Packing or, more accurately, re-packing Harper’s diaper bag is serious business in the Powell household. If The Guy or I come in with a trunkload of groceries, Chihuahua wearing a Cone of Shame, Harper practicing her Dying Screech Owl routine and enough dry cleaning to outfit Nicole Richie for three days, then by God, we will repack the diaper bag before we even put the milk in the fridge. There’s good reason for this.
I’m kind of preoccupied with the Zombie Apocalypse preparedness under normal circumstances, so you can imagine that this tendency took on obsessive proportions during the last weeks of my pregnancy. Amazingly, though, the diaper bag went largely ignored – I never even got it out of Harper’s closet. My rationale was that it would be a couple weeks before I took her anywhere that I might need one, so what’s the rush?
Famous last words, as they say.
If it weren’t for the fact that we had Harper, I would call the 10 days immediately following her birth the worst of our lives, hands down. People, there was NO END to the number of things that went horrifyingly, ridiculously wrong. It was practically BIBLICAL. Here is just a small sample:
–We had to take Harper to the emergency room in the middle of the night TWICE. (My boobs weren’t working and she wasn’t getting anything to eat.)
–We had to take me and The Guy to the emergency room once each.
–I got so sick with a sinus infection that I couldn’t hold or even touch Harper for about 14 hours.
–I had what the lactation consultant declared was the single worst case of engorgement she had ever seen.
–Our house caught fire.
–Which caused us to basically have to empty our savings account and give all the money to electricians, appliance-repair people and an unscrupulous heating and air-conditioning guy.
Yes. FIRE.
We had been up all night with a starving and therefore screaming baby. We called the pediatrician’s office at 6 a.m. on Sunday when we realized her eyes were dull, her lips were chapped and the inside of her mouth was bone dry. The doctor told us to give her a bottle of formula, which was, at that point, the single best thing we’d done for her. She took two ounces and passed out in the most blissful milk coma either of us had yet seen. We three were content, and we were exhausted.
After putting Harper in her bassinet, Blake and I laid down together in bed for the first time since we’d gone to the hospital to have her. We were both on our backs – oh, how delicious it feels to stretch out on your back after not being able to for months – and as we sank into the mattress, our feet touched.
It was an ordinary, insignificant gesture, but over the preceding year, it was a comfort we’d begun to take for granted. Now, that tiny moment of telepathy between our pinky toes communicated just how profoundly – and how magnificently – our lives had changed in only a few days. We both had tears in our eyes. Less than a minute later, our new little family of three was happily unconscious.
Exactly one and one-half hours later – I know because I looked at the clock – we woke up to howling smoke alarms. It must be some malfunction, we both thought. We didn’t leave the stove on. Heck, we haven’t had time to even USE the stove! Thankfully, the baby continued to sleep. Blake and I stumbled out of our bedroom, headed toward the kitchen, where we assumed we would whack at the smoke alarm a few times with the broom to turn it off, then return to bed.
Wrong.
The house was filled with acrid smoke.
The Guy turned to me. “GET OUT,” he said. “GET HARPER, AND GO OUTSIDE.”
I ran back to the bedroom and scooped up the baby, my mind racing.
I’m not dressed!
I didn’t see fire.
It smells like an electrical fire.
How long until the fire department gets here?
Is our house going to burn down?
Should I grab picture albums or something?
I need things for the baby!
Wait, what kind of things?!
Thus, Harper and I waited outside for the fire department with her wrapped like an eggroll in four blankets and me wearing a short, sleeveless pink nightgown, an entirely-too-thin-for-the-weather cotton shortie bathrobe and a pair of gold ballet flats with my leopard-print handbag slung over my shoulder, into which I had shoved five diapers.
That was my contribution to my newborn baby’s health and welfare: five diapers.
