Taking Addie to doctor appointments was very overwhelming at first. I remember our first appointment after Addie got out of the PICU and Addie had drunk her bottle right before getting in the car, which made her car sick, and she threw up all over herself and the stroller once we got to the clinic. It was AWFUL! I grabbed some Huggies ® Wipes, cleaned her, the stroller, and the floor as best I could, and then hauled it to the receptionist. Thankfully, she was incredibly sweet and let us go back into a room for the appointment right away so I could clean her up. She ended up being so dirty that all I could do was use her wipes, strip her down, and ask for a hospital gown for her to wear. Yep, I was the “new mom” that didn’t know to bring spare clothes for my diaper bag. Now, I feel like we’re diaper bag pros and I thought it’d be fun to share my top 10 diaper bag essentials for your little one.
Changing Pad: I love my Lily Jade double-duty Diaper Bag because it comes with their signature “baby bag” to organize my things. Since Addie is a trach girl, I have to be incredibly organized. Their baby bag helps me not lose my mind. Nothing bugs me more than having to dig around in my diaper bag. What’s even better about their diaper bag, is that it comes with a changing pad that rolls up to keep in there too. Trust me, you’ll use it all the time. No one wants to throw their babies on a public restroom changing table. Gross. Take your changing pad to ensure your baby stays germ free.
Diapers: You will want to take a TON of diapers with you. I used to think, “Oh, we’ll just need 2 or 3” but boy, was I wrong. We take about 6 diapers with us. You definitely don’t want to be in a situation like we’ve been in and run out of diapers while you’re out running errands and have to stop into Walmart to snag some (especially when you know you’ve got a case at home). Take a bunch of diapers. You’ll thank me.
Gentle Babies Essential Oil: I’m a huge fan of Young Living. So much so, that I’m a distributor because we use their oils all day, every day. Gentle Babies contains calming essential oils like lavender, roman chamomile, ylang ylang, and more to help relax moms and babies. You can dilute it with some coconut oil or V-6 oil to rub it on yourself and your baby OR you can use my sneaky diffusing trick- pour a drop or two on a piece of tissue and stuff it into an air vent. It’ll diffuse into the air and relax you both! Perfect for those babies that can’t stand being in their car seat. It has saved us many times!
Huggies ® Wipes: Remember my throw up story from earlier? THIS is when those bad boys come in handy. Prepare for the unexpected- always. We use our Huggies ® Wipes for EVERYTHING- vomit, drool, runny nose, blow out diapers, sticky hands, and even for stopping food from staining Addie’s clothes. They’re a LIFESAVER because of their new and improved formula with Triple Clean Layers, and I always take a whole pack with me. You never know when something crazy will happen!
Sophie Giraffe: Addie has been teething since 6 months old and I’m so ready for a tooth to pop through. Addie, get it together girl! You’re almost a year old! In any case, Sophie has saved Addie many times from a meltdown. I used to make fun of it because it looked like a dog toy, but honestly, it’s popular for a reason. That thing works reaaaaally well.
Dr. Browns Bottle: We L-O-V-E our Dr. Browns bottles. They have a vent inside them that helps with gas/colic. I also love them because they’re some of the few bottles on the market that are tall and skinny. I can’t stand those short and fat bottles because I can’t fit them in my diaper bag pockets! You’ll always want to take a bottle with you in case something happens and your sweet baby is hungry or you get stuck running errands and can’t run home. I’m an exclusive breast pumper, so you better believe I HAVE to be prepared.
Hand Sanitizer: With Addie’s fragile medical condition, we can’t afford for her to get sick. A little cold to you and me could mean a hospital stay for Addie. I may use hand sanitizer a little more than most (I have 2 different sanitizers in my bag), but I’ll do anything to make sure my baby stays out of the hospital. Even if your baby isn’t medically fragile, consider having some hand sanitizer for those moments when you have to change a diaper in the car and can’t get to a sink to wash your hands.
Diaper Rash Cream: This one is a given. Just bring it with you. Keep your baby from getting a rash. Rashes = bad. We love Desitin in our house.
Snack Container: ALWAYS keep a snack in your diaper bag. Whether it’s for you, the baby, or both. Having a little one can be exhausting. Get one with a divider and put nuts or raisins for yourself, and puffs or cheerios for your sweet baby. Trust me with this one.
Change of Clothes: I absolutely LOVE this onesie my friend Kelley bought Addie a while back. She’s just now able to fit into it and I can’t stand the cuteness! After my mishap at the clinic, I vowed to never take Addie anywhere without a change of clothes. We’ve had to change her clothes several times now when we’ve been out, and I have always been grateful for an extra onesie. You don’t have to get fancy- just roll up a onesie you love and keep it in your diaper bag. If you use it, replace it with another outfit as soon as you get settled at home so you don’t forget for your next outing.
Moms-to-be- which item from my top 10 diaper bag essentials is your favorite? Moms of kiddos- share your story in the comments of a time you forgot one of these essentials. I’d love to hear them!
I have all the you have in the diaper bag but have also found it helpful to have a few burp cloths and bibs (the Aden and Anias burpy bibs are my favorite). I also always keep an Aden and Anais swaddle blanket because they work great for everything- a blanket, a nursing cover, a car seat cover, even cleaning up messes!!
I wrote a blog post about the same exact thing recently… you can never be too prepared! I need to get Lakelyn a Sophie!!
Kelley recently posted…Box Tops Now Available at BJ’s Wholesale Club + Back to School Snack & Lunch Ideas
Love your diaper bag essentials. I will need to remember this for the new babe.
Sarah Halstead recently posted…Date Night
Lydia had a similar onesie…..so cute!!!
I have a teen and we still use Huggies wipes for everything!
Deb- It’s me, debcb! recently posted…Big Kid School Lunch PLUS free printable lunchbox notes!
Oh my gosh, is it weird that I almost miss carrying a diaper bag?! And I love buggies wipes! They really were the best!
amber.m recently posted…Why I love labels {and a giveaway}
I use to love shopping for new diaper bags haha. Always had Huggies in them though!
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With my first I managed to forget the entire diaper bag on a quick outing in her first couple of months of life. It was a quick trip, she didn’t even get out of the car but it was a disaster enough for me that I now have a bag in the car with 2 spare diapers, wipes and a onesie for each kiddo. This has saved me more than once!
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I am a grandma….but I watch my 16 month old grandson 5 days a week, 10 hours a day. A must have in the diaper bag……formula and filtered water or premade formula. I also like to bring a bag for soiled clothing.
My kids are 8,7 and 2 and I still have my “mom” bag. I don’t call it a diaper bag but essentially that’s what it is. So even when your kids get bigger you still have to be prepared just with different things. but i still alway always carry wipes with me and hand sanitizer.
Krystal recently posted…Quick and Easy Natural Skin Care
That giraffe is sooo cute!! I bet any baby would love that!
Eugenia recently posted…Pantene Classic Clean Shampoo and Conditioner Review
I hear Sophie is EVERYTHING!
Stephanie Louise (@StephLouiseATB) recently posted…Blue & Green Neon Summer Nail Art Dots with KBShimmer
GREAT essentials! That onesie is adorable!
My cousin’s son loves his Sophie. I’ve totally asked her if it was a dog toy! Haha!
Jessica H. recently posted…10 Things to Do in Your 30’s
As a veteran mama, I concur with all of these diaper bag essentials! 🙂 These are all definite must-haves.
Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama recently posted…10 Must-Do’s in Pittsburgh Before Summer’s End
Love that little onesie! I have my diaper bag about half packed and ready to go on a moments notice 🙂
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