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In addition to some food for the baby (your boobs or a bottle), babies need a lot more stuff when you leave the house. Here are some diaper bag essentials for those first few months:
The Quick Diaper Bag Checklist
Print this box or screenshot it, then pack. Everything on it is explained further down, with the products I actually use.
Diapering & Messes
☐ Diapers (more than you think)
☐ Wipes
☐ Diaper cream
☐ Portable changing pad
☐ Wet bag
☐ Diaper trash bags
☐ Hand & face wipes
Clothes & Comfort
☐ Extra outfit (or two)
☐ Extra shirt for you
☐ Socks or booties
☐ Muslin blanket
☐ Wide-brim sun hat
☐ Pacifier + clip
☐ Small toy or rattle
Feeding & For You
☐ Bottle or nursing cover
☐ Formula dispenser
☐ Bib, snacks, sippy cup (6+ months)
☐ Water bottle
☐ Hand sanitizer
☐ Phone charger
☐ Chapstick
Still shopping for the bag itself? Start with my picks for stylish diaper bags, then come back and fill it with everything below.
For Baby
Diaper Changes
 Diapers & Wipes |
 Diaper Cream |
 Portable Changing Pad |
|---|---|---|
| Pack more than you think, and keep a backup stash in the car. | Badger, Honest Company or Boudreaux’s all work great on the go. | This is a must-have if you ever leave the house! Some diaper bags come with one, but if yours does not, buy one! |
For Messes
 Extra Clothes |
 Wet Bag |
 Diaper Trash Bags |
 Hand & Face Wipes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foldover mitten sleeves keep newborn hands from touching everything. | Seals in soiled clothes after the inevitable blowout. | Seal up dirty diapers when there’s no trash can nearby. | Gentle enough for baby’s face and hands, not just their bottom. |
Keep Baby Cozy
One note on sun protection: resist the urge to drape a muslin or blanket over the stroller for shade. It cuts off airflow and can heat up the inside of the stroller surprisingly fast, even on a mild day. Keep the opening clear and shade baby other ways instead: use the stroller’s own canopy (many brands sell a UPF canopy extension), clip on a parasol that shades the seat without closing it in, dress baby in lightweight long sleeves and a wide-brim hat, and park in real shade when you can find it.
Keep Baby Happy
For Mom
Pack These for You
 Hand Sanitizer |
 Water Bottle |
 Portable Phone Charger |
 Chapstick or Lip Balm |
|---|---|---|---|
| For when there’s no sink in sight after a diaper change. | Especially if you’re nursing. You will be thirsty! | Your phone is your camera, map and white noise machine. Keep it charged. | Tiny, but you’ll be glad it’s in there on a long day out. |
Also toss in an extra shirt for you (spit-up and blowouts don’t only land on baby), a snack that won’t get crushed, and anything else you’d normally keep in your purse, like a pen and hair ties.
Nice-to-Haves
These depend on your baby and how you feed, so pack what makes sense for you.
Out and About
Feeding
 Nursing Cover |
 Hand Pump |
 Nursing Pads |
 Formula Dispenser |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra privacy for nursing in public, if you want it. | Quick relief when you’re away from your electric pump. | Pack a few extras so leaks don’t soak through your shirt. | Pre-measured scoops so you can mix a bottle anywhere. |
6+ Months
Once your baby is eating solid foods, you will want to add a few more things to those diaper bag essentials.
Solid Food Add-Ons
 Placemats |
 Bibs |
 Sippy Cup or Sippy Tops |
 Snack Bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disposable or reusable. Restaurant tables are not clean. | Easy-to-clean or disposable bibs save their outfit (and yours). | Sippy tops fit on any restaurant glass if your little one can handle a real cup. | Reusable bags keep snacks handy and cut down on waste. |
For Dad’s Diaper Bag
Men’s restrooms often don’t have changing tables. For this reason, it’s often on the woman to change baby’s diaper when out of the house. Problem solved with the Baby Change-N-Go! It can hang on a bathroom stall door and unfolds to become a changing table. Dad no longer has an excuse not to change diapers when on the go!
Got the gear? You still need the bag. All of this has to fit in something you actually want to carry around. See my favorite stylish diaper bags, from backpacks to totes to crossbody styles, and check that whichever one you pick has room for the list above.
