Diaper Bag or Diaper Backpack?
What are the essentials to keep inside?
At the end of a long day with your checklist in one hand and your water bottle in the other hand, you place your swollen, achy feet up on the couch and decide what item(s) you can check off your “things to get done before baby arrives” list. As you sink into the comfort of your couch, you grab your laptop and type in diaper bags. HOLY COW, there are thousands to choose from. Where do you begin? How do you choose one? What do you look for in a diaper bag? Should you ask your friend about her bag to see if she likes it? Do you really care what it looks like or are you all about functionality? Once you narrow it down, you can buy it online or go to your local baby store to check it out.
There are three different options to choose from: over the shoulder, across the body or a back pack. Diaper bags come in all different sizes, patterns and brands. From the Target and Costco brands to the Kate Spade, Coach, Gucci and Prada bags. You can spend $25 to $2000 + dollars on them. It really is a preference as they all offer space and compartments. Some moms use them to double as a purse and buy matching wallets. My first piece of advice is to try them on for size, comfort (padded or adjustable straps) and convenience as not all bags are the same!
Choose wisely as you will be looking at it and wearing it for a couple of years as your child grows. My second piece of advice is to pack it before baby arrives (during your nesting period) so it is ready to go when you need it. Some people choose to take it to the hospital or birth center with them while others leave it at home and throw a couple newborn outfits in with their own items.
Personally, I went with a diaper backpack. My husband liked it and I loved that I could strap it on to both my shoulders and not worry about it falling off my arm while I juggled the car seat or a child. It wasn’t particularly fun or stylish but it was extremely practical and my husband never complained about carrying it. It had plenty of storage and a nice thick changing pad that velcro’d on the inside of the outside pocket (I loved that it 
was always visible so if we left it somewhere it was obvious we needed to find it). We could wipe it down and out and also throw it in the laundry when it needed a good thorough cleaning.
Whichever one you choose, there a few staples that should be found in ALL bags:
-diapers, several of them! Keep a minimum of 5 in there at all times, possibly different sizes too if you have more than one kid in diapers.
-wipes with a close-able lid or placed in a plastic bag. Wipes can be used for wiping bottoms, sticky fingers, spilled drinks, and even the car dashboard.
-extra set of clothes, onesie, socks, hat (if going in the sun)
-changing pad or disposable changing liners
– extra blanket
-burp or wash cloth to wipe up spit up
-hand sanitizer
-diaper rash cream
-nursing pads and regular pads, especially in the first couple of weeks. Tampons, for later
-comfort object or blankie
-pacifiers
-bottles, formula, water
-immunization card (if you feel like you might misplace it in your house)
-nursing cover (if you feel more comfortable when nursing in public)
-extra bags to put diapers in and throw away
-toys, rattles, or board books
-snacks for parents (granola bar, nuts, etc)
Other possible items or if you have the space:
-extra shirt for you (in case you leak through)
-sippy cup or snacks for older child
-water bottle and snacks, gum or mints for you
-Motrin or Tylenol for parent and/or baby/child
-spare change (never know when you might need some)
-nasal aspirator (booger sucker)
-pen and paper (in case you meet a new mom you want to hang out with)
-bib
-jackets, when needed
-change of clothes (2) and undies (if potty training)
-band aids in case of an accident
As you can see, a diaper bag can carry A LOT of things especially if it doubles as a purse. My third piece of advice is to go to the travel section at the store and buy small travel tubes of: lotion, hand sanitizer, 
chapstick, baby sunblock, stain remover and whatever else you think you might need. Some people suggest having two diaper bags, one large one and one small one with just the essentials for quick errands. One stays in the car, while the other one goes everywhere with you and baby. As your baby gets older, their needs, clothes and diaper sizes change too as well as the stuff you need to take with you. Just remember to re stock frequently for everything and label your bag. You can use a sharpie or a luggage tag.
Picture this….as you pull into a parking lot to run errands, you hear rumbling noises coming from the car seat in the back seat. You open the back door, get a whiff of something and see your baby smiling with poop all over the car seat. You reach for your diaper bag and finish assessing how bad the situation is. You grab your changing pad and wipes, slowly pull your baby out and place them on the back seat on the changing pad. You grab your plastic bag and open it up to receive the dirty diaper, wipes and outfit. Outfit comes off and baby is wiped down. You reach in for another diaper and outfit and realize you DO NOT have any more packed. Don’t panic! While you figure out what to do next, you grab another handful of wipes to wipe out the car seat. With one hand on the baby, you pull the diaper bag closer to take another look, throwing everything out all over the back seat……yep, no diapers are to be found. You see a receiving blanket on the floor and think, I can wrap baby up in this and drive back home. You feel all over the car seat to make sure it is not too cold for the baby, place the blanket on the seat, put baby back in completely naked and buckle them up. You run to the front seat and drive home, take the seat out with you and promptly head to the bathroom. You survived your first blowout and someday after you cry, you will be able to laugh about it.
TIP of the day for new parents, set alarms on your phone to remind you to check the diaper bag at least twice a week, possibly more if need be.
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