The Godzilla of Diaper Bags...

People have asked me (ok, one person has asked me…) what I bought or received for the baby that I’ve found I didn’t really need. The honest truth is that I didn’t really need most of what I have, but it’s still been fantastic to have around…


-The bottle warmer with the cooler on it that I keep in the nursery was great when feeding occurred every two hours because it saved me countless trips up and down the stairs at 2am to get bottles from the fridge. And believe me, walking up and down the stairs when you haven’t slept for more than two hours at a time for several days is something you want to avoid. That’s simply self-preservation.

-Having a second, smaller bottle warmer downstairs that also disinfects pacifiers? Now that’s just convenient.

-Sure, the bedding I got for the crib didn’t get much use, but it made things cute.

-Since the swing is sometimes the only way we can get the kid to nap, the travel swing is great because it can be moved through the house easily, especially when I need to shower. I set that swing on the bathroom floor, and she dozes where I can still see her. I don’t smell, she’s well-rested, it’s a win for everyone.

-The boppy is just so much easier to use for arm support during feedings than a regular pillow. Ok, that does sound really lazy. But the boppy also doubles as support for a baby who’s learning to sit up on her own. So it’s not just all about me.

-The bottle drying rack/organizer keeps all of the bottle parts up and out of the way. And if you use the Doctor Brown bottles that we have, there are a lot of little parts.

-The pack n’ play that vibrates and has a changing table? Priceless.


I could go on and on because when it comes to items for the baby, the options are endless. But in the end, the most useful of all items I received for the baby turned out to be this amazingly wonderful Pottery Barn tote:




See that huge bag in the back? The one that could fit me, the baby, and all of our stuff in it? The one that’s billed as a toy box? I have to say, it is the absolute best way to travel. It was perfect when we went to Indiana over Christmas, and, because you pack almost as much for two days away with a baby as you do for ten, it’s great for weekend trips, too. I throw absolutely everything into this bag, including the bottle warmer, the boppy, the formula, the bottles, the jug of special baby water (I know, I had no idea such a thing existed…), the white noise machine, the baby monitor, clothes, diapers, wipes, burp cloths, extra blankets, sheets for the pack n’ play, etc. Everything I own that has to do with the baby? It all goes into this bag. I love it.

And I get the chance to use it again this weekend, when Brigid and I get the hell out of dodge before a pack of Steve’s college friends descend on my home. So convenient.

Besides, I figure if my house isn’t still standing at the end of the weekend, the tote can always double as a tent for the family. Now that is a useful product, right there.