I originally posted this blog post when my daughter, Lion, was 2 months old. I'm reposting now with updates as we await the arrival of our second daughter!
I can't believe my little one is 2 months old! My husband and I try to get out of the house on the weekends, and having a fully stocked diaper bag ready to go on the fly is an absolute must! So what exactly is in my diaper bag? I have a supply of items for "just in case", but the most important items come down to five items: (1) diapers (2) wet wipes (3) diaper balm (4) mini trash bags & (5) hand sanitizer - the diaper changing essentials. If you're truly in a hurry, just remember the absolute vitals are "dipes & wipes"! Keep reading for all the essentials!
Diaper Bag
I was a bit picky when it came to scouting out my diaper bag - I didn't want a bag that looked like a diaper bag! I like this particular bag by Herschel Supply Co because it is lightweight, the fabric repels liquids, it has options for a shoulder strap or top handles, plenty of divided compartments, and it's unassuming as a diaper bag ;).
Update: Another consideration is a backpack style diaper bag - I love this Indi Diaper Backpack by Dagne Dover.
Portable Change Pad
The change pad that my diaper bag came with is rather large, so I prefer this smaller option by Logan + Lenora. It folds up compactly and has an easy to use magnetic closure (for when your hands are tied up holding a baby!). (Tip: It fits perfectly on the center console of our SUV for quick car changes!)
Update: This was one of our favorite finds, the magnetic closure was wonderful!
Diapers x3-5
You'll want to have about 3-5 diapers in your diaper bag at all times, depending on how long you're relying on the supply. I subscribe to a bundle diaper and wipes delivery at honest.com - you just set your delivery timing and it gives you a heads up to make any changes before it ships. Whenever I get home from an outing, I always try to remember to replace any diapers I used so that I always have a stocked diaper bag.
Update: From my memory, Honest diapers didn't have the yellow line (turns blue when peed on indicator) when Lion was a baby. So I love that they now have this feature!
Travel Size Diaper Wipes
I like to keep my diaper bag as lightweight as possible, so packing travel size diaper wipes is helpful. If you do the honest.com subscription you can add up to 3 additional items to your diapers and wipes bundle and get 25% off those three items, so I like to get travel size wipes for my diaper bag.
Diaper Balm in Stick Form
This is great for on the go! It's all natural and perfect for on the fly diaper changes. Other balms you have to put on your hands to apply to your little one's tush, but this on-the-stick form makes for an easy and clean application. My husband likes it so much he kept taking it out of the diaper bag to use at our home changing table, so I finally had to order a duplicate stick for home.
Update: Along with the magnetic-closure change pad, this was another favorite find of ours!
Mini Trash Bags
Success! You just finished changing your newborn on the go... But oh no, now you're stuck holding your clean baby with one hand and a dirty diaper with the other. Don't worry, just pack a roll of mini trash bags (aka doggie bags) for easy cleanup.
Travel Hand Sanitizer
You'll want to clean your hands after a diaper change, so don't forget to throw in a travel size hand sanitizer. I like options that have aloe or moisturizer to nourish your hands.
Baby Lotion
Just in case your little one's skin (or your skin!) gets dry, you'll want to have some good lotion made for a baby's sensitive skin.
Ziploc Bags
I use a Ziploc bag to keep my diaper changing essentials: wipes, balm, mini trash bags, and hand sanitizer - it's easy to quickly grab a fresh diaper, the change pad, and the Ziploc bag for the on to the go diaper changes. I keep the rest of my smaller items organized in Ziploc bags so that I don't have a bunch of loose items throughout my diaper bag. I also keep a couple extra empty Ziploc bags in case I have a dirty outfit or something wet I need to transfer back home.
Update: Another option for small storage is reusable pouches!
Nursing Cover
I love this nursing cover because it is made of soft jersey fabric and it doubles as a carseat cover. Before our baby had her vaccinations (and even now) we loved having this cover over her carseat when we took her out in public to shield her away from germs. It also helps soothe her to sleep so that she has less distractions to look at.
Burp Cloths x2
Just like at home, things can get messy after you feed your little one. You'll want a couple burp cloths to clean up any spit ups on the go. I keep two in my diaper bag in case I pull one out and forget to replace it.
Mints
A little something just for mama!
Update: It might be a good idea to add electrolyte tablets, as hydration is key!
Water Bottle
Speaking of hydration, a water bottle is also a must!
Pacifier
I only have this one pacifier by Hevea and my baby seems to love it. It's made of 100% natural rubber latex and the ventilation holes are shaped as cute stars and moons. We tried to forgo a pacifier for the first couple weeks with our newborn, but we quickly learned it was a necessary silencer for us while we are out in public. (Tip: Since we only have one pacifier, I try to remember to always wash it when I get home from an outing to keep it clean.)
Update: Keep in mind pacifiers come in different sizes, here is a 0-3 month size.
Update 2: It could be a myth, but we later found out babies either use a pacifier or they find their thumb. We found perhaps since we limited Lion's pacifier usage she found her thumb. For baby #2 I think we will aim to not limit the pacifier usage as much as with Lion.
Pacifier Clip
It seems like there can be so many things to keep track of with your newborn and being able to clip the pacifier in place is helpful. I'm betting it will be even more helpful in the future when my little one can pick things up and throw them. ;)
Update: I also love this pacifier clip style by Chewbeads! Lion had this stroller Chewbeads toy that was her absolute favorite when she was tiny (see below!).
Spare Outfit
Babies are tiny poo-ing machines! You can be an all-star diaper changer and yet things will still "slip through the cracks". You'll want to have a spare outfit for your little one to change into for the times when she soils her first outfit.
Update: A footed outfit option is great, so you don't have to remember to pack socks.
Mitts
I like for my little one to wear mitts because it prevents her from scratching the delicate skin on her face, and I think it helps keep her hands a tad bit warmer. I love these mitts by Burt's Bees Baby because they actually stay on her tiny hands.
Hat
I love this little hat. We found it at a mobile children's store in Denver (www.thecircusakidsboutique.com) when I was still pregnant - and now we love it to keep our little one warm.
Lion in her rusty fox hat.
Stroller Blanket
We use a stroller blanket every time we leave the house to keep our little one warm in the stroller, in her carseat, or when we are holding her wrapped up in our arms. It's also great to have with us when we take her to the pediatrician and she has to be dressed down to her diaper so we can wrap her up.
Solly Baby Wrap
Solly Baby Wrap in Natural & Grey Stripe
This is a super soft and lightweight baby carrier on the go. If you're not familiar with Solly Baby Wraps, they are a long stretchy piece of fabric that you strategically wrap around your body to comfortably hold your little one. To be honest, we haven't quite mastered the tie yet so we've only used this a couple times so far. Once our little one can hold up her head on her own we plan to use this often - I mean how could you not? It's actually really comfortable to wear and I want to keep my baby girl close to me while I can.
Update: We ended up using the Solly Wrap a lot! We traveled a lot when Lion was a baby and it was nice to have a lightweight carrier that could be wrapped up into a tight ball and thrown into her diaper bag when we weren't using it. And mastering the wrap was really easy!
Here is a quick video that we watch to help us properly tie the Solly Wrap:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MK81J-9OnA
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I hope this Newborn Diaper Bag Essentials list is helpful!
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Thanks for stopping by!
xx Lauren 💜
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