Baby Bug Out Bag

As some here may know, due to a short mention in a topic on the Campfire forum, my wife Victoria and I recently became the new parents of a baby girl, Madeleine. Since I'm currently in the process of stocking my EDC diaper bag, I was wondering if anyone would like to share suggestions for a Baby Bug Out Bag to prepare for possible evacuation from home for 1 week in the event of natural disaster or the like.

-Michael

Hi,
Baby's BOB will be much bulkier than yours because of the diaper component. Baby's needs will change as she gets older and you would have to modify as you go along.

Food/Water -
assuming baby is bottle fed
2 bottles
sterilising tablets
Plastic container to sterilise the bottles in
Milk formulae
If baby is breast fed, so much the better. You would save carrying whole lot of stuff.
For older kids, you might need to pack baby food / juices etc. Small packs of snacks

Extra clothes -seasonal
Wet wipes
Diapers
Baby Powder
Small towel
Blanket
Change mat

Pacifier
Small toy / game / book

Meds - paracetamol for kids, saline eye/ nose drops, antihistamine syrup, wind/colic drops, diaper rash cream

Lots of plastic bags for dirty clothes, diapers, puke etc.

Actually, a lot of it is EDC in the diaper bag, just multiplied many times because of the longer duration.

Baby Meds and thermometer. Be sure you have what you need to reduce a fever (trust me on this one for sure) plus diaper rash cream and any special needs meds.

Atleast one bottle but two is better.

Formula and pre-boiled/sterilized water (even if your wife breast feeds). You never know when you and the baby could be separated from your wife or you wife may be unable to feed due to injury or some other circmstance. You want to know that you can feed the baby on your own if needed.

Pacifiers... atleast one if not two.

One or two complete changes of clothes.

A blanket.

A couple small toys. May seem silly but if there is a special type of toy like a teddy bear that will soothe a red-faced teary-eyed screaming baby then you'll want it with you more than anything else when the need arises.

Last but certainly not least, as many diapers and wipes as you can possibly carry. Figure out how many you can carry and then find a way to stuff a few extras in there as well. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

One more idea (that not everyone will agree with)... when my son was younger (we are just now starting to potty train him @ 23 months so I dont carry them anymore) I carried a couple reusable cloth diapers in addition to a ton of disposables. I'm glad I never had to use them but I'm also glad I had them just incase since all you need is soap and water (or boiling water) and they can be sanitized for many reuses if needed. Not to mention that they are handy for a lot of things other than their intended purpose since they are very soft and absorbent.

A little baby sunscreen proabably isnt a bad idea either.

BTW: Congratulations.....!!!! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I agree on the formula aspect. So far, I've gathered two packages of 2oz. plastic bottles of Similac and some nipples and rings to fit. That makes a total of 16 2oz. bottles, or 32oz in total. The big problem with these is the expiration dates. The two packages I have are dated Jan 2006 and Mar 2006. Those were the latest I could find. Some of the larger sizes are dated later (I've seen May 2006 on the 4oz glass bottles). Those should suffice for emergencies. We are breast-feeding, but you never know what might happen. For longer periods, I'll include some powder.

Before you pack formula that you may really have to depend on, be sure the baby can tolerate it. Not a baby expert, but a friend said this was so.

Sue

From babysitting my sister's kid, I know from experience that 97 million billion diapers is not enough. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

-- Craig

Here's another suggestion Enfamil LIPIL makes pre-packaged powder in a small tube shaped package, that makes 4 ounces. The bottles we use are the disposable drop in style. We throw a few packages of the pre-packaged formula into the baby bag and add as many drop ins as you want and with 1 or 2 bottles you are set and it is very compact. It's all plastic so no worries about breakage and the drop ins don't have any air in the bottle so less gas problems and they are dispoable so if you are on the go you don't need to sanitize a whole bottle, just the nipple. It's a great system.

Also if you have the room I'd say for a week 3 complete sets of cloths is needed. Baby's can get messy from all kind's of things. When our baby's were smaller we allways carried extra cloth's and we still have an extra change in the car when we travel. Did any one mention bibbs, they can go a long way to save the cloth's from what ever.

Good luck and congratulations!

Adam

Susan, we know that Madeleine apparently likes Similac better than Enfamil, because we had to resort to formula for the first few days until my wife's milk came in properly, but you make a good point. I suppose we should periodically test the formula out, since her digestion may change. What we have now is the regular Similac Advance with Iron dairy-based formula.

I would also suggest some kind of harness to carry the baby on your back or on your chest (you might hava pack on your back).
Around here they use maxi cosi's to carry their baby's around but they become a pain if you have to walk more than a mile with them.

Rick, you mean the Maxi Cosi car seat, yes? They're not sold in the US (though I understand there are some shops in the Nederlanden that are willing to ship them here (for an appropriate fee, of course). If we have to move her that far, we'll rely on the Bugaboo...or the car. We also have some nice slings to carry her (which of course means that I get to carry most of the gear!).

But I agree, carrying a baby in a car seat is a pain for more than a minute or two. It throws you well off balance.

Yep.. good point. Make sure she can keep the formula down. My son was on a mix of breast milk and formula since my wife couldn't produce quite enough formula to sustan him completely on her own all the time so we already knew he could handle it (and liked it quite a bit too).

Cover, even if is a baby boonie hat.

