Sometimes it’s hard not to feel like a pack mule. The amount of stuff you have to carry around with you grows exponentially with each kid—diapers, wipes, lotion, snacks, extra clothes, milk, burp cloths, teethers, etc. And yes, you could play it cool and try to simply throw everything into the big designer bag you used to carry around pre-kids, but let’s be honest, that can be a bit of a mess. Diaper bags are designed smartly so you can feel organized and prepared everywhere you go. Plus, when things do get messy, they’re much easier to wipe down.
Diaper backpacks, in particular, are awesome because they free up your hands for your kids and don’t weigh you down one shoulder at a time. Lucky for us, they can be fashionable and functional at the same time. (Or at least we think they make us look a little bit cooler anyway.) Here are five of our favorites right now.
HaloVa Diaper Bag: Travel Backpack
This compact, durable, water-resistant, yet inexpensive ($35.99 on Amazon) pack seriously has a place for everything on your to-go checklist. It’s got a zippered front pocket with three insulated pockets hidden inside to fit slim bottles, a waterproof pocket for wet clothes, five interior pockets, plus two side pockets for water bottles, tissues… or whatever else you want. It also has an easy-to-wipe-clean liner and comes in 15 different colors, so you’re basically guaranteed to find at least one that you both (mom and dad) can agree on.
Petunia Pickle Bottom Inter Mix Backpack
No matter what kind of chaos exists inside this beautiful bag ($128.94 on Amazon), you’ll look 100 percent put together on the outside. Part of a larger, customizable line of products, it gives you one large zippered pocket, plus seven others that are roomy enough to slip just about anything you need into. There’s a separate compartment for sticking the changing pad, wipes and wet diapers, too.
RUVALINO Diaper Bag Backpack
With 16 separate pockets, it’s safe to say this backpack ($40.98 on Amazon) has got you and all of your—and baby’s—stuff covered. It has two insulated pockets just for bottles, a large zippered section designated to all your diaper changing necessities, a top pocket for essentials, like your ID, that you need easy access to, and even a padded laptop pocket. Its cushioned, breathable straps make for more comfortable carrying, and its durable, waterproof fabric means it should last forever (or at least through your little one’s toddler years!). Bonus: It’s also available in six cool colors/patterns.
Mokaloo Large Diaper Bag Backpack
This pack ($33.98 on Amazon) has everything you’d want in a diaper bag—pockets galore, insulated places to stash your bottles, waterproof fabric, comfy straps, etc. But the coolest thing about it, in our opinion anyway, is that it also has a built-in USB charging port for your cell phone, which comes in handy way more often than we’d like to admit. As we mentioned, it also has two insulated pockets, a waterproof compartment for wet clothes and/or diapers, five internal pockets and two big ones for water bottles and the like on its sides.
Eddie Bauer Bridgeport Places and Spaces Back Pack
Yes, you read that right: Eddie Bauer makes diaper bags! And not that it’s your main goal, but no one will even know you’re carrying a bag filled with baby gear with this pack ($49.99 on Amazon). It has one big main pocket, plus seven others, so you have plenty of room to stash all your stuff. It also features three insulated pockets for keeping bottles and food safe when you’re on-the-go. Plus, it has a removable changing pad and adjustable straps.