BRITTLE
Hello all. I was wondering how necessary is a "diaper bag"? I have a large purse that measures 15X11X2 so I was wondering if I could fit all my baby's essentials in that? I don't want to have to carry a purse AND a diaper bag. I like the nooks and crannys of diaper bags, but I'm not a fan of the prints/sizes. So, are those dimensions big enough and does not having the bottle holders and thousands of pockets horribly necessary?
I also plan on buying a bigger bag for overnight visits to my parents and in-laws and for that I was thinking the SKIP HOP backpack...it's a child's backpack primarily designed for a preschooler age child and is so cute, but i was wondering if it could double as a overnight bag for baby and possibly his hospital bag?
What do you ladies use? And what do your husbands use? Do they mind carrying around a purse diaper bag or should he have his own bag, too? So many questions, but this our first...can you tell?! haha
Answer
Your purse will do fine. I have one nappy bag which I used for about 2 months. It was too big! All I've used since are large handbags. With my oldest son I did use a little bottle bag that I'd pop a bottle into and then into the handbag. Otherwise spare clothes, nappies, wipes etc all went into my handbag. If you are only going out for a short period of time a few nappies, small wipes etc fit fine in a handbag.
When we had our second son I did use a kids backpack for a little while but soon swapped back to a handbag. My husband usually used this if he was alone (rarely) with our oldest son. We do use it for overnight visits to see my parents. It should also be perfectly fine for a hospital bag for your son.
Edit- Also one little tip is to keep a couple of nappies, spare clothes etc in a box in your car. That way if you do need more they are still pretty handy but it saves you the trouble of lugging them around.
Your purse will do fine. I have one nappy bag which I used for about 2 months. It was too big! All I've used since are large handbags. With my oldest son I did use a little bottle bag that I'd pop a bottle into and then into the handbag. Otherwise spare clothes, nappies, wipes etc all went into my handbag. If you are only going out for a short period of time a few nappies, small wipes etc fit fine in a handbag.
When we had our second son I did use a kids backpack for a little while but soon swapped back to a handbag. My husband usually used this if he was alone (rarely) with our oldest son. We do use it for overnight visits to see my parents. It should also be perfectly fine for a hospital bag for your son.
Edit- Also one little tip is to keep a couple of nappies, spare clothes etc in a box in your car. That way if you do need more they are still pretty handy but it saves you the trouble of lugging them around.
Extremely tight budget--what baby items MUST I buy new?
quamquamsi
DH and I were NOT intending to get pregnant right now, since money is extremely tight, but that's life, eh? Anyway, I have a lavish (ha!) budget of $400.00 over the next six months to buy baby supplies.
My inlaws offered to buy a new carseat with all the current safety features. I can get a lightly used crib that complies with current safety recommmendations from a friend for free. I can sew well and am more than willing to make sleepers, receiving blankets and the like, if I can't get hand-me-downs.
Would love to know what other low-budget mothers have done for baby supplies. What are the ABSOLUTE essentials? Is there anything, other than a carseat, that MUST be purchased new?
I have no problems at all with second hand stuff, as long as it's safe and serviceable, and I don't care in the least about logos, brand-names, or matchy-matchy baby stuff.
Answer
Congratulations on your pregnancy, even if it was a surprise! New babies need very little beyond your love and care, so $400 is plenty. We're told that our babies need a lot of stuff, but most of it isn't necessary at all.
Plan on breastfeeding - that will save you at least $1500 over your baby's first year of life (more if your baby needs hypoallergenic formula, and if you factor in increased laundry and health care costs when formula feeding). Most women are able to breastfeed with no challenges. It's a great idea to call your local La Leche League while you're pregnant, so you can learn about the normal course of breastfeeding and have resources for help if needed (and it's free!).
When your baby gets a bit older, consider making your own baby foods. Much cheaper and healthier for baby. You can probably find a book at your local library with ideas for home-made baby foods.
Consider cloth diapering. You can buy used prefold diapers and good-quality wraps which will last you throughout your baby's diaper-wearing days. You can make your own baby wipes with baby wash cloths (or sew your own). There are lots of ideas at cloth diapering sites for saving money on diapering. You don't necessarily need a changing table; you can put a pad down on baby's crib and use that, or get a changing pad that fits on the top of a dresser. And instead of a diaper bag, you can use a regular backpack or a tote bag.
Don't spend too much on baby clothing. Your baby will grow fast and won't need much at first. Check out thrift stores for almost-new baby clothes, or ask for hand-me-downs.
The one item I used every day was my sling. We almost never used a stroller (and used it to carry the diaper bag more often than the baby), but the sling was so useful. And a baby in a sling doesn't need a bouncy chair or a swing - mom's body is a much nicer place for baby to be.
Congratulations on your pregnancy, even if it was a surprise! New babies need very little beyond your love and care, so $400 is plenty. We're told that our babies need a lot of stuff, but most of it isn't necessary at all.
Plan on breastfeeding - that will save you at least $1500 over your baby's first year of life (more if your baby needs hypoallergenic formula, and if you factor in increased laundry and health care costs when formula feeding). Most women are able to breastfeed with no challenges. It's a great idea to call your local La Leche League while you're pregnant, so you can learn about the normal course of breastfeeding and have resources for help if needed (and it's free!).
When your baby gets a bit older, consider making your own baby foods. Much cheaper and healthier for baby. You can probably find a book at your local library with ideas for home-made baby foods.
Consider cloth diapering. You can buy used prefold diapers and good-quality wraps which will last you throughout your baby's diaper-wearing days. You can make your own baby wipes with baby wash cloths (or sew your own). There are lots of ideas at cloth diapering sites for saving money on diapering. You don't necessarily need a changing table; you can put a pad down on baby's crib and use that, or get a changing pad that fits on the top of a dresser. And instead of a diaper bag, you can use a regular backpack or a tote bag.
Don't spend too much on baby clothing. Your baby will grow fast and won't need much at first. Check out thrift stores for almost-new baby clothes, or ask for hand-me-downs.
The one item I used every day was my sling. We almost never used a stroller (and used it to carry the diaper bag more often than the baby), but the sling was so useful. And a baby in a sling doesn't need a bouncy chair or a swing - mom's body is a much nicer place for baby to be.
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Title Post: How big should a diaper bag be?
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Rating: 96% based on 987 ratings. 4,7 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
Thanks For Coming To My Blog
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