I don't rememeber it, but apparently, I got sunburned my first summer so badly it turned into a mild infection. Mild in normal situation.. For some reason, some of my hair feel out.

It hasn't stopped. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I would also say a watch cap and mittens of appropriate size, and a cut down space blanket. I seem to recall reading that until they are toddlers, babies can't regulate all that well, but I could be wrong.

Long time lurker, I felt that I needed to finally register to reply to this post. I'm a stay at home dad for a 3 year old, a 1 (almost 2) year old and another on the way. Baby care is where I'm at every day.
Diapers: Either you or your wife should keep track of how many diapers you use each day for 2 weeks or so. Figure out how long you'll likely be bugging out for and figure out your carry. You'll either be suprised at how many or how few diapers you'll need. Even when change diapers all day every day you seldom have a realistic number in your head. Keep the diapers dry. I mean really dry. Went swimming this past weekend at the river and forgot a swim diaper for my 1 year old. A diaper that starts out at an ounce or so will literally weigh several pounds when completely full. Diapers absorb ALL available moisture. The factory packaging is only good until you pull the first diaper out, then it's compromised. You need another layer of protection, I don't care how waterproof you pack is.
Even though is might sound like a silly BO piece of equipment for you, an umbrella might save the day. It protects the baby from sun and rain without covering it with a coat. It gives you sun and rain shelter when you have to sit and change/feed. Make sure you sleeping arrangements will accomodate baby. If you don't sleep with your baby now, learning how to do it while zipped in a mummy bag will not be pleasant. I napped with both my kids, both of us could fall asleep snuggled together (safely) when camping no problem.
If you're potentially switching from breast milk to formula in a BO situation, you will get puked on as the baby adjusts. Formula puke is really really nasty stuff to be wearing on your person for any length of time. (I wore it all down my front for a 4 hour plane ride once) Think about that with your clothing choices as well as the baby's. It's quite likely that you'll provide much less comfort after day 2 of smelling like rotting milk, even babies have noses.
Babies don't regulate temperature well at all. This may affect your daytime bugging plans if it's warm. You must keep baby safe first, if this means sitting still during the heat of the day then that's how it has to be. You may be resting during the day and walking at night.
How are you going to heat the formula? If your baby won't drink room temp formula it may be useless.
Just a few things to think about, I'm sure I'll think of more.

My mom only used cloth diapers with us, and apparently they aren't hard to clean or maintain at all. Plus, my parents saved oodles of money that way.

I would second the notion to include them in your kit, since they would serve multiple purposes.

By the way, Madeleine is a beautiful name for a little girl.

I have one named Grace Cypriana (17 mos) and Lillian Nicole ( 7 years).

Diapers are a must (whichever variety; I prefer cloth because they are reusable; cloth diaper _liners_ are available that will absorb just as much as a regular disposable but are the thickness of a few sheets of paper).

After that, water and food (be it breast milk or other; youngest had absolutely no problem transitioning overnight; she did have a problem after her teeth came in. She refused baby food and demanded what we were eating).

Shelter: think seriously about a stroller. Models are available that have sun-shades, and even panniers (you will not believe the quantity of stuff you will have to carry). Awesome things.

Sun-block and hats are a must for babies. So is a good diaper rash ointment--something with zinc oxide and a moisturizer. The "Gerber" clear ointment is worthless; A&D is better but not best.

Think about a packable playpen or crib. Doesn't weigh much, frees Mom or Dad up for some work around the area.

Oh, yeah...in addition to infant Tylenol or equivalent, you will need rehydration solution (electrolytes), try Pedialyte, and glycerin suppositories. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Christina,

Her full name is Madeleine Delphine Marie Amper. How's that for a beautiful name?

Cloth diapers will definitely be included, but as a back-up option. Much as I would like to consider myself an environmental crusader, I do make some compromises...

Familyman, thanks for the info on absorption. I hadn't considered absorption after opening the factory package! That's a very good point.

OK, here's what I've assembled so far:

Lowe Alpine Kit Bag 90 duffel
2 ea. 40ct. Pampers Swaddlers Size N (will be replaced with larger diapers when she outgrows these)
4ea. 80ct. Tushies baby wipes
1 tube Burt's Bees Baby Bee Diaper Rash Ointment
1 jar Burt's Bees Baby Bee Skin Creme
1 bottle Burt's Bees Baby Bee Dusting Powder
2ea. 8ct. 2oz. bottles Similac Advance w/Iron baby formula
2ea. 3ct. Gerber bottle rings
2ea. 2ct. Gerber standard size silicone nipples


I'll keep working on it...

One thing our pediatrician told us was that dissimilar pain medication (infant Tylenol and infant Motrin) may be each be taken at the same time, at full dosage, because they work differently. This was for cases of more severe pain - bad teething, etc.

Another thought on rehydration - Pedialyte's good stuff, but whenever I popped open a 1-liter bottle of it, my kids have either drank about several teaspoonfuls or none of it. Seems a shame to toss the rest. I found another brand called ReVital that makes a a similar product, but packaged in "Blue's Clues" squeezers - smaller bottles with a flexible straw that toddlers can hold and drink themselves, or it can be put into bottles for smaller infants. Comes in a variety pack of flavors (or, colors) and the kids can pick what they want, and be enthralled by Blue's Clues characters on the side of the bottle if they're so inclined. These smaller bottles might stash a bit easier, too.
Dave