What’s in my Toddler Diaper Bag?

Now that Reagan is almost a year and a half…(um, what?) there are a lot of baby things that we don’t need to carry in the diaper bag anymore, like a nursing cover, burp cloths, bottles…

But an un-potty trained wee one still comes with a lot of literal baggage. I’m going to share with you what I keep in my diaper bag for this stage in our lives.

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While I was still pregnant, I fell in love with the Boxy Backpack (here’s a similar one) from Petunia Pickle Bottom. I loved that it was a fun and bold pattern and that it was glazed coated canvas, so it can just be wiped down if something gets spilled on the outside.

It has a regular shoulder strap, but can also be worn as a backpack (hence the name, right?) which I love when I’m out and about alone with Reagan and need both arms totally free. (I’m ashamed to admit how many times I’ve been using just the single shoulder strap and I’ve bent down to pick her up and the bag has swung off and clocked her in the head…#momoftheyear.) Backpack straps for the win!

(By the way, Petunia Pickle Bottom is not sponsoring this post…I really just love this bag!)

While the bag has several pockets inside, I feel like all the little stuff that I carry tends to get buried and lost if it isn’t organized. I picked up a couple of clear cosmetic bags from Bed Bath & Beyond that work great for corralling all the odds and ends.

Changing: This is of course a no-brainer for a toddler who isn’t yet potty trained, but we carry diapers and wipes. Reagan has super sensitive skin, and we’ve loved these wipes from Target. She doesn’t get any sort of rash from them, and they’re such a steal. My bag has an attached fold out changing pad, so I don’t need to carry a separate one inside.

I also hang one of these plastic bag dispensers on the side of my bag. The little bags are from Arm & Hammer, so they are scented. These are great if I’m at a friend’s house who doesn’t have any kids (and therefore is not yet accustomed to the perfume of a dirty diaper in the trash), if I’m out in public and have a particularly messy diaper to get rid of, or if I have a messy/wet outfit to put back in the diaper bag and I don’t want it to soak everything else.

Now that we’re past the “breastfed infant frequent blowout phase” where I felt like we were doing a wardrobe change every time we were out of the house, I don’t feel like I need three extra outfits at all times. But I do usually throw one spare in, because you just never know!

Snack Bag: I usually have two or three varieties of snack in my bag at all times, because grocery lines, waiting rooms, traffic, or any other situation which causes a toddler to sit still for an extended period of time can be improved with a constant flow of snack. Also in this smaller bag is a bib and some travel utensils.

I always carry a sippy cup as well, but I hate the possibility of leaving a nice cup in a restaurant or store, so I carry these Take and Toss cups. They’re great because we can keep washing them and using them like regular cups, but they’re cheap enough that I’m not sad if we end up losing one. They will leak if they’re completely turned upside down, so they come with a little travel cap you can throw on to prevent big messes.

General Personal Care: This smaller bag has a lot of the general stuff that I might not use all the time, but I get annoyed if I need it and don’t have it. I have nail clippers, nail files, diaper cream, hair ties for both of us, and a comb. Reagan seems to always get this teased up rat’s nest on the back of her head every time she rides in her carseat, so I’ve learned from experience that a comb comes in handy. I also throw in some hand sanitizer and some lip gloss for myself. (I’m sort of obsessed with this NYX Butter Gloss. My favorite is Creme Brûlée.) I keep a tube of Babyganics sunscreen in an inside pocket of my diaper bag too.

What is in your toddler diaper bag that you couldn’t imagine leaving the house without?!