I’m going to admit, I had no idea how to properly pack a diaper bag when I first started venturing out with my twins. To the average onlooker, it probably looked like I was bringing our entire nursery along. The backpack I used was big enough to use as luggage. It was so heavy it dug into my shoulders and left vicious red indents. To put it plainly, it uncomfortable, embarrassing and a huge hassle ever ytime I had to dig for something.
Thankfully, the days of packing my diaper bag so full the zippers hardly closed are history. And my back thanks me for it. Over the course of six years I’ve learnt a thing or two about what the 11 true essentials that belong in a diaper bag – and it doesn’t include a full nursery.
These days, I don’t carry a diaper bag at all, not that they don’t come in cute patterns and uber-convenient styles, but I have something a little more stylish and less “momish” for Summer I think looks fab!
What are the 11 essentials for a trip to the park of afternoon at the zoo with your family? Far less than you might think, take a look!
PAMPERS DIAPERS
This is my diaper of choice for all three of my kids. I’ve tried the others and they just don’t come close to the quality and reassurance you get with Pampers.
Pampers has unique Extra Absorb Channels to help distribute wetness evenly, so it stays drier and doesn’t sag like ordinary diapers. I love the way they feature a unique 3 way fit that adapts at the waist, legs and bottom so my babies never feel constrained in them. They have the freedom to play all day and I can depend on Pampers for leak-free fun.
PS – I love to buy my goods at Rite Aid, which has everything from sunscreen to sunglasses. Head over to Rite Aid between 7/23 and 8/26 and spend $50 on any Pampers products, get $10 toward your next purchase at Rite Aid.
BABY WIPES
Wet wipes aren’t just for diaper changes – they have a multitude of uses. When you’re on the go, Pampers baby wipes are great to clean sticky fingers, messy faces, and leftover dirt and sand from the playground. They’re also great for cleaning scraps and cuts when you’re away from home.
DREFT PEN
This is the absolute BEST at removing stains on the go. When your child dribbles food on their shirt or wipes paint on their shorts instead of on a paper towel, this is the one thing you need to get it out and keep your kid’s clothes laundered. With a scrubber brush attached, you can really work the stain off before it sets. By the time you get home and wash it, you’ll never even know Junior decided to paint his clothes.
SNACKS & SNACK CATCHER CUPS
Food is a travel essential for little ones which is why I always throw a variety of snacks into the brightly-colored snack catcher cups. I can trust they won’t leave a mess in my purse, but when I hand my daughter Taylor a cup in the car, I always won’t worry she’ll dump the whole thing out and I’ll be finding crushed goldfish crumbs a year from now.
SUNSCREEN
This is a must have in every Mom’s bag – especially with the Summer rays. We love mineral sunscreen because of my son’s particular sensitivity to the different chemicals in other sunscreens and stay away from aerosol sprays because of the inhalation hazards. Sunscreen sticks are uber-handy to tuck into a side pocket and don’t allow for your child to mistakenly squeeze out too much from a sunscreen tube.
ANTIBACTERIAL HAND SPRAY
We’ve tried a lot of different antibacterial hand soaps but I love spray antibacterials the best because you’ll never have to worry about overuse or alcohol being the first ingredient. The citrus smell reminds me of perfume and two sprays is enough to completely cover little hands.
MINI-FIRST AID KIT
I always have a few bandaids and antibiotic packets on hand in a mini-first aid kit, just in case. I throw in a couple hair bands and bug bite rub because my son has immediate reactions to bites and this helps right away.
SEALED CHANGE OF CLOTHES
Pack a light t-shirt, and shorts and even a hat in a ziplock baggie and stash it away at the bottom of your bag. The ziplock baggie comes in handy important if your child gets wet or has dirty clothes, you have a safe place to seal them away without worry about the res of the contents in your bag.
PAIR OF SOCKS
I’ve learned the hard way on not packing socks when my kids are wearing flip flops or slip on shoes and we head to an indoor play gym which requires socks. Turning your kids away because Mom forgot socks is a heartbreaker! For this reason, I always have an extra pair of socks in my bag.
TOYS & A BOARD BOOK OR TWO
For when you might be stuck waiting or redirect behavior, keeping a couple small toys and a board book in your purse can be sanity savers. If you’re at the Dr.’s office or stuck in traffic, this could be a life preserver!
WATER BOTTLE
I never leave home without a water bottle for the kids and myself, especially in the Summer when it’s so easy to quickly become dehydrated.
I love that I have all the essentials for heading out to run errands or a spontaneous trip to the playground with my kids and there’s still room in my bag if I pick up something along the way and don’t have to worry about the weight of a hefty diaper bag weighing me down.
Don’t forget to pick up all your Summer essentials for your bag listed here at Rite Aid and head over between 7/23 and 8/26 and spend $50 on any Pampers products, get $10 toward your next purchase at Rite Aid.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of P&G. The opinions and text are all mine.
