Diaper Bag Confessions

October 9th, 2009 by jenna · 9 Comments

The Diaper Bag

With the first snow fall of the season, it seems like it is the right time to clean out our diaper bag. That’s a big task, because when it comes to diaper bags, I’m a stuffer. We have a good sized diaper bag/back pack, and whenever we head out, I think about what I might need, and I add it to the bag – more diapers, more clothes, more blankets. Whatever is left in the car and needs to come in to the house, I add it to the bag – hats, blankets, snack containers. I also carry a little cooler bag with food for the babies, and sometimes big brother, too. Every so often, I need to empty everything out and start fresh.

Here’s what I’ve found (I’m crossing out the things that I’m taking out):

Inside - before

Clothing

2 summer sun hats for babies
4 short-sleeved onesies (2 too small for babies and 2 the right size) I’ll replace with 2 long sleeved shirts.
1 sun dress
2 pairs of jeans that are too small for babies I’ll replace with two pairs of pants that fit.
2 pairs of Robeeze shoes for babies
2 pairs of warm booties for babies
1 winter hat for a baby (they have one each in their car seats, too
2 pairs of mittens for babies – I should add a pair for big brother, too.
2 pairs of sunglasses (for the babies when the get older – big brother insisted we bring them with us)
2 pairs of pants for big brother – I’ll take out one pair.
1 short sleeved shirt for big brother I’ll replace this with one long sleeved shirt or sweater.
1 pair of my socks
my sun hat
flyers from our trip to the zoo last week
2 receiving blankets
2 sweaters for the babies
1 bib – I always have a couple in the cooler bag
a pair of underwear and shorts from when big brother changed in to warmer clothes to play outside
one baby sock

Changing supplies

3 diapers that are too small for babies
3 Pull Up for big brother
1 big package of wipes
7 diapers for the babies (that seems like more than I should need on any trip)
1 swim diaper for big brother
a couple of plastic garbage bags for dirty clothes, diapers etc

Everything spread out

Miscellaneous

1 water bottle cover for big brother’s water bottle
4 wrist rattles and 2 baby toys attached to hanging rings – I’ll hang the rings and toys from the babies’ car seats instead.
2 containers of sunscreen
After Bite because big brother had a wasp bite this summer
1 package of breast pads
the instruction book for the babies’ car seats
snacks for big brother (raisins, fruit bites)
hand sanitizer
clothes pins to clip blankets to the car seats or stroller
shoulder strap for the diaper bag

Here’s what I need to add:

a small first aid kit – I’ve seen one that is about the size of a sun glasses case. It has just a few band aids and supplies.
Diaper cream
a change pad
my mini medical kit with nail scissors, baby tylenol, a syringe for medication, sample sizes of baby shampoo and lotion, a thermometer, etc
a few packets of kleenex
a toy or book for big brother
The Diaper Bag After

So what are your diaper bag secrets? What unnecessary items are stashed in your diaper bag? What do you always forget at home? What have I forgotten in my diaper bag cleaning?

(The after picture doesn’t include the changes of clothes for the girls. Once the laundry is done, I’ll add them.)

My favorite item in my diaper bag
The comments on Krissy’s recent post about what’s in her diaper...
Two of my favorite products in my diaper bag
My boys are just under three years old and we...
DIY Diaper Changing Distraction – Mobile
Had I known then what I know now, I would...
Confessions of a Twin Mommy
* I love that I have twins. Their relationship is...

9 responses so far ↓

1 Christina // Oct 9, 2009 at 5:49 pm

You nailed it!!
.-= Christina´s last blog ..Her progress in just a couple weeks =-.
2 Sarah // Oct 9, 2009 at 6:58 pm

Holy Moly – that’s a lot of stuff. We usually keep the diaper bag very basic and add another bag just for the car for longer (out of the norm) trips.
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..Triple Trouble =-.
3 Goddess in Progress // Oct 9, 2009 at 8:02 pm

OK, so here’s my confession:
I don’t think I even have a diaper bag anymore. For normal day-to-day, I throw some diapers and wipes in my purse. For a longer outing, I might bring a backpack with some extra snacks and a spare camera lens.

That’s it.

OK, so my world will revert back once we potty train, and I’ll have actual need to carry around extra clothes again. But for right now? Nada.
4 Lynn Brown // Oct 9, 2009 at 10:31 pm

Wow. That’s a lot of stuff. I’ve been working on reducing mine… nixed the pacis for the big kids (2.5yo), but still have one for the little one (4 months). Extra clothes for the little guy, prone to poop explosions, but my twins don’t have them, as they haven’t jumped on the potty training train. Diapers for all three. Wipes. Snacks, sippies, that’s about it.
.-= Lynn Brown´s last blog ..Moments. =-.
5 Jamie // Oct 10, 2009 at 3:00 am

My diaper bag has always been about only the essentials. I have a small cute one that goes with me when needed and carries only diapers and wipes. Everything else that may be needed stays in the car in a larger bag that never leaves the car. I don’t include anything that can be easily purchased … like Tylenol (overnight stays are different).

I have two diaper bag tips … 1. Bags with white or light colored linings are easier to find things in. 2. buy multi colored key labels and attach one to each zipper on your bag and label it with the contents in that compartment … it saves a lot of time when you are too sleep deprived to remember what is behind each zipper.
6 Diane // Oct 10, 2009 at 2:29 pm

My best diaper bag (backpack) secret is the GALLON SIZE ZIPLOC bags. One ziploc contains a few snacks. One ziploc contains small wipes pak and exactly 2 diapers and hand sanitizer. On ziploc contains a few small toys. Throw in wallet, cell phone, and keys and we are out the door. Then you just remove whatever ziploc you need at the moment and it makes instant compartments, no need for a pricey diaper bag – my cheapo backpack has worked fine so far. I never bring extra clothes unless we are going to the pool. My 3 boys are needing less stuff (thankfully) I have twins age 28 mos and a 7 year old.
7 carrie // Oct 11, 2009 at 10:37 am

Holy cow – that sounds like a suitcase, not a diaper bag! I also just stick with the essentials, keep a few other extra types of things in my car and add in special things for specific outings where I think it will be necessary. Otherwise, it’s barebones!
8 Rusted Sun // Oct 12, 2009 at 7:42 am

I agree with most of you that there is no need for a bulky diaper bag. Most of the time when we leave the house I throw my diaper packet in my purse- two diapers and some wipes.

When going somewhere for several hours I bring my backpack. I never bought an actual diaper bag. My old backpack is so much easier than a bag, I need both hands to carry babies. I put in some snacks, sippy cups and toys along with the diaper pack from my purse and we are ready.

In the car I keep extra sippy cups, diapers and snacks and sometimes clothes, that way if I have to leave the house in a hurry I don’t have to even think if I have what I need with me.

I also keep another small bag packet with swim stuff….suits, towels, sunscreen, hats. When we want to go to the pool I grab the bag and don’t have to worry about if I remembered everything I need.
.-= Rusted Sun´s last blog ..anyone want to buy our house? =-.
9 Nancy // Oct 12, 2009 at 10:53 am

Clean the diaper bag? No way! I’m afraid of what I’ll find in there I’m hoping to win a Zosephine in their monthly giveaway, and that will solve the problem. You just have to be a fan on Facebook to be automatically entered *each month*. Good deal! So I’m just waiting for my fresh, new diaper bag, no cleaning the old one LOL.

Moms of multiples tell it like it is

Authors

Archives