Before kids, I would always double-check my mental checklist of things I needed before I left the house:
Purse – Check!
Wallet – Check!
Phone – Check!
Keys – Check!
Mask – Check!
Now that I’m a mom, my mental checklist is more of an emergency kit for any bodily function possible! I’ve noticed that even though I don’t have infants anymore, I still carry an array of infant items because you just never know. There are so many awesome new products out to help make a mom’s life easier. When you are on the go or traveling with your family, you’ll want to keep these items close at hand!
Top 5 items that I ALWAYS keep in the diaper bag!
Extra Clothes – This may seem obvious, but you never realize how appreciative you are of a fresh set of clothes until you’re without them! No, I’m talking about just for the baby, I’m talking about you, momma! Make sure you have a spare shirt and even pants in your travel bag or just stowed away in your car. A baby can blow out of either end at any moment, toddlers are just messy and you never know what the day holds.- Boogie Wipes – I’m not sure what it is about children and their requirement to have boogers constantly, but that’s the way it is. I carry a ton of Boogie Wipes and sanitizer with me wherever I go. You can use whatever you want, but I tend to stay away from dry tissues. In my experience, the dry tissues always broke out my baby’s skin.
- Munchkin Snack Catcher – I fill this sucker up to the rim with Goldfish 99% of the time. But nevertheless, I always keep snacks on hand. Between a hungry tween and wild toddler, you can always guarantee there will be someone who “wants a snack!”. These little snack catchers are amazing, they are perfect for little hands and help keep my car somewhat neat.
- Arm & Hammer Trash Bags – Because my toddler still isn’t potty trained, we have the poorly timed poopy bomb diapers. Sometimes in church, sometimes in the middle of the chip aisle in Kroger. No matter what, keeping these bags on hand at least saves the poor people who come in the bathrooms after a diaper change. These are fantastic because a lot of businesses don’t want you throwing the diapers in the trash can, but with these bags, you can disguise the smell.
- First Aid Kit – Again, this may seem like a no brainer but my kids are like the definition of Murphys Law. (My oldest was in two different casts in 2 months). Come on, a first aid kid is a necessity. You can purchase these awesome pre-made first aid kits that cater to small kiddos. I would just toss band-aids and mosquito spray in the diaper bag, but kids seem to always need a little more TLC when it comes to injuries or illnesses.
I know when I became a new mom, I carried just about everything we own in a diaper bag. But now since I’m a “seasoned” momma, I realized that I really can reduce what I carry to just the bare necessities. If your kids are safe, clothed, fed, and clean… you’re doing a great job! It just so happens that all the items I listed above take care of those needs. My best advice to all the mommas, new or seasoned, is to take yourself to Target, grab a coffee, and stroll down the baby aisle and load up on all of the awesome new items that really do make our lives easier!
