What’s in my diaper bag?

Well, it’s official. I’ve traded in my purse for a diaper bag. I thought about carrying around both for a while, but who am I kidding? That’s a little too extra.

To give me something to do while I was waiting to push out a baby the size of a watermelon, I packed and repacked my diaper bag about seventeen times. Now that my baby girl is here and I don’t have third-trimester delusions, I can finally confirm the things in my diaper bag that we actually need for a newborn.

So lets take a look:

Diapers & Wipes – No brainer. I keep about 8-10 diapers in my bag at a time. Newborn babies go through enough diapers to make you want to cry, so make sure you have a good amount on hand.

Diaper cream – Just a small tube! I keep this one from Young Living in Mila’s bag.

Burp Cloths – To be covered in baby puke and spit up at a later time.

Chapstick – I switch between classic Burt’s bees or if I’ll be seeing her dad, any fruity flavor of lip smackers. (Make out city!?)

Baby Lotion –  For your baby and for you when your hands get dry from frequent washing.

Hand Sanitizer – Because little germs can cause a huge ruckus for your little one!

Extra change of clothes (for baby) – Two words. BLOW OUTS. You don’t want to be in a situation where your baby is covered in their own poo, and you have no choice but to leave them in their stained and stinky clothes.

Extra shirt (for mom) – You will get weird baby bodily fluids on you. Usually, a baby wipe will do the trick, but for extreme cases, pack an extra shirt for yourself. I recommend a well fitted plain white tee like this one (Gap Vintage Wash V-Neck; $19.95)

Bottle & Food – I try to exclusively pump, so I’ll pack both a bottle and enough breast milk to last us through our outing. I also received these little samples of formula that I keep in the diaper bag just in case we run out of breast milk and there’s not a place I feel comfortable to pump or breastfeed.

Baby wrap – I received this wrap at my baby shower (Bambini & Me Wrap Carrier; $32.97). Mila and I LOVE it! I’ll wear it around the house or if we’re going out. It’s super convenient because I can cuddle her and carry her hands free!

Binky – Mila doesn’t really like binkies, but I keep one in my bag just in case.

Wallet – Because it’s illegal to drive without your license and I don’t like to go anywhere without it.

Breast Pump & storage container – I keep a haaka pump (Haaka Pump; $12.99) in my bag for emergency pumping or to use if I am breastfeeding. The haaka pump is great because it’s super light, makes no noise, and it’s easy to clean. Of course, if we’re going to be away for a long period of time (ie. overnight), I’ll bring my portable pump (MomCozy Pump; $49.99) – which I also use when I pump at work.

My list of diaper bag essentials has decreased since I first packed my bag those last weeks of pregnancy. If you feel confused as a new mom, hang in there girl! It gets better.