Maine Nesties
Glitzyklm
member
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
recommend your diaper bag
One of the things I haven't purchased yet is a diaper bag. Tell me what you have. What you love about it and where to find it 
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Re: recommend your diaper bag
I had a Petunia Picklebottom that I picked up at a TJ Maxx or Marshall's. It was awesome. It had lots of room and could be carried as a shoulder bag or a backpack. It also had clips that allowed you to fasten it onto the stroller handles so you didn't need to carry it while pushing a stroller. It also had a detachable changing pad and bottle pockets. Oh, and really cute fabric choices!
We're registered for the Skip Hop Bento since it's huge and not too girly (AKA it is DH approved). Given that we're CDing right from the start, size was important to me. Also, I like the food storage cubby on the bottom for keeping snacks for the kiddo (and us). Like kclouts', it has the stroller hook thingies, changing pad, and the bottle pockets are insulated (I think).
Another customer at BB&B today told me that Target has a Skip Hop for fairly cheap (it's all black), but I'm not sure if it is as big as the Bento.
I have had three and they all have pros and cons.
Vera Bradley: Cute designs, lots of pockets inside. Easy to organize and find things. I found the over the shoulder style to be hard, especially with a toddler, since I'm moving around with him so much and having the bag fall off or have to be carried around is a pain. DH isn't a fan of carrying it when he goes out alone.
Lands End: Small, but easy to organize. They have a bigger version too. I liked the cross body style.
Columbia Backpack. Probably our favorite- although one of the zippers is breaking a bit. DH and I both like using it and I find the backpack style to be really easy to use just about anywhere. I've also used a regular LL Bean backpack, which works well too!
Not sure what I'll do with 2 kids worth of stuff, but I'm thinking about an new backpack style like this.
We used two:
One was a backpack that we already had which had serveral compartments. The biggest compartment I used one for diapers,wipes and a change of clothes. The next biggest for bottles, formula and later baby food and snacks. The medium sized in the front I used for meds, thermometer, etc. This backpack is what I sent him to daycare with.
The other bag is one I picked up at Target. It was just a big black leather "mom bag." I packed this to use when shopping, going to restaurants so that it doubled as my purse, too. It had some pockets inside where I could tuck my cellphone, chapstick, wallet and it easily fit a few diapers, wipes, cream, change of clothes, and the baby bottle bag.
I got a Columbia one off my registry at BRU. I have no major complaints about it.
PROS:
-Lots of inside pockets for stuff
-Nice pacifier pocket in the front
-Love the courier strap for cross body
-Hands-free carrying (all my bags & purses are cross body)
-Genderless
-Good for Mom and Dad
-Changing pad is convenient
-Decent amount of space especially when you undo the expanding zipper
-I can keep the top zipper open for quick access (like when reaching into the back seat) while the velcro flap keeps things from falling out if it tips over
CONS:
-The changing pad/diaper pocket is a little small, especially with cloth diapers and when a bottle/stuff is in the insulated pocket
-It really eats into the interior space
-Doesn't have a lot of "personality"
-When the changing pad is out, it gets a little floppy
-It has a LOT of pockets, which can sometimes make finding things a challenge- but that's a damned if you do, damned if you don't type of thing!
Overall, I'd recommend it. I don't use it very often as I don't do a lot of traveling that requires a bag, but when we do go, we never hesitate to load it up or complain about it's functionality at all.
We have the same bag. I had the vera bradley one with Grace but after 3 years of CONSTANT use, it was looking pretty worn! Plus the fabric on the handles was fraying. But I did love it and seriously used it everyday. I found the skip hop one a TJ Maxx, I have seen them there quite a bit and they are cheaper than online, I can't remember exactly how much I want to say $25ish but I could be wrong. I love this bag too and it is really durable.
I have three...
my favorite: Fleurville Sling Tote in this pattern .... love it right now. Works perfectly for me. Has a zip top, pockets inside and out, shoulder straps and a cross body strap plus stroller straps. Highly recommend this one.
Land's End Do It all bag-- it's sturdy but you can't zip and unzip on the run. It would be good for day trips when you might need more things.
I also have a vera bradley diaper bag but have not used it. I know several people with the microfiber vera bradley bag (can't find it online) and seem to like it.
We have the Skip Hop Duo Deluxe (Target version). I loved it! It fit enough stuff for two kiddos without looking like it was going to explode. It had pockets that I could put all my stuff into, plus all of their stuff. It had the stroller clips so it was easily accessible (I used it as a cup holder a few times because my stroller doesn't have one!)
Only complaint is that when I got it, it didn't have a top zipper, just velcro... I think they have since changed it and it has a top zipper, but all in all a minor complaint.
The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware; joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware. -Henry Miller
http://cookthehumbletable.blogspot.com/
This! I bought a travel bag from LL Bean, because their "diaper bag" was the exact same bag, but I liked the green color I got better. It fit tons when she was little and we were doing GroVia (disposable inserts). Didn't fit as much when we switched to BG (last oct/nov) so I got a large zip top boat and tote which fits tons. It just doesn't have any compartments.
Now that we don't need nearly as much as we did last winter when we go places, I'm back to the green LLB travel bag. It's great for a few diapers, snacks and misc junk. I'm a bag addict though, so I don't mind switching them up. If we are gone overnight or it's a super long day, I do take the boat and tote. And I even end up packing another small bag with toys (because I way over pack, always!)
I was given a Timi and Leslie bag when I went on the Ellen show, but it fell apart within months.
I got a storksak and really like it. It was a little pricy, but I use it all the time, like that it has a messenger style strap if I want and it has tons of pockets. I also like that it doesn't look too much like a diaper bag. I do wish it had stroller straps though.
I tried a few different diaper bags.
Skip Hop Dash - it's a messenger style bag and it's small. Too small for my taste.
Petunia Picklebottom Boxy Backpack - I never actually used this. I bought one online in a impulse purchase and was turned off the by the spot-clean only fabric and the lack of pockets on the outside.
L.L.Bean diaper bag - sturdy, decent number of pockets, but I didn't like that it didn't have stroller straps
Fleurville Lexie Tote - cute, good amount of space, stroller straps. The outside pockets are too small to accomodate bottles. I used this bag for about a year. My biggest complaint is that it was heavy.
Skip Hop for Target bag - this was my favorite bag (and the cheapest!). Stroller straps, side pockets big enough for bottles/sippy cups, lots of pockets. It has two shoulder straps to use like a tote bag and a detachable long strap to use like a messenger. I actually liked the velcro top (vs. a zipper) because it made it easy to toss things in the top.