Diaper Bag Essentials:What To Pack In A Diaper Bag

Diaper Bag Essentials + A FREE Diaper Bag Checklist

Mom life gets pretty chaotic at times. One of the best things that moms can do to combat the crazy is to always be PREPARED. This is especially important when you’re out and about. That’s why it’s crucial to have a well-packed diaper bag with ALL of the diaper bag essentials!

It’s inevitable that while you’re running around town with your baby they’re going to get hungry, dirty, cranky, and who knows what other tricks they have up their sleeves!

Scroll To The Bottom Of This Page To Get The FREE Diaper Bag Checklist

This images shows a diaper bag essentials checklist. It lists out all of the items you need to pack in your diaper bag.

Choosing The Best Diaper Bag

When picking out your diaper bag you want to make sure it meets this criteria:

  1. Easy To Carry
  2. Multiple Sections and Compartments
  3. Water Proof/Easy To Clean
  4. Plenty of Room Without Being OVERLY Bulky

As a means for providing for my family, I may earn commissions if you shop through the links on this page at no additional cost to you.

Most moms prefer a backpack style, and it’s for good reason. The design allows for plenty of compartments and it’s the easiest style to carry around. You’re lugging a baby and/or a heavy baby carrier around, you don’t want to have a diaper bag that constantly sliding off your shoulders.

This highly rated and best selling Diaper Bag is the PERFECT choice. Plus it comes in 8 different color options so you can feel stylish too.

RUVALINO Diaper Bag Backpack – Multifunction Travel Back Pack Maternity Baby Changing Bags, Diaper Changing Totes, Large Capacity, Waterproof and Stylish, Baby Travel Essential, Dark Gray
  • Over 1,000,000 units sold – Trust in our proven quality! What you’ll get – 1 normal size backpack diaper bag (size: 11.8”x 7.8”x16.5”, weight: 1.78lb) with a changing pad (size: 23”x15”) and a…
  • Upgrade Handy Construture – The interior of our diaper bag includes a padded laptop pocket, mesh pocket organizers and other organization essentials. Maintain the temperature of your baby bottles in…
  • Designed for Convenience – Extra wide opening makes this diaper backpack easy to find essentials in a pinch, and dual zippers for easy-access & closure even with one hand! Easy-grab handle & back…

CHECK IT OUT HERE

Diaper Bag Essentials:

Diapers

Pack 1 diaper for every 2 hours that you’re going to be out plus 2 extra in case the unexpected happens. (I prefer Huggies Gentle Skin Protection…the other brands would give my baby such bad diaper rash)

Wipes

Always make sure you have a pack of wipes. If the wipe container is getting low, either add an additional one, or switch it out for a new one. You can put the one that’s running low in your diaper changing station at home.

Diaper Cream

Use travel size to save space, or check out this really convenient Diaper Rash Roll On Balm for an easy and less messy option. It’s meant for 100% natural and built for sensitive skin.

EmBeba Natural Diaper Rash Cream for Baby with Sensitive Skin | Travel Friendly Baby Rash Ointment with Built-in Diaper Balm Stick Roll-On Applicator, All Over Herbal Skin Care, 1 Pack
  • 👍 EASY TO USE: ​​Our organic diaper balm is cruelty-free and vegan, making it a responsible and ethical choice for your baby’s skincare needs. Our innovated sustainable (100 % recyclable) packaging is easy to use – just twist, push up, and apply with a single swipe. Made by moms for moms. Plus, its convenient, travel-friendly tin means you can take it with you wherever you go.
  • 💙 CLEAN & EFFECTIVE: Choose EmBeba Diaper Balm for a natural, effective, and safe solution to diaper rash and skin irritation. Trust us to provide the best organic diaper rash cream for your baby’s delicate skin
  • 👶 ALL OVER HEALING: EmBeba Diaper Balm is not just a diaper balm – it’s a versatile baby balm that can be used for a variety of purposes. Its all-purpose formula makes it perfect for soothing dry, chapped skin, minor cuts and scrapes, and even insect bites.

Wet/Dry Bags or Small Trash Bags

There may not be a trash can nearby at the exact moment you need it. So you’ll need to have wet/dry bags to put wet/dirty diapers, or dirty clothes if your baby spits up or spills.

Burp Clothes

Have a burp cloth in your diaper bag to wipe up quick messes, and for burping your baby after feedings.

Hand Sanitizer

Keep a small travel friendly hand sanitizer in your bag for you to use after changing dirty diapers. It’d be a good idea to get these Purell Wipes Travel Pack because you can use them for hands, but also to wipe down surfaces. If I’m ever using public changing tables, I ALWAYS wipe them down first with these wipes.

Food For Baby

Depending on how you feed your baby, you’ll of course need either baby formula, breast milk (if pumping), bottles and/or baby food for older infants.

At Least 2 Changes of Clothes

For the spit ups, spills and blow outs.

Hat

For the summer you’ll need a hat to block the sun. In the winter you need a hat to keep them warm.

