Product Spotlight: Diaper Bags

m6agua · December 2019

Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product. Feel free to comment on threads like these throughout your time at the board, not just when they're in their week in the spotlight, if you discover something new OR are new to the board. This week it's.... Diaper Bags!

FTMs are encouraged to ask questions & STM/+s encouraged to share their knowledge based on experience. You can use any or all the prompts relevant to you below to share info in an easy-to-read format. Pictures/screen grabs, if put in spoilers, are welcome!

For all...
Any diaper bags you're interested in?
What style are you considering?

STMs....
What diaper bag do you have?
What style do you have?
Any features you would recommend?

To view the upcoming PSS schedule, see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XX4aUSPsDbdyEEK5HIzMzwH2ztOVOnNCehSgMAc5w6U/edit?usp=sharing
Next up: Baby Monitors

catem07 · December 2019

I have a Vera Bradley diaper bag that they don't make anymore. A lot of people recommend backpacks but I don't want to have to take the thing all the way off to access what's inside, especially since I usually put my wallet in there. Also leather ones are pretty but they get super heavy; I don't recommend them.

I recommend a diaper bag with loops you can hang it from a stroller or something.

Honestly a diaper bag is just a bag you put diapers and other kid stuff in. Pick any bag you like. (With the caveat that I didn't formula feed nor did I bottle feed when I was present with my daughter, so I didn't have to worry about carrying around bottles/formula/etc.)

m6agua · December 2019

I have this diaper bag from Tactical Baby Gear. I bought it for DH and gave it to him for Father's Day (we had DD in November). I did not buy this particular combo, the items I do not have are the bear, patches, carabiners, or the stroller straps. I do have the bag, the drink holder, wipes holder, changing mat and the dump pouch (which is great for dirty diapers or clothes). We love this bag and still use it for overnight packing now that DD is 3. The plan is this will be DH's range bag when we are done using it for kiddo's.
https://tacticalbabygear.com/collections/diaper-bags/products/full-load-out-2-0-diaper-bag-set

I also had this Skip Hop diaper bag (different print) in the beginning for myself. It was fine, but the TBG one ended up working out better overall. I also had the changing pad, wet dry bag, and bottle cooler. I highly recommend getting a wet dry bag!
https://www.skiphop.com/skiphop-diaper-bags/V_230014.html

This time around I may want to go with a backpack style, I'm just not sure yet.

heatherlynn321 · December 2019

https://www.target.com/p/skip-hop-pronto-signature-striped-changing-station-black-white/-/A-52212790?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&CPNG=PLA_Baby+Shopping_Showcase&adgroup=SC_Catch+All&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=m&location=9011040&gclid=CjwKCAiArJjvBRACEiwA-Wiqq6u246FB40s75sS1lAtUCFDBCaEcNFwPQ6U9KUXAnlkMctjN3JD-wBoCY78QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I absolutely loved having this as a quick and just the essentials option. I carry it everywhere my 2 year old goes. It folds out into a changing pad, and has space for diapers, wipes, and a spare onesie.

rox7777 · December 2019

I’ve owned a petunia Picklebotton boxy backpack, a custom purse one from Etsy, a vintage Lilly Pulitzer diaper bag, I’ve used my Tory Burch and Longchamp purses and honestly they’re all just bags.

I prefer a back pack because I have multiple kids and find it impossible to juggle everything, wrangle kids and keep a bag on my shoulder. I bought the super popular one on amazon and I love it. Not super expensive and does the job perfectly.

The diaper bags targeted for moms tend to be really heavy. The PPB, freshly picked and JJB BBF were all so heavy when fully packed.

ruby696 · December 2019

I have a black leather Il Tutto diaper bag.

Pros: It's a gorgeous nappa leather and it's so soft and comfortable to carry, even though it is big. It also looks like a large tote, so it doesn't scream mom bag. We still use it when we travel. I keep a change of clothes, wipes, medicine, etc., plus everything I'd need in my purse. It's been very durable, as well.

Cons: It can fit a lot of stuff, so it can get heavy. Also, there are metal corners to protect the bag, which i get, however, it's also really easy to ding cars in parking lots if I'm not careful. It was also pretty pricey, although I feel like I've gotten my money's worth.

I also have a Coach diaper bag which I use as a backup. And I have a Valentino tote that I keep my breast pump in. I did not buy it for that purpose, but it's the perfect size and I can take it to work/travel with it, and people think it's just another bag. It feels so wrong though. 😆 MH has a Jeep backpack, which isn't exciting but it was reasonably priced, keeps his hands free, and makes him feel more manly while carrying a diaper bag around.

Eta: autocorrect

bananapanda · December 2019

I second the changing station that @heatherlynn321 linked as well as a wet/dry bag!

