veggies, meat and fruit.  You can try requesting a children's meal for your baby - we have always done so in the past when Tabitha was under 2, and the airlines always accommodated this request, providing her with her own children's meal instead of the standard infant meal.  If you are doing Baby Led Weaning, the children's meal is possibly a better choice for your baby.

Speaking of BLW - we all know it can be messy, these clever self-feeding babies!  Obviously, you don't want to have to sit in a seat covered in tomato puree and chewed up meat-and-veggies, dropped from eager baby hands, for the rest of your journey.  You could certainly try only offering your baby milk for the flight - nothing wrong with that at all - but most babies will protest once they see food, and demand their own.  I suggest packing your own food for a BLW baby - some sandwiches, perhaps some salad veggies, some cheese, things like that.  You can also use a bunny rug to cover yourself and the seat while your little one eats on your lap.  Cleaning up messy hands and faces can be done with baby wipes, of course, but I think that a proper wet facecloth does the job better, so consider bringing a couple of them in a snaplock bag, to wet and use as required (you could even get a cheap pack of them from the supermarket and dispose of them along the way).

Of course, if your baby is puree-fed, it’s probably a good idea to bring jars or pouches of food for him.  The infant meals on airlines vary wildly and are incredibly unpredictable.  They might include pouches of organic puree, with a rusk, some water and perhaps some applesauce.  Then again, they might not have anything pureed.  Then again, they might completely forget to provide your infant meal (it happens) so you really want to be prepared if your baby doesn’t eat regular food yet.  You can bring a stash of those pouch-foods, just show them at security, as long as they are properly sealed they do not count towards your liquids limit!

How about snacks for toddlers and small children?  Honestly, the airlines tend to bring out a reasonable amount of food.  Main meals, a few snacks, sometimes a pre-bed treat such as a Magnum ice cream or a hot chocolate.  Often pieces of fruit are available too, either offered or on request.  You can generally ask for other snacks, such as nuts, confectionary, museli bars etc.  Something about flying also seems to decrease the appetite for most people - perhaps the lack of movement and exertion, combined with increased pressure?  So you might find you're just fine without extra snacks.  But it certainly wouldn't hurt to throw in some of your own fruit, museli bars or a sandwich, particularly if you happen to have a fussy eater.  As I mentioned earlier, it is a good idea to bring your child's water bottle from home, and fill it up once you have passed security or boarded the flight.

If you think you will really struggle to get your child to drink enough water on the flight, consider some fun straws (those bendy straws are awesome for toddlers), or even a little juice mixed in.  I know, I know - but hydration is really important on flights and changing timezones.  Dehydration leads to all sorts of unpleasantness including irritability and constipation.  On that note - our lovely GP suggested administering lactulose in a low dose each day on the trip, to Tabitha.  We anticipate there will be a lot more refined carbs than usual (croissants, baguettes, cake...) and possible dehydration from the flights, so we want to prevent any possible constipation for her.  She's suffered from it before (not enough water was the cause) and it's so distressing and stressful for everyone.  If you think this could be a problem for your child, chat to your GP before you go.

Moving on to activities and entertainment.  The Big Topic for flying with kids.  Maximum entertainment with minimum carry-on luggage (bearing in mind that your carry-ons will already contain ample changes of clothes, baby wipes etc, right?  Right?).

The obvious first choice is an iPad or similar portable media player.  Load it to the hilt with movies, television shows, interactive games and apps, and picture books (this is an underrated part of the iPad - you can load up all your favourite picture books!).  Purchase some kid-friendly headphones (which prevent the volume reaching damaging levels for delicate little ears).  Let them go for it - it's hard to silence the Sensible Parent voice in your brain, "too much television!" but don't listen to it.  It's just one day, and if movies and games work, brilliant.

You will need other entertainment, however.  There are a good 20 minutes on either end of the flight where all electronic devices must be switched off, and, of course, you want to try to give those little eyes a rest from the screen.  Also, if your child is like ours, they simply might not be happy to sit and watch the screen for any prolonged stretches of time!

Here are my entertainment tips and ideas:

