Just curious: in what situations to you use a diaper bag?(long)

[knaidel]

I've been reading this board religiously since this early November. I've gone through a Skip Hop Duo (found the tall shape irritating), an LE LT (old style- a neighbor gave it to me- I then gave it away to someone on the swap board) and now i'm on my LL Bean touring bag. (don't like the way it hangs on me). I'm currently thinking about a Sling Tote (when other colors come out), a Dash (when the velcro is fixed) or maybe a Jessica bumble bag in blue latte.

Well, here's my question: honestly, I haven't found myself in so many situations where I feel like I need a diaper bag. For instance, yesterday, DS and I made a trip to Target (to see the Amy Coe skip-hops, of course) and the grocery store. We were gone about 2 hours.I changed and fed him right before we left, stuck a bottle of EBF and a burp cloth in my bag, off we went. I didn't bring anything else with me.
I'm thinking maybe it has to do with the area that we live in? We live in chicago, and everything is pretty close by, so maybe I'm never out for a long time? Maybe if you live in a more rural/suburban area where the drives to Cosco/Target/supermarket are longer, then you're out for longer periods?
Or also, could it just be that my baby is still so young, that we don't really do anything- maybe when he's older and we're going to Gymboree type classes, zoo, and play groups, I'll have more of a need for one? or maybe it's just that we're a pretty boring family and don't really go places!:)

[alkagift]

Maybe you're just a light packer! I looked for a long time for a really small bag after my DH left my first one somewhere. All I ever take with me is one diaper, wipes, a changing pad, a drink (for some reason DS's always asking) and some emergency goldfish. Now, if I carried a large purse or a tote I would just dump all that in my purse, since it really isn't much. I have a very small purse, though, so if I want to take just one bag out I just put my wallet and my cellphone in the diaper bag and we're done.

I've never brought huge amounts of things places. When DS was younger (not eating restaurant food) and we were going somewhere and would end up eating, that's when it got to be a hassle and I have a larger bag for that.

This is the tiny bag I use now--it's an Okkatots and I got it on ebags.com. I like the minimalist size, but I wish it were girlier:


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Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, who is TWO!

[Mikesa3]

You sound like me. Even when I had two in diapers I never used a big bag unless I was going for the whole day to my Mom's or MIL. Now that my youngest is two,I take a diaper,wipes,snack and a cup. I think it does make a difference where you live because I can keep extras in my van and if I did run out of something I'm rarely more then 20 minutes from home to go get it.Also I rarely go out for longer then 3 hours . I'm using a small Ellington In Flight right now. I like the size and the pockets but it's very deep so sticks out from the body too far for me.
I heard the they are going to make a smaller sling tote so maybe that will work for both of us. I wish there were more choices for small diaper bags.Most seem to be totes which I don't like as much.
Nancy-Mom to 6 great kids

[mommato2boys]

Wow! You are a brave brave woman to leave the house without a diaper!!!!! Unfortunately, I have been out and about and how the nasty (yes, we all have experienced them) blow out diaper...you know the one, the surprise one, the one that is somehow leaked out the side!!!!! I am always prepared! I can't stand saying, gee, I wish I had BLANK with me. I always carry wipes with me since I am a little obsessive about germs. And I always have diapers and an extra outfit with me. More than once, I have had a child pee up their back....how exactly does that happen...I still don't know, but I always have a backup ready! I don't always NEED everything I pack, but it is sure nice to know I have it.

I need a diaper bag since I spend a lot of time outside my home (I own my own business and the kids come with me during the day too). Plus, it is the weekend, I might go shopping at the mall for the day or do errands, which I would be out for a while. I guess I always like to be prepared basically!!! I am now carrying a 2redhen hen tote in my car to slip stuff that I need into if I am just running in somewhere or going walking at the mall (I mall walk for exercise), sometimes I don't need the whole diaper bag, but a carry a diaper and wipes and maybe a onesie just in case!

[nov02mom]

hehehe.....I use one even when we're just going out for 15 minutes! Jacob needs alot of snacks at this point in his life!

[sarahs]

ITA!! I always carry at least two diapers, because I've ripped the tabs off accidentially on more than one occasion. We've also had the poop explosion up the back and into the car seat. I always carry my diaper bag because I guess I'm just not a risk taker!

[DAKnits]

I always carry my diaper bag ... and I have a bag in my car with extra supplies in case. I live in Aventura, Florida -- a total suburb. I am never more than 15 minutes from my house. Here is what I carry (AFTER reducing what I normally carry based on the good advice from yahoo babybag members):

in the basket of my stroller: blanket and extra outfit

Diaper bag:

two diapers

diaper creme or balm

wipes

changing pad (the one that comes with the diaper bag)

two burp clothes

one waterproof bib, one cloth bib

hat (she has to wear from the car to wherever we are going b/c the sun is so strong and she is so fair)

light sweater (everything is airconditioned, and since it's so hot, she's in sleeveless and shorts and it's FREEZING inside every place)

little hair brush (she gets hat head from her sun hat LOL!)

baggy with 3 pacifiers (she throws them constantly and rips them right off the paci holders, and I am not into just rinsing them off)

small bag of toys with links for stroller (only if we are going to the mall or someplace we will be a while, not to "mommy and me" class or if running a quick errand)

container of cheerios (THIS IS A MUST!!!!!!!!)

powder formula container

two bottles pre-filled with water

jar of diced fruit (only if we are going to be out all day)

Sippy cup

my wallet and keys

Everything can be refilled and restocked from my extra supplies in my car.

