New mom advice: What to pack in your nappy bag

Forget that sleek Fendi Baguette or sexy Hermès Birkin – your most covetable bag as a new mom is a spacious nappy bag. Choose one in hard-wearing washable material with a waterproof lining for spills, and compartments for organising the many baby essentials so you find them easily. If it opens into a changing mat, so much the better!

“When you use public transport or walk a lot, go for a backpack option,” suggests registered nurse and midwife Des Meyer of Small Beginnings baby clinic in Durban.

Your list of must-haves for your nappy bag

Stock it with these items, and replenish after each outing, so you’re always ready to grab it and run:

Nappies 

“Bank on one an hour, plus two spares,” says Meyer.

Nappy cream 

A sample or travel tube.

Wipes

For baby’s bottom and your hands. Use a travel pack, or transfer 10 to a plastic packet or tub.

Hand sanitiser and surface spray

For public changing rooms.

Tissues

For runny noses and messy mouths. “Try the brand Pigeon, which has wipes suitable for hands and noses in a dispensing bag,” Meyer says. 

Changing pad 

If your bag doesn’t come with one, pack one or a hand towel.

Plastic bags 

For dirty nappies and clothes.

Bottles

Filled with expressed milk, if you don’t plan to breastfeed while out (keep cold in a cooler bag), or with water. Also pack a water bottle for yourself, to stay hydrated, especially if breastfeeding.

Cloth nappy

To drape over your shoulder as a burp-cloth, and to wipe any spills.

Breastpads

If you’re nursing, take these and a spare bra and shirt in case of leaks.

Change of baby clothes and bib 

It’s amazing how quickly these get grubby.

Snacks

“For older babies, pack a jar of baby food and a spoon, or finger foods like crackers and a plastic tub of chopped fruit,” Meyer suggests.

Dummies

Carry spares in case one is dropped; keep in a plastic tub with the bottle teats for hygiene.

Toy or comforter

A favourite stuffed toy or cloth book, to soothe, distract and keep baby busy.

Receiving blanket

For baby or you to lie on, or to protect baby against the cold, shade them from the sun, or drape over yourself while breastfeeding.

Sun protection 

“Take a soft sunhat and keep baby out of the sun,” says Meyer. Before six months, apply baby-safe sunscreen only when necessary. After six months, apply broad-spectrum sunscreen liberally – at least SPF 15, preferably 30.

Emergency information

Programme the numbers of your paediatrician, medical aid authorisation centre, tow service and locksmith into your phone, plus those of your partner, grandparents and a neighbour. Also put these details on a card to keep in the bag in case you lose your phone.

Your own essentials

Set aside pouches for your keys, wallet, cellphone, sunglasses, a pen, and change for parking metres and car guards.

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