What every diaper bag needs to have
Ensure your diaper bag is equipped for any emergency with our packing guide.
So you’ve got your routine in place and you’re pretty confident about seeing to your baby’s needs at home. Taking the show on the road is an entirely new challenge though. Every baby has different needs and habits so you’ll need to work out what works best for yours but use our guide as a start to ensure you’re ready for anything your baby might throw at you.
Helpful hint: Put your wallet, keys, phone, sunglasses and other small items into a small pouch, so you’re not rummaging through your diaper bag all the time to find them.
Essentials for a short trip
The barest minimum if you’re only planning to be out for a short time. These are also the items that should always be in your diaper bag. You can add other items to these depending on where you’re going and how long you plan to be out.
- 2-4 diapers. 1 for every 2 hours plus 1 spare.
- Wet wipes. Use a travel pack of Huggies® Clean Care baby Wipes. They’re all natural, hypoallergenic and clinically safe for newborns and sensitive skin.
- A changing pad. Most diaper bags come with one but if yours doesn’t, pack a thin waterproof pad, so you can turn any surface into a changing table.
- Plastic bags. For dirty diapers, dirty clothes or any other mess you might need to contain. Ordinary plastic bags will do but a handy tip is to save used Ziploc bags for this so you can seal the smell away too.
- 1-2 changes of clothes for your baby.
- Extra top for mum. In case of a spit up or spill.
- Pain or fever medication. Coughs and sniffles are common so be prepared.
- Hand sanitizer. To keep hands clean.
- Tissues. These always come in handy when you have a messy baby.
Add-ons for longer trips
For a longer trip away from home, make sure you’ve got all of these covered.
- Diaper cream. Get travel-sized tubes.
- Bottle with formula or expressed breast milk. For formula, fill the bottle with water and measure out the right amount of formula in a separate container, so it’s easy to get it ready.
- Blanket. Can also be used as a changing pad or nursing cover.
- Small towels. For burping, washing faces and hands and other small messes.
- Extra breast pads.
- Baby food and spoon. If your baby has started on solids.
- 2–3 bibs.
- Pacifier. Pack a spare just in case.
- Teething ring. Babies can start teething as early as 3 months.
- Toys or books. To keep your baby entertained.
- Antiseptic cream. For small cuts or bites.
Nice-to-haves if you’ve got the space
Other items that would make your trip easier but that you can choose to leave at home.
- Crackers or other snacks. For your baby and you.
- Sling or wrap for carrying your baby.
- Hat. To keep the sun off your baby’s face.
- Sunscreen and mosquito repellent. Especially if you plan to be outdoors.
- Camera.
- Immunization or other health records. Keep these in a Ziploc bag (to protect them from spills and drips) so you always have them on hand in an emergency.
- Cheap over-the-door hook. For public toilets that don’t have bag hooks.
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The information published herein is intended and strictly only for informational, educational, purposes and the same shall not be misconstrued as medical advice. If you are worried about your own health, or your child’s well being, seek immediate medical advice. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website. Kimberly-Clark and/ or its subsidiaries assumes no liability for the interpretation and/or use of the information contained in this article. Further, while due care and caution has been taken to ensure that the content here is free from mistakes or omissions, Kimberly-Clark and/ or its subsidiaries makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information here, and to the extent permitted by law, Kimberly-Clark and/ or its subsidiaries do not accept any liability or responsibility for claims, errors or omissions.
