what diaper bags work with CD?

[neonalee]

In a few weeks I'll be diapering for the first time, with cloth, just 1 baby. My latest research obsession is the diaper bag. Which one do I pick? What's the best value? Which one will work for CD? Do I need 2 - I for every day and 1 for the day care?

The ones I'm looking at so far (I hope it's ok to put these links? ):
Various JuJuBe: http://www.ju-ju-be.com/products/
Skip Hop Dou: http://www.potterybarnkids.com/produ...y=bdiaper-bags
Fleurville: http://fleurville.com/product/mothership%C2%AE
LL Bean: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/62134...ans-diaper-bag
Timbuk2: http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/cms/hackKits/diaper_bag.htm

I probably have others bookmarked at home.

Any advice on this? I probably won't see most of these in person before purchase and my biggest concern is fitting everything I need, including the cloth diapers/wet bag/whatever.

[Aries1985]

I recently got a JuJuBe Be Prepared and I LOVE it! We travel a lot and it has a ton of space. I will soon have 2 in cloth and there will be plenty of room in this bag.

[rhiOrion]

I have this Columbia bag

It works okay with cloth diapers, though I do wish there was a little more room in the back (changing pad) pocket for the wet bag. I don't like having to put the wetbag in the main compartment with everything else. It does have room in the main compartment for several cloth diapers, depending on what else you've got in there.

For an idea, here is what I currently keep stuffed in there:

4 disposable diapers for emergencies.
1-3 AIOs or pockets, depending on the length of the outing
Travel pack of wipes
My little purse with my wallet, keys, chapstick, inahler, etc
Changing pad
Small wet bag (I actually need a slightly bigger one)
Outfit or two for DD (12 weeks)
Extra shirt for me
Pikkolo baby carrier (though this does make it so I can't zip it... I can get it velcroed closed. And if I use the connecta instead of the pikkolo, I could zip it)
Sometimes a snack for me
Sometimes a water bottle for me in the baby bottle pouch ()
Several prefolds as burp cloths, and to put under her when I change her (she tends to pee)
Some disposable breast pads


I think that's about it.

ETA:
I do not have two diaper bags. Our day care provides a canvas bag to use to put some extra diapers, wipes, outfits, etc in. I had thought I'd need a smaller diaper bag to take with me to work (basically a messenger style purse or something), so that I could have a couple of diapers and some wipes with me for if we wanted to go on outings after work. But then I realized I have to go home after work anyhow, because I need to put the milk in the refrigerator.

[jwpsgurl]

I used the Fleurville Mothership when I had 2 kids in dipes and it was definitely adequate! I like that it has some outside pockets and the water holder on the inside was nice. Now that my girls are PL'd I use it for overnight trips. I could fit at least 6 cd's, a wet bag, snacks, sippy cups and my stuff in it!

[neonalee]

Thanks for the advice! It sounds like maybe I need to look at slightly smaller ones, or like the Columbia one. I also remembered that my daycare has a place for this stuff for each child (there's only 4 total), so I could probably stock up the basket once or twice a week.

[Chamomile Girl]

I've got the Timbuk2 medium cargo tote hackbag. Its pretty awesome. I can fit everything I need and its easy to carry. I use this changing pad and it fits in the waterbottle pocket.

Only downside is that its hard to open and close while holding a squirming baby.

[Nicole730]

I have a Skip Hop Duo - way too small IMO.

I used a regular backpack with just one in cloth. But after DD was born I needed something bigger and roomier. My mom made me the one, with a wider bottom than most, that allowed me to shover more cloth in there. I can ask her the pattern if you are interested in going that route.

[cristeen]

I just went to Target and got a random bag that looked like it'd work. And I've been using it for almost 6 months and love it. It was $10. It has a decent sized main compartment with a zippered pocket. I can fit half a dozen dipes, wipes, wipe water bottle, wet bag, ring sling, my wallet and my KK. It has 3 outside pockets - I use one for his bottles, one for his toys and one for my knitting. I've even managed to fit a large tupperware bowl into it on top of the dipes when taking food to playgroup.

I just really don't see the point in paying $50+ for a brand name bag, I guess, when a $10 bag will work just fine.

[neonalee]

Thanks for the additional insight! As much as I'd love to sew (and I have the huge fabric stash to show for it) ... I don't! LOL I do have some half finished projects, but I'm def not starting another! I finally figured out a good way to search this topic - instead of trying to search for diaper bag, I searched for the brand names I was looking at. I'm really hooked on those jujube bags. Maybe a used one is in order....

cristeen - I hear you about price! That's my usual take on things as well, but every now and then and I get tired of my utilitarian, functional, pragmatic, logical self. Since it happens so rarely I usually give in

[Galatea]

I had the Fleurville Sling Tote for one baby and loved it. Only complaint was that it is fairly stiff, so you can't shove extra stuff into it.

