Toting For two: diaper bags
By the time you are in your last month of pregnancy with Baby #2, you'll have downsized your diaper bag significantly. No more of the giant-ass baby diaper bags where you haul everything in God's creation + the kitchen sink. You're likely down some to a swank Skip*Hop diaper wallet in a cute bag. When Baby #2 arrives, we're sad to report you'll probably have to upgrade again since now you're toting for two. More at http://bestrateddiaperbags.com/. There are an assortment of diaper bags out there in every size, shape and color. It can be overwhelming, but we're guessing since you probably already have a bunch on hand from Baby #1, you'll know a bit more about what goes in and what you can leave behind. (Note: Always have wipes, diaper, change of clothes in the car, too.) I'll admit to going through about four different bags during my first year of Baby Bunching, always trying to find the right one to go with my ever adjusting assortment of crap. We've put a few suggestions for our favorites at the end of this post.
There are a few things to consider if you're in the market for a new diaper bag: 1) Find the smallest bag possible to hold all your stuff. Lay everything you need in your bag out and find one that fits everything and gives you enough room to stuff a baby fleece in if you need to. You're not going ANYWHERE without a stroller so in a pinch that can hold excess stuff. Why do we recommend small? Because you are already juggling a baby, toddler, a stroller, some kind of carrier/sling and some carseat. Don't weigh yourself down with a big giant bag, too. Believe me, when you're physically balancing it all, a lighter bag is better! 2) Don't be fooled by tons of pockets. You need to know how you use your stuff. If you're like me and you just toss everything into one bag, don't fall for the pocket or compartment gag. It just means you'll have to look in more places than necessary to find the binky. If you love having it all organized, go for it. (Secretly, I wish I could be you). 3) When things fall into the deep, dark cavernous crevices of your bag, it's because it's dark. Get a bag with a light (or better yet white) tinted interior. Yes, I may show all the Goldfish crumbs, anyone who judges you by the tidiness of your diaper bag interior is not your friend anyway. All my diaper bags except for one were black inside and it was impossible to find anything. With a light interior you're 50% more likely to find things quickly. (Yes, I made up that stat. Sounds good, huh? But I bet it's true!). More at http://bestrateddiaperbags.com/best-large-diaper-bags/. 4) Finding the perfect bag is like find the perfect stroller. It depends on what you do and where you go. If you're leaving it at the sitter's house, then a big giant bag may not make a difference. But if you're an urban girl maneuvering through narrow streets, something smaller is going to be better. Consider these two things a) Find a bag that attaches in some way to your stroller. Even if it means buying an after market hook to keep it there. b) Find a bag that you can throw on your back or across your chest like a messenger bag. Now, I personally don't have any great recs for diaper bags. I used a Maclaren bag for a while and I liked it enough to use it a second time around. Cara loved her Skip*Hop which was big enough, yet small enough and coverts from messenger to stroller bag. She also used an Eddie Bauer Sport Sling Diaper bag, now only availalble on eBay probably, but beware the dark interior! Lands End also makes a smaller bag called The Little Tripper. I bought their bigger version with my first baby (which ironically they don't make anymore) and it was so huge I could use it as an overnight bag. I ran across the Ju Ju Be "BeLight" bag which really says it all. You probably aren't ready for something quite this little, but it's quite possible if you're packing light this could do it. I love that the inside is also light colored (they're reversible, too).
