So today I felt like talking about what to pack in your babies diaper bag. As you all may know, I have 4 children that range from 8 month old twins to an 11 year old. Needless to say I have been toting a diaper bag for quite some time.
First off you need a diaper bag. I have had quite a few in my 11 years of being a mom, so my advice to you is don't skimp on quality. With my first son I went through 5-7 diaper bags because I bought cheap one that just wouldn't hold up. I'm not saying you need to go out and spend $300 bucks on a diaper bag, but I will say you get what you pay for. First time moms and moms that are planning on having more children should really consider splurging on a nice diaper bag. It will be worth it in the long run when you have only needed that one diaper bag instead of going through multiple diaper bags and wasting money.
By the time I had my second son, I bought a ThirtyOne large zippered utility tote. I loved this bag. They come in so many different patterns/colors that you can find something that you like. They retail for $35. To me that is a steal! It has outside pockets for baby bottles and plenty of space inside for everything your baby needs. With my twins I went with a Skip Hop Duo Double diaper bag. I tend to over pack the diaper bag and I knew with twins that I definitely needed a big bag to hold it all. They retail for $85. If you don't mind a used bag you can always look on your local trade sites or on Ebay. I bought mine for $47 off of Ebay and it was in excellent condition. As soon as it came in I washed it and then started packing it. It fit everything that I needed with a little extra space left over. I ended up switching to a backpack style diaper bag only because it was easier to wear and carry twin infant carriers. With the shoulder style bag, it kept sliding off of my shoulder. A backpack style diaper bag was easier for me to wear and put less strain on my already sore back and shoulders (Carrying twins is no joke!) because it even distributed the weight.
So after doing a little research I went with Ju-Ju-Be. I ended up buying 2 and I have to say I LOVE THEM!!! They are a little on the pricey side but if you watch Zulily, Amazon and even Ju-Ju-Be you can fond them on sale. The two bags that I got were the Ju-Ju-Be Be Nurtured and the Ju-Ju-Be Be Right Back Legacy. The Be Nurtured bag is essentially a pump bag but I used it as a regular diaper bag. I bought both of mine off of Amazon. Lets just be honest, I buy just about everything from Amazon. For a while each twin had their own diaper bag because they were in different sizes in clothing, diapers and also on different formula so it was just easier for them to have their own bag instead of digging trying to find the right size. Now they share one and are wearing and eating the same thing.
Now onto the actual point of this post! When you pack your little ones diaper bag you need to make sure you have the following:
* Diapers- I pack at least 5-8. Depending on how long I plan to be gone. I figure on 1 diaper per hour that you will be away from home.
* Wipes- I get the wipes in the little throw away containers. They are perfect for the diaper bag and they don't take up as much room as a wipe container box would.
* Bottles- I tend to take about 4-5 bottles per baby for a day out. They say 1 bottle for every 3 hours, but sometimes babies just want to eat a little more so I make sure I have a couple extra just to be on the safe side. I also tend to take one or two extra formula servings in case of mishaps or if needed for a feed.
* Clothing- I always have 3 extra outfits per baby. You never know if your little one will have a blowout or will throw up (yes, this will happen at some point). Don't forget socks!
* Pacifiers- I have 2 extra pacifiers per baby. It seems those little buggers go missing in a heartbeat. And when you have a screaming baby in the middle of a restaurant full of people you are going to want to find one ASAP!
* Blankets- My absolute favorite are the muslin swaddle blankets. They are lightweight and great for swaddling baby, and can be used a spit up rag. I pack 2 per baby.
* Misc- I also pack diaper rash cream, infant Tylenol, gas drops (if baby gets a tummy ache), boogie wipes (for when baby has a messy nose), baby food (if your baby is old enough), spoons, and a few bibs.
This is what I pack in my diaper bag and hopefully this helps give you an idea of what you may or may not need in yours. Leave me a comment and let me know if I have overlooked anything or if you pack something else. Have a great day!
