Diapering Essentials For At Home and On The Go

I received some of the items below as a complimentary gift. As always, I only share the items I truly love!

During the first year of your baby's life, you're going to be changing a LOT of diapers! Stocking up on diapering essentials can be overwhelming at first because there are so many brands and so many types of products. There are many products you won't need, but also quite a few products that will make this messy job quick and easy to do!

I have five children, and my diapering essentials list changed with each baby. Some products were simply a waste of money, and I never bought them again. I also discovered new products over the course of 14 1/2 years of parenthood. If you have the basics - diapers and wipes - you're set, but some extras just make the job easier!

Stock your changing area with these must have diapering essentials:

DIAPERS  The type of diapers you use is a personal choice. Some people are Team Disposable and some people are Team Cloth. I have never tried cloth diapers. It's not that I'm against them. I actually considered using them with baby #5, but after 3 years of cleaning out poopy underwear while potty training my son, I was OVER it. I'm not a brand snob, and my son doesn't have sensitive skin, so I've tried everything, including store brands. My favorites for my 4 month old are Pampers Swaddlers, Huggies Little Snugglers, Honest, Hello Bello, and Pampers Pure Protection. (Hello Bello are pictured.)

WIPES Baby Wipes are a necessity in my house. I still use them on my very messy 5 year old! Again, I don't really have a brand preference, and have been using all the wipes from the incredible stockpile my husband's generous coworkers created for us. They all get the job done. I really like Water Wipes, though. They are extra gentle, made with pure ingredients, and cottony soft!

CHANGING PAD Whether you change your baby on a changing table or on the floor, a contoured changing pad is an inexpensive investment. I have one on the changing table, which I use about once or twice a day, and one for floor use. As you can see, I'm a big fan of floor diaper changes, because my babies are active. If they roll off on the floor, they'll be okay! (If you change your baby on a high surface, always use the safety belt!)

CHANGING PAD COVER Although you can use a contoured changing pad without a cover, it's definitely more comfortable for your baby with a cover. I absolutely love the wipeable changing pad cover from Cloud Island at Target - so much that I have two! I wipe it down after every poopy diaper change, and it easily wipes clean and still looks brand new!

DIAPER RASH CREAM My 4 month old has never had a diaper rush, but it's good to keep diaper rash cream/ointment at home and in your diaper bag just in case! There are so many brands available, but I'm a fan of Boudreaux's Butt Paste.

BARRIER OINTMENT A quick slather of a barrier cream or ointment at each diaper change, such as petroleum jelly or aquaphor, will keep your baby diaper-rash free! I don't do it at every diaper change anymore, but I make sure to slather up my baby's bum before bed.

DIAPER CREAM BRUSH This is one of those diapering essentials that doesn't seem useful, but I swear it is! This is a new one for me, and I now buy it as a baby gift for all my friends! It keeps diaper rash cream/barrier ointment off your hands, and it easily wipes or rinses clean. Think of it as a spatula for your baby's bum. It's definitely a baby favorite for me! (I use the Diaper Cream Brush from Baby Bumco.)

DISPOSABLE DIAPER BAGS I keep a roll of disposable diaper bags nearby just in case! Sometimes, they are a lifesaver for those awful blowouts! There are many brands - I just use Munchkin Arm & Hammer Diaper Bags.

HAND SANITIZER Although I try to wash my hands after each diaper change, every so often a squirt of hand sanitizer is necessary. It's just one of those simple, good to have extras!

BABY TOY Once your baby becomes active, they can become very grabby! Diaper changes are much easier if you keep their hands occupied with a toy!

DIAPER CADDY Having a convenient place to store all those diapers and wipes is helpful! I love the b.box diaper caddy! It's a portable changing station that holds diapers and wipes, comes with a completely wipeable changing mat (you can spot it under the Water Wipes), and has storage drawer. I love the fact that it wipes completely clean, has a handle so I can easily move it from room to room, and can grow with my baby. I have plans to turn it into a potty training caddy, then an art caddy!

On another note, I love my b.box Diaper Caddy so much, that I also got the b.box Diaper Wallet! I will be sharing my diaper bag essentials another day, but I can't even tell you how many times I forgot my diaper bag in the car since I had my baby. (I blame new mom exhaustion + parenting 4 other kids!) I got this diaper wallet specifically to keep in my stroller so I have diapers and wipes with me at all times! It also comes with a fully wipeable changing pad, it holds 2 diapers (and some diaper rash cream samples), and it has a refillable wipes compartment that allows you to pull out wipes while it's open or directly from the top when it's shut. I love this little gadget! (I also use the Skip Hop Grab & Go Travel Mat all the time. I hook it onto my diaper bag or stroller!)

A few popular diapering essentials didn't make my list. I learned to say no to a baby wipes warmer, pee pee teepees, and a diaper pail! Here's why:

• A baby wipes warmer might seem nice in theory, but I quickly stopped using it, and my first baby didn't even mind. It's just one of those pointless extras.
• Baby boys get a bad reputation for peeing all over their caregivers. Although we had a few peeing during diaper changes incidents, those incidents with my three boys were few and far between. The truth is, you learn to change diapers so quickly that putting on a pee pee teepee is just a waste of time!
• A diaper pail is a personal preference. I had a fancy one for my first two babies, but it was a lot of work. I found myself tossing the dirty diapers in the closest garbage can anyway, because our garbage gets emptied nightly. The really stinky diapers don't tend to happen until you have a toddler, and those go directly to the outdoor garbage. Changing the diaper pail was more pain than it was worth, and sometimes it didn't even mask the odor of those stinky toddler diapers well at all. I don't want any stinky garbage in a cozy nursery!

Please keep in mind that these diapering essentials are a personal preference, and I made the list after years of experience. Just like with everything else, what works for one parent might not work for another, and vice versa. You know your situation best, and it doesn't hurt to try something. I guarantee you will figure out exactly what you need, find new favorites along the way, and learn that your preferences might change from child to child!

I've spent over eight years of my life diapering children. I thought my diapering days were over, then SURPRISE - baby #5! At this point, my diaper changing skills have reached expert level! I can change those diapers in less than 30 seconds, change them in the dark, and change them while I'm still half asleep. And if I need it, I have a well stocked diapering arsenal by my side! 

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What's on your list of diapering essentials?


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