Traveling with incontinence doesn’t have to slow you down or stop you from going on a vacay.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

1 – If you are traveling by plane, train or bus, try to always ensure that you pick an aisle seat, close to the washroom, so that you can easily access it when nature calls.

As a reminder, buses, trains & planes have limited waste bins. So, plan ahead for this concern & use an adult brief or adult diaper that has a higher absorbency rating (for example an overnight rating), so that you won’t have to change as frequently. This also works best for those who don’t feel any warning signs of an impending void, or if the warning signs don’t come early enough to get to the bathroom.

When looking for adult diapers or adult briefs, it is necessary to use for hospital grade products.  Hospital grade incontinence products have the more features, for about the same cost. Hospital quality products offer better odor control, more discreet fit, elastic legs, etc.  When compared to store bought products, hospital grade products win hands down. Hospital quality incontinence products are ideal for lengthy journeys.

This tip also applies to those who travel by vehicle for their holidays. In the US, rest stops can be found very easily on the major highways of the country, but many other countries don’t offer this escape route. So, if you are traveling on the back roads of the US, or the highways of Canada, Australia, Japan, etc, you will be better off to use a highly absorbent, hospital grade, incontinence product.

2 – Pack all of your incontinence products into a bag (aka: convenient travel kit). This could be a shoulder bag, a backpack, a business case, etc.  You can think of many ways to disguise your ‘adult diaper bag’ so that nobody but you knows that you’ve got your incontinence products with you. Necessary items for your bag include:

• Extra underwear, adult briefs & outer clothes
• Travel soap & disposable wash clothes or wipes
• Plastic bags for clean & easy disposal (you should be able to find ‘nappy bags’ at your local dollar store in the baby section, or alternatively, you can use ‘poop bags’ for dogs if you can find diaper disposal bags).
• Barrier cream – whether you need Dimethicone cream for skin conditions you may already have, or you want to have skin protectant – to prevent skin conditions.

3 – Watch hat you eat and drink. If you are traveling for long periods (for example flights, trains, bus trips), limit your liquid consumption prior to your trip & during your trip. However, do not allow yourself to become dehydrated – doing so will cause headaches, nausea, etc. So, a quick list of those items to avoid are:

• Anything with caffeine (ie: tea, coffee & soft drinks)
• Salty snacks & drinks; such as chips (crisps), peanuts or other nut mixtures, soft drinks, etc,
• Alcohol

4 – Plan Ahead. Make the most of your vacation. If you plan on visiting museums, parks, etc, make sure to have a map (usually found at the reception area or visitor’s centers). Identify where the public restrooms are for quick & easy access. Don’t forget to bring your “travel kit” (diaper bag) so you won’t be short of supplies & left in an embarrassing situation.

A great place to map out bathrooms, that we found, is the NAFC (The National Association for Continence).  They have an interactive ‘find-a-bathroom’ map on their site that shows you where the bathrooms are!

Always plan for a bathroom break about 30 minutes after meals, when on the road. Also, don’t make any drastic changes to your diet when on holiday, as this could have drastic consequences. Always carry water with you, so you won’t be tempted with caffeinated/salty drinks.

5 – Daily routines. It’s very easy when on holiday to forget your daily routines. With incontinence, that cannot happen. Always make time for your pelvic floor exercises.

Knowing how to properly manage your incontinence by planning ahead – & NOT allowing your incontinence to manage you – will allow you to get out & enjoy your holidays. So, go ahead & start planning your holiday…today!