From backpacks with a million pockets to chic totes, these diaper bags will get you through it all.
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In the popular imagination, diaper bags have often been seen as the ultimate symbol of domestication, of a perhaps permanent loss of “cool” on the part of the carrier. Not anymore. As someone who has been loath to transition to the more practical parts of motherhood, I was pleasantly surprised by the available options once I endeavored to do so. There are bags out there for literally every type of parent. Which is great, because some of us will be brunching with our bags, some of us will be backpacking with our bags, and many of us will be too tired to care about our bags.
The sheer volume of diaper bags on the market can be overwhelming to those with so many different kinds of novel products to research in preparation for motherhood. (Do I need a swing or a bouncer? What type of breast pump should I buy? Is a swaddle the same thing as a sleep sack?) To help narrow the field, here’s a short list of the best options on the market for every type of parent.
So, you’re looking for the best diaper bags?
Criteria
The Best Diaper Bags
Best Affordable Diaper Bag
Keababies Original Diaper Backpack
Babies are expensive. This diaper backpack is a great option for reducing those costs with a low price point that belies its quality. The water-resistant bag features insulated bottle pockets, a moisture-trapping pocket for wet wipes and wet clothes, a waterproof changing pad, padded shoulder straps for comfortable wear, and carry straps that can be clipped onto a stroller. It’s deceptively roomy, too.
Best Stylish Diaper Bag
Caraa Baby Bag Medium
While undeniably an investment, this diaper bag was the top pick of many of the moms I surveyed for this piece. Mother-of-twins Andrea Pion Pierre cites its waterproof material, innumerable dedicated pockets, tech compartment, and travel-ready luggage sleeve as some of the features that endeared her to the Caraa. She also loves that it can be worn as a backpack or cross-body and includes stroller hooks. New (and expecting!) mother Bethany C. Meyers, meanwhile, says it’s perfect for travel due to its ability to store diapers, her computer, and breast milk (in insulated pockets) all at once. “Favorite part — it’s stylish. No one would know it’s a diaper bag,” she says. This bag is available in four colorways and also comes in a slightly smaller “medium” size.
Best Lightweight Diaper Bag
Calpak Diaper Backpack with Laptop Sleeve
“Calpak’s new baby line is an absolute dream,” says mother-of-two Laura Lajiness. “The fabric is lightweight, durable, and wipeable — which is essential — while coming in the cutest colors.” This pack includes a ton of pockets, including insulated bottle pockets, a large insulated pocket perfect for breast milk or food storage, and several zippered pockets for maximum organization. It’s made from recycled, water-resistant nylon and features an easy-to-open-while-juggling-a-baby magnetic closure. Calpak’s Portable Changing Pad Clutch is also pretty, well, clutch for those who want to carry light or add changing essentials into any bag.
Best Sleek and Sexy Diaper Bag
Mina Baie Stevie Nylon Diaper Bag
Can a diaper bag be sexy? Yes, apparently. “Mina Bae’s diaper bag sits at the top of my baby registry because it doesn’t look like all those other baby bags,” says mother-of-two Stephanie Montes. “With luxury details like leather accents and gold hardware, I’d use this bag even if I didn’t have kids. But it’s the endless storage and 15 different pocket options that make it perfect for organizing all those baby supplies.” This wipeable backpack also features a removable shoulder strap, laptop sleeve, stroller hooks, and a changing pad. It’s additionally available in neoprene and vegan-leather versions. It runs $285, or here for $245.
Best Disguised Diaper Bag
Dagne Dover Indie Diaper Backpack
The unique design of this neoprene diaper backpack means that it’s not easily identifiable as a diaper bag and it offers a gender-neutral option no one will be embarrassed to tote around town. It comes in a number of colors and features a roomy main compartment with numerous pockets, an insulated bottle holder, washable and removable zipper bag, wipeable changing mat, and a small neoprene pouch for odds and ends. “The Dagne Dover backpack has been the easiest on-the-go diaper bag — I never thought I would be a backpack girlie, but you need both hands with a newborn,” says new mother Leah-Vail Soloff. “I got the larger size, but in mustard yellow so my husband can wear it as well.” It also features a luggage sleeve and shoulder hooks for ease of transport.
Best Belt Diaper Bag
Kibou Bag
Many moms end up ditching full-on diaper bags in favor of more compact options, at least when they’re just running out for small pockets of time, and belt bags tend to be a favorite. This version from Kibou received multiple recommendations. “Looking at it, you wouldn’t be able to tell that it isn’t your average fanny pack or cross-body — but it’s actually a Mary Poppins bag that comes with a detachable changing pad, waterproof pocket for wet wipes, and slots for your cards and cash,” says Esther Park, co-founder of Ahma & Co. Its recycled vegan-leather exterior and interior nylon lining are both wipeable, making the bag “so easy to clean,” according to Park. “If you’re on the go and need something that holds all the essentials and will keep your hands free, this is it,” she says.
