Diaper Bag Buying Guide

When preparing for a baby’s arrival, at some point parents may walk into a baby superstore and find a floor-to-ceiling wall of diaper bags. It’s a lot to take in, and the message seems clear: If parents want to be prepared for anything, they had better have the perfect bag to meet those needs, stuffed with every item your kid could ever want in public, from diapers to pacifiers to an extra set of clothes. When preparing for the first of my five little ones, I tried them on, trying to imagine rummaging through each in a stressed tizzy changing a blowout in a public restroom, determined to find the “perfect one.” Little did I know, the perfect one not only doesn’t exist but also changes as your children and family grow. 

Since that first baby, I’ve tried, loved, and hated dozens more diaper bags, both in my capacity as a mom of five and as a product journalist. Some are too heavy or too hard to open on the go, some have a zillion pockets, and some don’t have enough. But I learned, like all things parenting, that the pursuit of the perfect bag is individual and can change over time. Before you head out to shop for a diaper bag, here’s what to know.

Before the baby registry “must haves” and “must do’s” suck you in, determine whether you even want a diaper bag. It might be that your purse or even your work bag has enough room to double as a diaper bag, depending on your lifestyle and how many kids you have. You also might find that you prefer other types of bags over an official “diaper bag,” from a satchel to a backpack to a cloth fabric bag. All these choices are okay, and you won’t be any less of a parent in the midst of a diaper change. 

“I never use a traditional diaper bag. I purchased a bag that suited my purpose that looked good,” says Jenny Yip, PsyD, parenting expert, clinical psychologist, and executive director at Little Thinkers Center and Renewed Freedom Center. “Any bag that is large enough to make sure you have many different compartments inside with enough space where you won’t have to go digging and searching for things. If you have many different compartments inside the bag, you can keep things nicely organized. With a baby, there’s really not much time to be digging to look for diapers and creams.”

However, if you have multiple kids or you are trying to keep bottles and sippy cups vertical and temperature-controlled, you might find a diaper bag designed for a parent’s needs to be more tailored to this stage of life. In addition, most regular bags don’t have diaper-changing essentials such as a fold-out or removable pad, which often comes with diaper bags.

Though it will vary by parent, child, and outing, you can expect to have some essentials that you leave in the bag at all times, restocking as they are used. Then, you might have additional items you add and take out based on the specific day or outing. 

Here are some daily must-haves for most babies and their families, based on my near decade of mishaps and a few parenting wins with young kids.

• Three to five diapers and baby wipes
• Pacifiers (and a few backups)
• A change of clothes for each child
• Diaper cream, as needed
• Snacks
• A blanket or changing pad
• Sunscreen, depending on the baby’s age and health
• Hand sanitizer
• Toys, loveys, or teething items, depending on the baby’s phase
• Sippy cup or bottle
• Nursing gear, such as a nursing cover (if you prefer to use one), nipple cream, bra pads, etc.
• Bibs, baby spoons, and other feeding equipment

Baby stores are filled with all types of diaper bags, adding to the confusion. Luckily, you can break most of them down into a few categories, and determine from there which is best. In addition, some convert to be another style, so you don’t have to pick just one. Here’s what to look for.

Messenger-Style
This diaper bag style has a single strap and can be worn over the shoulder or across the body like a cross-body purse. Some are designed to be more unisex, looking less like a purse and more like a work bag, but they vary by brand. Though these are popular, Ai Mukai, MD, at Texas Orthopedics, Sports & Rehabilitation Associates, warns that messenger bags can be tough on your body, a consideration that postpartum parents who have recently given birth might want to keep in mind.

“Cross-body bags and messenger bags unevenly distribute the weight of the bag on your body and spine, and are not preferred compared to a backpack-style bag,” she says. If you opt for this style, she recommends:

• Keeping the bag weight to 10 percent or less of your own body weight
• Decreasing heavier items in the bag
• Choosing wide straps so they don’t dig into your shoulders
• Making sure the bag’s bottom is above your hips
• Putting lighter stuff in the pockets and heavier stuff in the middle

Backpacks
These can look just like your old high school backpack or can be much fancier, such as a leather purse-like version. Either way, they have two straps and are carried on your back—some may also have a single strap to convert to a messenger style. 

