The Ultimate Diaper Bag Essentials Checklist: What Every Parent Needs

A diaper bag is one of the most practical everyday items a mom or dad should have. It contains everything babies need when you’re on the go, and let’s be honest—babies need a LOT of things! Thankfully, diaper bags have been designed to hold about everything you need and some. That brings us to our next question.

Are you wondering what the diaper bag essentials are? Maybe you are planning a hospital diaper bag and looking for a hospital bag checklist. Either way, we have compiled a complete guide of important diaper bag essentials worth adding to your diaper bag checklist. You can use this guide as a newborn diaper bag checklist or simply as a list of diaper bag must-haves, regardless of your child’s age.

Understanding the Basics: What is a Diaper Bag?

A diaper bag practically defines itself in its name; it is a bag that holds diapers! But if you’ve ever owned a diaper bag, you know that diaper bags hold much more than simply diapers. In fact, a diaper bag is one of the most essential baby gear items to have on hand at all times when you’re carrying a baby or toddler around. Here is where you’ll find the diaper bag essentials that you need most.

There are two design features that practically all diaper bags have: large size and a LOT of pockets. These two elements are lovely for moms who must ensure they have everything wherever they go. But, it can also cause a diaper bag to become a mess of disorganized baby items that are difficult to locate on a whim. This is where diaper bag organization comes in! Parents with an orderly diaper bag with just what they need and not too much more will make their out-of-home trips much more manageable.

Diaper Bag Essential: Diapers

Diapers are a must, hence the name ‘diaper bag!’ But how many diapers should be packed in a diaper bag? You don’t want to overpack, as diapers take up a lot of space, but you certainly don’t want to under-pack—that would be even worse! Here’s a diaper count suggestion depending on the age of your little one:

• Newborn: Newborns frequently need diaper changes, so having enough diapers in tow is essential. Thankfully, newborn diapers are so tiny they don’t take up much space in the bag. For newborn babies, pack 8-10 diapers.
• Infants: Infants don’t have as many diaper changes as newborns, so you can plan on packing around 6-8 diapers.
• Toddlers: You can pack even fewer diapers at this age. We suggest 4-6 diapers or pullups if your toddler is potty-training.

Remember to pack a few more diapers if you plan to stay overnight somewhere. You never know if there will be middle-of-the-night accidents.

The designated diaper compartment is the best place to store your diapers in the bag. If your bag doesn’t have a specific area for diapers, keep them in a spot that is easily accessible and away from liquids. Don’t forget to pack a wet/dry bag for securing soiled diapers away from other baby items.

Related:

• Complete Hospital Bag Checklist for Expectant Moms: What You Need & What You Don’t
• Cloth vs Disposable Diapers: Everything you need to know!
• Best Travel Toys for Babies & Kids

The Need for Wipes in a Diaper Bag

Photo: twelveandsix.com

Baby wipes are obviously for wiping baby bums during diaper changes, so they are a diaper bag essential! Plus, baby wipes can serve as a way to quickly clean off dirty hands or anything else that needs a wipe down when you’re on the go. Wipes can also be used for blotting out unexpected stains, freshening up, and removing makeup. Remember to check the ingredients to ensure you use a safe product on your or baby’s skin.

Many diaper bags include a special compartment for baby wipes that allows parents to pull a wipe from the bag without removing the wipe container altogether. Keeping wipes near the diapers or the top of the diaper bag is helpful if there is no wipe compartment. Wipes can also be kept in a sealable plastic bag inside the diaper bag.

Importance of Changing Pad

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If your diaper bag doesn’t already come with a changing pad, know that it is a diaper bag essential. Portable changing pads might seem unnecessary but you may be surprised by how often you pull it out when changing a diaper outside of the home. Unfortunately, not all public restrooms have a diaper changing station, so sometimes you must rely on a changing pad for a safe place to lay your baby. Since most changing pads are made of waterproof vinyl material, they are super easy to wipe down.

If you need to purchase your changing pad, plan to buy one that is compact, relatively thin, and easily folds up to fit inside your diaper bag. A bulky changing pad will take up too much room, and given you need many diaper bag essentials, you won’t have room for a sizeable changing pad inside your bag.

