diaper bag

A diaper bag is pretty much just a bag with organizing pockets/compartments and the ability to handle spills and messes. You can create this using a normal bag or a proper diaper bag. I have ended up with several diaper bags or diaper-bag-like items, I think for good reasons. Most of the bag contents are in subdivided little bags (packing envelopes like this are great), so it's pretty easy to swap between bags. A quick note on organizers and little bags: there's just a lot that you want or need to have on hand in the diaper bag, particularly in the first few months. To give you an idea, my diaper bag check list in the early days was something like this:

  • Diapers
  • Wipes
  • Aquaphor (optional, but helps prevent diaper rash and we used for all diaper changes for the first few months)
  • Diaper changing pad/station
  • Disposable changing sheet (chux or disposable changing pads, for the gross and inevitable times you find yourself changing your baby's diaper on a disgusting floor)
  • Back-up outfit
  • Wet bag
  • Bib
  • Burp cloth
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Bottle(s) in insulated bag
  • Pacifier and pacifier holder
  • Nursing cover
  • Nursing pads
  • Blanket
  • Toys

It's a lot, so it helps to have little organizer bags to keep it all straight.

An important determinant of the right diaper bag for you will be the amount of time your child will be away from the house. For example, if you are at home or have a nanny, you might just need a small or medium bag to accommodate outings for a few hours. On the other hand, if you are taking your child to daycare for an entire day, you will probably need something on the larger side that can hold a full day's worth of bottles, extra outfits, diapers, etc. With all of that as background, here are my thought on bags:

  • Stroller Organizer - I have a Britax stroller organizer and I love it because it's a place to store keys, phone, wallet and other crucial stuff when you just want to run out of the house quickly, and it creates extra drink holders (sippy cup for baby, coffee/water for parents). Also, it is small enough that you can still hook on your diaper bag and they both fit. That said, for the best compatibility, check to see if there is a specific organizer that goes with your specific stroller model.
  • You can use a regular bag with an organizational insert. Packing envelopes, a Samorga organizer (ignore the jenky website - the product is great and they customize it exactly to your bag) or ToteSavvy are all good options. The problems with a regular bag are:
    1. The strap lengths aren't optimized for a stroller (for example, a regular bag might scrape the curb or stairs and get destroyed very quickly), so you should test it out and/or plan to just store your bag under the stroller
    2. Most diaper bags have interior materials that are in some way waterproof or able to deal with spills and wet things relatively easily. Most normal bags are not, and as a result, will get much grosser much faster
  • Everyday diaper bag that I don't worry about and that my nanny can use (or, that you wouldn't mind leaving with your child at daycare). I have this $50 Hip Cub striped bag that I have grown to really like. I don't care if it gets destroyed, it has convenient straps (shoulder, hand, and stroller lengths) and I'm comfortable with the idea that it might just get worn out and replaced periodically. A note on the Hip Cub bag: it's not huge. For me, this is a benefit, as I like something more compact, but if you need a larger bag, this one isn't for you. On the fancier end of the spectrum, lots of people like PacaPod, which makes diaper bags in a really nice leather that don't look like diaper bags. The MZ Wallace diaper bag is popular too, though I think a major drawback is that the design is very feminine, which can make it less appealing for dad use. For a brief period my husband and I contemplated having "his" and "hers" diaper bags, but that  leads to a lot of unnecessary redundancy, so we have happily landed in a place where we share a more gender neutral diaper bag. The SoYoung Charlie bag was designed for just this reason, but I found that bag to be an awkward shape (disproportionately thick, so it sort of stuck out too much from my body when I was carrying it).
  • Travel or Big Diaper Bag for when you need more room for more stuff (like back-up shirts for yourself when you are on a flight with a baby -- one time we were pooped on en route to Hawaii!). For travel it's especially important to have a bag that zips shut so baby gear doesn't go flying during take off or landing. I got this Lesportsac Ryan bag in black and it's great -- the capacity of this bag is substantial, but it's not so big that it wouldn't make sense for everyday use -- we actually use ours a lot outside of trips.
  • Curve ball / pro move: get a backpack. Backpacks are awesome for keeping your hands free, and I've noticed that lots of mom friends migrate towards a backpack as kids get older (the thought of holding a 20+ pound child and a heavy shoulder bag is daunting).