• Pipe cleaners.  They weigh nothing, take up no space, and can be thrown in the bin once everyone is bored of them.  You can bend and twist them into all sorts of fun things - little dolls, flowers, animals, jewellery.
• Drawing paper and crayons (obvious choice, but worth mentioning).  You can draw pictures of all the things you are going to see on the holiday, too, which is really helpful for small children, who struggle with the concept sometimes - that is, where they are going to sleep, where they will sit and eat their breakfast in the morning etc. can all be explained with crayons and a story.
• Stickers.  Then some more stickers.  I don't know what magical powers stickers possess, but give Tabitha a sheet of good-quality, raised and thick stickers (such as a sheet of dozens of little shiny cakes and lollies or animals) and she will stare at them for aaaaages.  Comparing them, peeling one off, finding a matching one, choosing her favourite.  I have packed about 10 large sheets, to be pulled out one at a time, every couple of hours.
• Sticker activity books.  These are often found at the bookstores at airports, actually.  They are large thin books, containing several pages of themed stickers, and 'scenes' on which to place them.  They are generally themed along a specific character, such as Peppa Pig.  Small children will need help with these, generally.
• Colouring in books.  You could even make your own by printing sheets off the internet - perhaps related to your trip?  Ditto for mazes, find-a-word etc. for older children.
• Magnetic dressup dolls.  These are great fun, though the sets can be a little heavy.
• Lego or Nanoblocks
• Small cars
• Small dolls - a family of dolls house dolls might be a good thing to tuck into the carryon.  Tabitha loves 'talking' these dolls to each other for ages.
• Some eye spy / scavenger hunt cards (possibly with pictures for small children).  Choose a bunch of things you would expect to find on a plane, such as a hat, someone in a red top, a bottle of water, a newspaper etc.  You could also play the game with the online magazine (an animal, a woman with brown hair, the letter P etc).
• Do you know Daiso?  It is a chain of Japanese stores where everything costs $2.80 (cheaper in Japan and the US, by the way, not that I'm bitter...).  If you have one near you, pay a visit without your child/ren, and fill your little basket up!  If you don't have a Daiso, you can try a newsagent or $2 store, but seriously, Daiso is brilliant and superior.  I bought stickers, erasers shaped like (startlingly realistic) cakes, biscuits and fruit, erasers shaped like animals and characters, notebooks of shiny, picture-covered drawing paper, pens with fruit-scented ink, pencils with a stack of rainbow leads (which you swap by pulling out the bottom one and inserting it back into the top), a little pinwheel, some miniature containers, sheets of origami paper, nail-art crystals (yikes, but if I get desperate...), some little dolls, a couple of toy cars.  Produce them one at a time, spaced throughout the flight.  If you can be bothered, wrap each one in paper and let your child 'lucky dip' every hour or half hour.  If each of these toys takes up 5 - 30 minutes of your child's interest, you will be a good way towards providing entertainment for the whole trip, if combined with some movie watching.
• If your child gets bored with the Daiso toys by the end of the flight, don't just throw them in the bin.  Put them in a cute bag and gift them to a random family you see at the airport, checking in or boarding a flight.  You might just have given them an additional hour or so of sanity!

How about getting around the airport?  From checkin, through security and customs, to the gate.  From the gate to the car.  With a mountain of luggage.  Your best choice is a carrier.  A good woven wrap is almost always my carrier of choice - it is the most comfortable and supportive of all carriers.  You can wear your baby or toddler on your front or your back.  Most babies and toddlers will nap in a wrap.  A wrap can also double as a pillow or blanket on the plane.  A wrap can be scrunched up and stuffed into the front pocket of a carryon.

The only disadvantage of a wrap is that it is not super easy to put on.  Yes, if you are used to it, you can wrap your baby onto yourself in less time than it takes to open a basic pram.  However, if you don't have someone else to hold your baby while you wrap (your travel companion, for example, might be wrangling other children or carrying luggage), you will need to lay your baby on the ground or a chair. Not ideal, particularly in a situation where there are loads of people and cases rushing past.

"Why would you have to unwrap your precious little sleeping angel?" I hear you ask.  Good question.  Bad answer.  Most security screening officers will make you remove them to pass through the metal detectors.  Yes, even if they are sleeping.  Yes, even if your wrap is simply a single piece of woven fabric without any metal.  Yes, you may want to attack them in anger.  It's no use - they are allowed to use their discretion, and if they ask you to unwrap your baby, you will have to.  Maddeningly, there are no laws around this - I've been informed by one supervisor that you do not have to remove your baby from a carrier, however most will ask you to do so.  It's incredibly frustrating.  I'm going to stop now, lest I enter a rant that reaches a thousand words.  You will also have to remove your (possibly sleeping) baby from a carrier or wrap once on the plane, for takeoff and landing - any time the seatbelt sign is on.  Again, so frustrating, because unwrapping a sleeping baby may cause them to cry and scream, which is not what anyone wants on a plane.  It is also annoying because the baby seems much safer and more secure in a carrier, rather than a flimsy, loose lap-belt attached to your lap.  The reason relates to being able to quickly release the child in the event of an accident, but I would hazard a guess that injuries are much more likely from poorly restrained babies and children, in the event of extreme turbulence, than by being 'stuck' to an adult in a crash.

So, I love a wrap, but appreciate the convenience of a quick buckle-on soft structured carrier (such as an Ergo or Manduca).  What to do?  I take both.  Neither are particularly bulky, both can be stuffed into the front pocket of a carryon suitcase.  If the baby is going to be in the carrier for any length of time, I use the wrap, or if we are needing to get the baby in and out quickly (security clearance) we use the Manduca.  This is the way we always travel, and it works well.  Also, The Daddy prefers a buckle carrier to the wrap, so it's handy to have both.

