After the success of my Winter Sleeping Bag Review for babies, I decided to create another review aimed at supporting new mums in the products they purchase after (or even before) they have their baby: The Nappy Bag Review. Nappy Bags are an accessory that can play a vital role in a mother’s day-to-day life, and I was surprised to find that there is such a variety of nappy bags out there. I even polled my followers to ask what Nappy bags they use, and was (positively) amazed at some of the unique options mums were coming up with to carry their baby’s essentials with them.
A review of 13 of the best nappy bags
I managed to round up 13 of the best nappy bag brands from across Australia (and beyond!) to give you a real insight into the varied options out there Whether you are a minimalist mum, a “pack everything including the kitchen sink” kind of mum (guilty!), an environmentally friendly mum, an ethical mum, a simple mum or a stylist mum, there is an option for you.
What I have found while conducting this review, however, is choosing a nappy bag is very much like choosing your wardrobe or the kind of food you’ll eat for dinner – it is all about personal preference. While I have stated my personal preferences under the table below of what nappy bags (yes, plural) I will be using after completing this review, I want to reinforce that I think all of these bags have amazing qualities and will suit new mums of all different styles and preferences. I hope you will take the time to read each review to see what style YOU prefer, and we’d love to hear from you in the comments below – what kind of nappy bag do you prefer and why?
Brand | Price | Style | Colour | Material | Size | Pockets | Zippers | Straps | Extra Features |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Babymel | $99.99 | Shoulder/Messenger + Crossbody | Striped navy and cream with tan brown trimmings | Wipe clean and water resistant canvas | 33cm (H) x 44cm (W) x 16cm (D | Exterior: 3 Interior: 3 | Exterior: 2 | Long Shoulder/Messenger strap with patented stroller straps (attached to the long stroller strap) | Washable change mat. |
Bare + Boho | $50.00 | Tote Bag | Tan | Eco-friendly, light-weight, washable, durable recycled paper; Interior: 100% natural cotton | 40cm (H) x 35cm (W) x 14cm (D) | Exterior: 1 Interior: 6 | Exterior: 1 | Tote Straps | N/A |
Bright Star Kids | $39.95 | Backpack | Bright Blue with Colourful Personalised Image | Exterior: Polyester/PVC Interior: Polyester | 35cm (H) x 28cm (W) x 15cm (D) | Exterior: 3 including mesh water bottle holder) Interior: 1 | Exterior: 2 | Adjustable Backpack Straps | Personalised Kids Backpack. |
Diaper Dude | $64.99 (USD) | Convertible Backpack + Shoulder/Messenger Bag | Steel/Black | 37cm (H) x 37cm (W) x 15cm (D) | Exterior: 5 including mesh water bottle holder Interior: 3 | Exterior: 4 | Comes with a long padded shoulder strap, clips on as either shoulder bag or backpack | Comes with stroller clips and padded change mat. | |
Lassig | $249.95 | Convertible handbag, shoulder/messenger bag + Backpack | Anthracite Glitter (silver) with Rose Gold accents | 100% Polyester (exterior and interior) | 30cm (H) x 40cm (W) x 19cm (D) | Exterior: 2 Interior: 7 | Exterior: 2 Interior: 1 | Single handbag strap + comes with long shoulder strap (used for shoulder bag and backpack) | Comes with velcro stroller straps, a zip up bottle bag, a change mat and a small zip-up wallet. |
Mary + Marie | $250.00 | Handbag + Shoulder/Messenger Bag | Grey/Steel | Italian Leather with suede trim | 32cm (H) x 49cm (W) x 12cm (D) | Exterior: 5 Interior: 4 | Exterior: 4 Interior: 1 | Adjustable handbag straps + comes with a long shoulder strap | Has a clear, plastic interior compartment. The whole interior can be unzipped to clean. Comes with a key clip. |
Melobaby - All-in-One | $64.95 | Clutch (Bag Insert) | Navy/Cream Chevron | Exterior: 1 Interior: 4 | Interior: 1 | Carry Handle | Comes with a clear Plastic Wipes Case and a soft fleece change mat. | ||
Melobaby - Nappy Bag | $149.95 | Handbag + Shoulder/Messenger Bag | Navy with white paisley pattern | Nylon twill/wax coated canvas | Exterior: 5 Interior: 3 | Exterior: 3 | Handbag straps, comes with 1 long shoulder strap and 2 short stroller straps | Included is a soft, washable fleece change mat, a plastic zip-up wet purse and stroller straps. | |
Modimade | $105.00 | Shoulder/Messenger Bag | Monochrome (Black with White stripes/patterns) | Made from repurposed cotton blend fabric. | 31.5cm (H) x 38cm (W) x 3cm (D). Change mat area folds open to 87cm (H) x 38cm (W). | Exterior: 1 Interior: 5 | Interior: 1 | Long, adjustable shoulder strap (attached) | Removable terry toweling change mat, environmentally friendly, and ethically made. |
