As a mother to four, I frequently get asked by expecting friends and family what they need to take care of baby on a daily basis. They want to know which items are my must haves and which they can live without. Because let’s face it, we’ve all encountered at least one baby item that we didn’t need or never used.
As a parent, I err on the overly planning and prepared side, and my diaper bag does too. So, what’s in my diaper bag?
Cloth Diaper Must Haves
Assuming that I am only gone for the day, I like to have 6 cloth diaper changes with me at all times. We love Thirsties Natural All In Ones when we are on the go. They are so simple to use, I don’t have to remember any extra parts or pieces and they fit perfectly in my wet bags.
And because we use them for absolutely everything, I actually have two wet bags in my diaper bag. One wet bag we use strictly for dirty diapers and the other I like to have on hand for potty accidents, big spills, dirty pants and pretty much anything else that happens on the go. There are literally hundreds of uses for wet bags, so I recommend always leaving the house with an extra.
Beyond diapers and wet bags, I like to have a container of Thirsties Booty Love for rashes and a bottle of Booty Luster for wipes. And if we’re being honest, I use Booty Luster for so many things in addition to wipes. Dirty hands and faces, scraped knees and spilled drinks in the car can all be helped with a few sprays of Booty Luster. I’ve even used it to clean our diaper bag (yes, really), so grab an extra bottle now before you forget.
The last cloth diaper accessories I pack are always my reusable Thirsties Organic Cotton Wipes. I pack these last for two reasons: one, I fill the extra space in my bag with as many as I can fit and two, I like to have them be the most easily accessible item in my bag. You can use these wipes for almost anything, so I like to have lots of them and be able to grab them quickly when needed. If you pack nothing else, pack these wipes!
Toddler Accessories
Now, if you have ever gone anywhere with a toddler, you know that you could pretty much pack everything but the kitchen sink and still be in need of six random things you never knew you needed. However, over the years I have gotten pretty good at assuming what can/will go wrong and exactly which tools I will need to handle the situation.
For example, in my diaper bag, I always keep an extra change of clothes for my toddler. Yes, we are potty trained, but she is at the age where it’s actually more about the spills and messes that occur than it is about potty accidents. And extra change of clothes gives us some room to breathe and just makes everything less stressful.
I also keep extra snacks (veggie pouches are an easy go-to) like some dates, cuties or almonds in a reusable bag. Fruit leather is also a great option as it takes up virtually no room and when in doubt, I throw in a container of granola too.
The extra wipes that we’ve already packed will mostly be used by the toddler, as well as the wipe spray and extra wet bag. I do like to pack her water bottle as well, so I can avoid the pleas for a Starbucks steamer halfway through our grocery trip.
Everyday Essentials
Here’s where it gets good. Every day essentials can be different for every family, but I think we have ours nailed down to a tee.
I always pack a small container of CJ's BUTTer because Alaskan weather is so brutal that someone always has itchy, dry skin. And because we literally use CJ's for everything, I pack a Quick Stick to use if we don't want to get our hands messy.
Extra bandaids are a must, because there are just too many bumps and bruises to count. I also leave a phone charger in my bag at all times because I have had too many instances where it was needed. Finally, I consider hair ties for the toddler and an extra Cutie Pat for the baby our must never leave without items.
#Momrealness
I know that for a lot of moms, what we need is probably last on the list. However, there are certain things that travel in my diaper bag that are just for me.
For myself, I included extra tampons or my cup, a small bar of chocolate, a small bottle of Midol, a nail file and an extra $20 in cash. This is my emergency stash that battles the top three things that always seem to go wrong: I get my period unexpectedly, I rip a nail that will inevitably snag the baby and/or I need a little extra cash to grab a coffee and a cookie while everyone else is passed out in the car in peace.
Your emergency stash might look very different than mine. However, I do encourage you to make yourself this little stash and take care of yourself for a minute. You will be surprised how nice it feels when they DO fall asleep in the car and you remember that $20 you tucked away for coffee in the quiet.
#ThirstiesTip Wet bags are perfect to hold your mom emergency stash! I always keep mine packed and as long as I know my momma wet bag is in the diaper bag, I’m good to go!
Do you have other essentials you love in your diaper bag? Share your best tips with us in the comments! You can shop Thirsties cloth diapers at your local retailer or online with Thirsties. For other cloth diaper tips and tricks, you can visit Thirsties on Facebook or join the online community, Thirsties Groupies. And don’t forget to checkout Thirsties Instagram feed, @thirstiesinc.
