Ode to the Diaper Bag

My DH and I have survived a year of parenthood so far -- sleep deprived nights and all.  Along the way we have learned a few things.  The value of minizing stuff,  and that baby things are usually designed to make life easier with a baby. My best example of this is the diaper bag.  When I was pregnant with MR our daughter I researched what type of diapers to use, the bennefit of using cloth diapers vs. disposable diapers.  I looked at the cost of diaper bags that I would be willing to carry and more importantly that my DH would be willing to be seen with and shocked!  The prices I saw on messanger style bags were closer to $100 or more than I was even willing to consider.  So my DH gladly volunteered one of his messenger bags to be sacrificed for the diaper bag.  This bag was huge we could pack MR's stuff for more than a week and still have room to spare right!? 

I organized stuff in ziplock bags, one bag for clean diapers, dirty diapers, wipes, tylnol, socks etc. Whenever I needed something from the diaper bag I went digging and digging and digging.  In January I returned to work and bought a breast pump that came in a non descript bag.  There was barely enough room in the bag for the pump, cooler bag for the milk and my special handsfree pumping bra so I could eat and pump at the same time. This bag was set up and organized like a diaper bag...One day I decided to move the pump out of the bag and move MR's diaper stuff into the bag.  Magic happened -- I could fit more stuff in the bag designed to be a diaper bag than I could in my DH's messenger bag.  More importantly I could find stuff.  The time it took me to change MR's diaper outside of the house dramatically decreased.

There were pockets for diapers.  Pockets for wipes.  Another pocket for bottles... a place to stash my keys, some toys, a change of clothes, a jacket...you get the picture.  A diaper bag is kind of a baby's go bag.  Don't leave home without it!  We actually have two diaper bags now... a small version for the stroller so that when we are out on extended neighborhood walks we have stash of diapers, wipes , and changing mat for MR.

My husband and I are sometimes frugal people...so this non descript bag worked very well for us for quite a few months.  The only think it didn't have was a shoulder strap that I drap over the stroller handle or gasp my shoulder when I had my hands full with MR and ten other things.  Everyone's favorite big box store Costco had diaper bags -- diaper bags.  Yours truely got the grand idea to convince everyone at work to chip in for one to give to our coworker AK who would be going out on maternity leave soon.  Each week or two I would stop by Costco and check on their diaper bag inventory.  I took pictures so that the ladies in my office could help me decide which diaper bag to buy for AK.  Each time I went to costco the price dropped finally the price was just too good and I bought the bag.  DH wisely suggested I also buy one for myself, but stupidly I did not and when I went back to costco to do that very thing the bags were all gone and I was stuck with a boring non designer bag.

Oh well.

A few weeks ago I found a new diaper bag at our neighborhood consignement store.  I love it.  So inclosing mom to be's out there diaper bags are the baby tool box.  You need one and it will help make life outside of your home easier.  You wouldn't use a circular saw to cut paper, or put your very expensive laptop in a grocery bag so don't use a hand-me-down bag as your diaper bag.  Get one that is designed for babies and diaper changes in mind.