OiOi | $199.00 | Handbag + Shoulder/Messenger Bag | Black | Diamond quilt on nylon microfiber with jacquard Lining | 28cm (H) x 45cm (W) x 20cm (D) | Exterior: 9 Interior: 6 | Exterior: 7 Interior: 1 | Handbag straps and comes with a long adjustable shoulder strap. Also comes with short stroller straps. | Included is stroller straps, a long shoulder strap, a large padded black change mat, an insulated bottle holder, a travel baby wipes container, a plastic zip-up wet purse, and metal feet on the base. |
Skip Hop | $209.00 | Backpack | Caramel | Durable, wipe-clean Vegan Leather | 46cm (H) x 33cm (W) x 23.5cm (D) | Exterior: 5 Interior: 4 | Exterior: 4 | Has backpack straps and comes with stroller straps | Comes with a change mat and clip-on stroller straps. |
Storksak | $209.99 | Convertible Handbag, Shoulder/Messenger Bag + Backpack | Natural/Grey | Water-resistant washed canvas with leather trimmings, wipe clean linings. | 30cm (H) x 39cm (W) x 16cm (D) | Exterior: 3 Interior: 4 | Exterior: 1 Interior: 1 | Short shoulder straps + Long shoulder strap (convertible to backpack), + patented stroller straps (attached to the long shoulder strap). | Comes with an insulated bottle holder, a laminated change mat, patented stroller straps and a padded pocket for a laptop/ipad. |
Vanchi | $189.95 | Handbag + Shoulder/Messenger Bag | Tan | Nu Leather with a durable, water-resistant lining | 35cm (H) x 43cm (W) x19cm (D) | Exterior: 6 Interior: 5 | Exterior: 5 Interior: 1 | Handbag straps, plus comes with the long shoulder strap | Comes with a long shoulder strap, change mat, dummy/snack holder (or baby wipes container), insulated bottle holder and clear wet pack. |
Mumma Morrison’s Choices in the Nappy Bag Review
As I mentioned earlier, I have chosen 3 different nappy bags that I will be using after completing this nappy bag review, because they all serve different purposes. To give a bit of background of my family and my preferences in choosing a Nappy Bag (as this may put my reviews in a bit more context):
- I have a son who is turning 1 year old next week. He is now a lot more active and eating LOTS of food (I pack a big lunchbox and water bottle for him on our outings). We need to pack extra toys for him, particularly for long day outings, however he doesn’t need nappy changes quite as often as when he was a newborn.
- I am a bit of a hoarder when it comes to packing a nappy bag. I generally prefer to be over prepared and over pack. Generally, I like to pack: 3-5 nappies, a travel case of baby wipes, disposable nappy bags, portable change mat, spare change of clothes, sunscreen and sunhat, lunchbox, water bottle, minimum 1 toy, and my valuables (wallet, phone, keys, and 2 pairs of glasses).
- I prefer a handbag style nappy bag that can fit everything I need.
With this profile, there are obviously some nappy bags that really appealed to me HOWEVER I really, really, REALLY loved all the nappy bags in this review. They all really do have value and will suit different mums depending on their style and preferences.
So, following on from this nappy bag review, the Nappy Bags I will be using are:
- Everyday Use: The Storksak “Jude” Nappy Bag. It’s practical and durable for everyday use, but also stylish. It fits everything I need it too (maybe not in different compartments as I’d like), can easily attach to my pram and fits comfortably over my shoulder.
- Special Occasions/Teacher Bag: Mary + Marie’s “Erin Brockovich” Baby Bag. I love the gorgeous style of the Italian leather in this bag. It definitely feels more like a handbag, so I will be using it as a teacher bag when I return to work later this week. However it is also perfect for special occasions (weddings, parties, etc) – all you need to do is throw in a couple of nappies, baby wipes and a change mat and you’re ready to go.
- Bag for my son: Bright Star Kids’ Personalised Backpack. I hadn’t even thought about using a backpack as a nappy bag. However after asking my followers, it seemed to be a common trend amongst many mums, particularly those with older kids. Now that my son is older, and needs less nappies and more toys, I love the idea of carrying around a backpack that can carry his toys and lunchbox, and that will over time grow with him (all the way through preschool). I can’t wait to see him start using it (besides me forcing it onto him as you’ll see in the individual review!)
What Nappy Bag/s would you choose? Click through below to all the different Nappy Bags I reviewed and see the gorgeous range available!