Forget the Birkin and the Kelly — the diaper bag is the one carryall a new mom can’t live without.
And unlike a luxury handbag, the diaper bag’s inside matters way more than its outside.
A useful diaper bag can fit diapers, wipes, a changing pad, diaper disposal bags, rash cream, nursing equipment, bottles, bibs, burp cloths, snacks, pacifiers, toys, extra outfits, hand sanitizer, phew!
You should be able to easily grab what you need while balancing a baby, stash the bag in the bottom of the stroller and wipe away any residue from sticky fingers.
I have newborn twins, which means that I have two diaper bags — one if I am carrying one baby and the other if I have both girls with me.
I’ve been using the 7AM Enfant Soho Diaper Carryall ($142) in black and the Caraa Baby Tote Small in Dove Embroidered Organic Cotton ($320), which are functional and fashionable.
The Soho Diaper Carryall is sleek. It has two side pockets that can fit a bottle for each twin. There is also a front pocket and several interior pockets for all the babies’ accessories.
What sets this diaper bag apart from others is that it contains an easy-to-clean cushioned changing pad; a wallet pouch so I don’t have to dig for my keys or my ID; and a crossbody strap to free up my hands.
The Caraa Baby Tote is more whimsical, with a showstopper floral design. It has fewer pockets than the Soho carryall, so I use it when I’m toting around just one baby.
One unique feature is that the Caraa tote’s two side pockets and its front pocket are insulated to keep milk cool. The Caraa tote can also be carried across the body.
Both have been a cinch to wipe down, but I have yet to test them in a snowy Chicago winter.
Here’s what I have been carrying in my diaper bags.
With twins, we go through over 20 diapers a day. A good diaper stays firmly in place and doesn’t leak or irritate the skin. Plenty of diaper brands fit the bill, and then there’s Parasol.
Ohmigosh, Parasol RashShield Diapers are soft. According to the brand, the “top sheet is made with embossed ultra-soft hydrophilic nonwoven fabric imported from Korea.”
I don’t know if my twins notice the difference between Parasol and other brands, but my husband and I do. He would not stop talking about how soft the Parasols are.
Parasol boasts that it’s made with “chlorine-free wood pulp” and without dyes, preservatives or forever chemicals that have been linked to poor health outcomes. That’s why Parasol diapers are a bit pricier than other brands.
One financial company estimated that a disposable diaper costs between 14 and 37 cents.
A box of 88 newborn Parasol diapers retails for $59.99, which comes out to 68 cents a diaper.
Our preemie twins each spent weeks in the NICU, where they ate via feeding tubes. Once they came off the tubes, they chowed down on Similac NeoSure Ready to Feed Infant Formula via disposable 2-ounce bottles topped with Similac Slow Flow Nipples.
At home from the NICU, my husband and I experimented with many, many bottles. The key was to find a nipple that allowed milk to flow at a steady, manageable pace as the twins worked to master their suck-swallow-breathe coordination.
We settled on Philips Avent Natural Baby Bottles (4 for $29.95) and haven’t seen too much dribble.
These large bibs (2 for $14.95) cover enough surface area to collect large burps. The patterns are especially adorable!
My twins are constantly refunding on my shoulder and in my hair.
These are wide and long cloths (2 for $14.95) that can absorb all that goodness. Plus, the cloth cleverly snaps into a large bib for the baby.
This actually isn’t for either of my twins. I have a 7-year-old who has recently discovered the magic of Jell-O, and we use the 4-ounce mini jars ($18.69 for a six-pack) to hold the Jell-O she makes.
There’s always room (in the diaper bag) for Jell-O! These glass jars are said to be made without plastic or forever chemicals.
They can be popped into the dishwasher, but I find the lids difficult to clean if I don’t immediately soak them.
With all the diaper changes, I’m always reaching for hand sanitizer. My 7-year-old is a big fan of Tubby Todd’s lavender and rosemary hand sanitizer (two 2-fluid-ounce bottles for $12).
It’s a sweet, lingering smell instead of a chemical one — plus, it dries quickly.
And finally, there’s the Tubby Todd Hair + Body Wash ($40 for 25 ounces), turning her into a boujee bather who refuses to leave the tub.
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