Best Multipurpose Diaper Bag
Swehl Cloud 9 Sling
This sporty cross-body bag, which includes ample space for diapers, wipes, your phone, and more, doubles as a breastfeeding sling, a.k.a. the chicest on-the-go nursing pillow you’ve ever seen. I’m personally obsessed with it, and love that the pillow can be removed after the baby stops nursing for non-maternity-related use.
Best Breast Pump Bag
Mimi and Pal Radley Breast Pump Backpack,
This bag is unique in that it features a compartment designed specifically to store breast pumps and their assorted accessories, including space for a small cooler bag. The vegan-leather backpack also features 16 different pockets, some insulated, some zippered; a dedicated laptop sleeve; a luggage sleeve; padded shoulder straps; and stroller hooks. “As a mom who’s been through it — from breastfeeding and pumping and then all of the things that come during toddlerhood and beyond — I loved having a bag that was versatile, functional, and could grow with me at every stage but also felt really stylish,” says Jenney Korasick, mother-of-two and co-founder of It’s My Leche.
The Best Diaper Bag for Adventuring
No Reception Club The Getaway Diaper Bag Bundle
This is the perfect bag for embarking on excursions with your baby. The airline carry-on-size bag includes tons of smart storage including customizable shelves in the main compartment, an “emergency” compartment for anything wet or odorous, a compartment specifically designed for diaper essentials, an insulated lunch bag, several pockets designed for storing personal items such as phones and wallets, external water-bottle pockets, padded shoulder straps, and more. “I was the most put-together I have ever felt on a trip thanks to the No Reception bag,” says reviewer and mother-of-one Sheri. This bundle is worth the extra $40, as it also includes a changing pad and belt bag, which fits perfectly into the bigger bag’s diaper-essentials compartment for easy removal and on-the-go use.
The Best Weekender Diaper Bag
Childhome Mommy Diaper Bag
This large, wipe-clean bag is perfect for weekend trips. What it lacks in dedicated pockets it makes up for in space. The main compartment has plenty of room for outfit changes, blankets, diapers, breast pumps, and assorted baby accessories — and potentially even your own belongings, too. It also features a zip pocket and insulated bottle pouch for some organizational help, and a luggage strap to lighten the literal load on your shoulders. Because it’s so roomy, I’m planning to use this as my hospital bag as well.
Best Diaper Bag for the Apocalypse
Tactical Baby Gear Daypack Diaper Bag
Some people approach leaving the house with a baby much as they would prepare for an apocalypse, and for those parents, this is the bag. In addition to giving “don’t mess with me (and my baby)” vibes aesthetically, it delivers, for doomsday or a Tuesday, in terms of function. The bag features a built-in changing pad, a pocket for wipes, a soft-lined pocket for sunglasses, bottle pockets, a roomy main compartment with three tiers of storage, and stroller straps. It’s made from water-resistant “tactical polyester” for durability, and can be purchased in a bundle that includes a tactical cooler pouch (for keeping milk cold) and tactical dump pouch (for dirty diaper storage), both of which can fit inside the main bag. I’m planning to gift this one to my partner, as he’s basically one bug-out bag short of a doomsday prepper.
Best Tote Diaper Bag
Pehr Marigold Diaper Bag
This sweet-but-not-saccharine, ethically made, wipeable organic cotton tote offers a no-frills way to, well, tote everything your baby needs. It’s relatively spacious and can be a great option for multiple children or extended use, with an internal zippered pocket and several diaper-and-bottle-perfect pouches. “This diaper bag is darling and just the perfect size for a weekend getaway with my little,” says reviewer and mother-of-one Emily J., who notes that she found both the fabric and the zipper to be super-durable. It also features handle straps and a removable cross-body shoulder strap for convertible wear.
Best Minimalist Diaper Bag
Ayla & Co Ayla Diaper Bag
This chic, no-frills bag offers a surprising amount of, well, frills. Its streamlined features include a decent-size main compartment with a number of pockets, including bottle pockets, a reusable snack bag, a vegan-leather changing pad, a reusable wet bag, an insulated and removable bottle or snack pouch, and a removable and washable inner lining. It’s perfect for minimalist parents who are efficient at packing and don’t want to dig through a bottomless bag with a sometimes-screaming baby in tow. It can also be converted from backpack to shoulder bag, and features stroller straps as well. “This bag is sturdy, trendy, and yet super-functional,” says reviewer and mother-of-two Kristi Hames. “It arrived just in time for a vacation with a toddler and infant, and helped to keep me organized and have all available to me during a 12-hour drive.”
