This weekend we went on our first mini family vacation. It was a blast! But, the first night at a restaurant didn’t go so well. I forgot one of the most important diaper bag items I try to keep with me at all times (snacks).
When my kids are at a restaurant, they are hungry NOW. So, if I don’t have crackers, they start reaching for the salt and pepper shaker (then cry after they try it), the sugar packets (if they succeed at getting it open, well, they end up eating 3 of them), and the butter in the butter tray (the wrappers are shiny and who doesn’t like butter?!).
You can kind of guess how that dinner night went. I had squirmy, loud children until the bread basket came out (which is a nice way to put what happened. The wait was only for 10 minutes or less – but 10 minutes can seem like an eternity).
So, I wanted to put a list together of what diaper bag items I try to keep with me at all times to hopefully help you avoid my restaurant situation (or disasters during errands and outings).
8 Diaper Bag Items to Have with You Always
(Please Note: I was compensated by Quidsi for this post, but it doesn’t change my opinion on what I think should be in a diaper bag.)
- Wipes and Diapers. I have forgotten these before and it was a nightmare. I immediately had to rush home during errands. Poop disasters are no joke. I hope you don’t have to go through this.
- Hand Sanitizer. Well, for those poop disasters or anything questionable that ends up on your hands or baby’s hands. You know. You know. I don’t need to explain.
- Clothes. During our trip, the first restaurant stop, my daughter kept saying, “poo,” and grabbing at her leg. Why do all my stories involve poop?! I went to the changing stall and it was everywhere. I mean everywhere. I wish they have little baby showers in the restrooms. So, I used up half of my wipes and pulled out a change of clothes out of my bag.
- Wet Bag. Those poopy clothes ended up in a wet bag. What is that? It is a bag that keeps soiled clothes or, if you cloth diaper, diapers wet until you can deal with them. All mamas should have one even if they don’t cloth diaper. It comes in handy for blow outs during errands.
- Snacks. A mom definitely needs snacks. One, to avoid my situation at a restaurant; and, two, kids are always hungry. I love having Pirate’s Booty and fruit leathers in my bag. Snacks also help when you forget to eat.
- Water Bottle. And of course, the kiddos get thirsty after their snacks (and so do you). So, water bottles are important to have in your bag along with the kiddos’ cups.
- Toys. When my kiddos have to sit for an extended period of time, they need some sort of entertainment. So, I bring along a toy they love. My daughter loves her little laptop. My son loves bringing one of his super heroes to play with.
- The Mommy Hook. This has been a load-lifting item for me. I keep this on my diaper bag at all times. So, when I am at the grocery store, I hook my bag on the cart. This takes a load off my back and shoulders. It’s pretty awesome. Mamas need a break from carrying things and tiny people.
These items will help so much when you’re running errands or are at a restaurant. I try to keep my diaper bag stocked with them, so it’s one less thing I have to think about when running out the door. But, I sure do forget sometimes. So, don’t stress if you forget. It happens to all of us.
I try to find things that simplify my life. Having a stocked diaper bag is one of those things. And running fewer errands is another. Having to go to multiple stores with little kids is hard work and gets me stressed out sometimes.
I recently found out that Diapers.com has all of these items I keep in my diaper bag. It’s simple shopping. You just make an account, create your shopping cart and they ship it all to your door. They have awesome customer service. You get free shipping over $49. And they have free returns. I am definitely going to use them for my important items I use all of the time.
If you are going to a baby shower soon, these items would make a great gift for mom. Or Diapers.com has some Gifts for Mom ideas of their own.
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