The days where you could throw your hair in a bun and walk out the door with your purse are behind you.
You’re a mom now! Which means you need to pack a diaper bag for both you and your baby’s needs.
If you forget to pack one little thing, you’ll quickly regret it.
Packing a diaper bag is really a work of art. So many essential items need to be packed for every possible situation when you’re away from home.
Especially if you’re going on an extended trip!
But don’t worry mama, you got this! Packing a diaper bag doesn’t have to be difficult.
Let’s look at some essential diaper bag items you don’t want to forget when you leave the house!
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Diaper Bag
You can’t very well pack without a diaper bag! There are a million options on the market for diaper bags. Whether you prefer totes, backpacks, big or small bags, there’s a diaper bag out there for everyone.
Overtime, I’ve gotten multiple diaper bags in order to fit my son’s needs. I switch between multiple bags often depending on where we’re going and what we’re doing.
The best advice I can give you with regards to choosing a diaper bag is to find a bag that fits your personality. Also, find a bag with plenty of storage compartments and a portable changing pad!
If you don’t have a diaper bag yet or need to make an upgrade you can find some amazing diaper bags here.
Diapers
The whole point of a diaper bag! When it comes to packing diapers, I always pack 6 as the standard number of diapers.
Now, ask yourself how long you’ll be away from the house…
The longer you and baby are away from home, the more diapers you need.
Whether you’re a cloth diapering mama or use disposable diapers, always make sure to pack enough diapers to last you the entire trip.
To have a constant resupply of your favorite diaper brand delivered right to your door, try Amazon Family.
You never have to worry about making last-minute diaper runs to the store.
Wipes
For traveling with wipes, you have a couple of options.
You can buy wipes with a flip top or you can buy wipes in bulk and purchase a reusable hard traveling case.
Although I do like the wipes with flip tops, the weight of the wipe package tends to make my diaper bag extra heavy. When I made the switch to a reusable wipes case, it saved my back.
I no longer had the extra weight of wipes I didn’t need.
The best part about a traveling wipe case is that it’s easily accessible.
Many traveling cases can be hooked onto the outside of your diaper bag.
No more digging for wipes the last-minute while changing a poopy diaper.
Diaper Rash Cream
To complete everything you need to change either cloth or disposable diapers, you need to add a diaper rash cream.
You never know if your baby will break out in a rash or needs diaper rash cream on the go.
The best diaper rash creams are those that offer natural and organic ingredients to soothe baby’s bottom.
Hand Sanitizer
Babies are messy. You never know when you need to catch puke in your hand or you accidentally get your finger smeared with poop while changing a diaper.
Trust me, I’ve been there. In times like these, baby wipes are just not enough to clean your own hands.
That’s why I never leave the house without a travel size hand sanitizer in my diaper bag!
Bottles And Formula
If you’re a formula mama, then you need to take a good amount of formula with you in your diaper bag wherever you go.
To store formula in your diaper bag, you will need formula dispenser containers.
These are a great way to pre-measure and keep formula from spilling everywhere.
When your baby is over a year old, they can double as snack container.
Of course if you don’t want to buy reusable formula containers, you can always pre-measure the formula and keep it in snack size plastic bags. I did this in the beginning.
But I do warn you that sometimes the plastic bags can get pierced causing you to have formula everywhere in your diaper bag.
However, I found the best way to keep formula is with the Mixie Formula Mixing Bottle.
This bottle has a formula container in the bottom. Just pre-measure formula for the compartment, add the desired amount of water and combine when ready to use. No mess!
Burp Rags
My son is almost 2 and I still keep 2 burp rags in my diaper bag! I don’t leave the house without them.
He’s the kinda kid who pukes a lot, so I always need and use burp rags when we’re away from the house.
Burp rags are not just for burping your baby. They can also double as clean up rags for spills and spit ups.
Tip For You: To store burp rags better and maximize space in your diaper bag, roll the burp rags. Don’t fold and lay flat. I find it they are rolled, they are much easier to undo and find in my diaper bag.
Don’t forget to take a couple of plastic grocery bags with you to store any soiled burp rags and/or cloth diapers.
Extra Clothes
When you have a baby, extra clothes are a must! Like I said, my son is a puker.
Every time we go out to eat, he always ends up puking. Even before we get our food. I don’t know what it is…
I actually keep two sets of clothes now because of this! One set always stays in the diaper bag and the second set of clothes stays in the car.
Remember to also pack extra clothes for yourself mama!
Baby Blanket
Whether you need a thicker blanket to keep baby warm or just want a blanket for extra snuggles for baby, a blanket will always come in handy.
Smaller blankets like receiving blankets fit great inside a diaper bag, but thicker blankets for warmth won’t fit.
During the winter months, I always keep a thicker blanket in the car.
Sun Hat And Sunscreen
Along with packing for cold weather with a blanket, you also need to be prepared for warmer weather.
Such items as a sun hat and sunscreen will protect baby’s skin from the heat and sunburns.
If you live in warm weather throughout the year, it may be wise to keep these items in your diaper bag at all times.
Teething Toys
Don’t leave the house without something for your baby to chew on!
Teething toys are one of those items I tend to forget frequently in my diaper bag.
I’ve had many meltdowns because my son’s teeth were hurting and he didn’t have anyway to relieve his pain by chewing because this mama forget his teethers.
Soft teething toys are a diaper bag essential for any mom with a baby over three months!
There’s so many options for teething toys on the market, but here are some of the ones I like.
Extra Toys
Children do get bord or upset fast. Sometimes a few toys will be your best friend to avoid meltdowns.
Here are a few options for toys that easily fit inside a diaper bag:
- Sassy Developmental Bumpy Ball
- IPlay 10 pc. Baby Rattles
- My First Bead Buddies Giraffe
- Lamaze Mortimer The Moose
Finger Food Snacks
Little baby fingers need to work on coordination by learning to eat with finger foods.
You can always pack along small cut up pieces of fruit and veggies or go for premade finger food snacks like…
Baby Carrier
Instead of using a stroller, you may want to do some baby wearing to stay extra close to your snuggle bug!
Many wearable baby carriers fit inside your diaper bag, depending on the size of your bag of course. While I prefer a baby carrier with buckles…
Baby carriers with buckles don’t fit as well in a diaper bag. But I would always keep mine in the car.
Other mama’s prefer a wrap style baby carrier instead. A wrap carrier can definitely fit inside your diaper bag, which is a huge plus!
Extra Items For Mom
If you are a breastfeeding mama, you’ll need to add a couple extra items to your diaper bag like a nursing cover.
You may also want to add other personal items to your diaper bag like breast pads, period pads, tampons, etc.
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Final Thoughts
Packing everything you need for baby in one bag is overwhelming. Babies require a lot of little things for the day when you’re away from home.
But with the perfect diaper bag for you and baby, you can fit everything you need!
While this list seems extensive, there’s probably baby items I forgot.
But you have to decide what’s necessary to take and what is not.
Only you know your baby’s needs and what items you need to take with you!
I believe it’s always best to be prepared with extra baby items, then compared to needing them last minute when I’m away from home.
I can remember many times where I’ve forgotten extra clothes.
When I did forget to repack the extra clothes, my son of course has a huge pukefest all over himself.
Needless to say, I went and bought a new outfit. I couldn’t leave him in puke stained clothes and we were over an hour away from home.
The lesson to this story: Be prepared!
Although this list doesn’t have everything, it is a great list to get you started to pack your diaper bag!
What items do you put in your diaper bag that you can’t live without?
Works Cited
Checklist: What to put in your diaper bag