Now I will have two in diapers and work all day so need a lot of diapers, so I got a Loveybag and it is awesome!!! Holds more and is very simple, flexible and expandable, without being huge. The Fleurville Mothership is really big and probably overkill for one baby.

[Mama_of_1]

I have two bags - well, 3 actually if you count the one I use just for toting stuff back and forth for daycare:

The Fleurville Weekender - huge! I can fit all kinds of diapers, emergency stash of disposables, cloth and disposable wipes, diaper stick, wet bag, eating implements, placemat, sippy cup, snacks, extra clothes, spray bottle of water when a fresh water source isn't available, toys, AND our high chair cover and it still zips up. This bag is big. If you don't want a big bag, this isn't for you. I LOVE that it has little feet on the bottom. It is not at all water proof but I don't mind it. I would probably love it more if the shoulder straps were adjustable but that's my only complaint. My DH will carry this bag so I'm thrilled with it. When we are out all day, I am confident that I have everything with me that I could need and don't worry about trying to find a store for an extra ration of anything. I think this style is now discontinued but I got mine on Amazon.

Our first bag is the Columbia Vertical Glide. It's small, will fit a ton of stuff, but I found that I struggled to fit enough in when I knew that we were going to be out all day. For a couple hours at a time, this bag was perfect. When DD will start to potty learn, I will go back to this bag since I won't need to carry quite so much buk.

My daycare bag is actually just a canvas beach bag that I dump diapers, covers, wipes, loveys, and a wet bag into. Her cooler bag with her food for the day is separate.

[Lit Chick]

I found that diaper bags were overpriced and poorly designed in general. I use a backpack I got for less than $10 at Walmart. It has tons of compartments, plenty of space, and best yet the husband has no problems carrying it.
If you want function and value over form, just get a backback or tote.

(ETA - and then get a nice baby carrier with what you saved)

[junipervt]

I have a skip hop duo & it works well for us, but I'm not one to overpack a diaperbag. I take the bare necessaties. DH has a diaper dude & that works well too.

[cc_mama]

I love my JuJuBe BeTween. We EC and use SoftBums AI2's so I don't need a lot of space. I usually carry a regular sized wetbag, 3-4 snap-in bamboo inserts, a few cloth wipes, wipe wash, 1 extra set of clothes, spare babylegs, a few toys and sometimes a water bottle for me and a sippy for DD. I really would like to try the new BFF - the different ways to carry and the side dropping open are great features.

I've also tried a GoGaGa Slide and like it ok but I needed more organization and didn't like the way the bottles in the outside pockets took up so much of the interior space.

HTH

[Geigerin]

I know you've figured this out by now. Just wanted to
chime in. I think just about anything works. At least with one kid, it does. I use my LL Bean backpack from 1994. Lol It got me through high school, college, backpacking through Europe, and now baby. Indestructible!!

I don't need a million pockets. Just stick all diapering materials in main section and miscellaneous baby toys/burp cloths in secondary pouch.

[rlmueller]

Originally Posted by cristeen

I just went to Target and got a random bag that looked like it'd work. And I've been using it for almost 6 months and love it. It was $10. It has a decent sized main compartment with a zippered pocket. I can fit half a dozen dipes, wipes, wipe water bottle, wet bag, ring sling, my wallet and my KK. It has 3 outside pockets - I use one for his bottles, one for his toys and one for my knitting. I've even managed to fit a large tupperware bowl into it on top of the dipes when taking food to playgroup.

I just really don't see the point in paying $50+ for a brand name bag, I guess, when a $10 bag will work just fine.

Preach it Cristeen. I got the black and white flowered bag from target for $10and I keep a gallon ziplock bag in there for dirty dipes and wipes.

[november]

I LOVE my Ju Ju Be Prepared. I am a tight wad so it nearly KILLED me to spend that much on a bag, but it was worth every cent and even my husband agrees. I love that bag and will get MANY years of use out of it. I can fit a ridiculous amount of stuff in it which is perfect for me because I am a chronic over-packer, and CDs take up soo much room.

[neonalee]

Just thought I'd come back and update with what I finally got. JuJuBe has the FSOT section, and I found the Be Prepared in black and silver for $70. Yeah, it nearly killed me too, even at that huge of a discount. But I received it last week and it's awesome! The quality feels great and I love all the pockets, etc.

But I was still lusting after the pattern for the Fleurville (a very girly unlike me pattern). I found the sling tote on ebay and bid up to $31 because I thought, I don't *really* need another bag. It went for $49. And I should have gotten it because guess what I got in that pattern instead? The mothership for $70!!! The pregnant brain sure isn't rational sometimes!! Oh well, I'll have to count that as my big personal splurge. Thanks for all the suggestions/experiences!