PDA

View Full Version : Question for work-outside-of-home moms



yellowdogmom
01-26-2004, 02:06 PM
Hi everyone,

Thanks for the poll on bags and what is inside - very helpful for a soon-to-be first time mom!

The poll info has got me thinking...I'm having kind of a tough time envisioning how I'll be using a diaper bag. My kiddo will be going to daycare where his/her own "supplies" will be kept there in his/her own cubby, so we won't be needing to leave a diaper bag every day. So, I'm envisioning finding something I can use as my work tote too so I won't need to move my wallet, makeup, etc. based on where I'm going...does this sound right? Can you all help and tell me what you do? Then of course we need one for daddy to carry. Hmmm....I don't know why I'm having such a hard time with this! I think I'm overwhelming myself thinking about potential scenarios and the ideal bag for each one!

TIA!

parkersmama
01-26-2004, 03:33 PM
When I was working FT, I left a very small diaper bag with ds at daycare. She kept diapers, wipes, bibs, etc., there so all I really had to bring was if a special toy was needed and my EBM bottles for each day.

On weekends and evenings, though, I did use a bigger, regular diaper bag. At that time, we used strictly LE do-it-all bags so we just had one that I used and dh used as well. A lot of what you will use a bag for depends on how long you'll be out. A tote for your things and a few diapers and wipes is fine if you'll only be out for a while. A day-long shopping trip, though, would require a lot more space for toys, change of clothing, more diapers, etc.

I think most people find that they need more than one bag to suit different occasions with the exception of people who pack very lightly for all occasions! :) HTH!

sntm
01-26-2004, 04:34 PM
My big need for a "daycare" diaper bag came from the rare occasions when I would pick Jack up from daycare and go somewhere with him (doctor, grocery, friend's house). I never had my diaper bag with me. So, his daycare diaper bag has his EBM bottles, a blanket on Mondays, 1-2 diapers, a spare pacifier, and that's about it. It stays with him at daycare so if DH picks him up, he has one too.

In my ideal world, I could have a smart looking handbag that somehow attaches to a diaper bag or morphs into a diaper bag like the old Transformers.

These days, my two nice handbags only see the light of day on special "mama only" outings.

shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

khakismom
01-26-2004, 05:32 PM
During the week, or if I go somewhere without the kids, I have my purse. For the weekends, I have my diaper bag stashed and ready to go and move my wallet, keys, phone, makeup etc from the purse to the dipe bag. Unless I take Kathleen somewhere quick. Then I just have my purse.

Ellen has a daycare dipe bag too. Each nite I put in clean bottles and that's it (they provide the formula), unless something special is needed (more dipes, extra clothes, etc). And then when we pick her up, we take the dipe bag home--but it's strictly for her and her daycare.

DH had a special daddy dipe bag when Kathleen was a baby--mainly because he watched her at home one day while he worked. But now, he doesn't have one.

If you only want to have one bag, you could carry it around during the work week, with just your stuff in it, and then add the baby's items as needed when you are going out with baby at nite or on the weekend. With 2 kids, that would take too much time for us, so we keep our bag stocked ready to go at a moment's notice. Also, I hate carrying around a large bag with only a few items in it (I don't carry too much in my purses).

You'll get into a routine once you go back to work and figure out what works best for you! Good luck! :)

smomom
01-26-2004, 05:49 PM
Like Maureen said, you'll figure out what works best for you. That being said, I have a "sitter's" bag in addition to my own personal diaper bags. I take the sitter's bag to the sitter's house (duh!) packed with a couple of changes of clothes (DS arrives in his pjs!). I also keep his aspirator and emergency medicines in the bag - just in case. Although the sitter keeps his diaper and wipie stash at her house, I pack a couple of diapers in case we have a stop on the way home. I also throw in a disposable bib for unexpected stops. My sitter's bag is a little larger than I would carry on the weekends and it always stays packed with the same stuff. I don't touch in on the weekends. I have a couple of other bags for weekend use.

Debtex
01-26-2004, 06:12 PM
A wise aunt got us a Land's End canvas tote with our son's name on it for Christmas, and that's become his daycare bag. I load it up on Mondays with the week's supplies - diapers, formula, food, wipes - whatever's needed. Daily, I use it to take his bottles back and forth from daycare and I keep an extra jacket and hat in there for him.

