The Best Diaper Bags for Working Moms
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Sure, we all know what basics professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
We haven’t gone on a hunt for the best diaper bags in far too long. What have you looked for in a great diaper bag — and which diaper bags and baby bags were (or are) your favorites? For my $.02, the best diaper bag for working moms:
- isn’t too pricey — you don’t mind handing it to the nanny or babysitter
- isn’t too floral or feminine such that certain people in your life groan about carrying it (know your partner, though; maybe floral is fine!)
- is going to be comfortable to carry while possibly a) pushing a stroller, b) baby-wearing, and/or c) fighting with car seat straps
The final thing is the trickiest one. I always found a backpack or crossbody to be best for pushing a stroller or babywearing, and diaper bag totes were way too uncomfortable for me. (But then again, if we had owned a car at the time, a tote bag probably would have been fine!)
{related: my best tips on baby-wearing}
Of course, everyone tells you not to put the diaper bag on your stroller, in case it tips over — so be very careful with it! That said, one of my favorite diaper bags (the sadly discontinued Georgi from BabyCargo!) was designed to slide over the stroller handles very easily.
(Psst: Here’s everything I carried in my diaper bag…)
Do You Really Need a Diaper Bag?
Before we get started, let’s answer a fundamental question: Do you really need a diaper bag? In my humble opinion, I would say that you DON’T need a specially-marketed diaper bag, but you should have a separate bag set aside for your kid that can be handed off to another person (partner, nanny, grandma, partner) instead of just “adding” to your own personal bag.
That said, things that are marketed as diaper bags do have a lot going for them — they tend to be waterproof, with a lot of outside pockets. They often have clips or rings on the outside so you can attach toys, pacifier straps, and so forth. They typically come with a portable changing pad as well, so you don’t need a second one.
If you DO decide to just use a bag you already have as your diaper bag, keep in mind that you may be putting soiled baby clothes in there, as well as bottles full of breast milk, formula, juice, etc. — so you don’t want to use your favorite Hermès bag (unless you consider it disposable or are willing to attempt cleaning all of that from the inside).
If you do use a non-diaper bag as a baby bag, it’s easy enough to add an extra changing pad and a waterproof pouch for wet clothes. Readers have mentioned liking Jansport backpacks for this purpose; I myself carried a Le Sportsac Everyday crossbody because I preferred it for babywearing; this Amazon crossbody bag looks really similar.
Our Favorite Diaper Bags
Our latest favorite diaper bags for working moms include classics from SkipHop and Petunia Pickle Bottom, as well as some options from brands we love for work bags, including Dagne Dover. For affordable options, check LAND or Amazon seller RUVALINO.
Great Diaper Bag Additions
These are a few of the must-have items Kat and Ann have kept in their diaper bags, as well as travel-friendly food like GoGo Squeez pouches, and travel-friendly toys like Tegu magnetic blocks or water-only drawing pads like Melissa & Doug’s Water Wow! (Also a must: a pacifier clip!)
The Best Diaper Bags for Working Moms in 2024
The Best Affordable Diaper Bag: LAND
This is one of the most common bags you see right now, and it looks great — especially for something under $35! There are a bunch of different options in terms of color and pockets, so click around — you can find it at Amazon and Walmart, as well as a bunch of boutiques.
Another highly rated affordable option: this diaper bag from Amazon seller RUVALINO, available in 15 different colors.
The Best Diaper Backpack: Skip Hop
SkipHop has been making great diaper bags for years, particularly their bestselling Forma backpack. You can buy it at Amazon, Carter’s, Skip Hop, Target, Kohl’s, or Walmart.
The Best Eco-Friendly Baby Bag: Paperclip
If you’re committed to eco-friendly purchases, this diaper bag is getting rave reviews at Nordstrom. I like that it’s convertible, made from water bottles, and features a roll-out changing station. It’s $199.
The Best Minimal Diaper Bag: Dagne Dover
I haven’t tried the Dagne Dover diaper bag, but readers have loved Dagne Dover work bags for years. This one can be clipped to a stroller, has an extra zipper opening for easy access wipes, and has a luggage sleeve and laptop carrier (!!!). (You can also find the brand at Nordstrom!)
The Best Boxy Diaper Backpack: Petunia Pickle Bottom
Petunia Pickle Bottom is the OG — this boxy backpack diaper bag has been around for years and years at this point. I love the quilted, matte fabric here, but they have a ton of sleek, minimal designs (and occasionally collaborations with companies like Disney!). Nordstrom and Amazon both have a great selection.
The Best Fancy Diaper Bag That People Actually Like: Lily-Jade Madeline
I once wrote a post about how you SHOULDN’T get a fancy diaper bag as soon as you get pregnant because you end up handing it off to a lot of people. (PLUS, see above re soiled clothes and literally spilt milk.) That said, I looked through the comments here, and there is one fancy-ISH bag that readers like enough to recommend here: the Lily-Jade Madeline.
I really like that you can wear it as a backpack, tote, OR crossbody, and it has a bunch of little details I love in any bag, like metal feet on the bottom.
They currently have three options, regularly priced between $360-$374 (but some on sale as low as $234). There are also matching organizing inserts you can add for $51-$60.
Readers, what do you think are the best diaper bags for working moms? What qualities did you like best about your favorite diaper bag, and which qualities did you HATE?
