Our Five Ring Circus: Diaper Bag Essentials for an Infant and Toddler

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Diaper Bag Essentials for an Infant and Toddler

As a family of six, we are always on the go!

A well stocked diaper bag is the key for our outings, playdates, evenings with friends or family, and spontaneous sleepovers. I like to be prepared for anything!

Today, I'm sharing the diaper bag essentials that make my life just a bit easier.

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I tried many different diaper bags, and the Skip Hop is by far, my favorite! It holds a lot, has many pockets to keep everything organized, is stain proof, wipes clean, and has straps to hook onto a stroller.

I always have Lily's Tommee Tippee Truly Spill Proof Drink Cup (best cup ever!) hooked onto the bag with a Booginhead SippiGrip.  We never lose her cup, even on our long walks!  I keep a Boon Owl Stack Snack Container in the side pocket, filled with Lily's snacks.  (If any of my friends find the half with the owl's head, it's ours!)  I always keep a hand sanitizer hooked onto the bag strap.  I'm not brand specific; right now it happens to be Target's Up and Up brand!

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Obviously, diapers are one of the most important things in the bag! I always keep 6 diapers, the changing pad that came with the bag, a few disposable pads, baby wipes, A+D ointment, Triple Paste Ointment, and disposable bags (Munchkin) in the back pocket.

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Liam is breastfed and won't take a bottle anymore.  All I need for that is an Eddie Bauer nursing cover, a burp cloth from Thirty One, and Lansinoh ointment.

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I recently had to add a few items to the bag now that Liam is eating solids.  While eating out last week, I realized I didn't have a spoon to feed him!

In my bag is an Ikea bib for Lily (I will eventually add one for Liam, too!), a caped Superman bib (Babies R Us) and a Skip Hop tuck-away bib for Liam, a Summer Infant TinyDiner mat, a container of travel utensils, a container of baby food, spoon tips for food pouches (Walmart), and a Munchkin formula dispenser filled with formula (for mixing with food) and cereal.

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I always keep pajamas (for Liam and Lily), an extra outfit (Liam and Lily), a onesie and socks (Liam), and underwear and a nighttime pullup (Lily) in the bag. I tuck a pouch inside the diaper bag to hold soiled clothes.

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An Aden and Anais swaddling blanket is always in my bag.  It's perfect to use as a nursing cover, to lay on the floor for Liam to play on, and to use as an extra blanket.

Liam's binky, that he will not take, is still in the bag. Just in case.

A toiletry bag filled with Johnson and Johnson baby wash/shampoo/lotion, a Sunblock stick for tiny faces, baby sunscreen, and hair ties is always at the bottom of the diaper bag.

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A bag full of medications and a first aid kit are important.  I picked up a first aid kit for $1 in the travel section at Walmart and filled it with extra bandaids and Neosporin Spray.  I always have Liam's Zantac, a thermometer, a nasal aspirator, tylenol, teething tablets, liquid Benadryl, and Benadryl Spray.  That Benadryl came in handy for my nephew a few months ago!

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The front pocket of my bag contains toys and activities for Lily and Liam.  I can grab them quickly without digging around in the bag.  Lily has books and a PlayPack (crayons, coloring book, stickers), and Liam has plastic keys, an owl rattle, and a teething ring. 

This may seem like a lot, but I have used almost every single item in the bag.  I never have to run out to buy an item while I'm out or worry about forgetting something at home!

What are your essentials for your diaper bag?

6 comments:

  1. I usually have a couple of diapers, wipes, changing mat, burp cloth, Aden+Anais blanket, and a change of clothes. And am super lucky if I remember snacks and toys. You are so well prepared!

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  2. Holy Smokes! I cannot believe you fit all of that in your bag, good to know you have a full medicine cabinet in your bag when we have our outings, I don't carry any of that stuff...aaahhh. I also love the skip hop (although I am going to try a backpack type diaper bag this summer) the stroller straps are essential! I also loved the Tiny Diner Mat until we put it in the dishwasher and it was never the same! I didn't know they made spoons for pouch food, interesting!

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  3. Holy cow you do have a ton in that big! So impressive. I am past the diaper bag stage now, but still often in need of little things like band-aid's snack, change of clothes for Ryder.. I just haven't found the right balance yet, I seemed to go from having it all to nothing- not even those things I still need.

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  4. On my boy's birth, my sister gifted me a Tory Burch diaper bag. It is such a cute bag with eight zipper compartments each in different size. It is made up of lightweight but durable stuff that makes it more portable.

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  5. How do you fit all of that in a diaper bag? I thought I had a lot of things in my Petunia diaper bag but you by far pass me up. LOL You have given me some great ideas to add to mine!!

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