My Diaper Bag Essentials As A Second-Time Mom

When it comes to my diaper bag essentials as a second-time mom, I have learned to keep it minimal.

If you read what I packed in my hospital bag as a second-time mom, then you already know that I have become more minimal as a second-time mom.

Like many first-time moms, my diaper bag was really loaded down with so many things that I did not need, but thought I would need.

When I became a mom for the first time, I fell into the trap of thinking that I needed to pretty much bring the whole nursery with me everywhere I went.

Babies require quite a few things on the go, but they don’t require the entire nursery.

Especially if you are not going to be out of the house very long.

I completely get that mindset if you are sleeping over somewhere with your baby and require more things because you will need it.

But if you are only going to be out of the house for a couple of hours, then you really don’t need much.

Which is what you will be doing the majority of the time with a baby anyway.

There is absolutely no need to load up the entire house to go to the grocery store.

As I have embarked on carrying a diaper bag for the second time around, I thought I would share my diaper bag must-haves that I keep inside it.

If you are interested in my diaper bag essentials as a second-time mom, then just keep reading.

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What To Look For In A Diaper Bag

Before I get into my diaper bag necessities, let’s discuss what to look for in a diaper bag.

Because there are a lot of diaper bags out there and you want to make sure that you choose one that works for you and your lifestyle.

You will likely be carrying this bag for at least a year and as long as your little one is in diapers.

I carried my diaper bag for 2 years with my first daughter and will probably do the same with this baby depending on how things go.

So I want to make sure that I have something that I like and won’t mind carrying around.

And while I’m talking about something I like, the first thing to look for in a diaper bag is whether or not your partner won’t mind carrying it either.

I know some moms say it is not about the dad, but it really is too.

Some men don’t want to carry around a hot pink diaper bag, so be considerate of choosing something that your partner won’t mind holding either.

The diaper bag that I have is a Black Vera Bradley Baby Backpack Diaper Bag.

I love the style and my husband doesn’t mind carrying it either.

That brings me to the next thing you want to look for in a diaper bag and that is the style of the bag.

The most common styles of diaper bags are the ones that are made to go over the body such as a satchel or a crossbody and backpacks.

It is completely up to you which style that you think will work for you.

I prefer the backpack style of diaper bag because there is a good chance that your diaper bag maybe a little heavier sometimes and I have found that backpacks work better for heavier loads.

And speaking of heavier loads, you want to make sure that your diaper bag has a lot of pockets and compartments for carrying things around.

Not all diaper bags are created equal and you are going to want the room for anything that may be needed as well as insulated pockets for bottles or breastmilk that you are needing to keep cool for a short period.

Along with a lot of pockets, another thing to look for is whether it has a changing pad included in the diaper bag or not.

My diaper bag does which means that is one less thing I have to worry about.

So just to recap everything that you want to look for in a diaper bag, let me list it down below:

• Be considerate of your partner
• Style of diaper bag
• Lots of pockets and compartments
• Has a changing pad included

Now that we know what to look for in a diaper bag, let’s talk about my diaper bag essentials as a second-time mom.

My Diaper Bag Essentials As A Second-Time Mom

Diapers/Wipes

So the very first diaper bag must-have that you have to have in your bag is of course diapers and wipes.

It can’t really be a diaper bag without those right?

You all know what my go-to diapers and wipes are if you have checked out the newborn essentials that I use with my second child.

I like to use the Pampers Pure Diapers and Pampers Pure Wipes and I normally keep anywhere between 5-8 diapers and a pack of wipes in my diaper bag.

Changing Pad

I mentioned above that you want to look for a changing pad to be included in your diaper bag, but if it doesn’t, you are going to need one.

A lot of public restrooms don’t always have those paper liners that you can put on the changing table to lay your baby on.

So you need to have something to put your baby on when you are changing them.

My diaper bag has a changing pad included in it, so I use that one on the go.

Diaper Bag Dispenser

Since I may have to change a dirty diaper on the go, I want to have something to put the dirty diaper in so I don’t stink up the whole restroom.

You can definitely tell when someone throws away a dirty diaper in the restroom, so I try to be courteous to the establishment.

I use the Munchkin Arm & Hammer Diaper Bag Dispenser and clip it right onto my bag.

Extra Set Of Clothes

Since dirty diapers do happen when you are out and about, your little one may have a blowout where a lot of the poop may wind on their clothes.

You need to have an extra set of clothes in your bag to change your little one into when this happens.

I like to keep an extra onesie in my bag for when this happens so that way she has something in case she has a blowout.

Nursing Cover

As many of you know from my breastfeeding essentials, I prefer to cover myself when I’m nursing out in public, so I need a cover for that.

The nursing cover I have and like to use is this one from Boppy.

It comes with a little bag that you can fold up the cover and put it in so that you can easily store it away.

It fits nicely in my bag.

Burp Cloth

While on the subject of feeding, since I may have to feed my daughter on the go, there is a chance that she may spit on me.

One of the biggest differences I have noticed between my girls is that this baby spits up way more than my oldest did, so I have to have the burp cloths ready.

The ones that I use are these from the Cloud Island Brand at Target.

Small Baby Blanket

The next thing must-have that I like to keep on me is a small baby blanket to throw over my baby if it starts to get too cold wherever we are.

I know I find this useful if I’m in a grocery store or a restaurant that has the air cranked up and I notice her legs and arms feel cold.

I like to also get these small baby blankets from the Cloud Island Brand at Target.

Pacifier/Lovey

Another item that I will not leave the house without is a pacifier.

You cannot control how your baby is going to act out in public, so you need to have something that will soothe during those episodes.

Some people use a pacifier, others use a lovey or a small toy that will distract their baby.

For me, it is a combination of both with the Itzy Ritzy Pacifier Loveys.

My daughter loves the Itzy Ritzy Pacifiers so while the pacifier soothes her, she grabs hold of the lovey attached to it for an extra set of comfort.

Sanitizing Wipes

And the last diaper bag must-haves that I keep in my bag at all times is sanitizing wipes.

Especially with the way the world is currently, we need to be carrying disinfecting wipes around to wipe down surfaces and disinfect our areas.

I like to keep a travel size of disinfecting wipes on me as well as some hand sanitizer.

I like using Wet Ones.

Your Turn

Well, that is all of my diaper bag essentials that I use as a second-time mom. The other things that I keep in my bag that I did not mention here are my wallet, keys, phone charger, and lipgloss. I wanted to keep this strictly as a diaper dag for baby guide, but just know that those items are in there as well. But, I want to hear from you all now. What are some of your diaper bag must-haves that you all keep in your diaper bags? Let me know in the comments and while you are still here, check out my previous post below. Until next time!

Read More: What I Got My 3-Year-Old For Her Birthday

Love,

Just Jass