Thursday, November 03, 2005

Diaper Bags

Gang, it's time to get personal. No politics today. No media analysis. No stirring calls to action for a better parenting future. Only a much more pressing question from a nearly-nine-month-pregnant woman.

I need advice on diaper bags.

Yes. There are too many out there for me to choose from. I'm overwhelmed. So send me your suggestions. Nothing too fancy, with room for anything I might need, with decent style. Friends, I need your help here. Parents with younger children, tell me what I need.

Miriam

10 comments:

radmama said...

I used the mid-nineties version of this bag for both babies and it held up wonderfully to everything we threw it at it. In fact, it is one of the few baby items that I still have in storage because it won't go out of style and it barely looks used.

It looked simple, classy and I felt right at home in my university classes with baby in one arm, notebook in another and the bag holding everything my infant and I needed for the day. The bottle pockets held water bottles and toys and my binder fit easily in the side. Good value and loads of class.

Anonymous said...

Hey Miriam--

My favorite for running around the city is the Baby Bandolier which is not so much of a diaper bag as it is a diaper sling. I think your husband would find it useful to carry around as well. Don't think you'd get any textbooks in there, but small board books would fit.

Best,
ik

Libby said...

I had the same Lands End one as radmama. It still sees occasional use as an overnight bag: we bought it in black, and it really doesn't look diaper baggy at all, but it's roomy and sturdy.

BTW, not to advertise myself, but I hope you've seen my review of your book over atLiterary Mama. I loved it!

Anonymous said...

I have a newer generation Lands End bag - the one with the "Wide mouth doctors bag" opening, and I really love it.

It is pretty big, but for the early months when you're packing extra clothes, food, blankets, coats, etc.

What I really love about it is that when we're done with it as a diaper bag, it will make the transition to gym bag, or overnight bag, with no problem. And I *love* the wide-mouth feature and light-blue innards - no more digging around looking for things in the farthest reaches.

Sandy D. said...

Another vote here for Lands End. I had one 9 years ago, and a snap broke on it sometime before the birth of my daughter 4 years ago. My mother (who had given me the bag) called the company and they sent me a new one free, though I thought that 5 years wasn't too bad for a diaper bag's life.

Unknown said...

I have wholeheartedly rejected diaper bags since my elder daughter was 3 months. Right now I cram everything I need (yes, including sippy cups) in a small Liz Claiborne backpack. (And yes, I have been caught in public with a child who has peed over all over her clothes, and not had an outfit to spare.) Of course, you probably shouldn't take my advice -- I also still drive a two door sports car (with two small kids) because I refuse to break down and get a minivan.

Lauren D. McKinney said...

An all-important subject.

I had that ubiquitous Land's End one, too. And still use it for short trips. But now if I were you I'd chose the backpack kind. You may need to hold your daughter's hand crossing the street or in a parking lot and need to carry the car seat in the other hand. Hence, backpack.

Indeed, is there anyone who doesn't have an opinion about a diaper bag?

Kol Ra'ash Gadol said...

I am also a diaper bag rejecter - not because I'm fashionable (if anything, the opposite) but because I try not to buy things when I alrady have plenty of things that work pretty well for what I need. I find that different kids of bags work for different purposes. For a genral outing with a stroller - you don't need a bag at all, just stuff everything in the bottom of the stroller; if you're carrying the baby in a sling, some of the slings have pockets which carry a couple spare diapers and wipes, but you can also use a fnny pack quite nicely for this purpose (I nursed exclusively for the first year, so we didn't need to worry about lugging around bottles and the like). NOw that he's a toddler, I find a grocery string bag works quite wwell, but I've also used a backpack or my daily canvas bag (it's one of those library type bags with long canvas handles. I got mine free from a convention). The most important thing is NOT the bag; it's keeping what you need reay to go by the door: spare diapers, sippy cup, spare onesie, whatever. The idea is just tomake sure you always have what you need there, ready to stuffinto whatever you're going out with.
Good luck and enjoy.

Alana
http://www.kolra-ashgadol.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Ah, the quest for the perfect-enough diaper bag! I have spent an embarassing amount of time on it. I have become a little bag-obsessed. Since the birth of our baby in late July we've just been using one of those enfamil freebies from the hospital. The design is actully pretty good (light, great pockets, bright white vinyl interior) but it's boring otherwise. I really don't like the Fleurville bags because the plastic coating is so stiff and the thought of it even brushing up against me in the NC heat is unbearable. But they are hugely popular, so I think I am in the minority.

Here are the ones we've been thinking about:

1) Skip Hop bags. Vey cool looking, though my Mom thinks they might be hard to get into. I think she may be right.
http://www.skiphop.com/

2) Get a kit called "diaper bag essentials"
http://www.baby-wise.com/product_info.php?products_id=297
and then just get a cool messenger bag of your choice
Try http://www.timbuk2.com/
or http://www.manhattanportage.com/

3) My husband is fond of Kiplinger bags. They have several cool bags--look for "Baby Bag," "New Baby Bag," "Super Mommy," and "Super Nanny" (I kid you not) --but they are hard to find in the US and also fairly pricey.
http://www.ebags.co.uk/kipling/kids_and_parents/category_search/index.cfm?fuseaction=searching&Nso=&Ns=&displayType=grid&itemsPerPage=50&N=20023600&order=ORDER_COUNT

4) Holly Aiken. Her diaper bags are also expensive but I have two of her handbags and they are indestructable. Also, they are totally gorgeous.
http://www.hollyaiken.com

5) My other favorite handbag-maker is soon to launch a diaper bag line called chickpea baby. If you get lucky, maybe soon!
http://www.buyolympia.com/queenbee/

Good luck!

Devra said...

We used diaper backpacks. I am not exactly graceful, and I was concerned that I would end up knocking over an innocent bystander whilst attempting to pull on a shoulder bag. Our decision to go with a diaper backpack was substantiated, when we had our second. This way I was not konking the first child while trying to help the second. or vice versa. Additionally, it is far easier to high tale it after a running toddler while wearing a backpack. We liked the Lands End black backpack (didn't show dirt!) Although one could easily purchase a diaper changing pad and use a regular backpack too. Most have enough pockets for stuff as well as insulated pockets for bottles and food for babies or hungry moms, dads, sibs.