My Ideal Diaper Bag - WAHM Series

This is the first in a series of posts about products I've gotten from work-at-home-moms (WAHMs). 

Two days ago I was thrilled to receive my new diaper bag in the mail. It is the exact colors I wanted, the exact size, has the exact right number and size of pockets, and included a matching changing pad and wipes case. Similar bags that I have looked at cost around $150, but my bag cost me much less and was made precisely to my specifications. How is this possible? Well, the bag was made by WAHM who I connected with through diaperswappers. (You can check out her facebook page, Drea Designs, here.) I bought the fabric and sent it to her, and she sewed it together based on a pattern she had created when making a bag for herself. It has lots of great features, like a clip for my keys, and pocket toward the top on the inside for my cell phone. I am constantly misplacing (or losing, depending on your point of view) these items, so this is a biggie for me!

I got a couple of great diaper bags at my baby shower that have served me well over the last nine months, but the most-used one was getting pretty worn out, and they were all too small for the amount of stuff that I need to cart around sometimes. My ideal was to be able to pack everything I would need for a full day out with Sweet Pea into one bag, and this one can do it. A full diaper bag for me includes:

• three to four cloth diapers
• one wet bag
• one complete outfit change for Sweet Pea: shirt, pants, socks, shoes
  
• wipes
• changing pad
  
• bottle of water
• jacket or light blanket for Sweet Pea
• baby carrier (ERGO)
• cell phone
• keys
• wallet and checkbooks
• snack

General review: I love it! Love the size, pockets, strap, and design. The only thing I wish I would have done differently is maybe alternated the fabrics so the flap was the same as the inside fabric, just to break up the pattern a little. Or maybe a border edge around it - different colored stitches, or ribbon - or something. Totally my issue since I picked the fabric and Drea Designs suggested the fabrics be switched for the flap. But again, that is just a very minor thing. She was very easy to communicate with, always got back to me quickly and was great about asking me specific questions to make sure the bag was going to be precisely what I wanted. Overall I am very pleased with the look, functionality, and craftsmanship of this bag, and I expect it to last me at least until we no longer need diapers. But then you need to carry other things, right?

Here it is, with the top open, empty:

And here, full of all my important belongings:

The key clip detail. This can hang on the outside or be tucked in.

Finally, with the flap down:

Lovely, isn't it?