I’m sure every one of you has a diaper bag. Maybe you pack it, maybe your significant other does, or maybe it just magically appears where ever your child does – but its contents remain elusive. Sometimes there are snacks in there, feminine products and different kinds of moisturizers, or maybe a charger or cord that’s been missing for weeks. What really needs to be in there though?
Let’s start with which bag I use the most. I purchased the very aesthetically pleasing gender-neutral diaper bag from Beis in grey. I got this for my wife’s push present (which I did not know was a thing) knowing that I’d be using it just as much as her. I found traditional diaper bags to be overtly feminine or didn’t mesh well with my style. I wanted to get something neutral that would look good on either of us and was big enough to fit everything we need.
The essential items in my everyday bag I carry are:
Diapers
We purchase our diapers from Costco because we enjoy the Huggies brand little movers, but we like the price of Costco diapers better. Both Huggies and Kirkland diapers are made by the same producer, Kimbrely-Clark, and are extremely comparable in every way. To save even more money and time, we use the Costco subscribe and save which automatically ships us a package of diapers bi-monthly, and gives us a discount because of it.
Wipes
Our daughter, unfortunately, suffers from Eczema just like her mother, and because of that, we need to be extremely careful with the kind of products we purchase. There is a national Eczema committee that certifies products to their standard. (insert photo of it) For example, we use the Huggies Natural Care Sensitive Baby Wipes because they have a seal from the Eczema association. We have also tried other varieties of wipes such as Waterwipes, Aveeno, and the Amazon Brand but found that these work best as well as have a competitive price point.
Hand sanitizer
If you don't have a chance to wash your hands before you change your little one, the least you can do is use some sanitizer. It's always better to wash your hands, but this is definitely better than nothing!
Changing pad
You want to ensure that when you’re out and about with your child you can change them in a public washroom – and not have to put them directly on the unclean change station. Having a changing pad lets you create a barrier between the two that you can easily clean later.
Extra weather-appropriate outfit
Kids are always messy and you have to prepare for that! Ensuring you have a weather-appropriate outfit makes it okay if they play messy or inevitably end up sticking their hand right in something they shouldn’t.
I use these for her milk and water and it's weighted on the bottom of the staw so your child can drink out of it regardless of how they hold it! They're also great to use to transition off of bottles.
Diaper cream
I’ve found that most diaper creams don’t work as well as intended, and generic brand zinc oxide cream in the children’s section works the best for butt rashes. It’s usually cheaper, is easier to apply because it’s so thick, and lasts throughout the day.
Snacks - and lots of them.
After having a total tantrum meltdown (Esmée not me), we learned to bring snacks everywhere we go. Some snacks in our regular rotation are GoGo squeeZ, Larabar, and these Gerber Soothe ‘N’ Chew baked children’s snacks that resemble the dog treat rawhide. These ‘rawhide treats’ are great to have in the car because it can take up to 20 minutes for her to eat.
I would like to mention it’s extremely important to not deal with a tantrum by giving your child food. This can have lasting negative effects and can create an unhealthy relationship between your child and food. By giving them food to stop a tantrum, you’re teaching them they get fed when they throw a fit. These influences can have lasting effects and impact their relationship with food into their adult life. As easy as it seems to hand them a snack it’s important to teach them to calm down by breathing deeply and addressing the root of the tantrum. This way your child will be able to *hopefully* express to you what they want, and you can solve the problem together calmly.
Toys
Make sure they're loud and easy to clean. Forget the plushies at home and bring something that you can wipe off when it inevitably falls on the ground.
Bibs
Don't waste your time with silicone or plastic bibs, coming from the father of the messiest eater you've ever seen, these cloth bibs from target are a godsend. They absorb water as well as all the mess and keep your kiddo's outfit as clean as can be. The best part about them is you can see the same bib to wipe off their grubby face and hands!
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