Diaper Bag Dilemmas

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What type is right for you and what should be in it?

Ah, the diaper bag! At first the thought of carrying around a diaper bag bummed me out, it was an official  mom staple! But after doing some of my infamous research, I found some really cute brands and designers I wanted to try. Plus I got to read up all about the packing and preparing, two of my favorite things!

I’m an over-packer. I love to pack. It’s almost my favorite part of vacations. People give me a hard time about it, but I’m always prepared! Got a headache? Here, have some tylenol. Want a more natural remedy? Have some peppermint oil. Or some peppermint beadlets. I have both. Cold? There’s an extra jacket and emergency blanket in the trunk of my car. Hungry? Granola bar, front pocket of my purse. Thirsty? I got you. Papercut? Take a band-aid.

So, the same goes for my diaper bag. I never want to forget anything or be without something I need! So, I probably overpack. But there’s not a single thing in there I haven’t used at least once.

After doing some research I decided I definitely wanted a Petunia Pickle Bottom (Shocker, I know. It’s my first non-Vera Bradley bag in a long, long time). They had the best reviews and I was told it would last a while so I could use it for all my future babies as well. They are pricey, but you are paying for quality! I ended up with two. A Sashay Satchel and a Boxy Backpack. Here, I’ll review both of them, so you don’t have to!

Here is what I fit into both:

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  • Changing Pad (Sashay Satchel only)
  • Swaddle Blanket
  • Nursing Cover
  • Burp Cloth
  • Bib
  • Extra Onesie*
  • Plastic Baggies*
  • Baby’s Vera Bradley Cosmetic filled with: Desitin, Nipple Sheild, Extra Pacifier, Extra Socks, Hand Sanitizer, Baby Lotion, and Baby Sunscreen
  • Toy/Rattle*
  • Wipes
  • 5 Diapers
  • Coupon Holder
  • Wallet
  • Mama’s Vera Bradley Cosmetic filled with: Band aids, Medicine Baggie ( Filled with: Tylenol, Excedrin Migraine, Azo, Zyrtec, and Cough Drops), Roller bottle of peppermint oil, Roller bottle of lavender oil, EOS lip balm, EOS hand lotion, Lip Gloss, Mascara, etc.
  • Pepper Spray
  • Gum
  • Pacifier Pod w/ Pacifier

*- Why would I need this?

*Extra Onesie- For blowout/spit up situations (trust me, you’ll use it all the time)

*Plastic baggies- To put the dirty clothes after the blowout/spit up situation, until you can get home and throw it in the wash! Also good for dirty diapers if there’s no trash can arround

* Toy/rattle- Sawyer is still a little young for toys but he is just starting to notice and appreciate colors, sounds, and textures. Although he can’t play with it himself yet, shaking the toy/rattle in front of him will keep him entertained or calm him down when he’s fussy because he’s mesmerized by it!

I lucked out and my Aunt sent me a PPB she was no longer using! It was a black Sashay Satchel. From the looks of it, I loved it. It was so cute and classy and easy to carry. It has detachable backpack straps, front and back slip pockets, and 2 side pockets for bottles. But, being the over packer that I am, it was just barely too small. It was stuffed to the brim and every time I needed something from it, I would practically have to unpack the whole thing to find what I was looking for. Plus, I knew as Sawyer gets older, or I had more kids, I need to carry even more stuff with me (snacks, baby food, toys, full change of clothes, etc.) So I needed something bigger.

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Stuffed full!

So, I started researching (yay!). The fan favorite seemed to be the boxy backpack. It has a fold-out changing pad (so I would no longer need to carry one), detachable backpack straps, and lots of inside pockets for organization. I bought a fairly new one from and Ebay shop for much less than retail (So, yes, I have two PPB bags, but I did not spend $400-$500 getting them!)

It fits everything so much better. It has a few pockets on the inside which the Sashay Satchel doesn’t. So I was able to keep my nursing cover, burp cloth, extra onesie, baggies, extra socks, diapers and wipes, all organized in the pockets, and the middle just holds the swaddle blanket, the Vera Bradley cosmetics, my wallet, and the toy. The pockets make it so much easier to find what I’m looking for, and my bag isn’t stuffed to the brim and overflowing.

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So much better! And there’s still room for when I need more.

Here are the pros and cons of each bag:

Sashay Satchel
Sashay Satchel

Pros:

  • Cuter and classier looking (in my opinion)
  • Front and back slip pockets
  • 2 side pockets for bottles
  • Key clip

Cons

  • Too small
  • No fold out changing pad
  • No inside pockets
Boxy Backpack
Boxy Backpack

Pros

  • Easy to wipe down
  • Fold out changing pad
  • Plenty of space
  • Lots of inside pockets for organization
  • 2 side pockets for bottles
  • Keys clip
  • Detachable backpack straps

Cons

  • No front and back slip pockets

So, there you have it! I’m going to hold on to both bags. I really like the look of the Sashay Satchel better, but it just doesn’t hold everything I need (It would be perfect for someone who isn’t a chronic over packer like myself). But so far I love the quality of the PPB brand and would recommend to anyone!

Mama Hack: Keep an emergency diaper bag in the back of your car. This is great for days when you use the last diaper in your bag and forgot to pack up more. Or you’re just running to the store and don’t want to lug your big bag with you when you’re only going to be out of the house for 30 minutes. Or an emergency stranded on the side of the road type situation. A friend of mine got me an adorable Mickey Mouse “Mini Diaper Bag” which worked perfectly!

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What’s in it:

  • 10 Diapers
  • Wipes
  • Blanket
  • Extra Onesie
  • Extra Socks
  • Emergency Formula Packets
  • Bottle (not pictured)
  • Change of clothes for me (not pictured)

It just sits in the trunk of my car and so far I’ve never had to use it!

What’s your favorite brand of Diaper Bag? And what else do you keep in it? Comment below!

xoxo.

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