In my opinion there IS no difference between a regular bag an a diaper bag... except the price tag! I never used a traditional diaper bag, and I never missed it. Everything I needed for my child fit in a zip-lock bag that slid easily into whatever purse I was carrying, or my husband's coat pocket.

Did anyone else look at this picture an IMMEDIATELY think of "The Hangover"? "Its not a purse, its a satchel."

I had an expensive fancy diaper bag and it was more hassel than helpful. I breastfed so never had a need for bottle pockets and such. They sell small insulated bags for bottles though and they do the trick. Ziploc bags work BETTER at keeping wipes damp and take up so much less space than those hard plastic wipes cases that diaper bags come with. Ziploc bags are great for snacks, diaper cream, etc. I'd say ziploc bags are the number one mose useful thing for outings with baby. I have a really cute zippered pouch that is just big enough to fit a few diapers, wipes and cream and it is all that I need.

So, pick any bag you like!

In general, a regular bag is fine. The one feature that I appreciated in a diaper bag (Skip Hop has them) is the extra clips for hanging the bag from a stroller. If you use a stroller a lot, this can be a real convenience--not having to carry the bag separately, and not having to drag it out of the stroller basket, if it even fits.

You just need to assess what your bag is going to hold (cloth diapers? bottles? a full day's supply of stuff for daycare? or just an extra diaper and a burp cloth?), and decide accordingly. In my experience, something always spills, so a washable bag is a plus.

We use cloth diapers so we needed a bag with lots of room. Since I didn't have any huge purses lying around, we did end up buying a tote that either of us could use. It is easy to transform a regular bag into a "diaper" bag - especially if you are breastfeeding and have lots of ziplocs on hand.

I bought a Skip Hop backpack and I like it but really any back pack would do. I do think it is nice to have a changing pad but you can buy those anywhere and throw it in any bag you choose. I agree - the clips for hanging the bag on the stroller are nice but not an absolute necessity.

You can definitely adapt a regular bag to your needs. If you do, my only suggestion is to choose one with a light interior. Even when organized into pouches and ziplocs, looking into my dark brown interior (especially in a place that is not well lit) drives me mad; inevitably, I fail to put something away anyway and have to dig around. It's so much easier on my eyes and sanity to have a lighter color on the inside (like a light tan).

I also have a skip hop - a black duo deluxe w/ a paci pocket, and agree it's nice but not necessary. I use the pockets (it has A LOT), but you could find a normal bag with lots of pockets. I like the stroller clips and that it's easy to clean the inside. So my priority in a non-diaper-bag would be easy to clean (which the one in the pic doesn't really look like it would be... though it's lovely). Then you'll just need to get a separate changing pad and a travel pack of wipes. A lot of people get those "dipes and wipes" things to carry in a normal bag.

by dipes and wipes thing I meant something like this: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3238648

I used fabric Ikea drawer dividers (Skubb) to give my regular bag some structure. I put 2 square dividers on the bottom and I found they really helped keep things organized.

Open any sort of bag. Add diapers, wipes, and some sort of clean place to put naked baby bottom when you are changing diaper. Can use commercial, home made, or burp cloth. If you use cloth diapers, carry a wet bag. If you use disposables, carry something to dispose of poopy diapers in like NatureBabyCare bags. Anything else that “need” as a new parents can go into a Ziploc bag in the same bag.

There is nothing special about a diaper bag.

I use a large camera bag. The compartments work great for diapers/wipes etc. My bag came from Snugglens at Etsy.

I've been using a regular tote for ages and just recently purchased a diaper bag online. I really liked the look of the tote but I found it hard to keep organized. I'd have to constantly clean it out as it was just one large section with just small pockets. If you get a regular bag I'd suggest trying to get one where there are lots of pockets or options for organizing. I'm fed of up rooting thru the bag looking a ziplock of X or a specific toy in the bottom.

Also, the ziplock thing is also really handy even to organize outfits, not just for snacks.

Good luck!

