Anatomy of a Diaper Bag

When I was pregnant with Blake, I always wondered what moms pack in that seemingly massive diaper bag they lug around.  I remember attempting to stock it before Blake was born, as if I had any clue what I would really need. I even recall having it perched up on his bookcase like some medal I was awarded by the Academy of Awesome Moms.

The first week of Blake's life, I quickly came to realize that everything I had in there was pretty useless, with the exception of a few items.  But I was a new mom and packed everything under the sun. That bag was so heavy it would probably tip the stroller over if I wasn't careful.

What I found that first week was that all I really needed were diapers and wipes, and he was all good.  It wasn't until Blake got a bit older when I realized the contents of my diaper bag were constantly changing.  As soon as I got familiar with where an item was, it was chucked to the side and replaced by something else that was higher priority.

Now that Blake is almost a year and a half, I think back to my original diaper bag contents and am amazed at how much they have changed.  I thought I would capture a quick summary of the crap I usually lugged around and how its evolved over time.

0-3 months:

At least 3 diapers and wipes.  I didn't even bother packing the diaper creams, I realized missing one cream application is not the end of the world.

Hand sanitizer

Nursing cover

Bibs/burp cloth

4-8 months:
Added pureed foods and squeezy packs of mashed up fruit
Added toys to occupy his increasingly inquisitive mind  (toys with music were the best)
Added a pacifier at 6 months once we saw he developed a strong connection to his elephant wubbanub (we call him Wubs, and now we have 3 of them)

9-14 months:
Added more toys
Added sunscreen at 12 months

15 months (current):
My diapaer bag must be stocked with snacks, snacks, and more snacks.  I usually have a banana, goldfish, raisins, puffs, half a grilled cheese sandwich, fruit squeezy packs, and sippy cup with water.  Basically, I could even get away with not carrying around a diaper bag as long as I have snacks to offer. Blake could be running around with a monster poop in his diaper, but as long as he has snacks, he is a happy camper.

It is just so funny to me how the contents of that massive bag have evolved from day 1.  Here I was thinking I had it all figured out, in reality, I was so completely clueless.

This is my bag, and it is the best!