Essential Items to Pack in a Diaper Bag

New moms tend to want to hole up at home while all the family members get used to the new addition. Germs are also a concern, as exposing your new baby to a lot of people can lead to an early sickness. However, continued isolation is not healthy for you or your baby, nor is it desirable. Eventually, you will have to get out and about, showing your little one the big, wide world. For these trips, a well-stocked diaper bag will be key. If you are unsure of what to pack for those first few jaunts out of the house, stick with the essentials until you are more familiar with the process.

Diapers and Wipes

With a baby on board, you can not leave home without at least a few diapers on hand, no matter how short the trip. Always pack at least two diapers; if you plan to be away for several hours, or all day, pack at least six to eight, especially if your baby is quite young. In addition, never leave home without checking your wipe stash and topping it off. Many quality diaper bags come with a travel case for wipes; if yours did not, they are inexpensive to purchase. Keep one on hand, and full.

Wet Bag

Accidents happen! For that, they invented a wet bag. These handy little containers are small, folding down to take up little room in your diaper bag. However, when you need them, they can be filled with dirty diapers, wet clothes and anything else that you want to keep separated from the rest of the contents of your diaper bag. If you do not have a commercially made wet bag, a gallon size zipper bag will do just fine.

Change of Clothes
Parents that do not like to drag a lot of stuff around with them often skip this diaper bag essential but, inevitably, they regret it! As soon as you get comfortable somewhere, your baby is sure to have a diaper blowout, ruining their outfit and cutting the trip short. For this reason, always have an extra on hand. Bring at least the outfit, though adding an undershirt does not take up much room.

Medical Items

When you are thinking about baby, you need to be prepared for all contingencies. It is a good idea to have basic medical supplies in the diaper bag, just in case. This does not have to be anything complicated, however. At the least, you should make sure to have diaper cream and baby Tylenol. If your baby is prone to something like colic, include simple gas drops. Of course, anytime a prescription is necessary, it is a good idea to have that with you as well.

Feeding Supplies

Though breastfeeding is growing in popularity, it is still quite common to bottle feed. If this is the case with your family, you absolutely can not leave home without making sure that there are plenty of bottles, formula and other feeding supplies. Nothing cuts into your out-of-the-house time quicker than a hungry baby. Many moms pre-fill their bottles with water, adding formula powder as needed. This ensures that you have just what you need, but your bottle stays fresh.

If you are breastfeeding, there are still a few things that you might want to consider packing in your diaper bag essentials. A clean pair of breast pads can be a good idea. Breast cream is useful as well, especially during the first months of nursing, when tenderness can be a concern.

Finally, if your baby is dependent on a pacifier, make sure that you have several available at any given time. It does not hurt to keep a few in the house, as well as spares in the diaper bag and in the car.