What's In Your Diaper Bag? Katie and Desmond

"Desmond is my first child. He’s a very curious and active little boy. He climbs

anything he can and is in to absolutely everything. I can’t take my eyes off of himfor one second or he’s into something. He’s really silly and funny. "

Having your first child can be stressful, but for a natural worrier like Katie, being responsible for a new little person opened the floodgates of potential things to worry about. Luckily, her parenting instincts kicked in immediately and she's proven herself as an amazing mother who has found the perfect balance between being prepared and rolling with the day to day punches. That's why her biggest advice for mothers and mothers-to-be is: RELAX!

"The natural instinct to protect your child is such an intense and powerful force and like most parents, I want to do the best for my child and keep him safe from harm which inevitably leads to a lot of worrying. You can drive yourself crazy worrying about every little thing: SIDS, car accidents, illness, injuries, strangers…the list goes on and on. Worrying about these things can be exhausting, and to be honest, it’s not the slightest bit helpful. I spent the first 4 months of my son’s life worrying about absolutely everything until I couldn't take it any more and had to change my thought processes or otherwise go crazy and drive my poor fiancé crazy as well. My advice is to just follow your instincts and do the things you know you have to do to keep your baby safe and don’t waste your time worrying about all the things you can’t control. Now that I am more selective of what I spend my time worrying about I can finally breath and live in the moment and enjoy this amazing experience of being a parent to this child I love more than anything in this world."

Great advice that we all need to hear. So, Katie:

What's In Your Diaper Bag?

Name: Katie Guscott

Baby's Name (and age): Desmond (13 Months)

Most Important Thing in Your Diaper Bag: Baby Wipes!!! Besides using them for diaper changes they’re amazing for all of the other messes a one year old will make. I use them more than I use anything else in the diaper bag and am always surprised by the various uses I can find for these things. With that said, they go fast so shop sales and by them in bulk or if you’re a DIY type person you can make your own.

Basic Save: Snack foods. I only buy snacks (Puffs, rusks, cereal bars, biscuits) when they’re on sale. They all taste the same to him and they’re great to keep in the diaper bag. Giving my son a little snack while out and about can keep him happy, quiet, occupied and out of trouble (only while he’s easting mind you) which makes life so much easier for me.

Essential Splurge: Decent quality diapers. I've tried buying the no name brands and I find them to leak. Dealing with another human being’s poop isn't the most glamorous of life’s experiences so spend the extra money and get some decent diapers and save yourself a huge mess later.

Best Preparedness Advice: If you’re anything like me (especially in the newborn months) I sometimes forget to pack something I need and have to improvise. This, of course, always happens when I'm in a situation where I end up feeling judged or embarrassed. In these moments, remember that this happens to every new mom and it’s nothing to feel ashamed of. Keep your basic items always packed in your diaper bag so you’re more likely to have everything and if one day your forget and extra set of clothes and your child spilled their entire lunch on their only clean shirt while eating out in a restaurant it’s really not that big of a deal.

Diaper Bag Contents: Diapers and Swim diapers, Wipes, Cream, Baby Tylenol or Advil or both (For doctor’s appointments where he’ll have shots or to have on hand when he’s teething), Extra clothes, Snacks, Sippy cup, Toys, Sun screen, and Hat for the sun.