Baby C’s Three Weeks Old Product Reviews
And…. I’m posting this when he’s actually a month old. Whoops. ACTUALLY HE’S SEVEN WEEKS OLD… y’all how has it taken me a month to write this lol. Anyways.
Diaper bags. They’ve come a long way since the last time I had a baby over a decade ago- which really is the case with everything out there now!
I went a little overboard this time around and got essentially four diaper bags- one being a gift from a coworkers that was on my registry.
I had in my mind that I wanted a plain looking bag with backpack/shoulder/adjustable straps… so that my guy could carry it as well as not feel emasculated (not that a girly bag would bother him though). I found the Caraa Bag early on, it was the first one I got:
I liked it because it wasn’t too girly, so perhaps my boyfriend might share in carrying it. It has the option for a shoulder strap as well as backpack straps, which tuck neatly away in their own pocket. It’s also got multiple spots for insulated, zipped pockets.
Things that I liked:
I didn’t expect the insulated pockets to benefit me as much as they did, but since I was using a slim Sistema bento box for my lunch at work, I could easily fit it in the front insulated pocket. Also the side pockets have both a zipped insulated area and a outside section. The insulated areas kept my canned drinks cold, which is nice.
The additional removable caddy with labeled pockets was a bigger win than I expected- as I have been using it in other bags. I just keep the items that will go with me no matter which bag I’m carrying and I move it around in this caddy.
Things that didn’t live up to the hype:
The backpack straps feel a bit flimsy to me. I think this is due to the nylon material literally feeling a little on the slippery side, but also the straps themselves aren’t very sturdy. I would prefer if they were a ribbed nylon material and also could get tighter. Same with the shoulder strap, which is nice and thick but feels flimsy. There is a material on the underside of it which feels like a rubbery textured substance, likely to cut down on the “slippyness” as I’m calling it.
The inside pockets are made of a clear, plastic like material. It’s nice to be able to see what’s in the pockets but I personally don’t care for the feeling of that material. I would prefer something like what’s in the Ayla bag.
Big drawback: I can’t fit my laptop in the zipped pocket in the rear of the bag zipped up. It’ll fit one way, but not the other, and not zipped.
A similarly styled one is here on Amazon.
The second bag I got, I decided I wanted one that looked a little bit more stylish. And while I liked the look of the backpack style, I thought it might be nice to have the shoulder bag style as an option. In comes the Happ Paige Carryall, and it fit way more items than I expected. I really liked the look of the bag, and while there’s pockets all around the edge of the bag… there’s no large inside divider. So it’s really just like a cute, large purse but with more pockets and two sets of straps: thick padded ones that can snap together but also a nylon adjustable shoulder strap. I thought this would be my special occasion diaper bag but it’s turned into my everyday diaper bag, except for the Caraa which goes with me to work/school the most.
One of the best things about this bag is that it’s deep and wide enough that I can fit my laptop in it, along with other items, AND the shoulder strap doesn’t slip and is sturdy. I can actually also fit the laptop in the outer pocket almost all the way in, there’s just not a zipper.
Things that I liked:
The shoulder strap, the depth and width of the bag, and general overall look of the braided material. This particular vegan leather didn’t feel cheap.
Things that didn’t live up to the hype:
This isn’t really about what didn’t live up to the hype, but I did miss not having an insulated pocket area more than I expected. This could be fixed by simply adding one. I did end up using the Caraa bag’s additional removable caddy in this bag, which was a great addition. I do wish there was a divider in the middle of the bag but that’s also ok because this way I can stuff larger blankets in it.
And not long before I had the baby, I ended up with two more diaper bags… although one isn’t really a bag per se. And the other one was a last minute packed purchase (I had a few of those). Enter the Ayla bag. It’s WAY sturdier than the other two, being made of a firmer leather material (leather like? I’m not 100% sure) and having a lot more structure to the bag itself. I also opted for a different color.
I actually got the bundle pack with the vacuum. My daughter loves using the vacuum inside our car, but says the suction isn’t great. My observation would be that this is likely because it’s more meant to be used to get tiny crumbs and such out of the bag, not leaves and pieces of leaves out of the car. Although it would be nice if it had a little more power. It’s about the size of a larger water bottle so note that if you intend to tote it around (I don’t).
The front zips all the way down which is a HUGE plus- easy access to the bottom of the bag is a big deal. I also really like the mesh used for all the pockets- and there’s a ton of pockets everywhere.
Things that I liked:
The interior organization and how the large part of the bag zips all the way down.
That that didn’t live up to the hype:
The vegan leather makes the bag super sturdy, but I could use if it had just a little bit more give. It’s very stiff but that might change over time. My biggest issue is how the shoulder strap is designed: I hate it with a passion. It’s just weird and when used makes me feel like the bag is off center, which may not bother you but really REALLY bothers me. I can’t explain why it just does. I honestly thought I was doing something wrong with the strap but no, all the photos I can find online seem top support I’m doing it right.
I do feel like I need to revisit this bag now that I’ve got a better idea of what all I actually need to bring around with me, as I was likely overpacking it at the time.
I did not expect to like this thing as much as I do.
It’s not an actual baby BAG but rather a way to bring baby items with you while putting it in your regular bags. I got this item, or well I registered for it and it was gifted to me- thank you Regina!- mainly for this purpose.
It works out really well in my Louis Vuitton, although I have yet to try it in other bags, and honestly I’m regretting that I didn’t have it sooner! If you have the Neverfull bag, well, it’s called that for a reason. But it also means items can be easily lost. I can actually fit everything I need for a regular day with baby in here.
Today I stepped it up a notch because I was carrying my LV this weekend for Easter events and used the Tote Savvy, but was running a little late in moving everything over to the Happ bag and the Caraa insert. So I just took the Tote Savvy and put it in the Happ bag. It was a little tight at first because I had a bottle of water in one of the interior side pockets but once that was removed it fit beautifully. And this way it solves the issue of not having an insulated compartment for the Happ bag! Because the Deluxe version of Tote Savvy has an insulated pocket (I have the regular one linked above- Deluxe here). They’ve also got a whole set of videos on how to pack it for different stages of baby’s life.
Phew! Well, so it took me a month to write this but I don’t regret it. Honestly… buying a diaper bag cause be super overwhelming, and it’s one of those things you won’t really know how much you like it until you try them out because everyone’s needs are different. But I hope my perspective can help some of y’all out just a bit! AND – be sure to download my ebook about how I transitioned back to work, it’s FREE for a limited time!
