The Diaper Bag Chronicles

New moms are always chatting and comparing notes on diaper bags. They need to look good because they’re permanently attached to you, but at the same time you need them to be functional for you and your baby.  When I was pregnant with Jack and Charlie and did diaper bag research, I was on a mission to find a a bag that would suit the needs of a multiple mom of newborns. I needed an everything but the kitchen sink kind of bag- we’re talking space for two sets of bottles, my pump, bibs and burp cloths, diapers, wipes, creams, toys, changes of clothes… you get the picture!

I chose the Jujube Be Prepared, a well-designed and easy-to-clean lightweight bag with compartments and pockets galore. It also has a special zip compartment for your phone, wallet and personal gear, but because it’s so massive, I find I only bring it if we’re going out for longer trips with both babies and need an arsenal of stuff. Instead I usually just throw my Toronto-designed Elari diaper wallet and a few other essentials into a large leather Goyard tote. Especially now that the boys are fully on solids and only have a bottle in the morning and night, I don’t need as many supplies on a typical daytime outing.

Now I am excited about a new design that the wonderful folks at Indigo have called my attention to: the duet diaper bag from Skip Hop. We are already big fans of the Skip Hop brand in our house; their moby bath accessories and playmats are favourites, so I’m not surprised that they applied their usual creative interpretation of baby gear to the diaper bag.

It is called the duet because it is essentially two bags in one: a fashion forward faux-leather tote on the outside, but it also boasts a removable organizer inside that can be worn on its own as a crossbody bag as well. Any professional schlepper know a cross body bag is a beautiful thing- you gotta free up those hands!

I took the duet out for a spin today at the zoo with both boys and it worked well for us. The taupe model is a nice change for the warmer weather and it was comfortable enough to carry around for a couple of hours. I would definitely recommend this bag for someone who wants a chic looking bag with a lot of structured storage. For multiple mommas, the duet wouldn’t replace our JuJube Be Prepared for an overnight trip, but it’s srill great for outings where you need more than a quick diaper change. It’s a good value too priced at $145 at Indigo, especially considering you’re getting two functional bags for the price of one.

PS- I’m dying a little inside that the Jujube now comes in black and white stripes with gold hardware! It’s like they transferred my setee into a bag! This was so not available when I purchased mine and now I have fomo from losing my chance to carry it! I chose a solid black with silver piping so that my husband wouldn’t feel alienated walking around with a girly bag, but man this would have been killer!