A Review of my diaper bag

Some of you have requested that I review the gear I'm using, so here's one about my new diaper bag... hope you find it helpful...

Let's be honest, here: diaper bags suck. They're heavy, cumbersome, and a lot of them just look plain stupid.

When my daughter was in the phase of her life that required me to carry most of the Target baby aisle everywhere I went, I exhausted myself searching for the right bag (one that was almost not totally cumbersome, weighed less than the average four year old, and didn't have images of Winnie the Pooh plastered all over it). I settled on a traditional messenger bag style in black.

The thing drove me crazy because the flap to the bag never closed, there was no zipper at the top, and every time it tipped over things went flying out of the bag. This was a major hazard to me and my family since I have a knack for driving, well, I call it "efficient." Others have called it fast, offensive, and occasionally a little crazy. Regardless, when a corner was taken a little faster than originally planned the bag would fall off the seat and everything in it flew all over the passenger side of the car. Digging around in the dark for a pacifier and landing on a stale french fry covered in hair, dust, and grime is annoying, at best.

Convinced the problem was the bag and not my driving, I resumed my search when Punkin was born and landed on the Diaper Dude brand.

Originally marketed towards men, the most popular style is just called the Diaper Dude (which is what I bought), although they have others. Here's why I like it:

1. It's ergonomic and goes across the chest (you can also sling it over your shoulder) so it doesn't fall off my shoulder all the time. The ergonomic design also makes it feel weightless when it's across my chest.

2. Even though it's that messenger bag style, it's got zippers- no annoying flaps that get in your way and don't close.

3. It's the perfect size - not so big that things get lost at the bottom for all eternity, but not so small that you can't fit what you need.

4. Different pockets make organization easy. There are 3 pockets on the front of the bag. I use one for my wallet, one for my phone, and one for things like pacifiers and stuff (no stale french fries).

5. "Urban" designs. They have several different colors and designs to pick from. Since they were designed with men in mind there are no images of Winnie the Pooh (no offense to the little bear, I'm just not the type to have his image adorning my clothing and accessories).

6. Reasonably priced. In the $65 range, these things aren't out of reach for those of us being chased down by the cost of having two kids in daycare at the same time. Sure, they're more than some other options out there, but if the difference between complete aggravation and total contentedness over the next two or three years is about 30 bucks, I'll spend it!

I went through four diaper bags with Peach and was dreading having to lug one around again. I'm crazy about this one and thrilled that it confirms the problem is definitely not related to my driving. When the bag falls off the seat, nothing falls out.

You can find some styles at Babies R Us, amazon.com, and several other stores. For more info, their website is www.diaperdude.com.