Feeding Time Essentials

Food is an evident diaper bag essential for packing baby bottles, formula, breastmilk, snacks, or baby food jars. If your baby is drinking formula, bottles, formula, and water are suitable to pack (if you don’t think you’ll be near drinkable water). If you are nursing or pumping, you also want to bring a small pump, breastmilk storage bags, a nursing cover, nursing pads, and any other accessories you use. Age-appropriate snacks and baby food should be packed if your child is older. Don’t forget to pack baby utensils and burp cloths/napkins.

Staying Hydrated: Drinks for Your Baby

If your little one is past the formula or nursing stage of their life, remember to pack a cup or bottle of something to keep them hydrated. You may want to take advantage of the cooler compartment of your diaper bag to keep drinks chill. If your diaper bag doesn’t include one of these compartments, there are small and soft-sided cooler bags that fold up and will easily fit into diaper bags.

When packing liquids such as milk, juice, breast milk, water, or liquid foods (e.g., applesauce), make sure you store them in a leak-proof container. No one wants to deal with breast milk leaks or water seeping into their diaper bag. Even some sippy cup tops may start to leak if tipped over.

Diaper Bag Essentials for Clothes

Baby and toddler clothes can take up a lot of room in a diaper bag, so ensuring you don’t overpack is vital. So, how many sets of clothes should a parent pack? At least a couple of sets of clothes are necessary for infants since young babies are prone to blowouts, spit-ups, and messes. The number of clothing sets you pack depends on how long you’ll be away and what the weather looks like during that time.

You can do a few things to keep clothing sets organized inside the diaper bag. Each clothing set can be rolled up to stay together inside the bag. Another option is to fold each clothing set and secure it with a rubber band. Finally, you can place each clothing set in a ziplock bag to keep it together and keep it from getting wet or dirty.

Health and Safety Items

Diaper bag essentials certainly include those first aid products because you never know when you’ll need them! Thankfully there are many all-in-one first aid bags that parents can purchase and easily fit into their diaper bags. But if you’d instead create your first aid pack, here are some essential first aid items to have on hand:

• Bandaids
• Baby thermometer
• Baby nasal aspirator
• Baby nail clippers and tweezers
• Baby pain medicine or fever reducer
• Baby oral pain relief cream
• Baby gas drops or gripe water
• Diaper rash cream or diaper rash ointment

Of course, there are more first aid products you could carry around depending on how much you want to have in your diaper bag. Items like gauze, antiseptic wipes, and cold packs could also be added. It’s also a good idea to keep baby-friendly bug spray and sunscreen with you.

Soothing and Comfort Items

Babies and young children love comfort items, so these types of items are certainly a diaper bag essential. We’re talking about your little one’s favorite things: pacifiers, stuffed animals, teethers, toys, and more. This includes their favorite baby blanket, board book, baby rattle, or musical toy. Babies who can hold things by themselves love toys that light up, play music, or make a sound of any sort. As a parent, filling your diaper bag with comfort or sensory toys can be easy, but try only to pack your child’s favorite 2 or 3 things. Another option is to keep comfort items in the diaper bag that your child can only play with when you’re on the go. This can keep them excited about the thing and prolong their attention span.

For the Parent: Items to Include for You

Diaper bags are often used for mom and/or dad’s and their child’s stuff since carrying around a diaper bag and a purse is not always ideal. As a parent, you may consider adding some things to the diaper bag that are specifically for you, such as:

• Water bottle
• Snacks
• Hand sanitizer
• Hair tie
• Tide pen (or other quick stain remover pen)
• Wallet
• Book (or your comfort item)
• Sunglasses
• Phone charger

This list of diaper bag essentials for adults will certainly change depending on how long you plan to be gone, whether you’ll be outdoors or indoors, and where you plan to go. It’s convenient to keep your and baby’s things in one place. It may make sense to have a compartment that is specifically for your things so you can keep it separated from your baby’s items, making them easier to find.

Selecting the Right Diaper Bag

Not everyone is looking for the same type of diaper bag, so we’ll offer some things to consider for selecting one that is right for you and your family.