Soooooo, I am ALWAYS prepared -- and it was much much worse before I got help from babybag members!!!

[boys2enough]

Hi, don't think it's because yours is a boring family, I mean you live in DOWNTOWN CHICAGO!!! Compared to you, we should be the boring ones because we are in the suburbs! lol.

It's probably really because your DS is still young, wait until he gets old enough to demand SNACKS, lol, then you will need a big bag to stock on "bribes" when you want some cooperation. ;-) (Ok, maybe most other kids will obey their parents without any "bribery," unlike my own... sigh)

To answer your question, I am the most paranoid when we are traveling by air or when we are on an all-day outing (the zoo, mostly). DH's family is out of state, so naturally we travel from time to time to visit the grandparents, and that's when I want to bring everything but the kitchen sink with me "JUST IN CASE."

We tried to pare down on our last trip and stuffed everything into one carry-on and one diaper bag, well, we ran out of diapers in the middle of the night in the hotel. Never again, I vowed. It's back to "over-packing" for me from now on. lol.

Otherwise I stop carrying my diaper bags now when we are just going to the stores. Like some PPs, I also keep a bag of supplies in the trunk of the car.

Cheers, Lin
Mom to 2 wild boys
D 3/98
G 11/02

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[heatherlynn]

I carry a lot w/ me all the time. I don't want to have to think about whether I have enough/the right supplies w/ me. A few months ago or so I did find that I could get away w/ less, but now I'm back up to more since I need formula AND snacks, toys, sweater for a/c places, etc. My outings can also be longer now.

I find that sometimes I plan to go one place, but then may go to a couple of others while I'm out if things are going well. DS has had blowouts a few times, so I always have extra diapers and an extra outfit since I hate to run out to the car and then back in to the store to finish (especially when it cold and snowy or hot and humid).

H-
Heather
dd 3/98
ds 8/04
and #3 edd 11/05 (it's a girl!)

[MichelleRC]

Lin, if it makes you feel any better, my bag is full of "bribes" or as I call them "sanity savers". Cheerios, goldfish, raisins, a bagel and I can actually get some grocery shopping done. Not to mention matchbox cars, crayons and a little notebook for when we go out to eat.
My diaper bag comes everywhere with me (us). I am not a crazy heavy packer--I only carry 2 diapers per kid, wipes, sippy cup, purell, tissues, my stuff, the aforementioned snacks, small toys, but I would rather have what I need with me at all times. It is like the umbrella theory--if you have one with you, you won't need it.
Plus, I love my pretty bags!

[holliam]

Well, we have a lot of bags, but we mostly leave them in the car or attached to a stroller. It's rare that I walk around with one, and when we are doing shopping at Target or grocery, we don't bring one in. We change before/after in the car.

We have a station wagon and prefer to change DD back there rather than in any public restroom. We cloth diaper, and we keep an LE backpack stocked in the car at all times with extra fitteds, AIOs, cloth wipes, and spray bottle. We also keep a couple of changes of clothes in it, a jacket, some toys, blanket, hats, sunglasses.

We also have what we call the "restaurant bag". It's a water-resistant tote from LLBean and it contains emergency jarred organic foods, container of Oatios, spoons, bib, highchair cover, straw cup, teething biscuits...anything we'd need to successfully eat a meal in a restaurant. It lives in the car and gets brought in after any restaurant outing for items to be washed and restocked.

Our stroller bag contains some AIOs, blanket, wipes, spray bottle, toy or 2, hat, sunglasses.

I have one small bag that can be tossed into any others that has some disposable hand wipes, sunblock, tissues, spray bottle, etc.

If we are going to be going in somewhere for a while, I will take a smaller bag with us to bring in.

DD only takes bottles before/after sleeping so we rarely need to bring them with us.

Holli

[knaidel]

Okay, now I think I understand. Now that I think about it, often when I am going places with DS, we are driving someplace in the car, and into a store for about 15 minutes (Ie- have to pick up a few things at Bed Bath and Beyond or something). so I don't bother bringing in a whole bag with me, I leave it in the car and feed/change him there. I think that since DS was born, I have been to a mall maybe 3 times with him (a situation where I parked the car, and wasn't planning on coming back for at least an hour.) So of course, those situations warranted a diaper bag.
I guess I also envision that as my son gets older, I'll have more of a need for a diaper bag, with toys and snacks in it.

I know where the Aventura Mall is!! My grandma used to live around there- off of Ives Dairy Road( I only remember that because it always sounded like such a funny name to me)- in a complex called Star Lake. The lake was man-made and actually a rectangle :). When I was younger and would visit grandma, my mom used to take me to a cute store in the Aventura Mall called "Koala BLue." Funny the things you remember- my grandma passed away 12 years ago and I still remember that store and mall.

[mommato2boys]

OOOHHH...I ripped the taps of a diaper the other day. I was bathing DS and got done and then...rip...off the tap came....I was so ticked....I had to carry DS naked through the house to get another one....yeap, things happen...I liked to be prepared!!!


And the poop in the car seat....yuk....but I have been there!!!!

[NYSarah]

Allison --
I love that bag!! Is the strap long enough to wear it messenger style? (I have shoulders that apparently cannot hold a bag, so totes or messengers are all I can use)
thanks!

[alkagift]

Sarah, I PM'd you--let me know if I can help. I wish I had a digital camera, so that I could just take a picture of myself, but I don't!

Allison
Mommy to Matthew, who is TWO!