One trend that we love to see seems to be gaining a lot of momentum–dads taking an active role in raising babies. Some men have always been very involved with their kids and we want to give credit where credit is due. But it seems that some men have traditionally been a little standoff-ish when it comes to handling babies, changing diapers, and toting around all the girly stuff that comes with a baby.
As more dads begin to embrace the role of a dual caretaker, we recognize that these dudes might have unique needs that don’t involve picking out the best quality breast pads. Here’s a little insight into what every dad really needs to carry in their backpack baby bag.
First, Pack the Dad Diaper Bag Essentials
All the usual suspects for the diaper bag, including diapers, wipes, food, soothers, toys, a change of clothes, and an extra blanket are a good start. Some dad’s might be a little less detail-oriented so we’ll give you a high-level diaper bag checklist.
Make sure that you have these key things covered:
- Hygiene: Diapers, wipes, changing pad, and a change of clothes.
- Food: Breast milk or formula for infants, baby cereal for early eaters, and more snacks than you think for toddlers.
- Soothers: Pacifiers, favorite stuffies, an extra blanket, and any other means of calming down a cranky baby that you have at your disposal.
- Entertainment: Age-appropriate toys and board books.
- Comfort: An extra layer, a hat, and an extra blanket are a good start.
Then, Add a Few Extras to the Backpack
You’ll need plenty of room for all this gear, luckily the best diaper bags offer plenty of capacity and organization so that you can fit more and find more. We particularly like the idea of a backpack diaper bag for dads because they’re convenient, capable, and parent neutral.
Consider adding:
- An extra, extra change of clothes (dads can be a little messy sometimes, too.)
- The pediatrician’s phone number (because dad probably doesn’t know the number by heart like mom does.)
- Extra formula or breast milk if the baby will be away from mom.
- Extra snacks
- More diapers
The good news is that diaper backpacks have plenty of pockets. While you might consider carrying a traditional diaper bag with the assumption it will hold more, some of the best backpack diaper bags for men are much more comfortable and surpass traditional diaper bags’ storage capacities.
Does Dad Need a Diaper Bag?
For many men, it’s tempting to skip anything that resembles a purse. But we promise, your biggest pair of cargo pants doesn’t have enough pockets for all the diapers, wipes, pacifiers, and creams that you’ll need on the road. So, yes–absolutely, dad needs a diaper bag.
The best dad diaper bag is plenty big, neutral in color, and comfortable to carry. Among the top of our favorites is the men’s diaper bag backpack in a faux leather material that is stylish, masculine, and easy to clean.