Diaper Bags - A great gift to keep, or sell and buy diapers instead?

[pirate_wench]

I just had my forced baby shower.  It was very kind of everybody who gave us gifts, though I spent two days crying and pissed off by all the stuff that was in my living room...God I'm an asshole. Anyways, I received two diaper bags, one from my MIL that I think I have to keep as she is the type to ask about her gifts for years afterwards, and another from my mom's rich friend. I stupidly looked the gifthorse in the mouth and see it costs about $200!!!! No gift receipt, so I can't return. I always assumed my canvas reusable grocery bag would work well enough for throwing diapers and other stuff into, like I do now, but maybe I'm mistaken?  Are diaper bags with all those pockets that great? I want to sell on craigs list, but am willing to graciously keep the over-the-top bag if it's truly going to be useful.  What say you Mustachian Parents? Do you use diaper bags?

[Milizard]

Yes, I've used the same $15 Carter's diaper bag for the last 6 years (2 kids).  It keeps things more organized and easier to find (than a canvas grocery bag), which is helpful when you have a fussy baby to contend with.  And you will have a fussy baby to contend with.  I don't see the need for a $200 one though.

[Sibley]

Sell the $200 one, use the one from your MIL unless you really hate the pattern.

[moosestache]

I agree that pockets are very useful.  It doesn't have to be a diaper bag per se, anything with pockets would work (a backpack for example).  I'm thinking of small things like pacifiers that you need to get to quickly to stop the screaming.  Any bag could certainly carry baby's stuff, it will just be harder to get what you need in a hurry if it's all in a lump at the bottom. 

You can always hang onto the bag and sell it after baby arrives, then you can give your canvas bag a shot and see if it works for you.

[GizmoTX]

The best diaper "bag" is a backpack, because it leaves your hands free for baby & doesn't swing like a shoulder bag does. You want some compartments to separate quick access things from storage. It let me eliminate a separate purse; one less thing to carry & keep track of.

We received a monogrammed tote style diaper bag, so it couldn't be returned, but instead still use it 20 years later to hold vehicle supplies.

[abhe8]

I would sell it. I love to use nylon reusable shopping bags or a small backpack or just toss a couple diapers in my purse. But I'm pretty minimal when it comes to the baby paraphernalia. 😉

[nvmama]

I've had a diaper bag that i have used for 3 kids, but mostly when we are going somewhere that we will be for a longer period of time, such as a families house for the day.  For quick runs out, usually 2 hours or less I just chuck a diaper and a binky into my purse. 

[pirate_wench]

That's a great idea to keep it until after baby comes, and just see how it's going. Probably great advice for all this baby stuff. I never owned a purse, so the idea of these things being a fashion item really throws me off!

[zolotiyeruki]

A good quality diaper bag is definitely worth the expense, although ours was nowhere near $200.  I think it was $40 from Lands End, and it came with a changing pad and a waterproof bag for holding soiled diapers.  Six kids and nearly 12 years later, it's going strong.  We keep more than just diapers and wipes in it, too--an extra pair of underwear and pants for the toddler, just in case, sunscreen, a water bottle, some feminine items. 

That's not to say that an over-the-shoulder bag is the best format, or that you have to get something with the "diaper bag" label.  I'd sell the $200 one, and then figure out what you *actually* need.

FWIW, I think that it's very presumptuous to give expensive gifts without first consulting the recipient.

[cats]

I am normally a "toss it all in a canvas bag" type, but I agree that a backpack with pockets or compartments is nice as a diaper/baby supply bag. I usually carry spare clothes, burp cloth, pacifier, and a water bottle (that's for me--if you are planning to breastfeed, it makes you thirsty!), in addition to the actual diapers.  Having stuff separated and easy to access is GREAT when you have an unhappy baby who needs/wants something that is in the bag. I prefer the backpack for the reasons mentioned above: leaves hands free and doesn't swing around. It is also easier than a shoulder bag if you have the baby wrapped on your front.

All that said, I really doubt you need a $200 model!

[trashmanz]

Any bag is ok. Just use something that will work for something else once baby is grown.

