Lifestyle and wellness expert, Lisa Raleigh shares what she has packed in her beautiful daughter, Bella Sky’s nappy bag:
1. What is currently in your nappy bag?
My bag is from Jean Kelly – locally made and absolutely gorgeous – and it comes with a change mat
– A Tommee Tippee Ultra Bottle and Warmer
– A little book to keep Bella Sky distracted
– An octopus teether
– Feeding shawl from Cherry.Studio
– Nuk dummy clip
– Dummies
– Fisher Price toys
– Sistema container with a little bag of raisins
– Organic butternut – instant meal
– Tommee Tippee bowl and spoon
– KidsMe food clip – you can put fruit inside for Bella to munch on. It takes out all the pips etc so it’s not a choking hazard
– Dream Baby clips from Sistema
– Sunscreen
– Portable nappy bag in case there’s a disaster and we can throw the bag away responsibly
– Antibacterial hand gel
– Nasal spray and syringe in case we need to dispense meds
– Pampers sensitive wipes for face and body
– Pampers diapers
– Sunglasses
– Sun Hat
– Change of outfit – t-shirt, leggings, jersey, beanie, socks
– Facecloths
– Drooling bib that has a waterproof backing
– Disposable Pigeon bibs
– A blankie
– Car seat cover which is great for blackening out the sun
– Sleep Sac from Love to Dream which helps her sleep
– Her favourite new toy, the Lulla Doll
2. What is the one essential nappy bag item (besides the nappies, wet wipes and bum cream), that you just can’t leave home without?
Bella’s new Lulla Doll as she can’t nap without it. It’s her sleep association toy and her best friend.
3. If your nappy bag could talk, what stories would it share?
It’s been all over the country: to our farm in the Midlands, our new home in Joburg and, of course, Durban. It hasn’t been to Cape Town quite yet. From the Gautrain to aeroplanes to a handful of different restaurants, Bella’s nappy bag is living the high life. Even my hubby is quite proud to wear it as the Jean Kelly bag looks aesthetically beautiful.
4. How often do you repack it?
We repack the bag quite often – the snacks and water needs replacing all the time. We do a check of the bag every day to ensure it’s fully stocked but 90% of the contents stay in the bag every day. The sleep sacs, clothes, drool bibs, bowls, spoons, and bottles are used all the time so we replace them when needed. The toys are rotated often, but the other essentials like sunscreen and bum balm etc stay put.
5. What brand is your nappy bag/s and why did you choose this particular brand/s?
The Jean Kelly: www.jeankelly.co.za which is locally made and beautifully so. I love that it’s so deep and has lots of little compartment that organise everything. I like to open the bag and to look in and see where everything is and the Jean Kelly bag is very cleverly thought out and it looks stylish.
6. Has your husband mastered carrying the nappy bag and still look manly?
No, my hubby, Stafford (Masie), doesn’t mind carrying it at all thanks to the fact that it’s aesthetically pleasing and made of leather. It’s a unisex colour and very discreet. He hasn’t once worried about carrying the bag. He’s not that keen on using some of the other nappy bags I have that are pink and a lot more feminine – which I love – for obvious reasons *laughs.
7. When do you think is the best time, during your little one’s milestones, to ditch the nappy bag?
I’m not sure about a timeframe. Bella is six-months-old and we’re very much still in need of the nappy bag. Sometimes, if we walk to 4th Avenue down the road we will pack a little toy, a dummy, a pack of wet wipes, a facecloth and a drooling bib – as well as my handbag – because we’re just down the road and close to home. But if we head to a shopping mall and expect to be there for a few hours then I know to take everything with.
8. Do you have any tips on packing a nappy bag?
What I do suggest when packing your nappy bag is that you lay everything out on the floor as I have in my pic, you take a photo of the items, and have it printed then stick it up on the inside of the cupboard so if you have a nanny or au pair they can look at the picture when packing your bub’s bag every morning to ensure all the items are there. It’s a visual checklist that ensures you leave nothing behind – especially as your baby gets older and they need more stuff.
