Babies

What I Pack in My Diaper Bag

Before you become a mom, you only ever worry about carrying around things that you’ll need. The minute you become a mom, you not only carry around what you need (which suddenly becomes more than before anyway), but also what baby needs. The first time I packed my diaper bag, I totally overpacked. The backpack was so heavy and I had to dig around so much just to find one specific item. I quickly began the process of elimination and came up with a method of organization for my diaper bag. After taking several outings with my 3 month old, I have learned what is worth hauling around, and what isn’t. Depending on where I’m going with the baby and how long I’ll be out, I pack a bit differently. I’ll share some items that I have used and things that I find to be very helpful.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on the links and purchase an item, I might receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Diaper Bag

Obviously you need to buy a diaper bag (or add one to your registry) in order to pack one. I have been through 3 diaper bags with my 3 month old (I know, it’s ridiculous, the first two just didn’t give me what I needed), so I feel like I really know what is good in a diaper bag. I got THIS diaper bag from my registry and I absolutely LOVE it. It has so many pockets and sections. I like to organize my diaper bag with these categories: Stuff for mom, diaper stuff, feeding stuff, extra stuff for baby. These categories make it easier for me to find what I am looking for in a quick moment. I highly recommend this diaper bag. It isn’t the cheapest, but it is really worth it because you will love it!

Stuff for Mom

In my “mom” section, I pack things that I would normally pack in my purse. I have my wallet and keys, a few snacks for me, an extra phone charger, band-aids and pills for emergencies, hand sanitizer and a mask (because ya know, COVID and all), and an extra shirt because babies tend to spit up on you as soon as you go out in public. If there is anything else that you usually keep in your purse, this is a good section to add that stuff!

Diaper Stuff

In this pocket, I obviously pack diapers. My baby goes through around 6-8 diapers a day, so I don’t usually keep more than 4 diapers in the diaper bag unless I will be gone all day. I also have a package of wipes and a changing pad to lay the baby on. Something that has been a lifesaver to keep in this pocket is a grocery bag! If your baby has a blowout in public, you won’t want to be shoving those nasty clothes in your clean diaper bag. Having a grocery bag or two on hand is great for any dirty laundry (for you or baby) or any other messes that might require a grocery bag. I’ve also heard of people keeping doggy bags in their diaper bag, which I think is a great idea! I haven’t tried it yet though. I also keep basic things like diaper rash creams and lotions in this pocket.

Feeding Stuff

Now this is a big category. In this pocket, I have stuff for breastfeeding and formula feeding because I do both, but you can adjust it to whatever you do!

Breastfeeding Stuff

For breastfeeding, I keep a cover so that I can nurse in public. I really like THIS one from Amazon. It’s dark so you can’t see through it, and it is sooo soft and stretchy. It’s actually really cheap too. Easily my favorite nursing cover I have! I also keep some extra breast pads and lanolin cream for myself. If you are needing to, you’ll also want to pack your pump! One more thing that is important- burp cloths! I try to have at least 3 in my diaper bag because spit-up can be messy! I really like THESE muslin burp cloths from Amazon. They are definitely my favorite burp cloths that I’ve found!

Formula Bottle Feeding

When it comes to formula feeding, there is a little bit more that you need to carry along. I pack a bottle, formula, and a burp cloth (the same muslin ones linked above). I use THIS formula dispenser and I love it! It has 3 separated spots to put the formula in and it’s so handy to use on the go! This dispenser would be great if you have a baby that is eating solids. It can be a snack dispenser too!

Extra/Random Stuff for Baby

In this category, I keep everything else that I could need on an outing. I usually keep an extra outfit in this pocket. I will have a onesie, pants, socks, mittens, and a hat if it’s cold out. I try to keep a bib or two in here as well. You never know when the baby will have a blowout or a bad spit-up accident and you’ll need to change their clothes. I also keep an extra receiving blanket in this pocket. There have been many times where I needed that extra blanket for some reason, so I’m glad I had it packed!

My baby has been sleep trained pretty good (from the Taking Cara Babies course-which I 10000% recommend), so he always sleeps with a sound machine. I have THIS portable one that I keep in the diaper bag so he can use it when he naps in his car seat. It is cheap and easy to use. This specific one that I linked, has different sounds (like lullabys, ocean waves, bird chirps, etc). I like to use the ocean waves as the white noise and it works great! This sound machine also has a ring clip, so it’s convenient to hook onto the car seat!

Another thing that has been a lifesaver to keep in the diaper bag is THIS portable mobile. Around 2 months old, my baby started to LOVE looking at everything. I found this portable mobile and he absolutely loves it! It has music that plays and it spins slowly so that the baby can really study out the little objects hanging from it. I definitely recommend getting this! It clips onto the car seat handle and it’s great!

I also really like to keep a binky clip in the diaper bag. I don’t use binky clips all day, every day, so there are many times when I’m out and about and realize that I forgot a binky clip. Then I become paranoid about the binky dropping at a place where I can’t wash it off and it just causes more stress than is necessary. Keep an extra binky clip in your diaper bag! Along that same line, I also try to keep an extra binky in the diaper bag in case I leave the house without one. The last thing I want to do is not have a binky to comfort my babe when he’s crying uncontrollably.

Summary

Organizing your diaper bag will help you easily check and make sure you grabbed everything you need. I organize my diaper bag with diaper stuff, feeding stuff, mom’s stuff, and extra/random baby stuff. I really like all of the products that I linked in this post and would highly recommend getting them or adding them to your baby registry! Do you have any other must-haves that you add to your diaper bag? Tell me in the comments!

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