Baby Gizmo must-haves: Diaper bag essentials

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By Hollie Schultz

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Posted: Jul 02, 2012 8:00 AM

Posted in: Home / My family / My baby / Baby gear

Any time you leave home with baby whether for an afternoon or a weekend, you want to be prepared. What you pack in your diaper bag can make or break your outing. There are a few key must-haves to keep stocked in your diaper bag that will keep you ready for whatever may come your way.

Diapering

Diapers: Keep a minimum of three to four diapers in your diaper bag at all times.
Wipes: Wipes will come in handy for changing diapers, cleaning hands and wiping down whatever else comes up.
Diaper cream: A diaper rash can show up at any time.
Changing pad: If your diaper bag doesn't come with one -- add one.

Feeding

Bottle: If your baby is bottle-fed make sure you have a bottle ready.
Sippy cup: Traveling with a toddler? Don't forget a sippy.
Formula dispenser: If your baby is formula-fed, I recommend keeping a formula dispenser containing pre-measured formula to make a quick bottle on the fly.
Bib: It's more than likely that your baby or toddler will eat while you are out. A bib will come in handy more often than not.
Spoon: A clean baby spoon kept in a Ziploc baggy will insure that you always have something to feed your baby once they start on solids.

The rest

Change of clothes: This is one of the most important things in your diaper bag. Keep a clean outfit for your child in a gallon size Ziploc bag. Without a spare set of clothes, a diaper blowout, vomit disaster or other spill will ruin an outing. If you want to take it a step further for times when you are traveling (like on a plane ride), bring a spare set of clothes for yourself. If the baby vomits all over you, sitting like that for hours on a plane could prove to be very unpleasant for both you and the other passengers.
Toys: A busy baby is a happy baby.
Receiving blanket: A receiving blanket has so many uses from a nursing cover to an impromptu peek-a-boo game starter to a burp cloth.
Money: Keep a $10 bill in your diaper bag for those times that you forget your wallet. You never know when you'll need it.
Hand sanitizer: Germs are everywhere so you always want to keep a travel-size hand sanitizer bottle close by.

I recommend doing a stock check of your diaper bag regularly. Every time you leave the house, check that bag! Make sure everything has been re-stocked so you aren't left diaper-less in the most inopportune time.