• Size. Size plays a big part; some families prefer a more compact diaper bag, whereas others believe bigger is better. Larger diaper bags can hold more but become inconvenient to carry around or travel with.
• Design. Diaper bags come in all shapes as well as sizes. Are you looking for a diaper bag that looks like a purse? Do you want a bag that looks like a backpack? Thinking about how you want to carry the bag is important, especially since within the bag will be diaper bag essentials, which can weigh the bag down.
• Organization. Do you prefer a diaper bag with multiple compartments and pockets inside and out? Some folks believe that the more, the merrier, whereas some may look for a more simplistic design.
• Materials. Considering what material you want the diaper bag to be made of is also important. Soft fabric like cotton may stain or get dirty quickly. On the other hand, many diaper bags are made of nylon or vinyl, making them easy to wipe down and keep clean over time.
• Accessories. Some diaper bags will come with accessories like a built-in changing pad, built-in insulated compartment, and/or compartment for holding baby wipes. Some parents may find this convenient and some may find it unnecessary.

Some of the most popular and highly-rated diaper bags include this diaper backpack from Ruvalino, this purse diaper bag from Dagne Dover, and this lightweight diaper bag from Skip Hop with insulated packing cubes. These are perfect options for holding diaper bag essentials!

Packing the Diaper Bag: An Efficient Routine

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If you’d like to keep your diaper bag essentials stored in an organized way, it’s a good idea to develop a type of routine before you head out the door. Here are some steps that may be helpful:

• Step 1: Trash check! Remove most items from the diaper bag to ensure all trash, like napkins, tissues, and snack wrappers, are thrown away.
• Step 2: Inventory check! Go through your diaper bag essentials to ensure nothing needs to be replaced, like wipes, diapers, and other diaper bag necessities.
• Step 3: Before adding your diaper bag essentials back into the bag, take this opportunity to wipe down the interior and exterior quickly.

If you’re worried you might forget a diaper bag essential before walking out the door, you can keep a diaper bag list or at least a list of the top 10 items in a diaper bag that you want. This way, you can quickly run down your list to ensure you have all the diaper bag essentials. We know that ‘mom brain’ is real, and a simple checklist is helpful!

Conclusion

After reading this guide, you will hopefully feel confident and fully aware of diaper bag essentials! We’ve covered diapers, wipes, changing pads, food and drink, health and safety items, comfort items, and even those that are for YOU as a parent. We also gave you tips on finding a diaper bag that fits your lifestyle and is comfortable and practical. Finally, we shared a quick diaper bag routine to help you keep tabs on what’s in your bag and what isn’t.

With a seamless and straightforward routine, you’ll be able to use your diaper bag to the fullest without feeling overwhelmed or that you have forgotten something important. With a bag stocked with diaper bag essentials, you can feel confident knowing you are well-prepared for your day trip or overnight stay!

Frequently Asked Questions

How many diapers should I pack in my diaper bag?

The number of diapers you pack in your diaper bag depends on your child’s age. If a newborn, pack 8-10 diapers. For infants, it’s suggested to pack 6-8 diapers. For a toddler, you can pack around 4-6 diapers, give or take, depending on whether your little one is potty training.

What are some essential items for feeding my baby on the go?

Essential feeding items that should go in a diaper bag include bottles, formula, snacks, or baby food jars, depending on baby’s age and abilities. Breastmilk storage bags, a small pump, and other nursing accessories should be packed in the diaper bag for moms who are nursing their babies.

Should I pack clothes in my diaper bag?

Packing a few sets of clothes for your little one is vital because you never know if they’ll dirty the ones they’re wearing! Packing extra clothes if the weather may change while you are out of the home is also a good idea.

What health and safety items should be in a diaper bag?

Many parents take advantage of packing an all-in-one baby first aid kit so they have about everything they need. Suppose you’d instead prefer to pack your own health and safety items. In that case, we recommend at least packing bandaids, a baby thermometer, a baby nasal aspirator, baby nail clippers, baby pain medicine/fever reducer, baby oral pain relief cream, baby gas drops or gripe water, and diaper rash cream.

What items should I pack for myself in the diaper bag?

Some diaper bag essentials for parents should be packed, especially if you don’t want to carry around two separate bags. These items include a phone charger, sunglasses, snacks, water, hand sanitizer, and any other necessities that you’d like to have on hand.