What's in your diaper bag? The complete checklist for the first months
Your bag is waiting by the door, your little one is in the crib, and you're wondering: what exactly do I need to bring? Especially in the first months, every walk or visit to grandma can feel like a small expedition. With a good packing list and a bag where everything has its place, it all gets a lot calmer.
In this checklist you'll find what belongs in your diaper bag, what to add for different situations, and how to organize it all so you can find things with one hand.
The basics: always in your bag
These are the things you'll want with you on every outing, whether you're out for an hour or the whole day.
- Diapers – plan on roughly one diaper every two to three hours, plus one or two extra.
- Baby wipes – a full pack or a handy travel pack.
- Changing pad – for when there's no changing table nearby.
- Diaper cream – a small tube is enough.
- Bags for dirty diapers – handy when there's no trash can around.
- A spare onesie and change of clothes – leaks always happen at the least convenient moment.
- Burp cloths or muslin cloths – at least two.
- A pacifier (if your baby uses one), ideally in a case or on a clip.
Feeding on the go
What you bring depends on how your baby feeds. If you're breastfeeding, your list is short: a nursing cover or scarf, a burp cloth and maybe nursing pads for yourself. If you're bottle-feeding, you'll bring a little more.
- One or two clean bottles
- Pre-measured formula in a dispenser
- A thermos with warm water or a bottle of ready-to-feed formula
- A bib
Tip: keep bottles upright in a dedicated pocket. Nothing leaks and you never have to search.
Don't forget yourself
A diaper bag isn't just for your baby. Especially in the first months, it's nice to have your own things within reach too.
- Phone, keys and wallet
- A bottle of water and a snack for you
- Lip balm, hand cream and a hair tie
- A charger or power bank
- Hand sanitizer
Extras for every situation
A day out
For a long day, say with family or in the city, pack extra diapers and a second change of clothes. A small toy or cuddly and a light blanket help your baby feel at home, even away from home.
Work and daycare
Dropping your little one at daycare and heading straight to work? You'll often carry more than you think: the daycare essentials and your own laptop or planner. A bag that looks polished at the office too makes that moment so much nicer.
Travel
When you travel, plan for delays. Bring a few extra diapers, food for a few hours longer than planned and a warm layer for the plane or train. Keep passports and travel documents in a zippered pocket.
Changeable weather
A little hat, a cardigan and, when it's sunny, a sun hat: small things that fit easily in a side pocket and can save your day.
How to organize your diaper bag
A good packing list is one thing, but organization is what makes the difference. When everything has its place, you can grab what you need without looking, even with a crying baby on your arm.
- Bottles and drinks in the inside pockets designed for them, so they stay upright.
- Valuables like your phone and keys in a zippered pocket.
- Grab-and-go items like a pacifier or wipes in an exterior pocket.
- Changing essentials together in one pouch that you lift out of your bag in one go.
How the pockets of a The Rhae bag help
Every The Rhae diaper bag has 6 inside pockets with room for bottles, plus zippered pockets for your valuables. The Jimmi has 10 pockets in total, with a gold-tone zipper along the full top. The Jackie has 9 pockets, and The Mosi has 12, including 3 exterior pockets for everything you want to grab quickly. The lining is easy to clean: nice to know if a bottle ever leaks.
The Lucy Pouch: your changing station in one grab
The Lucy Pouch fits in every The Rhae bag and has elastic pockets that keep everything neatly in place. Fill it with diapers, wipes and cream, and take just the pouch when it's time for a change. Or use it for your own things, like makeup, your charger and your wallet, so your things and your baby's stay separate.
Your diaper bag on the stroller
Walk a lot? Then it's nice when your bag isn't constantly slipping off your shoulder. With Stroller Hooks or Stroller Straps you can attach your The Rhae bag to almost any stroller. Your hands stay free and everything stays within reach.
Quick checklist to save
- Diapers, wipes, changing pad, diaper cream
- Spare clothes and burp cloths
- Feeding: bottles, formula, warm water or nursing cover
- Pacifier and cuddly
- Your own essentials: phone, keys, water, snack
- Seasonal extras: hat, cardigan or sun hat
Restock your bag right after every outing. That way it's ready to go next time.
Build your set
Want to complete your diaper bag right away? With the set builder you choose your bag and the accessories that suit your day. Choose a bag with one accessory and you get 10% off; for the complete set it's 15%. Shipping is free across Europe, and you get 14-day returns.
So you can head out the door feeling calm: everything at hand, and a bag you truly love.
