Every mom knows that leaving the house with a baby requires bringing a ton of stuff. And most of the time it feels like you are packing everything but the kitchen sink. Especially when your baby is in the newborn stage.

In fact, when my daughter was a newborn, I practically packed everything I would need to last for days and my diaper bag began to feel very heavy.

And although I was happy to be prepared for ANYTHING, I felt like I never used half of the items I was lugging around. So four years later when my son was born, I knew more of what to expect and what I truly needed to carry in my diaper bag to meet all of his needs and wants without weighing me down.

So when I recently switched diaper bags, I decided to share with you which item you truly need to pack the perfect diaper bag for a short outing with your baby at just about any age.

After two kids and several diaper bags, I am very confident that this exclusive list will make your diaper bag and your worries much lighter.

(THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND ANYTHING THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE IN OR USE MYSELF. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT MY DISCLOSURE POLICY HERE)

*This post is sponsored by Moskka. And I received a free product to review in this post. However, all opinions are true and 100% my own!

1. DIAPER BAG

So obviously to pack the perfect diaper bag you will first need the…Diaper Bag! Like I mentioned before, I have been through many different brands and styles of diaper bags over the past 5 years. So it is safe to say that I know what to look for when choosing one.

For example, I am very, very rough with my diaper bags and I need one that is heavy duty and resistant to wear and tear.

I also have tried numerous diaper bag styles, including over the shoulder, tote style, and even bags that weren’t technically diaper bags. But through the years the one and only style I have preferred is the backpack diaper bag.

With the ability to wear the bag on my back and have my hands free, these types of bags have always been the ones that I gravitate to.

However, not all diaper bags are created equal.

But when I received the Moskka Designer Diaper Backpack, I was instantly in love. The Moskka Diaper bag has several features that meet my needs perfectly including:

• Spacious Main Compartment that opens up very wide allowing me to see everything I have inside. It also has a total of 12 pockets with 9 inside pockets and 3 outside.
• Adjustable and easy to use stroller straps on the back of the bag which enables it to be attached to a stroller or grocery cart.
• Handles on top that allows you to carry it as a diaper tote bag.
• And it comes with a free changing pad.

The Moskka Designer Backpack is also great because of its stylish look that also provides me with functionality, comfort, and versatility. With the quality of this diaper bag, I am sure it will last well beyond my child-rearing days. 

2. DIAPERS (or Cloth Diapers)

In my experience, packing three diapers has always been enough to last my babies for a short outing to the grocery store or out to eat.

Since your baby will likely go through at least one, possibly two, it seems like the perfect number to be sure you’re covered. And for cloth diapers, having just three in my diaper bag has always left enough room for all of the other necessities.

3. BABY WIPES

So when you are changing diapers baby wipes are essential. And even if you don’t have an explosive poopy diaper to clean, baby wipes can be used to clean up numerous other messes that your lovely baby might create.

I myself have used baby wipes for EVERYTHING. From cleaning his face to wiping up spit-up off of my arms. (Yes motherhood can be quite messy!)

4. CHANGING PAD + WET BAG

Luckily, most diaper bags come with a changing pad so that is not usually anything you have to worry about because it stays in the diaper bag.

However, because we are a cloth diapering family, I do always have to be sure that I pack a reusable wet bag to store dirty cloth diaper in while we are out of the house.

And although you can purchase disposable bags to store dirty diapers in until you get home, I feel that they are just another waste of my hard-earned money.

5. DIAPER CREAM

Diaper cream is an absolute must-have for EVERY diaper bag. We have all been there when our baby is teething or sick and has a horrible diaper rash while you are out of the house.

And having diaper cream that is always in your diaper bag ensures that you will always be prepared to soothe your baby’s irritated diaper rash.

In my diaper bag, I always keep this Cloth Diaper Cream. It is sort of shaped like a big glue stick that allows you to put the diaper cream on your baby’s bottom without having to get diaper cream all over your hands.

6. EXTRA CLOTHES

As I said earlier, babies are messy. That’s why you always want to have at least one extra pair of clothes packed in your diaper bag just in case your baby has an accident. Don’t worry! It happens to everyone.

7. PACIFIER

Let me just say that I LOVED having a pacifier for each of my kids. It was a wonderful distraction for my kids when they were wanting to nurse and it also calmed them down and comforted them when they were overtired and irritable.

Therefore having at least one pacifier packed in the diaper bag was a must. Especially on long car rides.

8. SNACKS & DRINKS

If your baby is formula-fed then you will definitely want to be sure to pack a bottle and formula. And then once your baby is at least 6 months old you may want to pack some healthy snacks for them to munch on. My son loves these yogurt melts.

And if your child is old enough to drink from a sippy cup it’s always a good idea to bring a sippy cup of water. Particularly on very hot summer days.

Plus if you are a breastfeeding mom, I highly recommend packing a bottle of water and some healthy snacks for yourself as well. Because trust me when I say breastfeeding moms get very hungry and thirsty.

If you think you were starving during pregnancy, just wait. You will be shocked at how much you will eat and drink while nursing your baby.

I always packed a granola bar and my reusable bottle of water when going out of the house.

9. HAND SANITIZER

Once again. Babies are extremely messy! And they don’t every get cleaner. Haha

It’s because of this, that I like to keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in my diaper bag at all times. You never know when you might have to wash your hands without having a sink accessible.

For example, I often will change my son in the back of my car because I have much more room to pull everything I need out. Having hand sanitizer right there in my bag saves me an extra trip to the bathroom to wash my hands.

I also love having hand sanitizer handy when I have to get gas or touch money. You never who touched it before you did!

10. BLANKET

I cannot tell you how many times having a baby blanket rolled up in my bag has been a lifesaver. Especially these muslin blankets that have various uses.

I have used them for swaddling, a nursing cover, burp cloth, changing pad, car seat cover, and just a blanket. These blankets are also very thin and soft which is one reason they are our absolute favorite.

11. TOYS!

Any mom who has been out of the house with a baby knows that they can get bored very easily and that boredom can quickly turn into a full-blown tantrum or crying spell.

Having just 2-3 toys and books can keep your baby distracted and calm a little longer until you get home. My son loves to play with his baby phone or tablet while riding in the car.

12. MOMMY STUFF

While a diaper bag is primarily for keeping your baby’s essentials, you will also need some items for yourself.

Since my daughter was born almost 6 years ago, I have carried all of my stuff in the diaper bag. It just seemed to make the most sense to keep everything in one bag instead of carrying two.

I always make sure that I pack:

• my wallet
• cell phone
• sunglasses
• keys
• chapstick
• nursing pads
• essential oil roller bottle
• and feminine products

13. SEASONAL ITEMS

As you know the seasons are always changing. Because of this, I try to go through my diaper bag once every few months. Not only does this give me the opportunity to clean it out and throw away the trash but I can also switch out seasonal items.

For example, in the summer I always keep sunscreen in my diaper bag just in case we make an unexpected trip to the park.

And in the winter, I try to have a jacket and a hat or a warm change of clothes packed.

*What do you pack in your diaper bag? Did I miss anything? Tell me in the comments. I always love to hear from my readers!