What about a stroller?  If your child is heavier, or prefers to nap in a stroller, you might find this a good choice (or a stroller in combination with a wrap).  Generally for international travel (and sometimes domestic) you can gate-check your stroller.  That is, you can take it right up to the gate, then hand it over when you are boarding, and they put it in a separate part of the plane.  There are even some strollers which fold up compactly enough to take on as carryon luggage, because they fit in the overhead lockers (Quinny Zapp Xtra with Folding Seat or Quicksmart or a few others).  We are taking an umbrella stroller (a Maclaren Quest), which we will gate-check, for Tabitha.  We also bought a brilliant universal scooter board, a Bumprider, for use while overseas, which will allow us to have Zachary in the stroller, and Tabitha riding along on the scooter board.  I would absolutely love to take our regular pram (a convertible single-to-double Bugaboo Donkey), however it is just too bulky to warrant taking with us, particularly as we are taking a few flights and trains within Europe during the trip.  It would also mean that our luggage would not fit into a hire car or chauffeured car for transfers.  So an umbrella stroller, scooter board, wrap and Manduca are our chosen methods of child transport for this trip!

There you go.  Travelling and carryon with little people.  If I have time, I'll write something about the rest of our packing.  Departure is around 48 hours away!

Accidental Low-Allergy Cooking: Banana Pancakes and Two Eggless Biscuits

Pancakes that are outrageously simple and also nutritious, dairy- and gluten-free?  These are a breakfast staple in our household, for The Daddy and I as well as the children.

For these Banana Pancakes, per person (approximately three small pancakes), mash a large, ripe banana and beat in one egg.  Add a tablespoon of buckwheat flour, mix to combine.

We usually also add a scant teaspoon of LSA meal, and a good shake of cinnamon as well.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, and cook for a few minutes on both sides until cooked through.  I recommend sticking with small pancakes (around 12cm diameter or smaller), as they are easier to flip that way.  You can also make them with just egg and banana, but the buckwheat adds flavour, body and makes for easier flipping.

I love Bob's Red Mill organic buckwheat flour.  I get it at my local independent supermarket - they carry a dizzying array of specialty flours - but Bob's Red Mill products are also available from lots of healthfood stores and online retailers.

Tabitha and Zachary have their banana pancakes with fresh strawberries or blueberries.  The Daddy and I love them with maple syrup, and bacon on weekends!

The other day, I made two batches of biscuits which were both, by pure coincidence, egg free.  So I thought I'd post the recipes here.  I am not normally a good 'something-free' cook, as most of my recipes contain lots of butter, milk, eggs, flour or all of the aforementioned, but it is handy to have a few such recipes up one's sleeve, as more and more children are allergic to various things these days.

The first recipe is for homemade arrowroot biscuits.  Similar in texture to a shortbread, but much lighter in flavour, these are an incredibly versatile biscuit, perfect for icing and decorating, or for an 'everyday treat' sort of biscuit for small people.  They are also delicious served alongside a cup of tea - three or four small biscuits is just about right.

Little Arrowroot Biscuits

150g plain flour

60g arrowroot flour or tapioca flour

70g icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

50g thickened cream

60g or a little more canola oil

Sift the dry ingredients together into a bowl.  Using a fork to mix, slowly add the cream, then the oil.  You will need to mix very firmly and for a reasonably long time.  The mixture should be very crumbly, and only come together when you pinch some together with your fingers.  You may need a little more cream or oil, but first try mixing for longer to make sure the liquids are thoroughly worked through.

Using your hands on a sheet of baking paper, press out about 1/3 of the mixture at a time, to a uniform thickness of around 3-4mm.  Use a small cookie cutter, and cut out shapes, re-pressing down the remaining mixture as required.  You will get around 50 small cookies - my cutters are around 3cm across.  Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with baking paper (you can put them close together, as they will not really spread) and bake at 180 degrees for around 8 minutes, or until they are just slightly changing colour.

Let them cool on a wire rack, then store in an airtight tin.  They will happily keep for a good week or so.  They are a good little biscuit to ice, as well.

The second biscuit recipe is one I have posted here before - here - but I am posting the recipe again, for the purposes of having both eggless biscuit recipes together in one place.  These are delicious little chocolate chip cookies made with condensed milk.  They are most delicious when fresh from the oven, but perfectly acceptable for a day or two afterwards as well.

Highlander Biscuits

Cream together 115g softened butter with 55g caster sugar, until light and fluffy.

Beat in 2 tablespoons of condensed milk (note - these are NZ metric tablespoons, so only 15ml each), and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Sift together 170g plain flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and work into the creamed mixture, along with 60g of milk or dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate).  Once you have a crumbly mass of dough, tip it onto the bench and lightly knead it together into a rough ball.

Roll teaspoonsful of the dough into balls, and place them, spread apart, onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.  Press each ball down to flatten somewhat with a fork.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes at 180 degrees.  They should be lightly golden on the bottoms, and barely coloured on the tops.

Cool in a rack, and store in an airtight tin.  This makes around 25 - 30 small cookies for me.

One final sweet dish, which contains egg and dairy and gluten, and is incredibly quick and delicious - my golden syrup Hasty Pudding.  Recipe here.  We've been eating it quite often lately, in the cold evenings of Melbourne winter, and it really hits the spot, with plenty of cream or ice cream.  Make it tonight - it's a one-bowl, melt-and-mix kind of affair, perfectly manageable to throw together after dinner on a chilly night.

