Every diaper bag guide is a shopping list. This one starts with what people carry, because we asked.
“What’s in your diaper bag?” 1,545 votes
- 19%: Diapers
- 19%: Wet wipes
- 18%: Extra set of clothes
- 15%: Changing pad
Four things, almost evenly weighted. That’s the core. Everything else is situational.
How many diapers to pack
“How many diapers does your newborn use daily?” 1,291 votes
- 47%: 7 to 9
- 29%: 4 to 6
- 21%: 10 to 12
Roughly one every two to three waking hours for a newborn. A simple rule for the bag: one diaper per hour you expect to be out, plus two. The plus-two is for the outing that runs long, which it will.
As it happens, 84% of our readers use disposables and 16% cloth (3,287 votes). Cloth users need a wet bag in the diaper bag, which disposable users can skip.
What to pack, by how often you’ll need it
Always
- Diapers: the rule above
- Wipes: a travel pack, not the giant tub
- Changing mat: many public tables here are fine, plenty aren’t
- Nappy bags for the used one
- One full change of clothes, including socks. A vest alone isn’t a change of clothes when the leak has gone up the back.
- Hand sanitiser, since not every toilet has soap
Nearly always in Singapore
- A thin muslin or light blanket. Not for warmth. For aircon. Malls, restaurants and buses here are cold, and this is the item most often forgotten.
- A spare top for you. Learned once, never forgotten.
- Water for you, especially if breastfeeding
- Sunhat
Depending on age
- Newborn: burp cloths, a dummy if you use one, a spare
- Formula-fed: pre-measured powder, bottle, water. Cooled boiled water if making up feeds out
- 6 months+: snacks, a bib, a spoon
- Toddler: snacks that aren’t a bribe, one small distraction, and a change of clothes you’ll definitely use
The small things that save an outing
- A few plastic bags for wet or soiled clothes
- Paracetamol suspension if your child is old enough for it, and any prescribed medication
- Plasters
- A copy of health booklet details if you’re travelling
What you can leave out
- The changing station organiser, portable bottle warmers and most of the accessory category
- Toys. One, at most. Children will play with your keys anyway.
- A full-size wipes tub
- Three changes of clothes. One is right; two if you’re out all day
Choosing the bag itself
- Backpack over shoulder bag, once you’re also carrying a child. Almost everyone converts eventually.
- Can you open it one-handed? The single most important test, and the one nobody does in the shop.
- Wipe-clean lining. It’ll need it.
- Pram straps, or clips that fit your pram handle.
- An outside bottle pocket, so you aren’t unpacking to find water.
- Does your partner mind carrying it? A bag only one of you’ll be seen with is half a bag.
You don’t need a dedicated diaper bag at all. A rucksack you already own, with a changing mat and a wet bag inside, does the same job.
Frequently asked questions
What should be in a diaper bag?
The four things our readers named most were diapers, wet wipes, a spare set of clothes and a changing pad, at almost equal weighting. Beyond those: nappy bags, hand sanitiser, a thin muslin for aircon, and a spare top for yourself. Everything else depends on your child’s age.
How many diapers should I pack?
One for every hour you expect to be out, plus two. Newborns get through seven to nine a day according to 47% of readers we asked, with 21% saying ten to twelve, roughly one every two to three waking hours.
What do people forget most often?
A thin muslin or light blanket. In Singapore this isn’t about warmth. Malls, restaurants and buses are heavily air-conditioned, and it’s the item most often left behind. A spare top for yourself is the second.
Do I need to buy an actual diaper bag?
No. A rucksack you already own works, with a changing mat and a wet bag inside. If you do buy one, the best test is whether you can open it with one hand while holding a child, which almost nobody tries in the shop.
Backpack or shoulder bag?
Backpack, once you’re carrying a child as well. Most people who start with a shoulder bag switch within a few months.
What to remember
Diapers, wipes, one full change of clothes, changing mat. One diaper per hour out, plus two.
Add a muslin for the aircon and a spare top for yourself, and leave the accessories at home. The bag you already own is probably fine.