Stories like the one I described above have been a staple in my set of life travel experiences (and the experiences of many others who have to deal with incontinence). It is extremely easy to feel powerless and frustrated when this particular issue decides to attack, especially when you find yourself in the oh-so-delicate situation of travel.
As with every challenge in life that we face, we have two decisions given to us: we can feel like the absolute victim of our circumstance and let it heartlessly control our outcome, OR we can say to ourselves, "What are all the possible actions I can take in order to take charge and create the future that I want?"
Here is a go-to chart for you to reference whenever you are preparing for your next travel experience. If you are prepared and know what to expect in every possible situation, you will be equipped to take control of your excursion in a bold and fearless way. My goal is to help avoid the situation above from happening to you too!
You may not be able to stop your bladder, but you can definitely stop the fear of travel with incontinence – so let’s go!
TRANSPORTATION
AIR TRAVEL – A long flight can be daunting, but if you follow these steps to prepare, you can have a sky-high experience:
- Products to Have:
- Pre-Travel
-
-
Prep: Create prep bag of incontinence product of your choice, wipes, towels, extra pants, underwear, and urinary products (Carry this with you – don’t let them put it in the above compartments!)
-
Request: Ask for an on-flight aisle chair and how large the on-flight bathroom is
-
- At the Airport
-
-
Prep: Use the bathroom 15 minutes before boarding (and get a fresh product on!)
-
Prep: Don’t drink too much before the flight, especially hot drinks, alcohol, or caffeine.
-
Request: (Wheelchair users) Check with flight attendants to double check that they have an aisle chair (and are willing to use it!)
-
- On the Flight
-
-
Requests: (Wheelchair users) Ask flight attendants what times work best for them to help you to the bathroom. They likely won’t be able to help you during the on-flight food service.
-
Prep: Put a blanket or towel underneath you if you feel you may have multiple accidents, especially for long flights.
-
CAR TRAVEL – While road trips can be much more flexible than flying, there are still things to keep in mind to keep you comfortable on the open road.
- Products to Have:
- Pre-Travel
-
Prep: Create prep bag of incontinence product of your choice, wipes, towels, extra pants, underwear, and urinary products.
-
Prep: Avoid hot drinks, alcohol, and caffeine – they make you need to pee more!
-
Prep: Map out the best places to go to a bathroom along your route, especially for a trip when you are going through extremely rural areas – more populated areas are more likely to have accessible rest stops.
-
Prep: Wear loose clothing to aid in changing out of the product if you’re not able to get to a bathroom quickly
-
- During Travel
-
Requests: Make sure to communicate with your travel companion about when you think you will need to make stops and approximately how many. This will make you have a smoother, less stressful experience.
-
LODGING
A stay away from home can come with many unexpected challenges when it comes to bathrooms and incontinence. Prepare like a pro with these tips!
HOTEL/CRUISE
- Products to Have:
-
Requests: (Wheelchair users) Book a wheelchair accessible room and double check that the front desk still has it when you check in. (Sometimes they get mixed up!)
-
Prep: When you arrive, find where the accessible bathrooms are in the building or on the ship. This can be extremely helpful to know during a bathroom emergency.
-
Prep: Bring an extra product or two for your excursions out of the hotel or off the boat, but keep a stash in your room’s bathroom so that they are easily accessed when you return.
FRIEND’S HOME
- Products to Have:
-
Requests: (Wheelchair users) Ask your friend ahead of time what their bathroom layout is like and how wide the door is.
-
Prep: If the bathroom situation is not easily adaptable, bring a portable bedside commode for your room. (This is a great item to keep with you on your trips in order to deal with unexpected situations!)
-
Prep: Bring bed pads just in case you have a nighttime issue – it’s not fun to have that awkward morning conversation with a friend who let you sleep on their spare bed!
No matter what your travel plans are, Attends products can be the perfect sidekick for a worry-free trip. Attends uses high-quality, absorbent materials to ensure that you won’t have to face a situation like I did on my way to South America. From now on, I always make sure to only travel with Attends!