Sunscreen (6 months+)

If you’re going to be out in the sun, be sure to have sunscreen in your diaper bag. For younger infants that can’t use sunscreen, be sure you’re shielding them with hats and light blankets.

Light Blanket

Year round, a light blanket is a definitely diaper bag essential. You’ll use it to shield your baby from the sun, drape over their carrier when they’re sleeping, cover them if they get chilly, etc.

Toys

Pack 2-3 small favorite toys to soothe a fussy baby.

Light Snacks

For older infants and/or toddlers, light snacks are a HUGE diaper bag essential. Gerbers Puffs are a really simple option to include. If you prefer to go more natural, then check out these clear reusable storage bags. You can pack them with healthy snacks such as cut up fruits.

Bumkins Reusable Sandwich and Snack Bags, for Kids School Lunch and for Adults Portion, Washable Fabric, Waterproof Cloth Zip Bag, Travel Pouch, Food-Safe, Large 2-pk Unicorns and Rainbows
  • REUSE AND REDUCE WASTE – Bumkins reusable cloth sandwich and snack bags are made from our original waterproof fabric with zippered closure; sandwich bags are large enough to fit a bagel; not just for lunch, they make excellent organizers for storage and travel; stash inside purse, diaper bag, or travel bag
  • ABOUT OUR ORIGINAL FABRIC – 100-percent polyester with embedded TPU for waterproofing; although fabric is waterproof, bags are not completely leakproof due to zippered closure
  • SAFETY TESTED – At Bumkins, we use 3rd party labs to ensure the products we manufacture comply with CPSC and CPSIA standards for BPA, Lead, and Phthalates
  • EASY TO CLEAN – Our fabric is wipeable, machine washable and dishwasher-safe (top rack); turn inside-out to wash; to extend the life of our reusable bags, we recommend air drying our quick-dry fabric

Band Aides

Because booboos happen. The Welly Bravery Badges are a favorite among many moms. The small tin fits well in your diaper bag.

Welly Bandages | Adhesive Flexible Fabric Bravery Badges | Assorted Shapes for Minor Cuts, Scrapes, and Wounds | Colorful and Fun First Aid Tin | Dinosaur Patterns – 48 Count
  • Flex fabric bandages designed to stay on through play time
  • 48 count flex fabric bandages in 2 kid-friendly sizes that move with your every move
  • 3 unique dino-themed patterns to help you wear your bumps and cuts with pride
  • Sealed on all 4 sides to protect from germs and dirt
  • Durable, stackable tin packaging helps keep your medicine cabinet organized. Our tins are reusable, recyclable, and dare we say collectible?

Water bottles

If you’re formula feeding, or for toddlers, an extra bottle of water should always be included in your diaper bag.

Things To Include On Your Diaper Bag Checklist, That Aren’t TOTALLY Necessary…But Are Nice To Have

40x Disposable Placemats for Baby – Toddler Placemat Kids Placemat – Disposable Placemats for Toddlers – Baby Placemat for Restaurants – Plastic Placemats for Kids – Toddler Placemats for Dining Table
  • OUR DISPOSABLE BABY PLACEMATS WITH STICKERS MAKE MEALTIME FUN – Our 12 x 18 fun and educationally designed plastic placemats for kids restaurant will keep them engaged and learning so parents can have a relaxed and enjoyable mealtime, too.
  • DISPOSABLE PLACEMATS FOR KIDS THAT STICK – Easily peel off the straps in seconds. Our kids placemats for dining table are safe for any surface and won’t leave marks behind.
  • DISPOSABLE PLACEMATS WITH STICKERS – Our disposable placemats for baby with stickers provide a quick clean up for even the messiest kid eaters. Simply pull off our baby placemat and throw away for a super easy post-meal clean-up!

Packing Your Diaper Bag Like A Pro

Here’s some tips on how to pack your diaper bag:

Stay organized people! – Keep different categories of items in separate sections. For example, all feeding stuff should be in the same section. Then all clothing things should be in a different section/pocket. When you’re out in public dealing with a screaming baby, or the oh-so-dreaded “blow out”, you’re going to want to know EXACTLY where to grab what you need.

Pre-Portion Your Bottles – For formula feeding mamas, use these sectioned formula dispensers, and have your bottles pre-filled with the appropriate amount of water. Have an extra bottle of water in your bag though in case you underestimated how hungry your little one was going to be. Breastfeeding moms who pump, have your pre-filled bottles with cooler packs ready to roll.

Avoid The Mess – Have you ever gone on a vacation, and when you get to your hotel and open your suitcase you find that your shampoo bottle exploded all over everything? Yeah…let’s not do that with our diaper bags. Keep things like the diaper cream and sunscreen in little baggies.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE DIAPER BAG CHECKLIST:

(This would also be really nice to include in a baby shower gift for a friend!)

Get The Free Diaper Changing Checklist!

    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.
    This image has a picture of a diaper bag with baby supplies falling out of it. There is text overlay that says "15+ Diaper Bag Essentials. Pro tips for New moms. Plus a free diaper bag essentials checklist"