My Diaper Bag Essentials

Learning how to pack a diaper bag is a right of passage as a new mom. Before the baby was here, I carefully curated our diaper bag with neatly folded onesies, perfect stacks of diapers and cute toys that were more Instagram-worthy than baby-friendly. Now, I know that a diaper bag is more than that. It’s an arsenal of essentials to get you through any situation that you may encounter outside of the home with a baby. Don’t make the mistake of leaving home without it, I totally made that rookie move once (never again). It was the one time baby had a huge blowout!

I thought I would share some of the essentials we keep stashed in our bags at all times!

p.s. We have both the Fawn Design backpack and a few totes that we rotate. We use a large tote for travel and overnights and a smaller tote for quick errands. Our Fawn backpack is great when I am with baby solo (love being hands-free) and it’s super convenient as it fits SO much.

Diapers, wipes and changing pad

Obviously, the point of a diaper bag is to bring the changing essentials: diapers and wipes. But sometimes there isn’t a sanitary spot to do said diaper change, so a wipeable pad is a necessity! Ours came with this tote, but this Skip Hop one is another great option. We also keep diaper cream handy, just in case! For diapers, I usually have 5-6 - just in case I forget to repack when running out the door. And we use this portable wipe case to keep them from drying out.

2-3 extra sets of clothing

I try to keep at least 2-3 changes of clothing packed away including at least one sleeper - in case baby needs a nap while we are out. When we were swaddling, we also packed one of those for longer visits to grandma’s! Make sure to rotate the clothing every few days - even if they don’t get used. In the early days we would forget and then had his dirty clothes still in the bag. I also always keep weather appropriate essentials: a hat, extra jacket, etc.

Bibs & burp clothes

I didn’t realize how many bibs we would go through at such a young age! By 3 months, we needed at least 2-3 bibs per day! With spit up, drool and bottle-feeding, it’s easy to make a mess. I love these muslin bibs or these with the teether attached. We also have a burp cloth on hand to clean up any spills or messes. These organic Burt’s Bee's cloths have been our most used.

A small blanket and/or car seat cover

I didn’t get the hype of these car seat covers before baby, but am so glad we ended up with two from our baby shower. These multi-use car seat covers are so handy - they work as a light blanket, cover from the sun in the car, cozy spot in a shopping cart, and as a shield for breastfeeding in public! I never leave the house without ours. Ford does much better when his carseat is covered, I think because it creates a cozy/dark place for him to relax without getting overstimulated by people/lights/etc. It also is a great way to keep people AWAY from your baby! When the cover is on, people are less likely to peek in and touch the baby. So, if you are a new mo and nervous about germs, this is a necessity. I’ve also used it as a breastfeeding cover when we’ve been in public and baby had to eat. This may be one of my top must-have’s!

Teether, toys & a book

I didn’t start packing teether & toys until Ford was around 12-weeks-old, but now we always keep them on hand. We like to switch out the toys every couple of days and usually have some type of rattle, teether and a book. We also love these hanging toys that can easily attach to the car seat or stroller! We also pack a pacifier with a clip, which is essential for unexpected fussiness.

Portable sound machine

You can never have too many sound machines as a parent! We bring our Baby Shusher with us everywhere, along with a portable sound machine that attaches to the car seat or stroller. If it’s time for a nap and we have to run out, we will put Ford in his car seat with a sound machine and the car seat cover. It usually takes only a few minutes before he will be sound asleep! This portable sound machine is so cute and does the job.

Zip lock baggies

Bottles can spill, diaper cream and explode and clothing can get dirty. Having something to put those items into keeps everything else inside from getting ruined. We don’t use anything fancy, but I’ve seen these bags as a great option!

Those are our diaper bag essentials! Let me know if there is anything you love and swear by!