12 Things You NEED in Your Diaper Bag
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1. & 2. Diapers and Wipes
The two must haves!
A good number of diapers to keep in your diaper bag at all times is three to five. Personally, I only keep three because we only go out for a few hours at a time, but if baby was staying at a sitters house for work let’s say then I would keep a minimum of five diapers.
As far as wipes, purchasing wipes that come with the plastic top to open and close is very helpful. This way you don’t have to buy a seperate wipe case and constantly refill it. A personal favorite are the Target Up & Up wipes, specifically the sensitive skin line which have no scent.
3. Baby Toys
Keeping small toys in your diaper bag is a must especially when your on the go because it gives baby something clean to chew on and keeps them occupied when the grocery line is too long or your online order is taking too long to come out.
A few faves:
Baby toy keys are a great option because baby can chew on them and feel the texture on their gums. The ball on these specific keys rattle.. two in one deal here!
The popular Sophie the Giraffe is also a great teething option. A little on the pricey side for a teether.
Rattle that is easy for tiny fingers to grab.
4. Swaddle Blanket
You can get so many uses out of a good swaddle blanket!
You can use it exactly what it’s intended for..swaddling when baby is an infant.
Nursing cover.. now that my baby is 5 months old I still keep a swaddle in my bag for this exact purpose and I also use it as a…
Car Seat Cover.. whether the sun is too bright and you want to cover baby’s eyes or it’s a windy day having a light blanket is always handy!
Our favorite is this light muslin swaddle from Amazon!
5-7 Burp Cloth, Bib, Change of Clothes
5. Burp Cloths are great to have to clean up any spit ups.
6. Bib.. we all know what this is for but it’s a must to protect baby’s clothes from getting soak and wet or stained during feedings.
7. Extra clothes because blow outs, stains, and wet clothes happen with babies even though we try to avoid them. Keep in mind of the weather. Currently it’s April in NJ and the weather is very unpredictable so we have both long sleeve and short sleeve options.
I keep these items in a black mesh bag to keep my bag organized. They are from Amazon.
8-12 Baby Toiletries You Need on the Go!
8. Have you ever experience a diaper blow out so bad you want to throw the whole baby away.. in the tub that is. Because you never know when and where you might be, baby body wash is a must to keep in your diaper bag. The Cetaphil Baby Wash and Shampoo (travel size) is something I didn’t have to buy because it came in my Amazon Registry Box. Keeping all those little toiletries that come as samples from your doctors office or registry welcome kits will make stocking up your toiletry bag a breeze!
9. Sun Block - to protect baby and even yourself from the sun. This Baby Bum Sun Block is a mess free option that you can swipe onto baby and rub in!
10. Diaper Ointment - Diaper rashes don’t stop while your out. Luckily, Aquaphor gets it and made diaper bag friendly ointments but you can always use your preferred diaper ointment.
11. Chapstick - This one is for you mom! Add a back up chapstick for the diaper bag.
12. Hand Sanitizer - Clean hands please! Thank you Target travel size aisle.
Extra but not extra
Changing Pad - protect your car, I mean your baby, from the dirty carpet floor with a changing pad. Also useful when your in public restrooms and you don’t want to lay baby down directly on the changing table that everyone else uses. Side note: If you purchase the regular sized Luli Bebe Monaco Bag, it comes with a changing pad. I got the petit version since I only pack the necessities and it doesn’t come with one.
Formula Dispenser - If your baby is formula fed this is a must! There are three compartments in a formula dispenser in which you can prescoop the exact amount of formula you need.
Example: If you baby is drinking 6oz, you would pre-scoop 3 scoops of formula in each compartment. This gives you enough formula for 3 bottles in one formula dispenser. You would also pre-pour 6oz of water in each bottle so all you have to do when you’re out and about is dump one side of the formula dispenser in your bottle and shake! I’ve used this with all of my babies and it has been super helpful instead of carrying a whole can of formula with us.
Nipple Shield/Case - If you have ever breastfed a baby and had to use a nipple shield this one is for you! I wish I would have known about this sooner so I didn’t have to just throw my nipple shield in my bag and pray for the best. Having a case for your nipple shield prevents your nipple shield from getting dirty and allows you to quickly find it. IYKYK
Mini Wallet -This one is personal but I like having a seperate small mini wallet for my diaper bag. This one from Coach is perfect because I can keep my two most used cards on the outside for quick easy access!
The Diaper Bag
A functional diaper bag was really important to me this time around because for my previous babies I never had a bag that I LOVED and that was functional. They were always too big, lacked functionality, or screamed diaper bag.
The Luli Bebe Diaper Bag had everything I wanted:
Back Pack option - having a hands free option was important to me so I can hold my other kids hands
Stroller Straps - another hands free option
Easy to clean interior - interior is a satin, wipeable, and is a 100% stain resistant material
Lots of pockets (there’s nine total) for easy access and storage
It also comes in two different sizes which was why I went with this specific brand. I personally wanted a smaller bag option because once baby hits 12 months, I pack significantly less stuff which leaves me with a huge bag with not much in it and it looks silly. I’ve never seen a diaper bag company keep that in mind, but Luli Bebe got it right with offering different sizes for different stages and needs.
The regular Luli Bebe Monaco Diaper bag comes with a changing pad. I would suggest this size if you have multiple little ones. Since my second youngest is five and in school, I don’t have to pack anything for him anymore which led me to the petit version.
If you are looking for a stylish Diaper Bag with functionality, check out Luli Bebe and save 25%!
Update Video: 16 Must-Have Baby Items: Inside My Ultimate Diaper Bag for a One-Year-Old | Minimal Essentials