Best Designed Diaper Bag
Beis The Ultimate Diaper Backpack
This extra-large backpack from actress Shay Mitchell’s travel-accessory brand, Beis, is perfect for those desiring a gender-neutral, subtle option hiding a ton of ingenious features. It includes not one but two wet-wipe-dispensing pouches and tons of pockets to accommodate various needs, including bottle slots, a laptop sleeve, and a removable fanny pack for when you’re on the go but don’t want to lug the entire backpack around. And zipped into the back of the pack is a fold-out changing station with convenient storage for diapers, wipes, creams, and the like. “So much thought goes into the make of this bag — it’s highly functional and great quality. I recommend it to all new parents,” says reviewer Rachel P.
Best Reviewed Diaper Bag
Babbleroo Diaper Bag Backpack
Over 25,000 people have reviewed this diaper bag, and yet it has retained a 4.8-star rating, which is no small feat. It’s stylish yet understated and available in nearly 20 colors and prints. It’s also incredibly functional, with 18 different pockets designed to perform various duties, including diaper organizers, insulated bottle pockets, side bottle pockets, a wet-wipe sleeve, and more. It includes a changing pad and detachable pacifier case and features shoulder straps, a top handle, and stroller straps for convertible use. Parents applaud its durability, and the price point is definitely on the lower end for a long-lasting diaper bag.
Best Mini Diaper Bag
Freshly Picked Classic Diaper Bag
Freshly Picked’s popular minimalist Classic Diaper Bag comes in a mini version, which is great for those who are not keen to carry such a large load every time they leave the house. It’s definitely a diaper bag — the inner compartment is insulated and it features several bottle pockets — but it’s also just a great bag that can be utilized well past the baby days. It comes in a ton of colors and patterns, too, including everything from neutrals to Barbie pink to “Disney adult.”
Best Designer Splurge
Chloé Logo Cotton & Leather Diaper Bag
This category is truly subjective — and there are a lot of great options out there from the likes of Burberry, Prada, Dior, Gucci, and others — but this Chloé bag is chic without being ostentatious, with a price point landing at under $1,000 (versus over $3,000). The roomy bag includes both top handles and a shoulder strap, a removable pouch, and a changing pad. Part of its charm is that it looks more like a diaper bag than some of the other designer offerings, for those who want to give off a distinctly cool-mom vibe, but since it’s not overly designed in terms of baby-specific function, it can also be worn well beyond early-maternity days.
Best Faux-Leather Diaper Bag
Luli Bebe Monaco Faux Leather Diaper Backpack
The Luli Bebe Monaco backpack is favorite among moms due to its chic aesthetic, stain-resistant vegan-leather exterior and wipeable satin fabric interior, and pared-down, fuss-free design. “I’m all about diaper bags that don’t scream ‘diaper bag,’ and that’s why I swear by the Luli Bebe Monaco,” says Ani Yemenijdian, co-founder of Norani Baby.” It’s got that sleek backpack vibe, but inside, it’s a total parents’ dream with enough space for all my kid essentials.” It features nine pockets for optimizing organization and backpack and shoulder straps, and it’s available in a number of colorways.
Best “Cool Mom” Aesthetic Diaper Bag
The Honest Company City Backpack Diaper Bag
Many mothers say this vegan bag has endured through several children, with one mom using it for nearly a decade without pause. “The Honest Company’s City backpack was my favorite diaper backpack. It lasted through two babies and lots of diaper changes,” says Zoe Castro, lead designer at Young Days. “It’s super-stylish, comfortable, and functional. I definitely felt like a “cool mom” sporting this bag, and I still use it to this day for picnics and travel with my kids.” It features a large insulated compartment, five interior pockets, a changing pad and zippered wipes/diapers compartment, and, like all Honest Co. goods, is designed intentionally to be free of toxic materials. (Note that some moms do report issues with zipper durability, though this experience is not universal.)
Best Diaper Bag With Pockets
Jujubee Million Pockets Deluxe Backpack
This bag lives up to its name, boasting a total of 25 pockets — 8 exterior and 17 interior, including mommy pockets, bottle pockets, zippered compartments for changing and feeding supplies, a padded laptop pocket, and a quick-reach cell-phone pocket. “It’s great for holding literally everything,” says Taylor Donner, marketing director at Copper Pearl. “As a working mother of two, it has space for all of baby’s supplies, toddler snacks, and even my laptop for work.” The vegan-leather exterior is “super-wipeable,” says Donner, and the interior is wipeable as well. Moms also love the Jujubee Zealous Backpack, which is fully machine washable as well.
