| When it becomes time that you can take your little | | | | with these items: Baby Tylenol, Nail clippers, a |
| bundle of joy out and around the town, or even to visit | | | | thermometer, Nose syringe, medicine dropper, and |
| with friends and relatives; it's good to know some | | | | travel size lotion and Vaseline). |
| essential basics. Do you know the essentials of what | | | | Extra clothing- (It is always best to take along at least |
| should go in the diaper bag? | | | | two more sets than you think you will need. |
| I have devised a small checklist of the most important | | | | Remember, it is always better to be over prepared |
| items that should be carried with you and baby at all | | | | than under prepared). |
| times. Some of these items may sound weird or | | | | One or two extra bottles- If you are bottle-feeding |
| unnecessary at the time, but believe me when I tell | | | | make sure you have enough with you, with an extra |
| you, the oddest things can come in very handy when | | | | one to spare. After all, you never know when you |
| the need arises. | | | | might just be out a little longer than planned). |
| The first thing you need to do is make sure you have | | | | Also pack within the diaper bag, cloths for burping. I |
| a good-sized diaper bag, not some small as a purse or | | | | found cloth diapers to be wonderful, because they can |
| even a large purse. Inside the diaper bag, you should | | | | be used for more than one purpose. Cloth diapers are |
| have: | | | | also great as a makeshift changing pad, placing them |
| Diapers- (including a few extra than you think you will | | | | under the baby so as not to soil any surrounding areas. |
| or may need). | | | | The cloth diapers make excellent burping cloths to put |
| Baby wipes- (make sure they are baby wipes and not | | | | over your shoulder, because they absorb more liquid |
| just wet wipes. Baby wipes are larger, softer, and | | | | than a receiving blanket, and can also come in handy |
| gentler on the baby). | | | | for strange spills or yucky happenings that can arise. |
| Rash ointment- (rashes can pop up at any time out of | | | | An added hint- (Keeping a couple of extra quart sized |
| the clear blue. It is always better to have the | | | | zipper bags in the bag can also come in quite handy in |
| necessary remedy on hand, instead of waiting until a | | | | many ways. These bags can hold soiled diapers, if you |
| later time). | | | | have nowhere to dispose of one. They can also hold |
| A medicine bag- (These can be purchased with some | | | | soiled clothing and burping cloths, so as not to return |
| of the essentials already within them, or you can make | | | | them directly to the clean items in the diaper bag). |
| your own. Just use a quart sized zipper bag and fill | | | | |