[mamagoose]

Backpacks are the best b/c your child will still be in diapers when they start running around, and it's easier to chase them while wearing a backpack than a one-shoulder carry-on overnight luggage bag. Seriously with all the wipes, diapers, sippy cups, applesauce pouches, toys, plus the contents of your own purse (wallet, keys, cell phone, tampons, sunscreen, whathaveyou) it gets SO heavy. My favorite is my canvas mini-backpack-purse b/c it's big enough to hold a few diapers and a ziploc full of wipes (I'd rather bring 10 wipes than 500 at a time), plus my personal stuff. I wouldn't get anything super fancy because stuff WILL spill in it (juice, applesauce, smooshed bananas) and you want it to be machine washable for ease. I think it's about 1 gallon capacity (i.e. smaller than a school backpack).

[Venturing]

Our bag is just a big bag my mother in law made. Has a couple of outside pockets but nothing inside.

I just use a couple of small reusable bags inside it to seperate things ie one for nappies and wipes, one for a spare change of clothes, a small ziplock bag to keep those small things together (ointment, pacifier, whatever).

Easy as and everything can be repurposed later

[starbuck]

We repurposed a unisex messenger bag for a diaper bag. I recently traveled solo with Baby Starbuck and in an effort to cut down on crap to haul, left the diaper bag at home and just used a reusable shopping bag to cart what he needed when we went out. I will say that having a bag with stiff, structured sides (which mine did not) would be preferable because I was usually trying to fish stuff out or put stuff away with one hand while trying to contain a wriggling crawling 8 month old. We'll probably switch to a backpack of some kind in the near future. I'm a minimalist when it comes to carting baby stuff around (almost toooo minimalist sometimes!) and I don't find a need for lots of pockets.

Sell/return that diaper bag, and use whatever you want!

[Dicey]

Urm, what about talking to your mother's friend? Tell her "I love your generous gift. It was such a great idea that Mom gave me one too. In your experience, will I need two diaper bags?" She will most likely suggest it be exchanged for something you did not get. She's your Mom's friend, she will understand.  If she doesn't, change the subject, write her a nice Thank-You note and then try to exchange it for a merchandise credit wherever it came from. More bang for your buck than selling it.

[farmerj]

The lots-of-pockets aspect to diaper bags makes it easier to carry around -- in an organized fashion -- the giant load of supplies that most first-time parents have.

However, as the number of children increases, the amount of supplies is  constant or even diminishes. You learn what's necessary, what isn't, and are more comfortable with dealing with shortfalls. Plus you don't go out as often, anyway.

Now that we're up to kid #3, the bag mostly sits in the car and the critical supplies get stuck in the wife's purse, or a ziplock under the stroller. But when I was a new parent, I used the heck out of a diaper bag and was glad I had it, and would suggest them to other newbies.

[naners]

Any tags at all to indicate where it was bought? Some places will take stuff back even without gift receipt.

[tonysemail]

backpacks are awesome because you probably have one already.
you can get way more use out of a backpack than a diaper bag.
backpacks are still used after the kids grow up and don't need diapers anymore.
They go on family hikes, trips to the library, travel and vacation, etc.

p.s. I love having the little cup holders on the side.

[Kathryn K.]

I think a regular canvas bag would be problematic as a diaper bag in that I'm guessing it doesn't zip and while you're juggling a baby around you don't want to have worry about your stuff falling out of it.  It also seems like it would be tough to find things in it with just the one compartment.

We used backpacks as diaper bags; besides being easier to carry as others mentioned, it was also a bonus that it looked more gender-neutral than some of the more purse-like diaper bags. My husband and I would switch the backpack back and forth between us depending on who was out with the baby or if we were to together to have one carry the baby and one carry the diaper bag. 

Our favorite backpack was one we got for free in the hospital (I think from a formula manufacturer) - a basic black nylon bag that had one strap that went across your chest.  We used the heck out of that until it finally broke and then switched over to a backpack my husband had from his college days.

[kimmarg]

The best diaper "bag" is a backpack, because it leaves your hands free for baby & doesn't swing like a shoulder bag does. You want some compartments to separate quick access things from storage. It let me eliminate a separate purse; one less thing to carry & keep track of.