A new pair of Baby Legs leggings for Zach - these are really handy for babywearing, as you can slip them on and off according the temperature (for example, if you are going in and out of air conditioned places on a hot day) without disturbing or unwrapping baby.  We're off overseas next week (more about that soon) and I think Baby Legs will be brilliant for all the on-off-on plane action.

Also a few mini pots of CJ's Butter - truly the best and most delicious smelling range of nappy cream / all purpose moisturising balm.  I am never without a little pot of it - current favourite scents include Narwhales and Unicorns, Warm Vanilla Cake and Blueberry Crumble.  The little sample pots are the perfect size to throw into a handbag or nappy bag.

My Birthday and Zach the Eater

Last week was my birthday - just two days after Tabitha's.  I turned 29.  I had a great day - started with presents and a cup of tea in bed, then spent the morning with the kids, then my mother and The Daddy came home for lunch and birthday cake.

Tradition dictates that I have some sort of chocolate birthday cake from Laurent.  Preferably with crunchy bits and cakey bits.  This one was gorgeous - crunchy praline bits, chewy nougat bits, brownie fudgy layer, a light mousse layer, and incredibly rich ganache.  With crunchy biscuits around the edge. 

Zach was entranced by the candle.  I wish I had have thought to dry my hair before photos!

Birthday presents from The Daddy and the kiddie winkies.  What is more exciting than a blue box?  A blue box and an orange box!

The Daddy picked out the scarf while in Hong Kong for work earlier this month.  He said he thought I needed a pale one, as I have lots of bright and dark scarves.  Clever man.  It's cream, lemon, apricot and lilac in a geometric design.  The necklace is a Paloma Picasso design, 15mm beads in all sorts of semiprecious stones - it has Amethyst, bloodstone, blue lace agate, chrysocolla, dumorierite, green aventurine, hawk's eye quartz, garnet, jasper, lapis lazuli, green jade, red jasper, rhodochrosite, rhodonite, rose quartz, sodalite, tiger's eye and yellow chrysoprase.  Whew!  Anyway, it's incredibly pretty, appeals to my inner hippy, and looks lovely with a plain black dress.

Very large bouquet of flowers from mum, from my favourite florist, Camberwell Market Flowers.  They are just a little stand at the market but they do weddings and events and the most spectacular pomanders and gift arrangements.

After Zach and Tabitha were in bed, The Daddy and I went out for dinner, to Ocha, one of my favourite Japanese restaurants in Melbourne.  As soon the food started to arrive, we received word from home that Zach had woken up, but he was quite content to get up and play with our babysitter until we got home!  He's such an easygoing baby.  We finished off the rest of the cake when we got home.  I would say I ate at least half of the cake over the course of the day!

Cheeky Tabitha.  She has taught Zach to climb the stairs - she stood there for ages, "come on Zachy!  I know you can do it!"  He can climb a few, which was enough for me to organise a stair gate, quick smart.

Made some brownies.  It's a rare week in which I do not make brownies!  They are just so easy, delicious and they even freeze beautifully.  They also go down a treat with the neighbours, and we have lots of lovely neighbours.

Brownies and apple cake.  The apple cake has apples, you see, and wholemeal flour.  Which makes it practically a health food...

Tabitha cannot be trusted alone with an apple cake:

Godmother Sophie read The Jolly Postman to Tabitha - she was enthralled, thoroughly excited by all of the letters.  If you loved it as a child, I'm sure you have already shared the love with a small person, but if you haven't read it, grab a copy for your own family or a little friend.

Zach had a few days off solid foods last week (he had a bit of a cold, so I wanted to get as much breastmilk into him as possible, to help him get better).  Now that he is back to full health, he has plunged back into the world of Solid Foods with gusto.

What does Zach eat on a typical day?  And yes, these photos are all from today - I find it easier to just change his top than bother too much with bibs!

Bananas are popular for breakfast:

For lunch, some steak and mushroom pie with roasted sweet potato and roast potatoes:

For dinner, fish with green beans and cauliflower cheese.  Cheeky grin below - and covered with bits of fish and cauliflower!

Tabitha off for a ride on her balance bike.  With her new Ballerina Barbie, naturally.  Ballerina Barbie was a 3rd birthday present (belated, from moi).  I saw her in her pink box on the shelf and couldn't resist - I received my own first Barbie when I was 3, and it too was a Ballerina Barbie.  I still have her.  I don't believe that classic Barbies are damaging to little girls.  This one has a pink tulle tutu with glittery bodice, sheer pink stockings with seam backs (!), ballet shoes with tiny real ribbons, and a silver tiara.  I think I love her as much as T.

Yes, Tabitha owns lots of clothes that are not pink.  More than 50 per cent of her wardrobe.  Do I have a hope in hell of getting her into any of these non-pink clothes?  Rarely.  It makes me laugh, really, her pink obsession - we deliberately started her out limiting gendered toys, clothes and activities for the most part.  She took soccer lessons, wore blue jeans, loved her toy cars.  Fast forward to around two and a half, suddenly a switch seemed to trip, and she is All About the Pink.

Modern Cloth Nappies

Get yourself a cup of tea.  Maybe a piece of cake, too.  Sit down.  This is going to be a big post.