Turned out the fire was caused by a deteriorated electrical cord on the back of the fridge (I KNEW it wasn’t the heater!). We had it repaired, then I set about ensuring, so far as I can, anyway, that Harper and I never again wind up waiting for emergency personnel with nothing but five measly diapers to our name.
The diaper bag stays packed at all times, and it’s always in the same place, which is a location that is distinctly unlikely to burst into flames. Unless one of my dining-room chairs spontaneously combusts. Which, in my world, is not at all outside the realm of possibility.
Here’s what’s in there:
Five disposable diapers. We cloth-diaper Harper most of the time, but let’s be honest here, disposables can’t be beat when you’re faced with a spectacular blowout.
One or two cloth diapers.
At least one small wet bag, preferably two.
Plastic grocery sacks.
Wipes. Lots of wipes. It’s almost impossible to have too many wipes.
Hand sanitizer. See above re. “spectacular blowout.”
A change of clothes for Harper, which I switch out seasonally or when she has a growth spurt. Right now, since it’s summer, I just carry an extra onesie, but during the winter, we had a long-sleeved onesie, stretchy pants, a pair of socks and a hat. A onesie and a pair of Baby Legs are really all you need for the spring or fall, at least in Louisiana.
A bib or two.
A couple of burp cloths.
An extra shirt for me. Just a ratty grey t-shirt from Old Navy, but it’s better than sporting poop and/or barf all down my front (or back, as the case may be).
Pacifier(s). Harper’s not much for pacifiers anymore, but there was a time when we didn’t leave the house without at least three.
Pacifier holder.
Pacifier wipes. These are also great for bottles, of course.
Teething toy.
Small, thin flannel receiving blanket. (This IS Louisiana, after all.)
A Dr. Brown’s bottle filled with purified water. Maybe two, depending on how long we plan to be out.
Containers filled with baby formula and rice cereal.
Baby spoon.
A pair of travel scissors. These come in handy more often than you’d think.
“Hygiene products” for me. Look, momma’s gotta be prepared too.
—-
It sounds like an overwhelming amount of gear to schlep around, but I roll everything, and it all fits easily in my diaper bag with room to spare. These are baby items, remember, so most everything is quite small.
Blake, by the way, has his own plain black diaper bag that has pretty much everything in it that mine does. And yes, he actually likes carrying a diaper bag. In fact, he says he loves it. (He and Harper usually have a daddy-daughter outing of some sort on his day off.) No, he does not care if you laugh at him for wearing a murse. He said that if you see him wrangling a baby and a stroller and you still think that black bag slung over his shoulder with bottles hanging out of it is a murse, then the joke’s on you, my friend.
—-
So now I’m curious:
Whether or not you have a baby, what do you carry to be prepared?
Your Girl Scouting (not really – I didn’t like the uniforms)
Kel
“After putting Harper in her bassinet, Blake and I laid down together in bed for the first time since we’d gone to the hospital to have her. We were both on our backs – oh, how delicious it feels to stretch out on your back after not being able to for months – and as we sank into the mattress, our feet touched.
It was an ordinary, insignificant gesture, but over the preceding year, it was a comfort we’d begun to take for granted. Now, that tiny moment of telepathy between our pinky toes communicated just how profoundly – and how magnificently – our lives had changed in only a few days.”
You got me all teared up. You know I cry at everything!
Remember when we were prepared to for the howling of the smoke detector in our apartment when we tested it to see if we needed to replace the batteries, only to find out that the &(&*#&$ thing didn’t work?!?!?
I never doubt your ability to be prepared for anything
So weird to hear you call The Guy Blake! Glad you all made it out safely…did the fire contribute to the desire to move into a new house?
Loved reading this post! Many laughs and “awwws” later, I finished it thinking about the days when Frank and I felt as if we’d packed the entire household to take with us, be it for a trip to Arkansas or to the corner store! The day Matthew was no longer in diapers and didn’t require formula to survive, his dad and I both did a little dance of joy. But the diaper bag remained an essential accessory for many more moons. So you go, little Momma (and The Guy) – go forth and carry that well-packed and organized satchel until Harper is old enough to say “Mom – Dad – what’s with the luggage?!”
