Packing questions- Diapers and Car seat

[cruzinlisa]

We are headed out tomorrow, so naturally I am starting to stress about whether we packed enough diapers. DD is 2. She sometimes goes potty, but I doubt she will on the ship since we will not have her potty chair. I must be a bad mother because I am not sure how many diapers/pull ups she really goes through in a day. She is at the baby sitters 5 days a week and on the weekends we are on the go alot and change her when we remember (yeah I know I am bad) or if we are home she uses the potty more.

We packed a package of pull ups which I think has 56 and then 10 to 15 more slip on diapers. Hopefully that is enough for a 7 day cruise?

 

I thought about just bringing a box of diapers and checking it with the luggage, so then I know we would have enough, but not sure how that would go over. I am trying to limit what we have to carry on- since we are going to have a 2 year old and all.

We are doing 2 days before the cruise and then driving home, so I planned on bringing extra diapers for that so we do not have to get into the ones in the suitcase.

 

I am thinking she gets changed when she wakes up, another time in the morning, then around nap, after nap, then one to two times before bed. So that is 5-6? Wow, how do I not know this.

 

Also, we are bringing DD's carseat. We do not have a carseat bag or anything and don't have time to get one now unless its readily available (like at walmart). It is not our main carseat, its grandma and grandpa's extra carseat. Are we better to carry that on. I would love to check it, but not sure if that would work. I don't care that much if it gets a little dirty, but I do not want it crushed or anything. I could put it in a trash bag or the plastic bag that it came in (which is semi sturdy plastic but no handle), if that would help. I am just trying to figure out how we can managing carrying a carseat, carry on and stroller. I am sure we can, but the carry on is heavy and the carseat is bulky. I am not sure whether DH would be able to carry the carseat and carry on bag while I push the stroller.

[cruisergirl79]

I think you should be fine with the pull ups, if there are 56 in a pack and your going on a 7 day cruise, you're looking at using about 8 per day, that seems more then even to me for a 2 yr old. I found that my DS didn't pee that much at age 2, he was 2.5 when we took him on his first cruise, mind you he was potty trained during the day, but I still took a pack of the pull ups and only used them at night, I didn't go through the whole pack.

I also took a travel size potty seat, it's so compact it fits in my purse, so if he had to go we used that on the toilet seat and he wasn't afraid, maybe that can be an option for you (I bought mine at walmart) :)

As for the car seat, we took one for DS too but ours was FAA approved so instead of checking it through, DH strapped it onto his airplane chair and he sat in his own car seat on the plane, it felt like home to him. Maybe see if yours is FAA approved so you don't have to check it in if you are afraid of damage.

We minimized our check in baggage so if was easier for DH to carry the car seat and the carry on :)

 

It seems like a lot to take with a toddler but when you do it once, you realize you didn't need half the stuff. LOL

Good luck with everything and have a GREAT TIME!!!

[boulders]

It sounds like you have enough diapers and pull ups.

 

I travelled frequently solo with my 3 kids from the time the youngest was an infant. Put the car seat on the stroller either underneath or on top of the awning or handle. I was always able to load that stroller up as we passed through airports. :p

[sunquest76]

Any airline I have flown with has put my car seat in a havy duty plastic bag before it went with the checked luggage. It does not guarantee it wont get banged up, but it helps keep it clean and dry.

[Mom2B&Z]

ITA you have enough diapers.

As for the car seat, either put it on the stroller or attach a strap to the LATCH bars (if the are exposed) so you can carry it on your back. Don't use the harness straps to carry the car seat, they are not designed to do this, which is why you want the weight on the LATCH bars. Another option would be to carry your child in a carrier (I always used my Ergo) and use the stroller to hold they car seat while you are in airports and the cruise terminal.

Bring the car seat on board the aircraft and install it with the lap belt if at all possible, this keeps your child safe on the plane and minimizes the risk of damage to your seat. Alternately gate checking would be my second choice, as I will not check a car seat as luggage.

Enjoy your trip!

[cruzinlisa]

Thanks. To clarify, we are not flying. We are driving to port. I am debating on whether to leave the carseat with the porters at the port, or carry it on to the ship ourselves.

 

Thanks everyone for reassuring me that I have enough diapers. I am sure I do, but then I remembered last cruise, she had three dirty diapers a day! We went through a lot of diapers.

 

I thought about a travel potty chair, but I am not sure she would even try it. She acts scared about sitting on a real toilet. Not sure I want to go there right now- you know what i mean. I did not want to get serious about potty training until we came back because I do not want her to regress. She has been having such a tough time transitioning from the pacifier, that I don't want to push it.

[Scrapnana]

Why are you taking the carseat?

[cruzinlisa]

Why are you taking the carseat?

 

We are taking a full day private tour in Roatan, so I want the carseat for that.

[Scrapnana]

We are taking a full day private tour in Roatan, so I want the carseat for that.

 

That makes sense. When we took my grandson (aged 2) on a cruise we only had short rides and he thought it was really exciting not to have to sit in his seat. For all day it's worth schlepping the seat.

 

Have a great cruise!