Let’s Go Strolling: How to Drink Your Latte & Carry an Extra Diaper Too!

“I want a diaper bag that doesn’t really ‘look like a diaper bag. Something hip!’” is a comment we often hear. Look like a diaper bag…Hmmm. What does a diaper bag look like? Two images immediately pop into my mind– one of the free black Similac diaper bag that I was given at the hospital after the birth of my second child, and the second image is the Enfamil bag that the hospital gave me after the birth of my first.

Why do they appear in my mind in reverse order? The answer is quite simple – the style of the times. Even a free giveaway can attempt to have style. The second diaper bag I received was a simple black square. It was poorly made from inexpensive vinyl, but, I could see how it could serve its purpose of toting a few diapers, a onesie, burpcloth and perhaps a sippy cup down the road (if it lasted that long). The first diaper bag was a whole other story. It was blue and yellow with, I think, little bunnies or chicks or something running across it. This was definitely not the diaper bag that I was looking for and definitely not “hip!”

I have found, more often than not, the mom or soon-to-be-mom doesn’t know what kind of organization would work best for her lifestyle. What most people don’t want is a bag that looks like my yellow and blue picnic tablecloth turned diaper bag. It isn’t until moms are forced to carry around all the necessities - diapers, wipes, blankets, a change of clothes - and later - snacks & toys…not to mention all of your own personal necessities - that many moms realize that this bag which “doesn’t look like a diaper bag” should also have some great organizational features.

Which brings us to what does exist in the world of diaper bags. For this we are going to start with one of my personal favorites – the stroller bag. This is a bag that you can easily attach to your stroller, thus freeing your hands to carry your latte while pushing your baby. Four designer bags which I feel have gotten the hip and functional stroller bag right are Silver Line Fling, Skip Hop Duo, Fleurville Sling Tote, and Lexie Barnes Darling. In each of these bags you can fit enough for a days outing (sometimes longer) with your little one as well as your own wallet, phone, keys, PDA and any other things that you might want to tote for the day. These bags all have their own method of attaching to the stroller using a built-in attachment which is much more functional than just throwing a shoulder strap over the handlebars.

The Silver Line Fling comes with 12 pockets, including 2 outside bottle/cell phone pockets and separate stroller and shoulder straps so it is easy to switch from carrying to stroller. The SilverLine Fling also has a bright contrasting interior color making it easy to find what you are looking for inside the bag. The Skip Hop Duo has an open top - making it effortless to access the bag’s interior, exterior individual bottle and cell phone pockets, and two top zippered compartments creating a nice location for mom’s items. The Fleurville Sling tote has vinyl covered fabric making it a breeze to keep clean (Silver Line too has a vinyl version), beautiful patterns and a slim shape giving the bag a nice profile. Last, but not least, the Lexie Barnes Darling is a fantastic lightweight bag, making it an ideal choice for people who don’t want to tote around a lot of weight. It has two exterior bottle pockets, laminated easy-to-clean fabric, and matching mini organizers are available to make organizing your bag virtually painless. What is great about stroller bags is that they truly serve their purpose. They enable you to carry all of the necessities of being a parent, yet give you a way to do this hands free. What makes these four designers stand out from many of the others is that their bags are very clean in design, yet still beautiful. They keep it simple, practical and stylish without weighing down their bags with extras you will never need or use.

While this is only one type of diaper bag that is out there, we are happy to help you find the right stylish and functional diaper bag to meet your (and your family’s) needs.

Best,
Melissa & Jo
The Baby Gear Gurus