We keep Grant’s diaper bag (it’s black so Rob doesn’t get nauseated when he carries it) on top of the dryer, or in the chair closest to the garage for quick escapes. In a drawer in the buffet in the breakfast area, I keep a zip-lock freezer bag that we have lovingly named the “bug out bag”.
What is a staple in both? First, the diaper bag:
3 diapers
Wipes
2-3 extra pacifiers (Grant is still very much a sucker)
Mokeybutt powder
A giant ziplock bag for dirties
A flour sack towel (I used these towels for burp cloths and I’ve used them for years as my kitchen towels – LOVE them.)
1-2 Aden and Anais wraparound bibs
A toy of some sort
A t-shirt for Grant
Baby Banz
Boogie wipes
This practically never changes. I probably wash the towel and wraparound bib after every outing, but as soon as I’m folding clothes, those go right back into the bag.
The bug out bag is different. It usually has in it at all times:
2 go-squeeze applesauce pouches
1 fruit/veggie mix pouch
1 container of raviolis or Gerber graduates meal
1 spork
1 8-oz container of organic vanilla milk (doesn’t need refrigeration)
1 sippy cup
The bug out bag has to be replenished more often than the diaper bag itself. I rarely even have to change a diaper when we go out anymore. The bug out bag stays outside of the diaper bag because that way, I remember to have all the stuff Grant needs for a meal before we leave the house. Usually, I’m last-minute packing the bug out bag and then just toss it into the main diaper bag.
Today, we had Grant’s 18-month doctor appointment/checkup/assessment thingy. I didn’t carry anything with us. His stroller has a little netting on the back of it where I keep a diaper and some wipes, so barring some massive problem in the hour we’re gone to the doctor, we don’t need anything.
I’m probably missing stuff, but I think this is everything. You’ll see that the stuff she needs decreases over the coming months.
Fire alarm going off when the baby finally went to sleep and engorged boobs. That seriously sounds like what hell must be like.
So glad you guys survived the ordeal and moved to a new place.
Our diaper bag sounds like yours sans wet bags. We also have toys, snacks and books now that she’s a bit older.
Sounds like Kelly is in need of the wine fountain.
I hate it when my boobs don’t work.
As for your question, I am never prepared for anything but can luckily buy anything I need right around the corner. When I leave the house, it’s with my camera, my credit card, and my subway pass. Kamran and I do have planned which building we’re going to hide out in when the zombie apocalypse comes, though. We might let you in on the secret if you’re nice.
I don’t believe you, Katie. You tell me where you can buy authentic cowboy boots, an aardvark, starfruit, or an abortion “right around the corner”.
Pfft.
When the child is out of diapers, you will STILL be carrying that bag and it will have most of those same things in it. It’s just a quality of life issue for the parents, honestly, to have it right there when your kid needs a snack, drink, change of clothes that is same/warmer/colder, hat, sunglasses, pair of shoes that has not stepped in something, wipe, sunscreen, trash bag, blanket, toy, book, sanitizer, etc. I should really put a pair of latex gloves in mine, too.
I see people stocking up on disposable diapers before they have babies and I’m like NO, STOCK UP ON WIPES, YOU USE THEM FOR EVERYTHING. Pro tip: When your kid’s nose is getting red from wiping it with kleenex, start tearing/cutting wipes in half and use those instead.
I carry a linen messenger bag from H&M. I’ve had it for years. Matt doesn’t feel odd carrying it, too. It has my wallet, keys, phone, a few diapers, wipes and snacks. Kids always want snacks. They’re so annoying that way.
If we’re going to the gym, however, my bag is PACKED. It has my whey protein, the kids’ snacks and sippies, a fruit of some sort, yogurt, spoons…I could go on for days.
And somehow I always manage to leave something behind at the gym daycare.