With DD1 I really wanted a traditional diaper bag for some reason even though I logically knew a backpack would work better for us so I got this monstrosity https://smile.amazon.com/Skip-Hop-Matching-Changing-Central/dp/B0778189KB/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=skip+hop+diaper+bag&qid=1575406949&sr=8-14. It could fit everything but had to be unzipped half the time and made me feel like a hot mess. We kept it in the car more often than not because it was so huge and such a pain (though good to have everything in the car we needed).

This time around I'm doing a backpack style from BagNation. I think it will fit our needs much better. Even in the last few months there have been so many outings with DD where I wanted a backpack for a few essentials and still be able to have my hands free so I'd emtpy my backpack I use for work with my laptop and put things in there. This one will be much easier for us I hope!

miss_lynn9 · December 2019

I'm looking at two backpack styles. I really like the simplicity of the Ryla pack but my only worry is that its too small for longer day trips while cloth diapering.

https://www.rylapack.com/collections/all-products

The other one I'm looking at is the Itzy Ritzy Boss bag. It's bigger and I like how it opens all the way and has a mesh guard to hold everything in.

https://www.itzyritzy.com/collections/diaper-backpacks/products/diaper-bag-backpack

Any STM+ have any recommendations on bag size while cloth diapering?

rox7777 · December 2019

@jess09lynn I highly recommend getting a separate wet bag. Put your diapers, a pack of wipes, diaper cream in that bag and throw it in the car. Keep one diaper and a smaller wet bag in your diaper bag for emergency changes. Carrying around a ton of cloth diapers gets old fairly quick. I used the JJB BFF with DS2 and cloth diapered. It’s fairly close in size to the boss bag. But I liked just keeping a separate bag in the car for extra diaper changes after a while because the giant diaper bag was a pain to haul around and we were rarely out long enough to need that many diaper changes.

shamrocandroll · December 2019

For DS, I had this one from Skip Hop.

https://www.amazon.com/Skip-Hop-Messenger-Matching-Signature/dp/B00J4J2AQK

Overall, it fit a lot of stuff in it, and it had a lot of great features, but this time around I opted for a backpack style one. I ordered this one on Black Friday (35% off). I like the way it opens because the biggest thing about a backpack was it didn't seem very accessible the way most of them open. With this one, I should be able to open it without taking it off the stroller, or while my husband is wearing it. I'm excited!

https://www.skiphop.com/skiphop-diaper-bags-backpack/V_203107.html

rachelg777 · December 2019

I have this one from Freshly Picked. I like it a lot for big trips - but for everyday use it does get kind of heavy and I find myself filling it with stuff that I actually don't need.

https://www.crateandbarrel.com/freshly-picked-grey-diaper-bag/s583978?localedetail=US&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PLA&a=1869&scid=scbplp583978&sc_intid=583978&msclkid=89982073e46a13e300157d945ca755fe&gclid=CJyYjd-QnOYCFQPlswodkL4N0Q&gclsrc=ds

I bought this one this fall - it's super small and light. I really like it so far, I'm hoping it keeps me more organized with the new baby and forces me to only bring the essentials.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F17GW67/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

m6agua · December 2019

@rachelg777 Ooo good point about the essentials. DH always wanted to pack everything for every possibility. As for me I would keep a stock of stuff in my car that just stayed there and just pack the essentials in the diaper bag for bringing into the store. Sometimes I would just bring in the changing pad with 1 diaper and a thing of wipes if it was a quick in and out.

miss_lynn9 · December 2019

@rox7777 that's a great idea. I was dreading having to carry around a heavy pack. And I probably do a lot of long trips. Ryla Pack it is!

thepretzelchick · December 2019

I had a Skip Hop bag I used for both kids. I really liked it, especially since I prefer crossbody over shoulder straps. I'm currently using a Vineyard Vines diaper bag backpack as a purse. It won't work for me as a diaper bag; it's not big enough for the diaper changer I'll carry, and it would be a tight fit for bottles. If you pack the bare minimum and BF, I'd recommend it.

Since I use diaper bags to carry purse stuff so I don't have to carry two bags, I'll probably use my old Jansport backpack from college. It's still in great condition and has plenty of storage.