Modern cloth nappies, also known as MCNs. Cloth Diapering, or CD, for the Americans.  They are incredibly cost effective (saving the average user at least $1,500 compared with disposible nappies) and are brilliant for the environment (an estimated 2.1 billion disposible nappies go into landfil in Australia each year, shudder, leaking human waste into the groundwater).  Most people love them because they are cute, coming in a range of colours and prints, and I personally find them fun to use.  They are so soft, squishy and pretty that I look forward to nappy changes!

The main difference, apart from ease of use, between MCNs and old fashioned 'flats', is that most MCNs have a stay-dry inner liner, meaning that the moisture is sucked away into the middle of the nappy, leaving the lining dry against your baby's skin.  Generally, a nappy feels completely dry to touch, however is thoroughly soaked through the absorbent middle layers.  So you can use MCNs and still keep your baby comfortable and dry.

When Tabitha was born, I was recommended the Itti Bitti d'Lish All-in-One nappies.  I tried them, they worked well, I bought a 'full set' of 16, and I used them every day for most of her time in nappies.  My choice was made without too much research, and I never spent much time looking into options, as the first one we tried worked well for us.  We used these nappies almost full time, and I was happy with them, although I must say that now that I've tried several more brands, I wouldn't rate the Itti Bitti AIOs as one of my favourites.

When Zach arrived, I discovered that these particular nappies were not great on him.  The medium ones (which had worked on Tabitha from age 4 months to around 2 years) seemed a little small on him, even as a baby, and seemed to leak from the front and the legs.  The low-cut style, which I had loved on Tabitha, seemed to cut into his hips, and cause leakage out the front of the waistband.  I was disappointed initially, but then I realised I could go and have fun exploring the wide world of MCNs!

So my strategy has been to try a whole bunch of different types, styles and brands, and see what works.  If anything doesn't work for us, it can get passed on to a friend or resold (yes, there is a booming second hand nappy market out there!).  If something works really well, I can buy extras of that particular type.

As part of this research, I recently had the lovely and incredibly knowledgeable Fiona from Darlings Downunder over to my house, to chat MCNs with myself and a bunch of my mummy friends.  Darlings Downunder is a pioneer company for MCN in Australia.  They are currently celebrating their 10th birthday, and are partially responsible for introducing Modern Cloth to Australian mums.  Run by two sisters, the company takes great pride in only stocking top-quality products.  When a nappy says it's organic, you can be sure the women have done the appropriate checks to ensure the organic certification.  If anything goes wrong with a product, they are on hand to help out with warranties, advice and information.

Most of the products I mention are available through Darlings Downunder.  When I first came across the website, I spent a few hours clicking around!  It's worth a visit.  This is not a sponsored post, but I like supporting ethical Australian companies, so please do check out their website.  I've linked to their website a few times in this post, but I've also tried to link to the parent companies of most products I mention, where you can find lots of information.  Other great Aussie MCN retailers include Piggy Tails, Apikali and Fluffy Tails.  I recommend following them all, including Darlings Downunder, on facebook - these retailers all frequently often great offers, giveaways and sales.

In this blog post, I've tried to cover the main differences between the various styles of cloth nappy, as well as some information on cloth wipes and care requirements for MCNs.  I will write another post soon, reviewing some specific MCNs in greater detail (Baby Beehinds, Itti Bitti, Bubblebubs Candies, Rumparooz, Pikapu, BumGenius, Designer Bums, and any others I manage to get my hands on to try!) If anyone has questions about a specific nappy you're interested in, I might even try and grab one to try and review, so let me know.  I'm also keen to try out some Blueberries, GroVia, Close and Oui Bebe.

As a general rule, once you are past the initial newborn phase (the first two months, roughly, when babies seem to poop non-stop) you will only need 6 or so nappies a day (and a night nappy, if you use cloth overnight).  So if you wash every day or two, you would get away with 12 - 18 nappies.  I had about 16 with Tabitha, which worked well.

If you want to use cloth with a newborn, you can go with a cheap system such as Prefolds, which are sort of like an advanced, modern version of the old 'terry flat' nappies.  They are basically a square nappy, with extra padding / absorbency sewn into the needed parts, which fits onto the baby without needing to fold them up (like the old school ones).  They clip on with a Snappi, and then you need a waterproof cover, either PUL or fleece or wool.  They are easy, cheap, and dry quickly.  The perfect option for a newborn, for many people.  Start with these for the first couple of months, then move into a one-size-fits-most MCN, which will take most kids right through to toilet training.  The main disadvantage of Prefolds is that the wet absorbent fabric is against the skin - there isn't a stay-dry lining layer in most.  But this isn't generally a big problem, as newborns have their nappy changed every couple of hours anyway, so they aren't sitting in a wet nappy.

For newborns, you can also get a 'sized' newborn nappy.  Many MCNs come in various sizes (newborn and / or small, then medium, large and sometimes extra large).  This is opposed to the incredibly, and increasingly, popular one-size-fits-most (OSFM or OSFA) nappies, which easily adjust to fit babies right from birth or a little older (3kg, usually) through to toilet training (15 - 18kg depending on the build of the child, and the nappy).

