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Diaper Bag Decisions: Packing the bag for all occasions.

By Mary Sharman, edHelperBaby

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           Diaper Bag Decisions: Packing the bag for all occasions.       

       Being anxious is all part of the game if you are a new parent, but there are ways to ease your tension and stress when you leave the comfort and safety of your home. I have found as a mom that if I want to have fun with my children I have to make the activity as stress-free as I can for myself. One way to do that is to have all the things that I need right at my finger tips.

       The best way to organize your diaper bag is to create quadrates. Sections in the bag that you know certain items are housed and will ALWAYS be there. All diaper bags have a variety of pockets that can be used to store important items needed for any occasion. Organizing it this way will reduce the time that you spend searching for an item to soothe your infant.

       The "heart" of the bag is where you will want to place the items that are used most often. Diapers, wipes, diaper cream, and SEVERAL changes of clothing should go in this area. I also like to place the most favorite toy in this area as well. You will want to place the clothes in a large storage bag. If the clothing becomes soiled you can keep it separate from the other clean items in the bag. It always helps to have a small bottle of spray detergent to treat stains. These can be found in travel size bottles or "pens" to apply to your garments on the go. Place that in one of the bags with the clothing and use it as needed for those hard to treat stains!

       The inside pockets are great places for extra hair bows, socks, and pacifiers. If you are anything like me, you will go through at least one pair of socks and the hair barrette or bow will be ripped from the hair and thrown on the floor in the mall somewhere between JC Penney and Sears. I think my trail could be traced with socks and hair accessories! The pocket right inside the bag, above the "heart" where you place the diapers and clothes is where I would place these items. Being tucked inside the bag will keep them safe from being dropped and lost while you are out on the town.

       I find the front pockets a wise choice to place bottles and/of cups to be used while out. Some people like to take premade bottles with them, but I disagree with that method. I have had many bottles spill leaving me scrambling for a place to purchase formula for my infant. If you breast feed then this does not pertain to you as you have your milk stored in a very secure place! Those of you who choose like I did, to formula feed, can use this information. I keep in the bag at all times one of two things for formula feedings. One being the premade small plastic bottles of milk that can be either poured into a bottle (if you use a special kind) or you can simply screw a nipple to the top of the bottle. This makes for quick satisfaction for those fussier eaters. The other option is the powder in the small rip top sleeves. They look like the individual packets of lemonade that you add to water. These small packets are easy to store and last longer than the bottles of premade formula. The down side is you must carry a bottle of water with you to mix the formula. The packets call for 6 or 8 oz. of water and so one water bottle could last for 2 feedings. I place the packets in a plastic sandwich bag with a zipper so that if the powder spills there is not a big mess to clean.

       You will find plastic zipper bags are a life saver. These have so many uses it is incredible. As your child gets older you will remove some things and replace them with other items, and these versatile little time savers will really come in handy. I use them for snacks and to separate toys within the bag. During the spring and summer you can use a zipper bag for bug spray and sunscreen. This will help you be prepared for play dates with other friends while preventing a mess if the contents spill. I also use them when traveling to keep all the items for one outfit together. Those of you with a little girl  know that socks and hair bows MUST match the outfit. Zipper bags save me time when we are getting dressed (especially if daddy is dressing the little angel)!

       Remember the key is to think of what your child needs and prefers when out and about. Each child has a different personality and schedule and may not need as much of one thing but more of something else. Fun is the goal and stress should not play a large role! Don't be afraid to take your little darling out on the town, just be prepared!

   


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