Baby & Toddler
Diaper Bag Essentials: Must-Have Items to Pack
Diaper Bag Packing Essentials: What Every Parent Needs On-the-Go
A diaper bag is more than just a bag. It offers convenience, freedom, and peace of mind. Keeping your diaper bag stocked and ready means you won’t stress over forgetting important items during outings with your baby.
Diaper Bag Packing Essentials: Recommended Products and Prices
Diapers: Pampers Swaddlers

- Pros: Highly absorbent, gentle on baby’s skin, disposable for convenience
Cons: Pricier than some other brands - Why we love them: Pampers Swaddlers offer superior absorbency and gentle skin protection. Their wetness indicator shows when it’s time to change your baby’s diaper. These diapers help prevent rashes with soft, breathable materials.
Baby Wipes: WaterWipes
- Pros: Hypoallergenic, safe for sensitive skin, oversized for bigger messes
Cons: Package can be difficult to reseal, wipes are a bit thin - Why we love them: WaterWipes are hypoallergenic and perfect for sensitive skin. Their formula contains 99.9% purified water plus a small amount of grapefruit seed extract. These wipes are oversized for tackling big messes, and they clean sticky hands, faces, and diaper areas alike.
Portable Changing Pad: Babebay Portable Changing Pad
- Pros: Large enough for older babies, foam padding with built-in pillow, easy to clean
Cons: Prints may fade over time - Why we love it: This pad is cushioned and large enough for your baby to lie on comfortably. It folds easily and cleans quickly with waterproof material. The built-in pillow supports baby’s head. At just 6.7 ounces, it won’t add much weight to your diaper bag.
Poop Bags: Munchkin Arm and Hammer Diaper Bag Dispenser
- Pros: Sized perfectly for diapers, odor-neutralizing baking soda, clips to diaper bag
Cons: Can be tricky to open sometimes - Why we love them: Poop bags with baking soda reduce odor when disposing of dirty diapers. The dispenser clips onto your bag for easy access. Though designed for pets, these bags are ideal for discreetly handling diapers on the go.
Diaper Cream: Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment To-Go Pack
- Pros: Multi-purpose, fragrance-free, lasts a long time
Cons: Sticky texture - Why we love it: Aquaphor is a multi-purpose ointment. It helps prevent diaper rash, soothes dry skin, and treats minor scrapes or chapped lips. The travel size fits perfectly in your bag.
Spare Onesie or Clothes: Carter’s 7-Pack Short-Sleeve Bodysuits
- Pros: High quality, cute prints, easy snap crotch for quick changes
Cons: Slightly expensive compared to other brands - Why we love it: Accidents happen. Spare clothes save the day. Carter’s bodysuits have snap crotches for easy diaper changes and shoulder overlaps for quick dressing. The quality fabric feels soft and durable.
Soft Blanket, Swaddle, or Burp Cloth: Aden + Anais Swaddle Blanket
- Pros: Ultra-soft muslin, large size, stylish prints
Cons: Higher price point - Why we love it: These muslin blankets are ultra-soft and large. Use them for swaddling, nursing cover, light blankets, or diaper changing mats. They come in beautiful patterns and are highly versatile.
Spare Teether or Pacifier: Philips Avent Soothie
- Pros: Medical-grade silicone, BPA-free, easy sterilization
Cons: Some babies find it too stiff - Why we love it: The Soothie pacifier is BPA-free and easy to sterilize. Its durable silicone design promotes oral development. You get multiple pacifiers in one pack, so you always have spares at home and in your diaper bag.
Extra Toys for Baby: Fisher-Price Soothe & Glow Seahorse
- Pros: Soft and cuddly, volume control
Cons: Not machine washable, requires batteries - Why we love it: This toy comforts and entertains. It plays music and ocean sounds, has volume control, and weighs just 1.6 ounces. Babies love its soft texture and soothing glow.
Sun Protection: Jan & Jul Gro-with-Me Kids’ Floppy Sun-Hats
- Pros: Adjustable size, UPF 50+ protection, machine washable
Cons: Runs small for some children - Why we love it: Adjustable and machine washable, these hats protect baby’s sensitive skin with UPF 50+ fabric. They’re perfect for outdoor trips to shield against harmful sun rays.
Winter Hat, Mittens and Gloves: Zando Baby Cotton Beanies
- Pros: Stretchy, Good value, Soft
- Cons: May eventually pill
- Why We Love It: If you ever get caught outdoors in cold weather, you’ll be happy to have a spare winter hat in your diaper bag to help keep baby warm. These beanies from Zando come in a pack of six, so you’ll always have one to spare (even when a couple inevitably get lost). We love that these come with an edge you can roll up or down, depending on baby’s head size. They’re 100 percent cotton and are soft to the touch.
Breastfeeding or Pumping Supplies: Copper Pearl Lark 5-in-1 Multi-Use Cover in Floral
- Pros: Super stretchy and soft, Beautiful designs
- Cons: Can’t see baby as easily
- Why We Love It: If you’re breastfeeding, you may want to pack your nursing must-haves like a portable breast pump, nursing pads, or a nursing cover. This one from Copper Pearl is incredibly stretchy and provides total coverage when you nurse — and the colorful prints are a nice bonus.
First Aid Kit: Welly Expanded First Aid Kit
- Pros: Fun designs, Durable tin container, Bandages hold up well
- Cons: Some medications aren’t baby-friendly
- Why We Love It: First aid kits can get bulky fast and weigh your diaper bag down before you even leave the house. The Welly kit wins our pick for best compact option. It has everything you want in a first aid kit, including colorful bandages, tape, and adult pain reliever.
Hand Sanitizer: California Baby Hand Sanitizer, Super Sensitive
- Pros: Not drying, Fragrance-free, Dries quickly
- Cons: More expensive than others
- Why We Love It: You probably don’t leave the house without hand sanitizer these days. This version from California Baby is plant-based and fragrance-free — perfect for sensitive skin. It dries in less than three seconds, and the twist-lock cap prevents spills.
Water Bottle: Yeti Rambler (18 oz)
- Pros: Keeps liquids cold or hot, Dishwasher-safe, Durable
- Cons: A bit heavy
- Why We Love It
Whether you’re staying hydrated or rinsing off sticky hands, a solid water bottle is a must. Yeti’s Rambler holds 18 oz of liquid and keeps it cold or hot for hours. It’s dishwasher-safe and built to last — ideal for tossing in the diaper bag for a day out
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