One question every mum has on her mind (new, expectant and returning), is what to pack in her diaper bag. I thought I would, therefore, cover a quick blog post on the must-have items to pack in your diaper bag. I have even included a cheeky checklist for you so keep scrolling down to download.

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10 must-have items to pack in your Diaper Bag

Let’s start with the actual diaper bag! There are a few styles as to what you can get for a diaper bag. The over-the-shoulder or the backpack. I have had both. People have different preferences and find that both work in different ways making it easier for some whilst not for others. One big difference is how it attaches to the pram and whether or not it gets in the way as you are walking.

Over The Shoulder

The over-the-shoulder normal type changing bag was very comfortable. It wasn’t bulky so my knees didn’t even touch it as I pushed the pram around. My oh-so-sweet aunt from Toronto, Canada sent me a Kate Spade diaper bag for my baby shower for my oldest son. It was so gorgeous, spacious and comfortable. There are multiple compartments for different items and it’s great. I loved this one. The one issue with it (when compared to my current backpack) was that it didn’t fit too much stuff but on the plus side, it was enough to hold the essentials.

Related Post: Breastfeeding Essentials

Backpack

With baby Baby M, I decided to try a new style changing bag and decided on the “backpack diaper bag“. So when I was planning my baby shower registry list on Amazon, I searched around for a great diaper bag and found this! It takes a lot of items (more than my shoulder bag), has a built-in USB wire for connecting a phone charger and a special bottle warmer section! I loved this bag as soon as it arrived. Pretty, conventional and practical. Who said you can’t be a stylish mummy!

Now let’s get to the top 10 must-have items every mummy needs to pack in her baby changing bag. I’ve also included a checklist at the end of this post for you to print so that you can check off each item when shopping around for the essentials.

1. Nipple Cream

If you are breastfeeding then this is a MUST-HAVE! When you’re out and about and need to nurse your baby, you will most likely need to use nipple cream on those breasts after baby is done. I know I definitely do. I have tried a few different ones and always keep coming back to my current favourite one being Lansinoh! Their baby range is pretty top-notch and has my vote. The nipple cream is no different, soothes your very sore nipples and makes the next bout of nursing just that little bit more bearable. The Lansinoh comes in a very handy size which is perfect for any baby bag or even handbag! The cream is safe for baby so you don’t have to worry about

Other brands of nipple cream that I can recommend is the NESSA Organics nipple cream (and you get 10% off with code STYLINGLIFETODAY184) for an all-organic nipple cream, Mothercare nipple cream (but I am afraid that it may no longer be in stock) and I have been asked to review the Mama Mio Skincare Nipple Balm which from a few tries already, I am in love with it. It’s very gentle and soothing. Currently, they have 25% off with code EASTER25 until 15th April. And a little extra reason to shop with Mama Mio, is that they offer 5% cashback through Kidstart!

2. Nappies and nappy bin bags

Any and every mummy (and daddy) knows that no changing bag can be without nappies. It’s always a good idea to pack about 5 nappies with you and perhaps a few extra depending on where you are going and for how long you plan to be out of the house. Nappy bags are also important to deal with all sorts of messes that you may come across on your travels. Usually dealing with wet nappies isn’t so bad and you can dispose of them in the specified bins provided in most baby changing rooms, but dirty nappies (out of courtesy and general hygiene rules) should at the very least be put into a nappy bin bag before being disposed of. To be honest, we do this even at home – we dispose of dirty nappies in a nappy bag first and then into the trash.

Our favourite nappies for Baby M are Pampers Pure! They are so soft, leaves baby dry and have the cutest designs. For my older son, we use Pampers Baby-Dry Nappy Pants. We are happy with both and I would definitely say that Pampers leaves babies’ tushies very soft and rash free and for the most part dry too. But the only little point I need to make is that they definitely don’t leave the baby dry for 12 hours. My oldest baby has always loved drinking water and there have been occasions when he has peed straight through his nappies and clothes even. Have any of you had this issue?

The ‘Baby Swimming’ Diaper Bag

If you take your little one baby swimming, you will definitely need a baby swimming diaper/nappy. There are many different disposable swim diapers available, but as we are always trying to be kind to the environment and eco-friendly, it’s best to invest in a reusable swim diaper – such the Splash About Happy Nappy (US link). We love Splash About swim nappies. They have such cute designs and my eldest wore them when he was a baby – which Baby M will be wearing once we are able to take him swimming. You may also want to include a nappy liner, and a towel or poncho.

