New parents love to take pictures of their newest addition to the household. From the first Christmas to the first steps to trips to the zoo and park, a camera or camcorder is sure to be along for the ride. That’s why a great gift this year might just be a camera bag. More unique than the diaper bag yet more stylish than a box of diapers, a camera bag is a thoughtful and affordable option.

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Ok, so this isn’t exactly a post about diaper bags or kids’ bags. However, when you enter this Holiday Sweepstakes you have a chance to win one of six $100 gift certificates weekly to places like eBags.com. Plus you can win the grand prize of $450. These prizes can certainly help pay for that designer diaper bag you’ve been eyeing.

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Understandably, new parents are overwhelmed with the arrival of an infant. Along with trying to survive on three hours of sleep, new parents also have to adjust to traveling with a baby. Babies require a lot of gear. Some parents tend to over pack the diaper bag, whereas other parents leave out the essentials.

Diaper bags come in a variety of styles, colors, sizes, etc. Even though the tendency is to pack everything, too many items may weighh you down. Short day trips do not require bringing every single toy, diaper, bottle, etc. Unless you anticipate being away from home for several hours – or days, there are ways to limit the amount of items included in the diaper bag, and still be prepared.

Take a second and dump everything out of the bag. You probably will not need half of the items inside. To begin, grab a handful of diapers. An ideal number of diapers would be four or five. On average, babies require changing every two hours. Still, it doesn’t hurt to grab extras.

Wet wipes or baby wipes are necessary for cleaning the baby. Instead of toting the huge baby wipes box, consider buying a small portable carrier for wipes. Some diapers bags come equipped with this accessory. Simply grab a handful of wipes and store them in the smaller carrying case.

Babies love to smell fresh. If you use baby powder after a diaper change, look for a small travel size powder bottle. Travel size baby products are also available for lotions, baby oils, shampoos, etc.

Do not forget the extra pair of clothes. Unfortunately, babies have accidents. This could entail spitting up, a runny stool, etc. Although parents may not want to think about the undesirable, it pays to be prepared. Along with extra clothing, include two or three extra bibs.

Infants and toddlers need to eat. So do not forget the formula. Parents may either prepare the bottles before leaving home, or carry a water bottle and dry formula in the diaper bag. If traveling with toddlers, healthy snacks such as granola bars and crackers are ideal.

Small medicine or first aid kits can also be included in diaper bags. This is great for storing medicines to handle sudden fevers, teething pain, gas, etc. Furthermore, parents can include their own additions such as cleaning swabs for cuts and bandaids.

Article by V.C. Higuera from AssociatedContent.com

These days with rising food and gas prices, it’s easy to see how Back To School shopping may be a big budget concern. If you’re feeling the crunch, whether you have shopped for Back to School or not, you need to check out eBags’ Wishin’ For Tuition sweepstakes. You can enter daily to win over $25,000 in cash and prizes.

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When planning a trip with your baby for the first time, you’re probably wondering what the best method to transport your baby’s food is. When it comes to babies that are not breastfed, there is definitely a lot more preparation involved. For instance, if you are taking a long car trip, it may be best to take a whole jar of formula. However, if you are only going away for the morning or afternoon, packing only enough for a few bottles may suffice.

On day trips with a baby on formula, I have found it useful to pack two small baby bags. One bag should be filled with water bottles for mixing with formula. The other bag should include the baby bottle and a zip lock bag of the formula powder. Alternatively, you can use another baby bottle for the powder. Just make sure that it is completely dry before adding anything. It would also be wise to invest in a bottle warmer. These usually cost about fifteen dollars and work very well. When you’re on the go, all you do is mix the formula, warm it up, and baby is ready to eat.

What do you do if your child is already starting to eat solid food? If your baby is on the Gerber stage one, two, or three, then you will need to make sure you take along an adequate supply of baby food. Most babies should be eating about four jars of baby food per day. So, for example, if your baby already had one for breakfast, you should only pack three jars. Make sure that you have packed at least one spoon for each jar of food and plenty of wipes. You may also want to include a snack. Most supermarkets sell small baby cookies that actually dissolve in the mouth. These work great to keep baby calm in the car until you have the opportunity to prepare food.

For babies on solid food, You’ll also want to bring along at least two zip lock bags. The zip lock bags work great if your child does not finish all of the food. You can put the top back on the jar and store the unfinished food in the bag. The zip lock bags also work well for the spoons. After your baby has finished, just wipe them off using a baby wipe and put them in the bag. This will help protect the other contents of your bag and keep you organized.

Whenever you travel with your baby, it is always important to make sure that you take the time to plan ahead. This is the key to making sure that the entire family can enjoy themselves.

Article by renee from AssociatedContent.com