“The bag part should be between the shoulder blades down to the hip area,” Mukai says. “Snug on the back is better than hanging out and pulling down. Some backpacks also have a strap that wraps around the lower hip/abdomen that can be helpful—and also straps on the arm straps that snap together to keep it centered.”

The American Occupational Therapy Association also recommends avoiding straps that are thin and long (PDF). Straps should be wide and adjustable. The organization also recommends opting for lighter-weight fabrics, like microfiber and nylon, instead of heavier choices like leather.

Totes
A tote is more like a small duffel bag that you would send to grandma’s house with your kids. Sometimes totes are more open on the top, and some don’t even close, making them more ideal for a day at the pool than for everyday use. For example, the nondiaper bag Pottery Barn Farmers Market 9-Pocket Tote would hold quite a few baby accessories well but doesn’t close. Other totes, such as this option, feature shorter handles that you quite literally “tote” around, rather than slinging over a shoulder, and do close. Carrying a tote longer distances might not be as comfortable as a messenger bag or backpack, and you should keep in mind that you will have one hand occupied with this bag at all times unless it’s in a stroller.

Another variation, sometimes called a "stroller diaper bag," is basically a tote style but is designed with longer straps to fit on the back of a stroller’s handlebars. Models are available for double strollers as well as singles. Some of these stroller bags have clips. Manufacturers are adding stroller strap-on mechanisms to other styles as well, such as the OiOi hobo-style bag. You can buy separate clips to fasten any bag to your stroller.

Consumer Reports advises against hanging anything on the handlebar of a stroller because the weight might cause the stroller to tip backward. The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association agrees.

Linda Woody, communications manager for the association, says that if you plan to use a larger bag or purse, you should choose a stroller that can safely carry it in a basket, not on your stroller’s handlebars. "We recommend that parents don’t hang pocketbooks, diaper bags, or shopping bags over the handles of the carriage or stroller,” Woody says. ”You want to use the shopping basket underneath the stroller and make sure it is low on the back of the stroller or directly over the rear wheels."

She says there are so many types of carriages and strollers on the market that parents should look for one that fits their needs. But she adds that many convertible strollers will often have a basket underneath where a diaper bag can easily be placed. (Convertible strollers are used with an infant car seat that can be changed to carry a child once they outgrow it.)

This is where it gets a little messy. Some diaper bags have certain features but lack others, so it’s key to determine what’s important to you before selecting a bag. 

Fabric
Lightweight fabric is more optimal, so you aren’t carrying a heavy bag, as our experts said above, but you also want to choose something that’s stain-resistant. Diaper bags go through a lot—they are thrown on the floor at mall food courts, pulled into and out of stroller compartments, smooshed into overhead bins on airplanes, and much more. So keep an eye out for fabrics that feel light, washable, and durable, such as microfiber, nylon, polyester, and cotton.

Compartments
Multiple internal and external compartments are a must. Sometimes large totes or duffel-style bags lack this feature. “If you just carry a giant tote, everything kind of gets lost in the shuffle,” says Christine Hernandez, a doula based in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Instead, test pockets to ensure that they will fit your kid’s favorite sippy cup or bottle, and that those outside pockets are tall enough to keep the container secured (vertical).

Stability
Speaking from much experience cleaning up a diaper bag whose contents have emptied all over the floor, you want a bag that stands up on its own, with a strong base. Though we all want to think we will zip it closed every time, real life isn’t like that. Our top winner in our diaper bag evaluation also has a rubber bottom, anticipating that parents will place it on the floor. Floppier bags will be hard to get things out of, making the bag more frustrating for one-handed use.

Easy Closure
Often you will be trying to hold a baby in one arm and zip your diaper bag with the other. What’s even better than a zipper? No zipper, and a magnetic closure. Try opening and closing all parts of the diaper bag with one hand to simulate what will be most convenient in the heat of the parenting action. If you do opt for a zipper, make sure it’s one that you can zip easily with one hand and that doesn’t get stuck or caught easily.

