Gone are the days of sleeping in late, spontaneous date nights with your partner and a quick trip to the shops for some retail therapy. Don’t get me wrong, having a baby is the single best moment of my life, so instead of pining for all the things I can no longer do, I change them into a positive mom-life alternative. The biggest (and most crucial in my eyes) of these is my favourite former life accessory, the handbag. My handbags are all packed away and to replace them I now carry the ever important nappy bag.
The nappy bag is the most important (in my eyes) baby accessory you need. This bag goes everywhere with me and has all the essential items to make any trip with my baby an enjoyment, because let’s face it who wants to change a baby’s bum at a petrol station outside Middleburg, where they don’t have changing facilities in the bathrooms (this is a true story, with resulted in me climbing into the backseat and changing my daughter in the car)
My top things to have in your nappy bag include:
-
The bag itself
You are going to be carrying this bag for many years to come, so think of it as an investment. The key to finding the perfect nappy bag must include a changing mat and various compartments. Why not add your personality to the bag as well, choose your favourite colour and add accessories, such as key chains. Remember, it is your bag. My favourite brand is Lou Harvey. There nappy bags come in various styles, colours and sizes.
-
Nappies
I make it a rule to have at least 10 nappies in my nappy bag at all times. You don’t want to be caught without a nappy, should your baby suddenly have a blow out whilst you are out on a coffee date.
-
Bum cream
This cream is vital in any nappy bag. I have tubes of bum cream in the nappy bag, baby’s room, toiletry cupboard and the grandparents’ house.
-
Wet wipes
Not only do they clean baby’s bum, but they aid to wipe up sticky situations and wipe faces as well.
-
Nappy bags
Everyone loves babies, but many people are judgmental regarding the changing of one’s baby. If you are caught out in an emergency situation, it’s a “better safe than sorry” item to have to pack the dirty nappy away in.
-
Spare dummy
I have been caught out many times at the shops where my baby’s dummy has unclipped from her clothes and fallen on the floor. To avoid the second guess thinking of “it was only on the floor for a few seconds, maybe it will be fine to go back into her mouth?”, pack a spare dummy. You don’t want your baby to get thrush or any other infection.
-
Spare clothes
Just going to do a quick grocery run, are you? In that 20 minutes you are out, your baby can spit up all over herself, have a nappy blow out and any other emergency.
-
Hand sanitizer
Babies are people magnets, and what’s worse is strangers love to touch my baby’s face. Yes she is cute, but I don’t know where your hands have been. It isn’t rude to tell a stranger to please sanitize before you come near my baby’s face.
-
Muslin cloth
The idea of taking baby out when she is awake is great, as it gives him/her a chance to see the world and you a needed break to the shops, but the last thing you want is a screaming baby who is tired and all the fluorescent lighting isn’t helping. The handy Muslin cloth is an instant calmer and you can carry on with your shopping trip.
-
Gripe water
There is nothing worse than having your baby scream and scream for what feels like hours on end because they have trapped gas. I pour a little gripe water onto my baby’s dummy and instant relief.
Contributed by Kathy Cowell of Clamber Club
Tel: 011 325 2031
Website: www.clamberclub.com