Because my family and I are always on the go, I often get asked what I pack in my diaper bag, especially when we take long drives and are out of the house for a big portion of the day.
Let me start off by saying that organization is key and I learned that through trial and error. It took many near disasters for me to figure out what exactly we needed to bring with us to ensure a stress-free day.
For a simple outing for the day (i.e. away from home for 5-6 hours), I pack the following items in my diaper bag:
- Enfamil Formula Singles (A-mazing! I want to hug who ever invented these)
- Dr. Brown Bottles already filled with water
- Diapers – My favorite are the Huggies Little Movers due its dry touch liner. They are the best!
- Boudreaux’s Butt Paste
- Diaper changing mat
- Wipes
- Extra clothes – a layette and pants or a onesie, socks, and hat
- Burp cloths
- Bib
- Baby food (Emilia’s favorite are the Plum Organics brand)
- Baby Spoon
- Sunscreen
- Snacks (Happy Baby brand, superfood puffs)
- Hand sanitizer
For longer trips where we leave the house early in the morning and don’t get home until late in the evening I have to bring back up items.
The worst is not having something essential on hand when your child is having a meltdown! I also make sure to pack some items for Gabe just in case. I pack these items in my Longchamp Nylon Tote so as not to confuse with the essentials that are in the diaper bag. I love this bag for its versatility and durability. I can pack so much stuff in here and not be afraid of getting it dirty. The nylon material makes it very easy to clean.
In the Longchamp tote, I pack the following items:
- Extra zip lock bag filled with diapers
- An extra package of wipes
- Water bottles
- Snacks for us to munch on throughout the day
- Extra clothes for Gabe
- Toys for Emilia (this toy elephant is her favorite)
- iPad for Gabe
In addition to the items that go in my diaper and tote bags, we also bring:
- Baby Bjorn Carrier
- B.O.B Stroller
- Picnic blanket if we’ll be going to a park or beach
- Blanket for the stroller
This may sound like a lot and that’s because it is!
A good diaper bag is important. I have the Tory Burch Marlon Nylon Messenger Bag in purple and I love it! It’s not only cute and stylish but its very functional as well. It can hold all the items I’ve listed above without it being too bulky. It’s a cross body bag which allows you to be hands free but the straps are adjustable so you can convert it to a shoulder bag as well.
For organization, zip lock bags are a savior!
What I do is put related items in a zip lock back so when I need it, I just pull out that bag and its all there. For example, when the baby is ready to eat, I take out the bag that has her baby food, spoon, a burp cloth and bib. This is so much better than fumbling around in your bag looking for the items you need while the baby is screaming bloody murder! Like I said, I learned from trial and error!
And remember that all the planning and organizing does not guarantee a stress free day, but it does help minimize it if you’re prepared.
Oh, one last important thing…
Before heading out, I make sure that the baby has had a bottle, has a clean fresh diaper on and is ready for her nap in the car. We turn on her music playlist that helps put her to sleep and she’s usually out within 5-10 minutes of driving. This makes the drive so much more relaxing for all of us.
Happy Travels!
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