I am a bag girl. I looooove a good handbag. What I really love is having a handbag that no one else has. BUT…since diaper bags tend not to be one-of-a-kind finds…mine are not all that unique. I have been able to test out a few of the very well known bags for mamas & definitely have a VERY clear favorite. Ready? Ready!
My diaper bag needs to hold a lot of stuff. Here is my bare essentials list:
- wallet. I love my HOBO Lauren. It houses everything I HAVE to have, including my iPhone. This is my second one, Nordstrom replaced my first (which split) no questions asked. I carry this if I ever go anywhere by myself & transfer it bag to bag with all my “grown up” necessities.
- Nalgene bottle + cap cap
- Nalgene sippy + inchbug (this is the ONLY cup that doesn’t leak!!)
- snack trap (filled with raisins)
- costco wipes (half empty so it’s not so heavy–used to use the cute little thing that comes with diaper bags…but who has time anymore!)
- hand sanitizer, alcohol free
- an extra FuzziBunz diaper
- books for caroline
& here is the thing no one ever told me: if you breastfeed…you do not need to carry bottles. (DUH) Why that didn’t click in my head I will never know. BUT, when I left the house, I never needed anything but my hooter hider & stuff to change the baby. I could have definitely thrown a pad for changing the baby into any other bag & never needed a diaper bag at all. & in reality, I ALWAYS went to my car to change the baby (thus taking away the need to bring any changing stuff with me anywhere) and really, I almost always nursed either in the car or in a friend’s home, so the hooter hider lived in the car too. I think diaper bags might be a really good gimmick! But…I had them all…
The Petunia Pickle Bottom Boxy Backpack
purchased at: this was a gift from Nordstrom.
really great for: an over the shoulder or cross shoulder bag. Holding bottles upright. Keeping everything compartmentalized. Wearing as a backpack on the airplane, while wearing the baby in a carrier in the front.
not so great for: Holding a lot of stuff, if you wanted the flap to close neatly over the bag. If I stuffed it full, The flap would not reach the velcro & it ended up being really bulky. I also didn’t like long hanging shoulder bags–which is just a personal preference. It fell off my shoulder. & because I am busty, I don’t like to wear bags across my body.
what I loved: You can keep everything really organized in all the compartments. It is SO PRETTY. Loved the pattern.
what I wished it had: Just a different shape & mode to carry. It was not the right bag for me.
preference: bag # 4 of 4. Used this the least.
purchased at: TJ Maxx. Lucky find. Only paid $40 on clearance. (about 65% off!)
really great for: A dude. (seriously, it’s a diaper bag that doesn’t look like one!) or a mom who is on the go & needs something very durable that she wants to wear as a messenger bag.
not so great for: a mom that really wants a diaper bag that looks like a purse.
what I loved: This bag fits like a glove. I normally do not like cross body bags, but this one I would wear. We used it for trip to the zoo or parks where we needed both hands & a bag that could hold up to dirt. My hubby really liked this too, but he only used it a handful of times. It can easily be stuffed under my bugaboo. & though you can’t see it, it does have the diaper dude’s standard triple zipper compartment under the flap.
what I wished it had: Hmmm. I am really happy with this as is. It’s a nice tough bag for a dude. or a mom.
preference: #3 of 4. Used less than 10 times total. But usually for family outings.
Petunia Pickle Bottom Cake Cameo Clutch
purchased at: Hautelook.com on clearance
really great for: taking the bare minimum & throwing it under the stroller.
not so great for: holding a lot of stuff.
what I loved: it was a nice small bag that still had a changing pad that could fit my wallet + a diaper + wipes. I took the pad out now & without it, it can fit a sippy zipped.
what I wished it had: it was perfect for it’s purpose: a small multitasking bag.
preference: #2 of 4. I did use this bag, but never “carried” it. It was a nice little bag to consolidate everything I needed & throw it under my bugaboo.
The Petunia Pickle Bottom Cake Cosmopolitan Carryall
purchased at: Bloom Maternity a local shop, now out of business :( for 20% off during a holiday sale. fun fact: I bought this bag two weeks after the positive pregnancy test…it was the first & only baby item I bought for MONTHS! I bought it right away because it was part of a rare sale & these NEVER go on sale. & I knew it was the only bag I wanted. :)
really great for: daily use as a purse/diaper bag. Even padded enough to toss in your DSLR!
not so great for: mamas that do not want to carry a bag on their shoulder
what I love: My friends joke that this is my mary poppins bag–this sucker can hold EVERYTHING! I love the strap length. The internal & external pockets. This bag has been used every day for 19 months & it still looks brand new with not a speck of wear & tear. I can fit it under the bugaboo. Sippies can sit upright. It stands upright on its own. My nalgene fits standing up. I can use it as a purse & no one suspects it is a diaper bag.
what I wished it had: The *only* thing I wished is that there was an easy way to attach it to my stroller. BUT…I know stroller clips are dangerous. (my pediatrician friends say DON’T USE THEM!) So I am kind of glad I am not even tempted. :) It does fit under my bugaboo.
preference: #1 bag. Use EVERYDAY. love. love. love.
So…let’s help all the new mama’s out–what was/is your favorite diaper bag? Why do you love it? What diaper bags did not live up to your standards? I am always eager to hear about products I have never seen before, so please tell me about all the fabulous stuff I am missing! :)
