What to Pack in Baby's Diaper Bag for Travel?

Once you have kids, a diaper bag becomes one of the most significant accessories you carry as a mom. It's quite a challenge to decide what kind of diaper bag to pick and what all items it should have to ease your parenting job. When I became a mom, I wanted to own a diaper bag with tons of compartments, which is functional enough to hold my baby's stuff and also doubles up as my handbag having a dedicated mommy pocket. I know that’s a lot to ask out of one bag, but that's how we moms survive ;)

I was lucky enough to grab a diaper bag of my liking and after a few instances of 'missing baby stuff' in it during emergencies, I took my lesson to make a checklist of baby essentials that should always be packed in a diaper bag to meet baby's needs. Here is a quick guide on the same..

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Diapers:

The most obvious item in the diaper bag! Depending on the age of your baby and on the time you're going to spend outside, decide the number of diapers to pack. Younger babies need more diaper changes than older babies. On an average, a diaper for every two hours is recommended. But it again depends on frequency of your baby’s bowel movement. As a rule of thumb, pack a few extra for precaution.

Nappy Changing Mat:

For the occasions when you need to nursery clean your baby at unexpected places, pack a foldable changing mat in baby's diaper bag on which the baby can be lied down when you don't find a hygienic surface for him/her. A wedge shaped changing mat is perfect choice as it's raised sides ensure that baby won't roll off during changing time. Look for a padded, wipe-cleanable mat for quick care.

Wet Wipes:

Another crucial item that you must toss in baby's diaper bag is a travel pack of #ExtraGentleWipes. You practically use these to not just to clean baby's bottom but also to wipe dirty faces, clean up spills, and even to clean up stains from your baby’s clothes. So I would advocate using some high-quality #SuperThickWipes like #MotherSparshWipes that are made of #MedicalGradeCloth which don't easily rip while cleaning. I've experienced that some of the brands offer wipes that are moist with a sanitizer-like solution, but the #UnscentedWaterWipes are best suitable for sensitive skin of babies. You can buy these here.

Extra Baby Clothes:

Packing extra pair of clothes for baby again depends on his age and the duration of your travel. Be a smart mommy and roll the clothing set together that can be quickly grabbed from the bag and is a space-saver. One-piece outfits for infants are really easy to carry.

Medication Kit:
As an experienced mom, I seriously suggest all mommies to make a small kit of some over-the-counter medications for fever and common colds that the baby might need during travel. If the baby has health conditions while travelling, his doctor-prescribed medicines must be packed in a separate pocket for easy access. The same kit may also have a heavy-duty diaper rash cream and a hand sanitizer as well.

Pacifiers:
You might fall in situations to calm cranky/crying baby so carry one or two pacifiers for such occasions. Sterilize the pacifier by putting it in boiling water for 5 minutes, let it completely cooled down and pack it in a resealable pouch before putting it in the diaper bag. This way it'll avoid coming in contact with germs.

Baby Food:
When the breast milk is not enough to feed the baby, some sort of baby food or formula is definitely a must-pack. Now-a-day, many varieties of ready-to-eat food items are available in market for babies like fruit puree, flavoured yoghurt etc. that can be served on the spot without getting stressed.

Last but not the least, make a point to give a quick glance to your little one's diaper bag when you’re all set to step out of your house and restock the missing items, if any. Because a well-stocked diaper bag is the key to provide best care to your baby on-the-go.