If you go the sized route, you would generally start with a Small, then go onto a Medium.  Some children (slim ones) will toilet train out of the Medium size, meaning you would never need a Large.  If you use disposables (or prefolds) for the first couple of months, you might get lucky and be able to use Mediums for the entirety of your baby's nappy wearing days (like we did with Tabitha).

It is my personal opinion that buying Small sized nappies is a bit of a waste.  They get used for such a short amount of time (Zach would barely have fitted into them for the first few weeks), and most babies can go into mediums from a few months old anyway (or into OSFM from a couple of months).  But if you are expecting a tiny baby, perhaps they will be more useful for you!

So should you buy sized nappies, or OSFM?  With Tabitha, we bought Mediums, and she fitted in them until 2.  I think we got lucky.  Certainly, Zach had grown out of the Medium Itti Bitti d'Lish style by the time he was only a couple of months old.  OSFM are generally seen as the most cost-effective option, since they will likely be the only ones you need to buy.  I am also told by Fiona, co-owner of Darlings Downunder, that OSFM nappies are by far the most popular, and are continuing even to gain in popularity.  I think she mentioned they outsell sized nappies at a ratio of around 5:1.

Now that I've had experience with both the sized nappies and the OSFM, I would recommend the OSFM, and that is certainly now what makes up the bulk of my nappy 'stash'.  I do like to have a couple of sized nappies, though, as they can be a little less bulky (though this isn't an absolute - depends on brand and style).  Of my current stash of 20 nappies, only 5 are sized (3 mediums, and 2 larges which are put away for later).

How do OSFM nappies work?  You simply use press-studs (known as 'snaps' in the MCN world) to shorten the front of the nappy (the 'rise'), depending on the size of your baby.  Most nappies have around 3 rows of snaps, roughly correlating to a small, medium, large and extra large size (with extra large being left unsnapped).  Because some of the fabric is gathered up at the front when using OSFM nappies on small babies, these nappies can be quite bulky on little babes (which is why some people prefer sized nappies on newborns), however by the time the child is on the Medium setting or higher, they aren't very bulky at all.

Now, we have talked about Prefolds.  We have talked about Sized nappies vs OSFM.  What is next?  The other three main questions you need to ask yourself are:

• Do I want Velcro or Snaps?
• Do I want All-in-One nappies, Pocket nappies, or All-in-Two nappies (also called Snap-Ins)?
• What brand do I want?

MCNs fasten around the waist using either velcro or 1-2 rows of snaps.  Velcro is easier (and arguably more user-friendly, particularly for grandparents, childcare workers, maybe even partners who don't change the baby as frequently as the main carer).  It is more similar to disposable nappies in the way it goes on and off.  It is also more adjustable, meaning you can get a perfect fit around the waist, whereas with snaps, you might find your child's waist is between two snap sizes, meaning it is slightly too loose or too tight (we are only talking 1cm, tops).

The main disadvantages to velcro are that they wear out a little quicker (although they can be replaced fairly easily by anyone who can sew, whereas snaps are hard to replace by yourself).  They should still last at least the life of the nappy for one child, though.  They can also be undone by some sneaky toddlers (although so can disposables, and some toddlers can open snaps).  The snaps are also a bit nicer looking, although this is really subjective.

I personally prefer velcro for 'everyday' nappies, and find them quick and easy to get a perfect fit, even on a very wriggly baby (I've had two of these, now!).  I prefer snaps on 'pretty' nappies - that is, patterned or fancier ones, which I sometimes use as 'pants', without any pants over the top, in warm weather.

Apparently, women tend to prefer snaps, and men tend to prefer velcro.  I like my mix!

What is an All-in-One nappy?  How about a Pocket nappy, or a All-in-Two?  Without going too deeply into the nitty gritty details, an AIO is a nappy where all the parts (the waterproof outer, the absorbent layers, and the stay-dry lining layer) are all sewn together.  They are incredibly simple (fool-proof) to use.  The main disadvantage is that they take a little longer to dry, since all the parts are layered together.  This isn't really a big problem if you have a nice large stash, and / or good drying conditions.  Most AIO nappies have a 'flap', where the top layer of absorbent materials, and the stay-dry layer, are sewn together into a flap which sits out from the main nappy when drying, improving drying times.  This also means you can lay a small 'booster' pad of absorbent material underneath this flap, if your baby or toddler is a particularly heavy wetter.

A Pocket nappy is a waterproof outer shell, with a stay-dry lining sewn with a 'pocket' in between the lining and the shell.  Into this pocket, you stuff 1-4 absorbent pads / boosters, depending on how heavy a wetter your baby or child is (I find a single booster to be ample for Zach, lasting a good 3-4 hours easily).  The advantage of the Pocket system is that a) you can adjust the absorbency level easily, depending on how much you stuff the pocket and b) you can dry the pieces separately - the shells generally dry in just an hour or two, while the boosters / pads can be dried in the drier, or you can buy extra boosters to use, with the shells, while some of the boosters are drying.