As much as I tried to convince my husband to buy me the diaper bag Stella McCartney designed for LeSportsSac (a bargain at $450!! it had a keychain with a bunny on it!!), he did not relent and I had to use a regular bag. (sigh) Did the trick, though.

I loved the very simple, black diaper bag I got at the hospital from Similac. I remember my husband telling me to not get a diaper bag because the hospital would give me one, but of course, me being the first time mom, I wanted a cute diaper bag. Well, the one I got was huge and cumbersome,went into storage after one use. After that day, the Similac bag was it.

I did miss (sometimes) it didn't have any pockets, but I did without just fine. For eight months, anyway, because it then broke and ended up with the Skip Hop Duo. I loved the pockets on this one, but was a bit of a hassle sometimes, especially when I needed to pack it well for daycare. I would've loved to continue with the Similac one.

for my first baby i spent $$$ on a gorgeous marc jacobs diaper bag and loved it... but mostly because it didn't scream DIAPER BAG (petunia pickle bottom, anyone?). it looked just like a regular bag. so the second time around, i just bought a less expensive regular bag and one of the dipes and wipes cases mentioned above and it was more than fine. mostly, i just kept some supplies in my car. i think beebalmj has the best advice, though, to consider if you are going to need to be super stocked on supplies for daycare, etc or not. good luck!

I've never had a regular diaper bag. I bought a larger purse with space for one of those portable changing pads, ziploc baggies with diapers/wipes, my nursing cover, and maybe a spare onesie... as he got older, I added in some small toys (those plastic links are great for entertainment/teething, and the Indestructible books take up no space at all). That, plus my wallet, keys, cell phone, sunglasses and maybe a book for me was very manageable. We just have a small bag we stock with extra diapers/pacifier/sippy cup for the church nursery or similar situations - otherwise, everything we need is with me and I only have one bag to drag around. It's even better now, since at 18 months I only need one spare diaper/wipes, a snack, and a juice cup, plus his book, unless we'll be out for a while. Less is definitely more.

Here is a vote for diaper bags! I think all those pockets are really useful- especially the ones for bottles (of course, you may not use bottles, but if you do it's nice to have a way to keep them upright.) I don't understand why a man with a baby would feel uncomfortable with a diaper bag- there are so many options, they don't all have little ducks and chicks on them now! We have a Skip Hop bag with neutral stripes. I don't think it screams "diaper bag" as I have had several people compliment it and ask where I got it, only to be surprised when I told them what it was. I also like keeping my diaper bag packed with the baby stuff (ziploc with wipes, hand sanitizer, formula holder, diapers, change of baby clothes) and having a regular purse for those few occasions when I get to leave the house without babies.

We used a jack spade 'briefcase' looking bag, similar to your pic. Working out well. We used a skip hop diaper changing kit and put rest in ziploc bags. Only drawback is the limit on number of toys for baby as he got older and needs to be entertained.

I never used a diaper bag, per se.... I used a messenger bag. I cloth diapered, so I bought a wet bag from a sport store- it cinches closed at the top for gooey diapers. ;) I tossed it in my messenger bag, and it worked great. I also bought a small insulated lunch bag, for snacks (I breastfed, so no need for bottles). If keeping a pacifier handy is important, it can also go in the snack bag. I had a foldup plastic change pad that was about the size of a large wallet.

I think diaper bags with all their pockets are a hassle they're not worth... go for what you're comfortable with and make it work. MUCH more stylish that way! (though I admit a bit of lust for a McCartney diaper bag, too).

If you are cloth-diapering, it is worth mentioning that you need a bag with shape and structure--all those floppy diapers really take up some room, and if there's nothing to give the bag shape, the bag will flop, too. I learned this the hard way before wising up and using mostly tote-type bags that were very stiff and structured. None were diaper bags, per se, but they did the job beautifully. Do get a wet bag, as melissacj mentioned--mine was zippered, waterproof, and designed for 4 messy diapers. So much better than the potentially hole-riddled grocery bags some of my friends used... ick.