I throw that in the car every morning along with my work bag, drop the kiddo off with his bag, and pick him up with it.

At home I have a larger bag that I keep for the weekends, but even then I'm a light packer...I keep things to a minimum, mainly in anticipation of a random poop explosion.

Deb

Momof3Labs
01-26-2004, 07:02 PM
We don't use day care, but I do work. DH and I share a diaper bag, and when I go out with Colin, I just carry my purse separately. It's been easier to do that, and then things don't get left in the diaper bag accidentally (or I don't have to carry a huge, half-empty tote to work). But that's just what works for us.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it too much until your baby is here. You'll figure out your needs and likes/dislikes, and be able to find a bag that works for you!

Kimberly H
01-26-2004, 09:50 PM
Kristin, I'm a new mom for the 3rd time and I'm still trying to figure the diaper bag thing out too. We have several from a LE new style diaper backpack that we used as her carryon in China to a great tote bag, a LE Little Tripper (DS #1 chose it as "his" bag for his new sister), a Vera Bradley "Vera" bag, and a smaller child's backpack we bought in China to use to carry Mia's stuff down to the restaurant for dinner, etc.

So far the child's backpack is set up as her "out to dinner" bag but since we've only been home from China since Saturday, this is not a definite yet. :)

I'm not sure what we'll be using for a daycare bag yet so thanks for the question!

myllam
01-27-2004, 07:32 PM
Hi,

I work full time away from home and this is definitely one of those, hopefully we'll figure it out before our kids are out of diapers :)

What we did was keep a diaper bag at the daycare and only take it home on weekends to replenish. We also keep a small diaper bag in each of our cars for emergencies (since DH never carries a diaper bag, he has found this indispensible even though he won't admit it :) )

The diaper bags we use for daycare and our cars are the freebies you will get from the hospital. If the hospital offers you more than 1 take them! They are actually quite useful. The black similac ones are actually decent looking :) I buy very inexpensive clothes (Target 75% off rack) to keep in these spare diaper bags since they are for emergencies only and don't get worn very often.

With that said, I think I've tried every diaper bag ever made for my own use (I still have 3 or 4 I need to sell :) ) Through trial and error, I find that I hate switching between bags on weekends and workdays. I also had a hard time keeping track of a diaper bag and a purse, so having both on me didn't work for me. What I finally found that worked for me are the following 2:

1. When DS was younger and I had to carry more, I used a diaper bag that has a detachable "Parent pocket". The one I used was from Safeline Kids (from www.ebags.com) - I think someone on this board had one they wanted to sell? I also noticed that MacKenzie Kids also makes bags with this feature, and so does the new Lands End backpack. I just put my things in the "parent pocket" and DS's things in the rest of the bag. When I'm alone, I detach the parent pocket and I'm off. If DS is with me, I put the parent pocket on the bag and we are set.

2. Now that DS is older and I carry less, I actually use a very nice looking backpack purse I found on clearance at Nordstroms. It is a smaller size then most of the diaper backpacks I've tried. It has 2 main zipper compartments, one for my stuff and one for DS's. Then it has an outside flap pocket that I can use to put my keys and cell phone.

Anyways, just some ideas :)

christic
01-27-2004, 11:58 PM
I work part-time so having a combination work/home w/baby bag was very important to me. I really like Le Sportsac bags for this. First I used a style called the Slouch bag and had this combination diaper pad/diaper holder thing I would just throw into it. Then I switched to their Deluxe Everyday Bag because it's more organized. One side has a zipper to enlarge the pouch so I would keep it small on work days and then expand it and put diaper stuff in it on at-home days. I travel pretty light too so not sure if this would work for everyone. I have just recently though bought a LE little tripper because I got a bit tired of moving diapers back and forth after a year and a half, but now I'm kind of tired of carrying two bags! so who knows?

We also use the freebie diaper bag from the hospital for daycare and my husband either has the daycare bag or just doesn't carry one.

lesportsac has a fun website where you can try out all the styles/colors and then buy direct too.

happy shopping!
Chris