Traveling with kids especially young kids means extra baggage. This is because there are many items that you will want to pack for when your baby or toddler needs to eat, change their diaper, and so on. Apart from safety and trying to avoid the kids getting sick while traveling, as parents, we can easily reduce the stress when traveling by choosing the right diaper bag for the trip.
Most travel diaper bags are specifically designed with kids in mind and come with extra pockets and insulated areas suitable for keeping food items and bottles. Although every family has a different style, you will surely find diaper bags with all the features that you need to make your trip memorable and fun. There are even diaper bags that are specially designed for dads! Do I Need A Diaper Bag?
It is certainly worth investing in a new diaper bag as they are specifically designed to use with babies and toddlers. However, you can opt for a spacious carry-all bag when traveling with your baby if you don't want to buy a diaper bag. You can also repurpose a bag that you have but you can use packing pouches or organizing bags for easy access to the essentials in the bag.
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Types of Diaper Bags
Backpack Diaper Bag
Backpack diaper bags like the TernX Carry Pack are a perfect choice for families that are looking for a hands-free bag. Furthermore, their popularity has continued to increased as they can be easily carried on long outings. It looks and feel just like regular backpacks, but on the inside that's where it shines with baby-friendly organizational compartments for keeping your baby items organized.
Tote Diaper Bag
Tote diaper bag comes with two long straps that you wear over your shoulder. The best thing is that they are convenient and you can easily access and take something from a tote while carrying it. Furthermore, tote diaper bags are usually more spacious than backpack diaper bags. It also has a big compartment which makes it a perfect bag for younger baby or toddlers that requires more items when traveling.
Messenger or Crossbody Diaper bag
A messenger bag is similar to totes but it is easier to access and with more rooms for your kids' items. The main difference between a messenger diaper bag and a tote is that it has a long strap and hangs lower which makes it more comfortable to wear if the bag feels bulky under your shoulder. Another thing is that you can wear a messenger diaper bag across your body.
Clutches Diaper Bag
When you don't have to carry much in your bag, clutches are a perfect bag for you. You can use clutches to hold the essential items that you need for diaper changes for your baby on the go. Furthermore, they can hold the essential baby items together and you can also place them in a larger bag on longer days.
Convertible Diaper Bags
Just as the name suggests, convertible diaper bags have multiple styles. You can easily switch it from one of the styles above to another and it can even be worn in all three ways. However, the way you wear it depends on the shape of the bag itself. For instance, if the bag is taller, you can wear it as a backpack but you can wear it as a tote or messenger bag if it is wider. However, it has a removable and adjustable strap that lets you choose the style that you want at any given time.
Things to Consider when Buying a Diaper Bag
Here are some of the things to consider before buying a baby diaper bag.
Comfort
One of the most important features that you need in a travel diaper bag is comfort. You can easily get tired and drained if you carry an uncomfortable and overloaded bag for a few hours. This will in turn affect your travel plans. This is why it is recommended to choose a diaper bag with padded straps if you are going to carry the bag for any length of time.
Furthermore, you will benefit in the long run if you choose one that evenly distributes weight across your body when carrying it. You can also invest in a diaper bag style with stroller straps that allow parents to clip it to the stroller when moving around.
Size
You may be tempted to choose the largest diaper bag that you can find to help carry anything that you want. However, this can backfire when you try to check in your bag at the airport gate. Before you buy the largest bag out there, you should also think if it will be convenient to carry with a baby. You should always keep in mind that the size and weight of your carry-on are important when traveling with family.
Material and Durability
When choosing a diaper bag, you need a bag that will be your steady companion on numerous travel adventures and you want one that you can easily clean. This is why you should consider the material and how durable is the materials used for making the bag. Some of the qualities that your bag can have are:
- Insulated
- Water-resistant
- Tear-resistant
- Can be easily washed
- Stain-resistant, etc.
Organizational Pockets
Most diaper bags design usually feature large elastic pouches for holding diapers and wipes with smaller zippered compartments to keep the essentials. However, some bags also have bottle pockets and wipes holders for easy access. You will also find diaper bags that have extra pouches in addition to the built-in pockets.
Stroller Hooks
Unlike the regular diaper bag designs, some bags come with stroller straps that you can attach to the stroller's handlebar to help relieve your load when walking. You will find them in different styles as some can be clipped on directly while other's will need the help of additional hooks
Please note: Use with caution and you should always be careful of the bag's weight to avoid tipping the stroller over.
Additional Accessories
Before you get your kids a bag, you can also consider what are the additional accessories that you may need. You need to determine what are the additional features or add-ons that you need. Some of the common accessories that your travel diaper bags can have are stated below.
- Built-in changing pad and changing mat
- Insulated bottle pockets
- Multiple sections or large open area
- A section where the parents can keep personal items, etc.
Some Best Diaper Bags
Here are some of the best diaper bags that you can get for your kids and yourself.
TernX Carry Pack Diaper Bag Backpack and Clutch
What's a list without our very own TernX Carry Pack 😀 a complete travel bundle system for parents on the go and the ideal addition to your parenting toolkit. A lightweight diaper bag and clutch that embraces inclusivity that allows you to share the load in style. The fabric is also made with 100% recycled PET polyester and it's been designed from the ground up each compartment, sleeve hook and clip has it's purpose. The Carry Pack also comes with an essentials clutch diaper bag and baby change mat.
Bag Nation Diaper Bag Backpack
This is a sleek travel diaper backpack and has multiple functions. Although it may not be the fanciest bag that you can buy, it is a perfect bag for both the mums and dads alike. It has a gender-neutral design and color and it is made with a water-resistant twill polyester material. It features 14 pockets which include a changing pad and sundry bag. It also has a built-in stroller strap coupled with shoulder and back straps for extra comfortability.
Skip Hop Diaper Bag Backpack
This backpack is made with a polyester fabric that easily wipes clean and a feature a changing pad that you can wash with machines. It also has an insulated bottle pocket that can hold two bottles. The changing pad pocket of this backpack has multiple functions as it can hold laptops of about 15 inches.
Pottery Barn Kids
This is among the best diaper bags that you can get out there. It is super spacious and can hold anything and the best thing is that you can carry it as a tote or messenger bag. The bag features three large compartments and the main one in the middle has zips to keep your contents safe. It also has numerous pockets for easy access to the essentials. You will find two smaller compartments on the outside that you can use to hold the bottle and other essentials. Pottery Barn Kids also has its own changing pad with rings for hooking the bag onto a stroller.
Tethys Diaper Bag
Although most diaper bags are available at a high price, you will be surprised to find out this bag is cheap. The best thing loved about this bag is that it is lightweight, has a lot of room, and very versatile. The bag has lots of compartments which includes a parent pocket where you can keep your phones and other tech items. The bag has padded straps which makes it very comfortable for long-time use.
Itzy Ritzy Diaper Tote
This is among the best diaper bags that you can get for your baby's essentials. You will fall in love with this bag once you set your eye on it. It is made with vegan leather and has a colorful floral print design. It has 25 pockets where you can easily fit all your baby's needs. Although it is a tote, you can easily convert it to a messenger bag. It also includes color-coordinated stroller clips.
Diaper Bag Wrap Up
From this article you can see there is a wide range of diaper bags that you can buy that will suit your unique needs and individual style preferences whether you are just stepping out or globetrotting across the continents. The best diaper bags are just a few clicks away and you and your family will not regret buying one for your travel adventures. On that note, visit our article on the 21 top destinations you can visit right now and plan that trip!
We hope you have found these recommendations helpful. Have a wonderful day wherever you are and safe travels.
Happy shopping!