What to pack in a diaper bag: the complete checklist, outing by outing
Are you preparing for your first outings with baby? Or have you already discovered, once outside, that the wipes were left on the changing table? A well-prepared diaper bag comes down to a short list, adapted to the length of the outing and the season.
Here is the basic list, what to add for an errand, a day or a weekend, the small changes for winter and summer, and a checklist to keep on your phone.
The basic list: what always stays in the bag
These items always stay in the bag. Replace what you used when you get back, and the bag is ready for the next outing.
| For | What to bring | Our tip |
|---|---|---|
| Changing | Diapers, wipes, portable changing mat, the cream you use at home, a few bags for dirty diapers | Keep the wipes in an outside pocket: you can grab them with one hand. |
| Clothes | A bodysuit, a full change of clothes, a bib, a muslin cloth | A muslin cloth is useful for everything: protecting your shoulder, covering a changing surface, wiping up a small mess. |
| Feeding | What baby usually drinks or eats: baby bottle, milk, water, baby food and spoon | An insulated pocket helps keep the baby bottle cool or warm for longer. Our multi-functional diaper backpack has several. |
| Comfort | Pacifier and its pacifier clip, comforter, a small toy or a cloth book | A toy reserved for outings keeps its element of surprise. |
| Care | Tissues, hand sanitizer for your hands, and whatever your pediatrician advised you to have on hand | A small dedicated pouch prevents rummaging at the bottom of the bag. |
| For you | Phone, keys, wallet, water bottle, a snack, a spare top | A spare top seems superfluous, until the day it isn't. |
A portable changing mat with its wipe pocket: it attaches to the stroller, bag or car seat.
If you are breastfeeding, add a nursing scarf or a second muslin cloth, and spare nursing pads. If baby drinks formula, many parents bring the water and powder separately, in a measuring container, and prepare the baby bottle on site.
How many diapers to bring?
A simple rule of thumb: one diaper for every two to three hours outside, plus two spares. With a newborn, who needs changing more often, plan for more. A diaper that comes back home costs nothing; a missing diaper cuts the outing short.
Adapting the bag to the length of the outing
The basic list covers most outings. Depending on the time spent outside, you can lighten or complete it.
For an errand or a one- or two-hour walk
There is no need to take the big bag. Two or three diapers, wipes, the pacifier and a bodysuit are often enough. The diapers and wipes fit in a pouch like our embroidered cotton diaper pouch (27 × 20 cm), which slips into your handbag or can be carried by hand.
Still, take a small bottle of water for yourself: a one-hour walk often turns into two.
For a full day
Take the complete basic list, then add:
- the day's meals and drinks;
- a second change of clothes;
- a bag for dirty laundry;
- one or two more sets of toys.
For a day, the backpack is the most practical: your hands remain free to push the stroller or carry baby. The Land diaper backpack, our best-selling model, has many pockets to store diapers, baby bottles and tissues each in their place.
The interior of the Land bag: nine pockets to give everything its place.
For a weekend or a trip
Plan to bring additionally:
- one outfit per day, plus one;
- diapers for the entire duration, or enough to last until the first store on site;
- baby's toiletries;
- a spare comforter, if baby has one, and familiar items from home;
- the health record book and your documents, in a closed pocket.
Keep the diaper bag for the day and put the rest in a separate bag: you won't have to unpack everything for every change. For this bag, a large bag like our quilted weekend diaper bag (about 40 × 21 × 28 cm) carries baby's things and yours, and can be carried by hand, on the shoulder or crossbody.
Depending on the season
In winter
Keep the same list and add:
- a hat, and extra mittens or socks: these are the first things you lose;
- a spare vest or sweater;
- extra tissues;
- a hot drink for yourself, in an insulated bottle.
In the stroller, a footmuff prevents having to put on a thick jumpsuit for every outing. Our 2-in-1 footmuff has a fleece lining, a windproof exterior and a removable duvet; the stroller straps pass through.
The 2-in-1 footmuff stays installed on the stroller throughout the winter.
Also remember to identify places where you can change baby out of the elements: shopping malls, children's stores, certain train stations. Changing a diaper outside in January, you only do it once.
In summer
Same list, with a few additions:
- a hat or sun hat;
- extra water, for yourself and for baby if they already drink it;
- a light change of clothes;
- the sunscreen chosen with your pediatrician, if you use one.
Organize the bag to find everything with one hand
A well-filled bag is useless if you have to empty everything to find the pacifier. Four habits are enough:
- The most urgent at the top or on the outside. Wipes, the pacifier and tissues go in the pockets you open without putting the bag down.
- One pouch per use. One for changing, one for clothes, one for feeding. A storage bag with a mesh top lets you see what it contains without unpacking anything.
- A changing area always ready. Some bags unfold into a changing surface, like our 3-in-1 diaper bag: practical when there is no changing table. As stated in its product page, it is always used under your supervision.
- Restock the bag when you get back. Two minutes are enough: replace the diapers, replace the used outfit, empty the bags. The bag is ready, even for a rushed departure.
With a mesh top, you can see what the pouch contains without opening it.
What bag to carry all this?
It all depends on your outings. The backpack is best suited for long days and the stroller: your hands remain free and the weight is distributed over both shoulders. The handbag or tote bag is liked for its style and is enough for shorter outings. The pouch is handy for a quick errand.
To compare the storage and sizes, see our diaper backpacks: each product page details the pockets and dimensions.
The checklist
Copy into the notes of your phone, or print and slip into a pocket of the bag.
Changing
- Diapers (one for every two to three hours, plus two)
- Wipes
- Changing mat
- Usual cream
- Bags for dirty diapers
Clothes
- Bodysuit
- Full change of clothes
- Bib
- Muslin cloth
- In winter: hat, mittens, socks, vest
- In summer: hat, light outfit
Feeding
- Baby bottle, milk or water
- Baby food and spoon, or snack depending on age
- If you are breastfeeding: nursing scarf, pads
Comfort
- Pacifier and pacifier clip
- Comforter
- Small toy or book
Care
- Tissues
- Hand sanitizer
- What your pediatrician advised you
For you
- Phone, keys, wallet
- Water bottle and snack
- Spare top
- For a trip: health record book and documents
Frequently asked questions
What to put in a diaper bag for a newborn?
The same basic list, with more diapers and an extra bodysuit: a newborn needs changing often. Add one or two muslin cloths, which are useful for everything, and keep the bag light: the first outings are often short.
When to prepare the diaper bag? Is it the same as the hospital bag?
It is not the same. The hospital bag contains the items for the stay, for you and for baby: follow the list provided by your maternity ward. The diaper bag is then used for outings. Many parents prepare it in the last weeks of pregnancy, at the same time as the hospital bag, to have it ready for the return home.
What to put in the diaper bag for daycare or a babysitter?
First, follow the list given by the daycare or the babysitter: each has its own rules. You will generally find diapers, a change of clothes and the comforter, with the child's name on each item.
Should you bring the health record book?
For an errand, rarely. For a weekend or a trip, many parents slip it into a closed pocket of the bag, with their documents: it takes up little space.
What size diaper bag to choose?
Not necessarily a large one. A well-organized bag, with easy-to-open pockets, is better than a large bag where everything gets mixed up. For a day, a backpack with a large compartment and an insulated pocket is very suitable; keep the very large bags for weekends.
In summary
A basic list that does not change, a few additions depending on the outing and the season, and the habit of restocking the bag when you get back: you will no longer have to think about it when leaving.
If you are looking for the bag that will go with this list, see our diaper bags: backpacks, handbags and models that unfold into a changing surface.