For FTMs, I recommend getting a diaper changer pad. I'll ETA a link, but mine has a pocket to store diapers and travel size wipes, and it folds out into a good sized changing pad you can easily wipe down. It folds back into itself and velcros shut. I used it constantly, especially at home when I didn't want to go upstairs to use the changing table. It was a lifesaver when out and about to put on top of a bathroom changing station without worrying about germs there. Like I said above, it's not good for storing in smaller bags, but it does have a handle, so you could attach it with a small carabiner if you decide on a smaller bag. It is in my top ten of baby items I technically could live without but never want to live without.

rachelg777 · December 2019

Am I the only one who doesn’t like changing pads? To me it just seems like you would tag a long more germs that then go in your diaper bag vs just wiping the changing station with a Clorox wipe or laying a swaddle blanket down that goes in the dirty bag for washing later. 🤷‍♀️ I also think that they are bulky and take up a lot of room. Maybe it’s just me!

mamaj1220 · December 2019

I have a Coach diaper bag that I hate. I think I am going with a backpack this time because I don't like doing one shoulder. I am not a changing pad fan either @rachelg777 I would use the wipes to clean off the surface but I also was one of those moms who avoided public changing tables at all costs and would take him back to the car to change (trunk of my SUV) with a blanket down. But when I couldn't I used wipes to clean it off and laid down disposable ones.

I think the biggest thing for me with the diaper bag is the size, I carried so much extra stuff because it was so big that it really bothered my shoulder.

jhysmath · December 2019

We have an eddie bauer back pack one. We cloth diaper and it's pretty full with just diapers and a wetbag. I don't know what we'll do when we have 2 I think we'll need a second bag or we'll need something larger. I do like that it can hang from the back of the stroller. I feel like there are lot of pockets to put things in, but once the main part is full you can't access the pockets easily. Perhaps if all we had was disposables this wouldn't be such a problem.

rox7777 · December 2019

@jhysmath I had two in cloth for a while. The jujube BFF is a great bag, but be warned it’s huge. You can buy stroller straps for it which are a life safer and it’s a backpack. If you’re interested check eBay and the jujube BST pages. They’re super pricey but you can find them for pretty cheap if you buy secondhand. I got mine on amazon in the warehouse deals section for about 50% off.

jhysmath · December 2019

@rox7777 I'll look into it, the last time I checked them out they were super pricey and I figured everyone in the cloth community on facebook I was part of was obsessed because you have to have the name brand stuff and that makes the price go up higher when everyone wants it and they do all those "limited" releases. Much like diaper prints.

rox7777 · December 2019

@jhysmath The hype is starting to die down because they’ve oversaturated the market. Back in 2013 the cloth market was fairly small and they didn’t do nearly as many releases. Now there’s so many brands and prints and releases and people stopped trying to keep up and collect. And the resell has fallen so much in the last two years or so. I see Jujube on eBay all the time for $30-40. Even the BST pages go for fairly cheap these days. There are a few knock off brands on amazon, but like I said I found mine in the warehouse deals section and it was a great deal so I was happy. I think most people like itzy ritzy, freshly picked and lily jade these days.

pirateduck · December 2019

In my brain I suspect that my diaper bag will be like my purse in that no matter what size I get I will find ways to fill it, the bigger the bag, the more stuff I will lug around. How much do you really need? What are the essentials you keep in your diaper bag? How many diapers do you bring with you when you go out (I know this depends on the length of the trip, we’ll say a full day and assume a half day you’d bring less)?

queenklau · December 2019

@pirateduck, my bag wasn’t huge. The amount of things you lug around decreases proportionately to the age of the kid 😆.

When they are newborns, and as a FTM, you may not go out as long but you will need, 2 diapers for every 3 hours you are out, plus a few buffer ones. At least 2 outfit changes, a few burp cloths, if FF enough bottles/feeding for the trip. I BF so I never lugged around too many bottles, maybe 1 if I wanted someone else to feed the baby where I was going. Wipes (travel size), snacks/water for you, changing pad, a few toys, a muslin blanket or thicker (weather specific), travel size cream (ie. aquaphor), boogie wipes. Additional layers of clothes based on weather. Oh, and I had a roll of arm and hammer plastic bags (looks like doggie bags), in case they have an blow-out and the first outfit is in bad shape you can put them in those bags.

AND a wrap/carrier/stroller.

cant think or remember anything else...

catem07 · December 2019

@queenklau pretty much has it covered.

ruby696 · December 2019

I'd just add a nursing cover if you don't FF. I had one that folded up really small, which was nice.

rox7777 · December 2019

I learned to keep a small stockpile in the diaper bags that way if I was in a hurry and forgot to repack, I still had stuff I needed. We usually had 5-6 diapers, a travel pack of wipes, a “diaper bag” pacifier, a muslin blanket that doubled as a nursing cover, car seat cover, etc. A season appropriate change of clothes. A gallon size zip lock bag for blow outs. And a small travel bag that had gas drops, Tylenol and a nose sucker. Just in case. I never used bottles with DS2, but with DS1 I had two I kept in the bag and I just threw in 1-2 bottled waters and I bought the little formula packs that were individual servings and kept 2-3 in the diaper bag at all times. MH is a fly out the door type so I liked to have everything always packed and I would refill once a week or so.

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