We received a monogrammed tote style diaper bag, so it couldn't be returned, but instead still use it 20 years later to hold vehicle supplies.

We were gifted a diaper backpack ("Dad gear") and honestly it's great. Lots of pockets so it's easy to find the pacifier and good spot for bottles, wipes pocket etc. Plus loops so it hangs on the stroller handles. Really well thought out. Anyways you may appreciate more than a grocery bag but any sort of variety of used bags with pockets will work fine.

[pirate_wench]

Any tags at all to indicate where it was bought? Some places will take stuff back even without gift receipt.

No, no tags.  Everybody seems to buy stuff online now, and I think she did that with this bag...probably Amazon or directly from the company website :(  Mom says she spent a ton of time researching it and picking it out.  It is very thoughtful except the one thing she completely missed about my personality is that I don't use fashion bags/purses..fashion anything! Def. sad about the deep discount I would need to sell it for, but then again, she told my mom I should donate any of the stuff I didn't want, because she also went waaaay overboard stuffing it full of clothing, etc...

[acroy]

Sell on Ebay
Be happy :)

[screwit]

Sell it online,  use a backpack and keep pacifiers in your bra.  Seriously,  best baby life hack I've ever had. It's just add clean in there as my nipple and i shoved that in its mouth every few hours.  Plus i could usually fit two easily and have carried up to four in there before.

Also you can hang backpacks easily over the handle of the pram/buggy and if it has a chest strap,  just clip that closed to azo it sliding off. If it doesn't have a strap use an S-hook to just hook the spoils straps together.

[Kitsune]

Only tips I can give about diaper bags:
- Something simple that you won't care about getting dirty - it will get put down on restaurant floors, in the bottom of car footwells, and I can guarantee that the kid will spit up on it and/or get poo on it AT LEAST once. Washable is a must.
- Something not explicitly woman-fashion or little-baby-themed helps in terms of not having the dad (assuming a straight relationship, obv) feel stupid carrying it around. And if he's gonna be taking the baby out and doing things with them, that's a good thing.
- Individual pockets are great, but not too many. Our bag has one big pocket for EVERYTHING (spare clothes, toys, wallet, keys, etc), a smaller pocket that gets diapers and wipes, and an outside pocket that keeps a bottle upright and not leaking. You want diapers available quickly, and things not to leak... barring that, too many pockets guarantees that you will never find anything.

... Basically, it's supposed to be a super-resistant shared bag that all parents will lug around for 2+ years every time they leave the house. Shop accordingly.

[brycedoula]

If you really want to use your canvas bag for a diaper bag do this:

-Get yourself a large (1 gallon-sized) Ziploc freezer bag & another smaller Ziploc bag or 2 (sandwich size)
-Tuck 3 diapers, change pad, package of wipes, spare onesie & small bags into the large one

Now all your supplies are corralled! When the inevitable diaper blowout occurs you can tuck the soiled onesie into a sandwich bag & you still have a spare outfit. Use the 2nd sandwich bag to back haul dirty diapers (some places, ie churches, ask that caregivers back haul dirty diapers if the space isn't used on a daily basis).

[Milizard]

I think a regular canvas bag would be problematic as a diaper bag in that I'm guessing it doesn't zip and while you're juggling a baby around you don't want to have worry about your stuff falling out of it.  It also seems like it would be tough to find things in it with just the one compartment.

We used backpacks as diaper bags; besides being easier to carry as others mentioned, it was also a bonus that it looked more gender-neutral than some of the more purse-like diaper bags. My husband and I would switch the backpack back and forth between us depending on who was out with the baby or if we were to together to have one carry the baby and one carry the diaper bag. 

Our favorite backpack was one we got for free in the hospital (I think from a formula manufacturer) - a basic black nylon bag that had one strap that went across your chest.  We used the heck out of that until it finally broke and then switched over to a backpack my husband had from his college days.

We have that one strap backpack  too.  From Similac, I think.  Still use it for outings, but keep the big one in the car with spare clothes for both kids.