When I was in college, I did it the other way around -- I bought a diaper bag and used it as my regular bag. I love having the extra pockets for all of my school things, and it came with extra pouches where I kept pens, pencils, and my floppy discs. And it was waterproof and washable, so if I spilled a beer on it, no big deal!

Now, baby things go into my purse!

A bag for toting babies and toddler's things needs
A place for a sippy cup, I like a place for my water bottle too.
A place with very quick access (we put the paci there)
I like outside pockets, I love inside pockets, but what makes it useful is what you put in it.
I have two Skip Hops for the stroller straps, but you can buy stroller straps that clip to lots of bags online.

We use a canvas zip-top tote and love it. All you "need" to diaper-bag-ize is to get a changing pad. You can buy one from etsy, skip hop, built and probably a million other places.

My husband received the diaper bag pictured as a gift from his sisters, and at first I was insanely jealous, my bag being plain and boring tote-style. But after I borrowed his, I realized some serious flaws with his sexy satchel: the thing is HEAVY, especially once loaded with baby gear. Also, the messenger flap tucked into the strap makes it very difficult to quickly reach in and grab items like pacis or your wallet. He still uses it every day for work though and really likes it. To each his own!

I picked up a cheap diaper bag on sale from llbean (really just one of their travel bags that had a changing pad) which was handy for when I was leaving my daughter with my parents or at daycare for the day. otherwise, when I am out with my daughter, a big tote has worked perfectly.

Here's what we've been using (we're on baby #2): http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B0002ZA2A6/191-0068575-4969832?SubscriptionId=19BAZMZQFZJ6G2QYGCG2
Sorry it's not available at the amazon link, but you can probably find it somewhere else if you're interested. I like it because it's small and keeps us from bringing a million things with us. Really, any small bag will do. Face it, kids just aren't that complicated. We throw in a few diapers, wipes, some burp cloths (because our babies like to barf up everything they eat), an extra bib, and maybe a toy. There's also a pouch for a pacifier if your baby is into that (although I don't think specially designed pockets are very important). If we're going to be gone for a long time, we take along a lunchbox filled with bottles and an ice pack. Easy. I see people lugging around giant diaper bags and I wonder why...much easier to keep things to a minimum!

Congratulations on your baby!

I wanted a quality, trendy diaper bag, but I didn't want to pay for one. Also, I wanted an option my husband wouldn't mind carrying. I settled on a cute Fossil totebag (coated canvas with lots of pockets and big rings attaching the strap to the bag so you can hang it on stuff or hang stuff on it) and we purchased a Skiphop pronto to be the diaper part. The bag was on mega sale at Belks, and I get complements on it all the time. I even bought the matching wallet. This way, if you're only going out for a quick errand, you can only take what you need. It's easy enough to buy bottle insulators and paci keepers separately. Also, this allows my husband to use his backpack if he wants to cary the diaper gear. One word of advice: make sure the pockets on whatevr bag you choose will do the job for you. Mine are deep but narrow, so sometimes it's hard to get the magnetic closures to stick.

@hmo: That's hillarious! Hauling a diaper bag around campus as a book bag. Genius!

I don't -do- nappy bags. Rather I have a MeloBaby wallet and a SkipHop wallet, both of which are great, and I keep two to three sets of spare clothes in sealable, water-tight bags. I throw these things in whatever bag I'm using, or just in the bottom of the pram. Easy.

If heading out, just a small lunchbox with snacks and a non-leaking drink bottle.

Nappy bags are over-rated IMO.

I make little "kits" in large Ziploc bags (i.e., one with all the diaper change stuff, one with extra clothes, a tiny plastic box with snacks, one with bandaids & sanitizer) and put them in whatever bag I want. I've put these smaller bags into large handbags, tote bags, and our current favorite is a basic drawstring backpack. There are no pockets, but really, no diaper bag we tried had pockets in the right sizes, locations, etc. anyway.

The bonus is that those bags are much lighter weight than any diaper bag, and totally hands-free. (I'd recommend hands-free, either backpack or a cross-body bag, whatever you get.) And my husband is willing to carry it!