But as long as I have my spin shoes, I’m set.
And the kids. Can’t forget the kids.
Sunscreen – they come in small tubes. We also have a stick that looks like chapstick that is Sunscreen. You never know when you’re going to be in the sun.
Plastic (usually individually wrapped) spoons. As my kids got older and ate off my plate @ restaurants or their own mac & cheese, I cannot tell you how many places ONLY had soup spoons. Try getting a toddler to eat something when their cutlery is three times the size of their mouth.
I don’t carry a “bag” per se anymore. I keep all my crap (plastic bags, wipes, sunscreen, bug spray, etc) in my car now. There is a great little built in storage compartment in the cargo area that holds everything.
I love your stories! And, other great ideas!
The part about not having the diaper bag ready because you thought that you wouldn’t be going anywhere sounds just like me. I packed Silas’ diaper bag weeks before he was born, but I packed it with the understanding that we wouldn’t be actually be venturing out of the house for like, months. Where I got that idea I really don’t know. So when he was only a few days old and we had to make an emergency pediatrician run (boobs not working, baby starving, same deal, I get it), I discovered in the bathroom mid-diaper change that I only had size 1 diapers. This 6 lb. kid looked ridiculous, and the pediatrician made me feel even stupider by being all like, “What’s with this diaper?” Mom of the Year, I’m telling you.
These days our diaper bag is becoming increasingly empty, and I like it like that. We used to carry more toys than diapers in order to soothe the savage beast if we were in church or a restaurant. Now we just feed him. I did recently add a notepad and crayons to the bag, as this seems to be a more interesting option for him during those moments of boredom. Side note: it took me about 12 months to actually find a diaper bag I liked. At least I’m happy now! AND it was a thrift store find!
What I lack in preparedness my mother more than makes up for. I call her purse The Mary Poppins Bag. Whether you need a safety pin, scissors, or an extra pair of running shoes, you can bet she’s got you covered!
P.s. I so totally love this post!!
OK, I am a grandmother, but loved your post! I have a story– first plane trip with my 6 month old son… Who regularly got diahrea (SP??). I thought that I had packed enough disposable diapers for the 2 hour trip, but WRONG! The Big D hits, and we spend too much time in the bathroom, and soon all the diapers are gone. We finally made it to our destination, but my son was wearing a red bandana, as that is all that I had to put on his bottom! Got off the plane and was very happy to get my luggage and more diapers to change out the bandana. No mess in the bandana, thank goodness! That was in 1976 and I still get tense thinking about it!!!
[...] 10. For God’s sake, pack a diaper bag. [...]
You probably won’t even see this as it’s about a month (more!) after you wrote it, but thought I’d add my neurotic over-preparedness to the mix for your entertainment if you ever do read it.
In my purse, I have:
wallet (which includes an emergency contact card)
checkbook
deposit forms for banks
small pad of paper
pen
numerous torn-off pages w/notes and measurements for home projects for reference when shopping
2 cds with all the photos from our wedding and honeymoon in sleeve
keys
sanitizer
smell-good hand lotion
non-perfumed hand lotion
glasses lens cleaner spray
glasses lens cleaner cloth in sleeve
small compact mirror
gum
travel-size pain reliever and allergy meds (for T)
mini pill holder w/a few emergency prescription meds for me
fingernail file
thumb drive
lip balm
emergency supply of female supplies
mini sewing kit
single pk of mosquito wipes
3 sizes of hair clips
ponytail holder
mini pkg of kleenex
doggy doody bag (in case I forget when we take Abby to the park)
safety pins and paperclips in the bottom (any time I come across one, I throw it in there, just in case)
The sheer number of things you survived in that small amount of time is crazy! Wow. So glad the fire didn’t become bigger or cause anyone harm. I think it’s *awesome* that you (& Andrea!) thought to have a bag in a color that your hubby wouldn’t mind carrying. So modern & cool, you are.