For the New Mom - Diaper Bag Essentials

When it becomes time that you can take your little bundle of joy out and around the town, or even to visit with friends and relatives; it's good to know some essential basics. Do you know the essentials of what should go in the diaper bag?

I have devised a small checklist of the most important items that should be carried with you and baby at all times. Some of these items may sound weird or unnecessary at the time, but believe me when I tell you, the oddest things can come in very useful in case of need.

The first thing you need to do is make sure you have a diaper bag big enough, not something as small as a bag or a large bag. Inside the diaper bag, you must:

Diapers (including a couple more than you think is necessary or can be).

Baby wipes - (make sure they baby wipes and wet wipes not only the baby wipes and gentle. are larger, softerbaby).

Rash ointment- (rashes can pop up at any time out of the clear blue. It is always better to have the necessary remedy on hand, instead of waiting until a later time).

A medicine bag- (These can be purchased with some of the essentials already within them, or you can make your own. Just use a quart sized zipper bag and fill with these items: Baby Tylenol, Nail clippers, a thermometer, Nose syringe, medicine dropper, and travel size lotion and Vaseline).

Extra clothing- (It is always best to take along at least two more sets than you think you will need. Remember, it is always better to be over prepared than under prepared).

One or two extra bottles- If you are bottle-feeding make sure you have enough with you, with an extra one to spare. After all, you never know when you might just be out a little longer than planned).

Also pack within the diaper bag, cloths for burping. I found cloth diapers to be wonderful, because they can be used for more than one purpose. Cloth diapers are also great as a makeshift changing pad, placing them under the baby so as not to soil any surrounding areas. The cloth diapers make excellent burping cloths to put over your shoulder, because they absorb more liquid than a receiving blanket, and can also come in handy for strange spills or yucky happenings that can arise.

An added hint- (Keeping a couple of extra quart sized zipper bags in the bag can also come in quite handy in many ways. These bags can hold soiled diapers, if you have nowhere to dispose of one. They can also hold soiled clothing and burping cloths, so as not to return them directly to the clean items in the diaper bag).