Life with a newborn and a toddler is an adventure to say the least and attempting to pack your diaper bag for two kids is even more intimidating at first. Packing to leave the house with a baby is stressful in itself and even more so when you are packing for children of varying ages! The last thing you want is to leave the house with everything except the kitchen sink with two kids in tow! At the same time, you want to have everything you need to keep your kiddos fed, happy, dry, and entertained for a couple of hours.
I would like to think I have mastered the art of packing for two kids now that I am almost three months in the game with a newborn and toddler. My oldest will be two tomorrow so he will outgrow some of the items I currently pack for him soon as we will begin potty training this weekend (so hopefully goodbye diapers!)
This is the first step to organizing your diaper bag for two kids! Separate bags not only keep things organized but also allow you to keep dirty diapers or dirty clothes contained until you get home. I absolutely love these personalized ones and the quality is top notch!
You will want to keep things the kids share as well as any bulky items out in the main compartment so they are easy to grab. I keep things like a changing pad, baby wipes, bags for dirty diapers, lots of burp cloths, butt cream, and face wipes here. I also store my wallet, sunglasses and any other items I need for myself in this compartment as well as a blanket and my Solly wrap. Tip: Tightly roll items like blankets and wraps to save space! Sometimes I also throw in an extra toy for the baby to chew on as well. Side note: Can we talk about how many times baby wipes save the day. I literally use them for nearly everything when out on the go!
You will thank me later. Backpack styles make things sooo much easier as you can handle your two kids much more efficiently when out and about by not having to worry about your diaper bag falling off your shoulder, etc. And preferably, get a diaper bag that doesn’t look like a diaper bag- win 🙂
For my almost two year old, I keep things very simple. I pack 2-3 diapers, a sippy cup, a washable bib, and snacks. Depending on his mood that day, he may bring along a toy or book to entertain himself while in the car but we don’t pack that in the bag.
Newborns need so much stuff so it is important to figure out exactly what your newborn needs when away from home as what to pack for a newborn varies greatly from baby to baby. I keep it really simple with a couple of diapers, extra clothes, an extra pacifier, and toy. I also make sure I have my nursing cover which is almost always covering my car seat- I use the Milk Snob which is awesome! It acts as a car seat cover, nursing cover, and shopping cart cover so you are set with one breathable piece of fabric!
With my first baby I was a lot more nervous about nursing in public and would also pack a freezer pack, bottle of breastmilk, and my portable bottle warmer (extra items I didn’t need since I was exclusively breastfeeding) so that I wouldn’t have to nurse him while we were out. I am happy to say with the second baby, I no longer let nursing in public intimidate me and have so much less to carry when I travel with my baby! This is a public service announcement to normalize breastfeeding so mamas do not have to worry about this!
I keep my keys and lip glosses here! Also, I sometimes have a bottle water ready to go as well.
I pack everything I need for myself and both kiddos all in this one backpack style diaper bag. You do not need a million toys, outfits, blankets and gadgets just to leave the house for a few hours. If you keep it simple and invest in a few items that serve multiple purposes as well as bags to separate the kids things, you will feel like a pro which will make you want to get out more and more with your tiny humans. And- if you have a double stroller you are really ready to take on the world! I don’t what I would do without mine!
How do you pack for multiple kids when out on the go?
