Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ChoosePlaytexBaby #CollectiveBias

As a first time mom, I have to admit I might leave the house with more than technically needed, but honestly my current mommy motto is I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. I love being prepared when we go on outings with the baby, that way we have a smoother and more enjoyable experience. There are a few products that I won't leave the house without and I am obsessed with, from the basics, to anti-colic products to entertainment... I like to make sure I have it all. So here we go, I'm gonna break down what's in my diaper bag when we take baby out and about.

Singing octopus -

Sometimes Giulian has meltdowns in the car... that's not just our baby right?? He loves car rides at first, but after about 20 minutes he is over it. That's when mommy ( if I'm sitting in the backseat with him) whips out the toy! He goes from crying to all sorts of cute smiles instantly! Praise God for this octopus! It's strange how some toys are just a hit with babies, and with our little guy this one has been a favorite from the beginning! It might be bulky, but you know what I'd rather carry around a bulky toy than hear my baby cry during a car ride.

Gas drops-

Giulian's gas has gotten better, but when it hits, it hits hard... Our little man gets so upset ( it's very sad). Having the gas drops on hand is always nice. We don't always need it but when we do it's a life saver. And you just never know when you'll need it.

Hand sanitizer-

Okay , call me a crazy mom, but I don't want you holding my baby when you've just touched all sorts of doorknobs and other things around town... a little hand sanitizer never hurt anybody right?...

Bottle -

I breast feed and bottle feed and for me I personally enjoy having a bottle on hand when we are out and about. It's more comfortable for me and more convenient to mix Giulian a quick bottle when he gets hungry ( or even a bit hangry) when we are out. Since we have had to supplement since day one (read about my breastfeeding journey HERE) , we've been testing out different bottles for a while now. About a month in we found our all time favorite bottle for Giulian, the bottle I don't leave the house without, the Playtex Baby™ VentAire® Baby Bottle. We have found that the Naturalatch Nipple has the perfect flow for Giulian, not too fast and not too slow, and it also does a great job at mimicking the breast which helps Giulian switch from breast to bottle without getting confused. Like I said before Giulian gets super gassy sometimes and it's so sad when he does, I hate watching his little tummy hurt. We do anything we can to prevent the gas from hurting him, that's another reason why I love these bottles. It has an anti-colic vent at the bottom of the bottle that is designed to keep the air at the back of the bottle instead of going into the baby's tummy. This helps to prevent gas, spit-up and fussiness. The Playtex baby bottles are BPA free, which in my opinion is a must! It's by far Giulian's favorite bottle so we made sure to run to Target and purchase a few more so that we always have them on hand. We keep a few of them at home but also keep one in the diaper bag at all times so we are prepared for our hungry little man. There is a sale going on at Target this month from 9/10-9/15, the Playtex Baby™ VentAire®, 9oz and the Playtex Baby™ Nurser with Drop-Ins® Liners, 4oz 3-pack are $10.49 and all other Playtex Baby™ bottles are 20% off! Make sure to head over to Target to grab some while the sale is on!

Outfit change-

Like all babies, our little man shoots his poo out of his diaper sometimes , fun visual huh... If you're new to babies, its called a blowout and you better believe they need a new outfit ( and maybe a bath) after them. I like to have a backup for the backup sometime too ( just in case).

Diapers and wipes-

Well duh ... it is called a diaper bag. But its important to stay stocked up on the diapers because it would be a big problem to run out. And we all know the day you don't have diapers in your bag is the day baby will have a blowout for the ages.

Diaper baggies-

You can buy these neat little plastic diaper baggies that are amazing for wrapping up a poopy diaper after you change your baby. They are also nice to have if your baby gets poop on his outfit, you can wrap it in a bag so that it doesn't make more of a mess and it can stay in there until you get home. Giulian had a poopy accident the other day at Target and goodness I was so grateful I had these bags in my diaper bag. It really helped with the clean up. For all my baby-less readers... when you have your little one you will understand all this poop talk and poop preparation.

Muslin blanket-

These things are so amazing! They are super light weight and I use them for so many different things. They can be a blanket of course, a swaddle, burp rag, nursing cover (tie two ends together and wrap it around your head), you can use them to block the sun while they are in their car seat, and I'm sure other ways I haven't discovered yet. I would have added burp rag to this list, but honestly between muslin blankets and wet wipes, I don't mind if I forgot to pack a burp rag. These are good for hot weather as well because they aren't too thick, making them a worthwhile addition to any day out.

Snack for Mom or Dad-

With a new baby sometimes you are so on the go that you forget to eat. I always have a bag of raw almonds or a granola bar in the diaper bag just in case mom or dad hit a wall and need food asap. The focus so often is on when the baby ate last, how much did the baby eat... and sometimes it's easy to forget about feeding yourself and trust me, we need fuel to get us through parenthood. They only have a few ingredients and taste great. Parents, don't forget to feed yourself too (especially breastfeeding mamas- you need it).

Those are my current diaper bag must haves! Since I am a new mommy, I'm sure there are amazing products that I don't know about that I should, if you have recommendations let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading, make sure to subscribe and stay connected.