Are you always forgetting one essential or another that your baby needs (they need a lot of stuff!)? Here’s a trick for remembering the details.
Shortly after my oldest son was born, I remember packing up his diaper bag to go to my mother-in-law’s house. I don’t remember if I was going there to spend Shabbat or if I was coming to visit for another occasion (I only lived one block away), but what I do remember is that I forgot to pack many of the items a baby needs.
A baby needs a lot of stuff.
How was I supposed to remember all of it? There were too many details. Undershirts? Who can remember that?
Right then, I decided that I needed to devise a system. I would divide the baby’s necessities into four categories. Then, instead of thinking of all the myriad details when it’s time to pack a diaper bag, I’ll simply focus on one category at a time. This way, I won’t forget a thing.
My categories were: Changing, Clothing, Feeding, and Soothing.
That covered everything.
Changing included diapers and wipes, perhaps diaper cream as well.
Clothing included changes of clothing. That would also include undershirts and a sweater when relevant.
Feeding included bottles, formula, and bibs. Diaper cloths may go here if you use them, as would any baby food (and those little spoons) when the baby gets older.
Soothing included pacifiers and blankets. A toy would go into this category too.
If there are items not listed here that you consider necessities, then I’m sure you can fit them into one of these categories. It’s been 13 years and I still use the same system each time I pack a baby’s diaper bag for an extended outing.
“Changing….Clothing….Feeding….Soothing” it’s a tune that plays over and over in my head.
This may seem like a stretch to you, but the Changing/Clothing/Feeding/Soothing system has influenced my entire life. That’s because the way I pack a diaper bag is the way I do everything. Focus on one thing. One category. Focus on it completely and block out everything else. No distractions. Finish it, every little detail. Then focus on the next thing. For me, that’s how things get done. And diaper bags get packed.
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