My Quest for the Perfect Diaper Bag

Now that my due date is looming and I have come to the realization that I will have two children under 2 in about 12 days, both of whom will be in diapers, I am now on a quest for the perfect diaper bag. I still have 2 diaper bags from Peanut but these in no way will meet my needs with the new baby. I guess I was being optimistic when several months ago I believed that Peanut would be potty trained by the time the new baby got here. Now I realize that milestone is months away, as I don't really think I will be able to attempt to potty train her in the first few months of caring for a newborn.

With Peanut we purchased a gender neutral, smaller diaper bag that worked for what we needed at the time. My husband wanted to have a diaper bag that he felt comfortable carrying when he was out by himself so I agreed to get a hunter green bag. It is really ugly and does not have a lot of space. I quickly realized that everywhere I went, I had to carry a diaper bag and my purse, and that was a pain in the butt. We also got a free bag from the hospital we delivered at, this one a bit more spacious, but still with the name of the hospital printed on the outside. Not very fashionable.

For the past several months I have just been putting Peanut's stuff in a large purse I have and carrying that. While I feel more fashionable this way, it still presents a few problems. First, there are no compartments in this bag so everything settles to the bottom. There have been many times where I have been at the grocery store and had to pull out a stack of diapers, wipes, books, ect. just to get to my wallet. Secondly, if I am going out without Peanut this bag looks so sad flopping emptily with just my wallet, phone, and keys in it after I have taken all the baby stuff out. It's just not practical.

This now brings me to my quest for the perfect bag. The first thing I am looking for is space. It needs to have several compartments so that I can separate the new baby's stuff from Peanut's stuff. And if I am going out for a full day this includes diapers for both, lots of wipes, toys, changes of clothes, bottles, ect. I am also looking for space for my stuff as well so I can just slip my wallet, keys, phone, and coupons into a compartment when I go out with the kids, and then easily transfer them to a purse when I am not with the kids.

The next thing I am looking for is a fashionable bag. I am not the most stylish lady on the block and I certainly don't carry designer bags. I do however try to feel like a girl on most days. And with a fresh c-section scar and breast milk leaking from your nipples, I think that is the time to want to feel a little good about yourself. That is why I want my diaper bag to feel like a really stylish, over-sized purse. I don't really care for the messenger style of diaper bag because it makes me feel like I am in school again. I just want something that looks and feels nice to carry.

The third thing I am looking for is affordability. The problem I have been finding is that this bag exists, but it comes in the $100 plus price range. There is no WAY I can see justifying spending that much money on a bag. Even in my pre-baby days, I could not see spending that much money on a purse for myself. Now with two kids and trying to save up money to go back to school, there is even more incentive not to spend like a wild-woman on a bag, especially when I have two at home that I CAN use in a pinch.

Tell me, does this bag that I am looking for exist? Can I afford it? Does it have enough space with separate compartments? Is is fashionable? Can I carry it like a purse? Help!!!

Baby K'Tan Review Part 1

I first saw the Baby K'Tan baby carrier in a boutique baby store in my town several months ago and really fell in love with it but I couldn't test it out because they didn't have my size . A few days ago I received it in the mail and was even more impressed. With my last baby, I had a "baby bjorn" style carrier that had buckles and straps and did not allow for much skin to skin contact. It was very difficult to get on and off when I was by myself, especially with an infant. Needless to say, I did not use it very much.

When I learned I was pregnant again I was determined to find a better solution to my baby wearing problem. I knew that with a busy two year old to chase after, I was going to need a baby carrier more than ever. I had tried out the traditional ring slings before but ultimately found them too confusing and time consuming to put on.

The baby K'Tan baby carrier is a cross between the traditional sling and the "baby bjorn" style baby carrier in that it is already put together for you, but allows for multiple baby carrying positions and more skin to skin contact. It also features a two shoulder sling design that allows for more back support as baby's weight is distributed across both shoulders. I was also concerned after the recalls of baby slings as I wanted to make sure the sling I chose was safe. Baby K'tan is in full compliance with the CPSC warning and recall and includes instructions and has videos on their website about how to wear your baby properly.

The baby K'tan carrier is also machine washable and dryer safe, something that my old carrier was not. You also buy the carrier in the size that fits you so you aren't left with tons of extra fabric like the traditional ring sling. It is even designed to support your child's weight up to 42 lbs.!!! I don't know of any other carrier that can support that much weight.

I call this review Part 1 because as I do not have my infant yet, I can't review the ease of putting my baby in the carrier or how useful it is just yet. I can tell you that the color and fabric are beautiful. The fabric feels so comfortable, like a really comfortable cotton t-shirt, just a little thicker and more durable. I ordered the warm cocoa color and I really like how it looks. The carrier comes in several other colors as well. It even comes with a hat for your infant and a sash that can accommodate other positions as your baby grows and to support kangaroo care.

I have to admit I was a little intimidated at first when taking the carrier out of the box in that I was unsure how to put it on or if I was going to be able to figure it out. I took one look at the basic cradle hold in the instruction booklet and figured out how to do it on my first try. I even took it upstairs to my husband to show him how to do it. He even said that he wants to wear it!!

There are 8 other positions to learn that are detailed in the instruction booklet and online in videos on their site, but until my baby is big enough, those won't be necessary.

Now for the bottom line: the price. The baby K'tan carrier can be purchased on the site for $59.99. This is a little pricier than the old fashioned ring sling, but I think it is comparably priced to the "baby bjorn" style carriers. And with it having so many positions to choose from, I think the price is well worth it. You can buy one for yourself at Baby K'tan.

Keep an eye out at the end of August/beginning of September. When my baby is born I will be doing a second review and plan on doing a giveaway of a Baby K'tan Baby Carrier at that time to one of my lucky readers. Stay tuned!

I recieved a Baby K'Tan Baby Carrier at a discounted rate for the purposes of a review but the opinions expressed are my own.