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3. Baby Wipes

Where would we be without baby wipes! We use them for almost everything baby related. From wiping his little bum when we change his nappy, to wiping his face when he is dirty and even surfaces before and after meals when out and about. We, therefore, need our wipes to be the best and provide the best care all around. Our go-to baby wipes have to be Water Wipes. We used them (and still do) with my toddler and now with Baby M too. What we love most about them is that they are 99.9% water with only one drop of fruit extract. They are as wet as you can get. They are heavy and clean very well. With only one wipe through, most messes can be dealt with.

Our latest collaboration with Aqua Wipes introduced me to some very handy baby wipes that are just perfect to carry around in your diaper bag.

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4. Changing Mat

Every diaper bag needs a changing mat. You don’t know where you will be when your baby needs a change and in order to change your baby you need a changing mat. I have used a normal changing mat that came with my Kate Spade Diaper Bag and this was really handy and looked great. I have also used (and am currently using both at home and out and about) a disposable changing mat. This makes things very easy as you can use it, get it dirty and dispose of it. It lasts a few uses and then starts to come apart but that’s what I would expect from any disposable changing mat.

5. Nappy Cream

To keep your baby’s tushies soft, dry and rash-free, then you should invest in a good barrier cream. These creams are supposed to create a barrier on your baby’s bums protecting them from the wet nappies. It’s good practice to apply a small amount of barrier cream or Sudocream after each nappy change, to leave your baby’s skin rash-free and moisturised. Three of my all-time favourites include Sudocream, Aveeno, Child’s Farm. Sudocream is an amazing little concoction as it can be used to treat a variety of issues including nappy rash, burns, grazes, itchy skin, eczema, dry skin and more.

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6. Portable Charger

One really great feature of my backpack diaper bag, is the built-in portable charger connection. Don’t make the mistake (like me) and think it comes with a portable charger! You need to buy the charger yourself and connect it using the wire provided. You then leave the charger in the pocket provided whilst you connect your phone to the special connector using your own phone cable. It sounds more complicated then it is but it is quite handy if you’re anything like me and your battery seems to die every time you go outside.

7. Change of clothes

I always pack a change of clothes for the boys when we are out. You never know what messes they may fall in or when you end up with a blow out. Dirty and wet children are definitely no fun. For babies I would take a vest baby grow, sleepsuit and long sleeve baby grow plus joggers and socks. For toddlers, I take a t-shirt or long sleeve top (depending on the current season), paid or socks, vest and joggers.

8. Pacifiers & Baby Bottles

I would definitely recommend to carry at least one baby bottle in your diaper bag as you never know when you need to give your baby a bottle of milk. I am a breastfeeding mama and even though I know that my milk is supplied from my boobies, I still find it quite helpful to ensure I carry one bottle of formula with me in the event of poor milk supply or just in case I am unable to be there when my baby needs milk. I have always used Aptamil with my first son so unless anyone can recommend the next best thing then please let me know in the comments. We have found Aptamil was fine and worked well with us.

For babies that take pacifiers, don’t forget to pack a couple (preferably sterilised) in your diaper bag. My first son never took any pacifiers when he was a baby but Baby M does. I haven’t decided whether it is a blessing or not. Some of our favourite ones include the NUK Pacifier and MAM Pacifier.

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9. Baby Comforter

This could be a soft blankie, taggy, teether or any toy that comforts your child. Plus toys keep your child busy. Baby M always needs something to hold and chew on as he is teething like mad right now. So I carry a couple of teethers with me for him to chew on and a comforter to hold onto. He is grabbing and holding onto everything at the moment so a comforter really soothes him.

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10. Snacks (and food)

If you have a weaning baby then you know that the number 1 rule is to pack snacks. A lot of snacks. This is the holy grail of what to pack in your diaper bag. Snacks give you a few minutes of peace and quiet when the baby/ toddler goes off on a rampage.

For those who are weaning their babies, you probably want to consider taking some food in containers. We always carried Ellas Kitchen pouches with us! They always seem to save the day, when it comes to a hungry baby out and about. I always bought a variety of fruit and veg options for my first son and he loved them all.

If you need some ideas on weaning, I will be putting together a weaning guide as we start with Baby M! My guides will include the foods to start with (both baby-led weaning and spoon led weaning). I’ll also include the tools we are using (bowls, containers, spoons, plates, cups etc). Make sure you subscribe to my post updates below to get notified once the posts are ready!

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