Finally, a AI2 (Snap-in-One) nappy is a waterproof outer shell, with the absorbent layers and the stay-dry lining as separate pieces, which snap together into the shell.  The main advantage of these is that when the baby wets the nappy, you can, in theory, remove the 'snap in' layers, and put in fresh ones, while still using the same shell (which is generally unsoiled).  In theory, this means less nappy to carry around with you, and a cost-effective option, as you can buy fewer shells, and simply more sets of the inners ('booster sets' or 'soaker sets').  Again, as with the Pocket nappies, the shells dry much quicker without all the boosters stitched in (AIOs).

The absorbent layers of a MCN (whether it is sewn inside, like an AIO, stuffed inside, like a Pocket nappy, or snapped in place, like an AI2) can be made of a variety of highly absorbent materials (or a combination).  Bamboo, cotton, hemp and microfibre are the most common.  Each have their advantages and disadvantages.  Bamboo is incredibly absorbent, yet can take a long time to dry (up to a couple of days).  Microfibre dries so quickly (some nappies, like the Pikapus, will dry in 4 hours!), however it doesn't hold quite as much liquid, and it doesn't 'hold' the liquid quite as well, meaning it can suffer from 'compression leaks', for example, if a child is sitting in the car on a long trip with a full nappy, the weight of the child may squeeze liquid back out of the microfibre.  This is something of a theoretical risk - I find, personally, as long as you change the nappies regularly, this shouldn't be a problem.

I like a combination, myself.  For example, in a quick-drying Pikapu, made of mostly microfibre, I will lay down a bamboo 'booster' (an absorbent pad) under the stay-dry layer, which provides additional absorbency, yet you can dry it separately from the main nappy (in the drier on warm, even).  You can buy separate boosters, made of whatever material you prefer, from most of the major brands.  You do not need to use the 'matching' brand of booster in your nappy.

So...

You have decided you will use disposables (or prefolds and covers) for the first couple of months.   You then plan on moving to OSFM.  You want velcro (or snaps, or a combination).  You think you might try a couple of AIOs, and a couple of Pocket nappies (and maybe a couple of AI2s / SIOs).

Great!  Sounds good!  So why don't you go out and buy a mixture of these?  Try them out.  See what you like to use, what fits your baby well.  Whatever you don't like, you can easily sell (through a facebook group such as Buy and Sell Your MCNs), or pass on to a friend.  Whatever you love, buy a couple more of.  If you want to ease yourself into it, start by just using MCNs for 2-3 nappies each day.  But if you are like most people I know, you'll be using them full time (or full time during the day) in no time.

Maybe try a couple of quick-drying, chic-looking Pikapus, some super cute and trim-fitting BumGenius, some squishy soft Baby Beehinds (the sized Magic-Alls AIO with velcro or snaps are nice), some Rumparooz (famous for being completely leak-proof for even the runniest poos).  How about some clever Bubblebubs Candies (which are a nifty OSFM nappy which does not need to be adjusted at the front)?

If you really want to tread gently, I recommend buying one BumGenius AIO, one Pikapu AIO, one Bubblebubs Candies AI2 and one Rumparooz Pocket nappy.  I promise you will love at least one, if not all, of those.

It is important to remember - while all this might seem overwhelming, most nappies will suit most babies just fine!  If you grab a OSFM AIO or Pocket nappy, with velcro or snaps, it will probably be just great on your baby (once they have outgrown the skinny legs newborn stage).  So grab a few, dive in, and go from there!  Don't let the wide range and fear of making the 'wrong choice' paralyse you to the point you avoid MCNs altogether!  Just buy a couple, try them.  Buy a couple more.  You'll love them, you'll find the perfect ones for you!

How do you wash your nappies?  With a mild clothes detergent (e.g. a natural one, anything that is grey-water safe, nothing with optical brighteners, something like Earth Choice), on cold or warm (30-40 degrees is recommended, the odd 60 degree wash is fine, and if you use cold water, you will probably need more detergent).  Never use bleach or Napisan, and avoid vinegar, as it can damage the elastics and / or outer waterproof PUL layer.  Most people like to do an extra 1-2 rinse cycles, to ensure the detergent is thoroughly rinsed out.  Some people like to wash their nappies without detergent, just using warm water and a few extra rinse cycles (I've done this for some time, it worked brilliantly, my nappies were always perfectly clean and never smelt).

You can also buy MCN-specific detergents, such as Rockin' Green, though I personally haven't loved them.

You don't need to soak the nappies.  It is recommended to 'dry pail' the nappies - that is, store them in a dry bucket or wetbag for 1-2 days, until you are ready to wash them.  If you have a poo nappy, or a very acidic wee (sometimes wees can be more acidic during teething, hence the teething nappy rash some children get), you can give the nappy a quick rinse in cold water before dry pailing it.  Try to wash every 1-2, or 3 at most, days, as urine can damage the nappies if left to soak into them for too long.

What about poo?  Breastmilk poo is so runny and mild that it can be treated as a liquid - that is, just put the nappies straight into the washing machine, or rinse briefly then dry pail if you're not planning on washing that day.  Once the poos start to get more solid, it is easiest to use a flushable nappy liner.  These are generally made of bamboo, and are biodegradable.  You just remove them from the nappy, containing the poo, and flush them down the toilet.  Note - you are not supposed to put poo into the bin.  Not even in a disposable nappy.  If you use disposable nappies, you are still supposed to remove the solid poo and flush it down the toilet.  It tells you this on the box, normally!  If you don't want to use a liner, you can get a high-powered hose thingy that attaches to your toilet, for spraying the poos into your toilet.  This sounds a bit messy to me.  I like a liner!  At any rate, you don't need to worry until your baby is older, and the poos are harder.  And even then, often they just plop off the nappy into the toilet, even without a liner.

