- By Miranda Lightstone -
One of the most stressful things for me as a new mother was the outing. It didn’t matter what that outing was, just the idea of leaving the house with my newborn and being properly prepare for every single eventuality was just hugely overwhelming. What if this happened? What about that? What if I ran out of this? Or was missing that?! The anxiety was high.
Until I made a list and learned how to properly pack my diaper bag for not only my son, but for me too. You, as the mother, are just as important here as baby – and you need to remember that.
Diaper Bag Must-Haves for Baby
OK, so let’s just get a few things out of the way that you absolutely need beyond a shadow of a doubt when you leave the house with a newborn!
- Diapers (pack at least 1-2 for every hour you plan to be out of the house)
- bottles (if you are bottle feeding) + 2 nipples
- Bottled water
- Formula mix, premeasured in containers that can be dumped directly into the bottle
- Breastfeeding cover/large blanket if you plan to feed in public
- Changing pad/extra blanket
- Dog poop bags (and I will explain this one in a second!)
- Change of clothes (2 onesies, pair of pants, shirt, socks)
- Baby wipes (always check your container if you refill as needed)
As baby gets older and starts eating, you can add snacks like Cheerios, veggie/fruit squeeze bottles, cut fruits, cheese sticks, etc. Also, if your child uses a pacifier, make sure you bring at least 2 extras in case one is lost/dropped.
Sanitary wipes and liquid isn’t just a necessity for a diaper bag because of the current pandemic in the world, but it is always a good idea to wipe down surfaces before you put your newborn anywhere – like shopping cart, public highchairs, and even change tables in public washrooms. I always had a stash of Lysol wipes and Purell spray for my hands. I used to use them to wipe down his stroller as well after snacks or feedings just to stop things from getting too sticky and/or smelly!
Diaper Bag Must-Haves for Mom
I only learned how essential a few things are for mom when I realized I needed them and didn’t have them! The most important thing, by far, is a change of clothes. A shirt and a pair of leggings will do just fine. If you’re breastfeeding this is especially important! Spilled breastmilk and/or spit-up begins to smell like rotten milk almost immediately. And it’s kinda gross. So, if the mishap happens early on in the outing you do NOT want to be smelling that every single day.
Bottle for your own water. You need to stay hydrated momma! And not just with caffeine. Invest in a Swell bottle and keep it full. Again, especially if you are breastfeeding, you need the hydration. And with that being said, you can pack your own snacks along with baby’s to keep you going on your outing.
For mom’s on the go and on the social, investing in a charge pack for a smartphone is a smart idea. It means you can charge your phone on the go and not be tied to a wall socket or car when the low battery warning comes up!
A few other silly little things I realized were essential for a diaper bag are similar to what I must keep in my purse now (even though my son is 9 years old): lipgloss, nail file, Kleenex. They may seem like silly little items, but trust me when you want any of those three things you really, really, want them and to have them at hand could mean the difference between a good and bad outing with baby!
Add dog poop pick-up bags to your diaper bag!
OK, this one might seem strange, but hear me out! Remember me talking about the rotting milk smell on yours and baby’s clothing? Well, you have to keep those soiled clothes somewhere while you’re out (you can’t just toss them in the garbage), so investing in a pack of dog poo bags means you can contain that smell and keep those soiled clothes from infecting anything else in your diaper bag. Plus, they are usually scented and made to hold that stench inside!
These are also great to hold soiled diapers if you have to change on the go and don’t have a garbage nearby.
Make that Diaper Bag Essential List
Before you head to the hospital to give birth to your new little bundle of joy, I highly recommend putting that diaper bag together. Not your hospital bag, but your diaper bag that you will bring for walks and outings to the store – you’ll be better focused on remembering all the little things before baby enters the world than afterwards when baby is fussing and you are trying to get yourself and your little one out the door.
