10 Diaper Bag Essentials
As a brand new mom, I have experienced firsthand the importance of packing a diaper bag not only efficiently, but without forgetting any of the essentials. With the busyness of every day life and the added stress of preparing to leave the house with a new baby in tow, I decided to compile a handy, go-to list of 10 diaper bag essentials.
No matter where you are headed with your new little one, your diaper bag will be your permanent accessory for at least a year or two! Here are diaper bag essentials I have learned never to leave the house without:
Let’s start with the most important item first…diapers, diapers, and more diapers! New babies go through way more diapers than I ever imagined, so these are a MUST! Remember…better to have too many than not enough! (Check back to the blog for a later post about my favorite brands and deals on diapers). And of course, plenty of baby wipes are always a necessity. (I like to use the travel packs of wipes that come with the closeable lid on top for freshness).
Third, no matter how long or short your outing with baby is going to be…always be prepared with an extra bottle or two. Whether you breastfeed or formula feed, it is good to pack extra just in case you are gone longer than expected. The fourth and fifth items go along with the feeding…and I learned these two were necessities the hard way! After completely staining a couple of outfits, I finally learned to double check the diaper bag for a clean burp cloth and an extra bib! You will use these more often than you realize! Especially when your little one starts teething and drool is a constant!
That leads me into the sixth necessity that every mom needs in her diaper bag…a change of clothes! Maybe even two spare outfits and/or onesies. It is inevitable, even when using a burp cloth and bib, that your little one WILL spit up unexpectedly or have a diaper that leaks! Being prepared with spare clothes will save you from having to make a quick run to Target mid-outing. (I know this from experience.)
Depending on the age of your little one, never leave the house without a blanket in the diaper bag. If you are heading out the door with a newborn/infant, always pack a swaddle blanket. Infants not only need to stay warm, but he/she tends to love the comfort of being wrapped in a blanket. Once your baby gets a little older, regular baby blankets are good for keeping your little one from getting cold or helping he/she get to sleep for a nap while you are shopping or running errands.
The eighth essential in every diaper bag is diaper rash cream of some sort. (Check back for a future post about my very favorite brand!) This comes in handy whenever you notice your baby getting a little red during frequent diaper changes and prevents a worse rash later on.
The last two diaper bag necessities I picked solely based on the experience I had with my new little one. She is generally a very happy baby, but when she gets gas bubbles in her tummy, she gets very fussy! I hate to see her in pain or struggling so gas relief medicine (I prefer Mylicon brand) is a MUST! As your little one gets older, add some infant Tylenol in the diaper bag as well…you never know when you will need it. Both of these items have come in very handy for me on the go!
I hope this list of diaper bag essentials will help all of you new moms better prepare for your outings with baby. It is certainly not all-inclusive, but a great starting point filled with the basic necessities every baby tends to need. Now, get packing…and don’t forget to check back regularly for more on the products I love most and reviews.
