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Get Out Your Pitchforks, It's the Regular Diaper Bag!

Posted by Aaron Burgess

Click here to read Get Out Your Pitchforks, It's the Regular Diaper Bag!

Our post from yesterday about a new Dwell diaper bag we're digging found Babble commenter Nolasmom raising an interesting question: We're always telling you about the most awesomest, coolest-looking new diaper bags, but really, aren't all these bags just expensive variations on the same generic tote with garish print? (Sorry, Nolasmom; realize we're paraphrasing.) Anyway, the comment also contained a challenge: "What does this mythical 'regular diaper bag' look like? No seriously, I'd like a photo posted."

[Cue ominous music.]

Below, from Graco (as it seems these things always are), is the archetypal Regular Diaper Bag. It's cheap; it works; but it also looks like a lunchbox with a kiddie print slapped on it. Full disclosure, this is just the bag that got my wife and me through two kids' worth of diapering, and we never had a problem with the thing. But one of the perks of doing this blog is getting to drool over stuff you wished you'd have been smart enough to register for, so here's hoping that whether it's from Dwell, DiaperDude, Skip*Hop or wherever, you've got the good sense to find something better (looking).

While we're on the subject, though, most diaper bags aimed at modern parents seem to follow one of three stylistic variations: the tote, the messenger bag/man-purse, or the modified backpack. Have you ever just used a regular old tote, messenger bag or backpack to carry baby's diapering essentials? I know I have, and it's saved me quite a bit of $$, too.

UPDATE: Seems this post has become a hot topic over at Diaper Bag Junkies -- which, by the way, rules if you're in the market for a bag of your own. Consider me schooled! Oh, and Teri at DBJ, I just might take you up on your offer to help shop for a new bag -- anything to get rid of the monstrosity I'm hauling around.


Comments

 

Sarah Verdone said:

That's not half as bad as the one the hospital gave me when I had my first child - it was mint green with little bunnies all over it. VERY diaper baggy.

January 30, 2008 11:23 AM
 

rachel said:

I like the dwell bag! I don't think the print is bad at all. If they made a skirt out of it, I'd wear it. lol. I still use my giant, awful, plain black diaper bag. It's gotten me through two kids and it works perfectly fine. It was also $10. I have much more productive things to spend my next extra $150 on than a diaper bag.

January 30, 2008 12:44 PM
 

Teri said:

Ok, seriously. A diaper bag doesn't have to look like a diaper bag! First of all there are tote style, messenger style, backpack style, wristlet style, vest style, fanny pack style (my least favorite), etc. My favorite are the non-diaper bag looking diaper bags like the Rafe Kate, or the Not Rational Hansel/Gretel. Take a look at the "Diaper Bag Junkies" blog for some ideas, also Yahoo has a great group called "babybags", these women know more about diaper bags than you can imagine. Some of these women have tried out over 100 bags over the years. Ramalama makes some terrific bags I'd bet you'd never guess that they were for diapers, Mia Bossi too. You don't have to buy brand new, on babybags you can find NWT and EUC bags at great pricing. They will also tell you where to get the best bargains, who the best retailers are and narrow down some options based on what your needs are. Some women need to functionality that a diaper bag can provide and then they want it to last past baby years...

January 30, 2008 4:17 PM
 

Amy said:

I got the SkipHop and I HATE it. It zippers out to get wider at the bottom, but the top doesn't get wider, so it's really hard to find anything inside. The velcro closure gets stuck on blankets and diapers and tears them apart. The bottle compartment is hard to get into. I bought a $20 plain old bag, charcoal gray with orange stitching, and use it all the time.

January 30, 2008 6:35 PM
 

Teri said:

I think Amy wasn't the only one with a problem with the old Skip Hop bags because they have revamped them by eliminating the velcro (why use velcro anyway, it wakes up sleeping babies and like Amy said damages blankets/clothing), adding some of the best stroller straps in the industry and the straps are more comfortable.

January 31, 2008 2:27 PM
 

HipMom76 said:

I got the Kecci Shanghai Mama bag, which is basically a more affordable version of the Petunia Pickle Bottom, and I liked it. But IMO the best ones are those leather diaper bags that once baby is grown you can just use as an oversize bag :-)

February 1, 2008 4:58 PM

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