I’ve had a nice break this summer – from the constant presence of the diaper bag anyway, if not from anything else.
Lily went to full time panties in June and I carried around a bag for a couple weeks after that. As she became more reliable I left a change of clothes in the car and resurrected my long forgotten purse. It was great! I felt like I had lost about 20 pounds! I only brought the diaper bag with me if we were going to be stuck in one place for very long, like a waiting room, to carry some extra activities. But even that became less and less after I realized that our mini magna-doodle fit in my purse.
Now I find myself waddling about, preparing for the new baby’s arrival, and contemplating adding the extra baggage back in.
I know some people cloth diaper and manage to travel lightly. I’m not one of those people. If I bring with me everything I could possibly need (and then some) on an outing, I won’t need to touch any of it, or at least very little. But if I bring the very basics, then baby will spit up, have an explosive diaper, and decide that now is the time we must have that extra blanket. It just seems to be one of those Murphy’s Laws of Parenting.
Older babies are a little more dependable than newborns as to what they need in a diaper bag. So I do tend to downsize later on. But in a few weeks here I will be traveling along with a newborn and two year old almost everywhere I go. (Adding in the older children many other times too.) So I need to start with well prepared and work down from there.
So I sat down with my bag this morning and started to pack it and realized – I’m a little out of practice here.
I started with:
- Diapers – generally 3 in the bag, more to be added for a long outing
- Extra cover
- Wipes/squirt bottle – need to get a new squirt bottle, my 4-year-old absconded with the old one
- Receiving blanket – big enough to swaddle in (or mop up a giant spit up)
- Wet bag – better not forget that!
- Outfit – onesie and footie
- Nursing pads – I always have extras since I seem to be distantly related to Old Faithful.
- Mommy stuff – wallet, phone, and lip gloss
So what am I forgetting? What do you mommies pack in your newborn diaper bag?
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This is what I’ve been packing for my 5-month old to go to daycare everyday:
-4 AIO diapers
-1 flannel swaddling blanket (for on the floor)
-4 bottles (5 oz) breastmilk
-assorted toys/teething things
-wet bag (size medium)
-change of clothes
We just keep a stash of wipes, burp rags, and an extra set of clothes at the daycare. This works pretty well, and I’m pretty proud of myself (I know this sounds silly) for going back to work full time but continuing to breastfeed and cloth diaper my baby.
I just happened upon your site, and thought I would comment. I’m just about to have my 2nd baby, and need to rethink my current diaper bag. *sigh*
Let’s see if I can visualize what will be in the NB bag:
wetbag w/ change of clothes
3-4 diapers
case of wipes
hand sanitizer
powder
burp cloth/small receiving blanket
nursing cover
sling
nursing pads
disposable baggies
toddler stuff:
bag of snacks
a couple bibs
sippy cup w/ jc
sometimes toys
pacifier
blankie
mommy stuff:
lip gloss
camera
wallett
I usually keep an extra diaper bag of diapers, wipes, and some clothes in the car just in case. I’ll probably keep an extra shirt in there in case of leakage or spitup.
Food!! I don’t know about other moms, but I was hungrier as a nursing mom than when I was pregnant. So my bag consisted of:
3-4 extra diaper chages (whatever system I was using at the time.
disposable wipes (saved the wash cloths for home)
Receiving blanket or two
Sling and / or nursing cover depending on which carrier I was using.
2-3 Disposable nursing pads (again, saving the cloth for home use so I didn’t have to carry around the dirty ones)
Change of clothes for baby
Bulb Syringe
baby hat / sunscreen
granola bars, dried fruit, and a stainless steel insulated water bottle. Always needed cold water.
baby toys.
My car however had an emergency ‘crate’ of diapers, wipes, food, toys, blankets, clothing etc., so I could travel with a lighter diaper bag.
I always carry a thermometer and some tylenol. I guess it is the nurse im me but one time we went on vacation and my daughter got sick and we could not find a drug store and the hotel was no help. I also carry sunscreen and a hat.
Great ideas everyone! Keep them coming!
Also, doesn’t hurt to put some postpartum stuff for yourself in there – panty liners, etc. for those first month (or more, boo).
With a new baby, don’t forget an extra shirt for yourself. At least in the car. As for the restocking issue, my “backup” disposable diaper, which doesn’t take up much space, got used more than I care to admit!
Awesome post. As I am about to birth my first baby, I am in need of advice as to what to keep in that baby bag. I welcome all the advice from the comments too!
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Depending on how far you’re going, you might want more, my bag is always packed to the hilt, but we’re always more than an hour from home when we go anywhere, I don’t even bother with a bag for a trip to the grocery store anymore, bum genius takes care of all her needs (although her deciding to curl her face into my shirt when she just sneezed is making me ponder at least carrying some sort of wipe). I second the nose thing, I always need it when I don’t have it. If you use a binky at all, might stow an extra one of those in a side pocket as well. Oh and since its flu season, HAND SANITIZER!!!
I second the nose bulb/sucker thingy.
For the first few weeks I always keep a nose bulb/sucker thingy (that’s the technical term!!) in there. Nursing moms also frequently need a snack (granola bar, etc.) and a bottle of water.
I always have a few bandages and alcohol wipes. For the kids? No, it is part of my “mommy stuff.” I am accident prone.
I have a 9-year-old and a 1-year-old. My bag has a waterproof deck of cards. If the baby gets a hold of one, no damage done. Wipe it off and continue playing.
Can’t leave without my extra fabric baby pouch. It is a blanket, cart cover, mop, holder, and hider.
With this stuff I can entertain, carry, and fix the booboos, but I have been known to not restock the diapers!
If I left the house is was only for long outings and generally brought:
6 diapers
8 washcloths
bottle of water (for making washcloth wipes)
changing pad
two changes of clothes
baby socks
baby blanket
1 tri-fold diaper
wallet, phone (mommy stuff)
plastic grocery bags for dirty diapers