Diaper Bag Basics

You quickly learn that to take a trip anywhere with your baby, even a quick dash to the store, requires carrying a ton of STUFF along! Interestingly, though diapers are only a small percentage of the "necessities" you have to lug around, the luggage you cram it all into is inevitably referred to as a diaper bag. You never know what you will need when you are out and about! Babies are unpredictable by their very nature. It is one of the things that makes them so exciting and adorable. But, don't let them lull you into a sense of cooing comfort. Just when you think you have them figured out, they will throw you a Major League curve ball.

I found this out quickly, when I decided to just "run to the store" one day without a diaper bag. Little did I know that my daughter had scheduled a character building session for her mommy and high on the lesson plan was an exercise we will call "Ready Or Not, Here It Comes". It goes something like this, 1) your baby is quietly playing with a toy, 2) your baby makes a cute noise to get your attention, 3) your baby throws up what appears to be a weeks worth of cottage cheese, or baby food that resembles it closely, all over her outfit. The normal reaction is stunned silence, followed by a sudden sinking realization that you are left without a way to clean her up. You convince yourself that that is exactly why a super prepared mother like yourself left that clean sweatshirt in the car to begin with. To make it short and to the point, I was mortified!

Thinking I had learned my lesson, and fully expecting my daughter to spring a final exam on me at anytime, I started going out of the house "gunning for bear". I made checklists of every possible item I might need. I went over scenario after scenario to assure myself I would never be caught off guard again. The result? I over packed and wound up with an aching back within a few minutes out the door. The bag was so overstuffed with needless items that I couldn't even find the things I needed! I couldn't get it right!

Since I had my son, I found myself in a conundrum again with the diaper bag. How much did I need to pack anyway so that I would be prepared but not overburdened? I didn't want to be dragging unnecessary items along.

Here is a simple checklist of items that I found were must haves when I went anywhere for more than a few hours:

4 diapers

Baby wipes in a travel container

Diaper ointment-Try to choose an oinment that can do double duty as a moisturizer or lip balm, such as Aquaphor. If you're anything like me, your diaper bag may be doing double duty as a handbag too.

Changing pad (this is a must-never rest your baby on a surface that is unsanitary). You don't have to make it fancy either. You can choose to carry disposable pads that take up a bit less room.

2 extra changes of clothes-keep it simple, onesies and stretchies will do

1 burp cloth-this is good to have on hand since it can do double duty as a towel to use should you have a big mess and not have paper towels available

2 bibs -Depending on what stage your baby is in, you may be able to get away with disposable bibs. But you will want the fabric kind if your child is teething or drooling frequently.

Formula and bottles (depending on how long you will be out)

A small blanket

A small toy-something to use to distract a fussy infant could be the thing that makes your outting more bareable should you be delayed for any reason

A plastic bag for dirty clothes

Antibacterial hand cleanser or wipes (a must for places you can't wash your hands or to cut down on germs)

If your child loves the pacifier, by all means make this a must have. Don't leave home without it!!

Now as your baby grows and changes, you will learn what more or less you will need. But this simple checklist has helped me tremendously. Remember too, that nothing says you can't keep a spare bag in the car for additional items you may need. In fact, this is handy way to cut down on carrying too much. Having 2 bags, one you carry with you and one you stash in the car, is the best way to keep things simple and to ensure you have EVERYTHING you could ever need when traveling with children.

One more thing, if there is anything I have learned while having children is that it is nearly impossible as a Mom to keep YOUR clothes clean. So it's a good idea to have a change of clothes for you depending on where you are traveling to. To show up to your destination looking a mess because your baby spit up on you or had a different kind of accident, is no fun!