Ergonomic Design
Perhaps most important, your diaper bag should be exceptionally comfortable to carry, even when it’s full of all your stuff. Like our experts recommended, choose wide and adjustable straps and lightweight fabric, and consider a backpack style over a messenger bag if you anticipate back and neck pain being an issue. Wear your backpack higher up on your back, rather than lower near your hips, to prevent it from pulling you backward and causing aches and pains.

Size
This is a matter of personal preference, but you should consider how often you will be using the bag for quick trips vs. longer outings. In fact, you might have different diaper bags for each of these purposes. It can be cumbersome to run into the grocery store with a large tote, but a mini backpack might not fit everything for a full day with multiple kids at an amusement park. For your day-to-day bag, Hernandez says, “the size of the bag should be enough to carry a few diapers and wipes, as well as some extra clothes and any bottles you may need.” Also consider your frame and strength, and whether a larger bag will be comfortable to you. Consider whether you plan to have your diaper bag double as your purse, which will help you figure out which size is best. If you do want a separate purse, you can also opt for a smaller one, such as a wristlet that fits right inside a roomier diaper bag.

Style
You should think your diaper bag is both functional and super-cute because you two will be spending lots of time together. If multiple childcare providers—such as day-care providers, spouses or partners, grandparents, and others—will be using it, you can consider their preferences as well. Jenny Yip, the parenting expert and clinical psychologist, says, “It is whatever is appealing to you that serves function.” 

Hernandez adds that you should consider your lifestyle and whether you will also be trying to carry a child frequently. “The style of diaper bag that will work for you depends on your lifestyle. If you have a baby and a newborn, you might consider a backpack since, odds are, you’ll be carrying at least one child in your arms at some point,” she says. “If you live in a city and use public transportation, you may need a larger bag to carry more with you, whereas if you drive everywhere in a car, you can leave the extras in your car. It’s good to check out bags in person, to get a feel for what it’s like to carry them.”

Some style features to look for that might make you feel like the bag is more attractive include prints and fabrics you enjoy, finishing details such as gold or rose gold hardware that elevates the style of a traditional bag, and other features you just like.

Through my parenting years I’ve purchased the cheapest diaper bags for around $30, and also splurged occasionally on more costly ones that are over $100. Like anything, diaper bag budgets vary greatly, and you can find one for almost any budget, from just $10 up through thousands of dollars for designer bags. However, more expensive doesn’t always mean better, as we found out in our evaluation, where the most expensive bag was much heavier and more uncomfortable than much cheaper options.

An easy way to save substantially on a diaper bag is to choose a model and then choose whichever fabric is on sale or potentially going out of stock soon. 

If you have your heart set on a certain bag, but it’s out of your budget, keep an eye on secondhand sites like Facebook Marketplace, your local parent buy-sell-trade groups on social media, eBay, Mercari, and other platforms. You might score a lightly used bag on one of these sites. This is especially true as other parents try to find “the one” and end up reselling diaper bags that didn’t work for their family.

Few things can prepare new parents for both the joys and trials of day-to-day parenting life. But a well-stocked diaper bag that you find functional and beautiful can be a small tool in your arsenal to help you feel more capable. 

“When you know you have everything you need and can find it easily, it definitely helps you feel more confident as a new parent,” Hernandez says. “If you’re out and about with your baby and need to feed or change them, it can be overwhelming enough without having to rifle through a bag searching for the things you need. Aside from being practical, it helps reassure you emotionally that you have what you need for a successful outing with your baby and have prepared for all the ‘what ifs.’ A well-stocked diaper bag means you won’t get stranded without a pacifier or have to wrap a cloth napkin around your baby’s bum if they have a blowout at brunch.”

Though I’ve been stuck many times without the right diaper bag ingredients, I’ve also felt empowered by thinking ahead, and shopping intentionally for a diaper bag that I can fill with everything our kids could need.