It is generally recommended to line-dry nappies in the sunshine as often as possible.  UV helps remove any stains (truly, it works), and to keep things nice and sanitary.  Next best is drying indoors on an airing rack.  Finally, you can dry nappies in the dryer on low heat - it will mean a slightly shorter lifespan on the elastics, apparently, but in America and cold countries, many people use the drier for all their nappies, with no ill effects.  Using the drier also keeps the nappies soft and fluffy.  I personally love using the drier (on low) for my nappies, mostly for the way it keeps them soft and cosy.

Finally, with washing, it is recommended that you do a 'strip wash' a couple of times a year or so, to get rid of any detergent buildup.  To do this, do a hot wash (60 degrees) with no clothes detergent, but with a teaspoon of plain (cheap and cheerful, no moisturisers) dishwashing liquid.  Add a few extra rinse cycles (until the water runs clear, no bubbles).

Let's have a chat about accessories.  I should mention that you are not supposed to use barrier-style nappy creams with MCNs.  Creams like Zinc, Sudocream and the like are greasy, and can coat the fabric fibres of the MCN, damaging absorbency and repelling liquid.  Instead, you can buy MCN-safe nappy creams, such as CJ's Butter (I love this product!) or GroVia Magic Sticks.

While we're on the topic of creams, and I've already written about flushable liners, I might mention other MCN accessories - wetbags and cloth wipes.  Wetbags are zipping, waterproof bags - they typically fit about 3-4 nappies inside, and are used for transporting used nappies when out and about.  They can also be used at home as your 'dry pail' system - that is, for storing nappies waiting to be washed - and you can certainly buy larger sized ones which are perfect for this.  You can get wet/dry bags, which include two separate zipped compartments - one for clean nappies, one for dirty.  I have one of these.  Most people (including myself) using cloth nappies full time or part time use at least two wet bags, and possibly more.  I tend to wash wetbags at least once a week - it's easy to just toss them in with the nappies you are washing.

Many people who use MCNs use disposable wipes, however this can be a pain as you have to go and put the wipes in the bin anyway - it can be easier to just pop the wipes into the dry pail or wet bag with your dirty nappy.  There are even some great systems out there (like the Cheeky Wipes All-In-One Kit) which make using cloth wipes virtually mess-free - the used wipes go straight into a sealed box, inside a mesh bag, and the bag then goes straight into the wash.  So you don't need to touch the soiled wipes at all!  Cloth wipes are really lovely to use - much softer on baby's bottom, and thicker and 'gripper' which means you can get a really good clean with just water (or water with added essential oils or wipes solutions to keep them smelling lovely - you can google to find some nice homemade recipes).  Water does a perfect job of cleaning up even messy nappies - there really is no need for the chemicals in baby wipes, for daily nappy changes.  I find it alarming that even our 'sensitive skin' baby wipes can remove texta from handbags - there must be some strong chemicals in them!

You can either wet a wipe (or two) each time you change a nappy - easy enough if your changing area is near a sink - or you can store the wipes wet (for example, in the systems mentioned above, or just in an old Huggies wipes container, with enough water or wipes solution to keep them moist).  Some people even just use a small spray bottle of plain water (or cooled chamomile tea!), spraying the baby's bottom well, then using a dry wipe.  This is handy for when you're out and about.

You can buy brilliant cloth wipes, though they are incredibly simple to make.  All you need to do is cut up a few old thin towels, or flannel sheets, into squares (or you can buy some flannel or terry fabric).  If possible, then join two wipes together and overlock the edges to prevent them from fraying - though you can go without this step, it just means that your wipes won't last as long.

If you feel squeamish about the really poopy wipes going into the wash, you could use disposable wipes for the really dirty nappies, and use cloth for the rest of the changes.  I found that we went through so many disposable wipes when Tabitha was a baby, and at $20 or so for a box, you will find it much cheaper to go with a stash of soft cloth wipes instead.

Finally - I should point out, there are other types of MCN.  There are fitted nappies, which are like AIOs, except that they do not have a waterproof outer layer, and require a separate fleece, wool or PUL cover (like the Prefolds).  These are commonly used for night nappies, though some people use them during the day.  I don't know a lot about them, and I don't know anyone who uses them.  I might try and grab one to review?

I wanted to mention, too, that some local councils around Australia have MCNs available to borrow through their local libraries (or other networks), in a bid to encourage their residents to use MCNs instead of disposable nappies.  There are other non-government nappy lending options in Australia, too, so it's worth having a google if you're interested in trying some out before purchasing.  Many companies (including retailers like Darlings Downunder) also offer mixed trial packs to purchase at a reduced cost.

So - did you stick it out to the end?  Are you still here?  Do you have any questions, or requests for reviews?