10 Essential Items for New Moms' Diaper Bag

I'm visiting my mom with the kids this week so I'm reposting a prior Works for Me. Hope you enjoy.

I had a great time this weekend attending my cousin's baby shower. I'm so excited that she's having her first baby: a little boy. I can't wait to see him. She's going to be an awesome mother. Even though she's the youngest, she's always been a natural mother. This baby is very lucky.
So in honor of my little cousin, I'm posting a list of my top 10 essential items for a new mother's diaper bag:

1. Burp clothes: These are important for so many reasons. Obviously they protect you and the baby when you're burbing your child. But they're also great for a teething child or for cleaning out the bulb syringe. I mostly used cloth diapers. They were super absorbent and big for those larger messes.
2. A great receiving blanket: I carry at least two. They're great for covering when you need to nurse in public and for swaddling a fussy baby.
3. Gas drops: My pediatrician recommended that we give our son a dose every time we changed him. Furthermore, I took a dose every time to relieve gas after my C-section. It helped our son sleep better and have fewer hiccups.
4. Baby tylenol and thermometer: I can't tell you how many times both of these items calmed my nerves. As a new mom, I needed that extra peace of mind knowing what my child's temp was and knowing that I could ease his pain after those vaccines.
5. Mentholatum: I don't know why but this works. When my kids have colds, I rub a little on their feet and they get better. Simple solution, but works fantastically.
6. Nursing pads: I love those by Lansinol. They are very absorbent and economical. The breast cream by the same company is also very beneficial. You can also buy reuseable cloth pads, but I found that I produced too much milk for them to absorb effectively.
7. Wipes: I've found that the store brand wipes are just as effective as brand name. However, I always try to buy fragrance free items. With a slight history of sensitive skin in the family, I tend to avoid dyes and fragrances. Who needs 'em anyway?
8. Diapers: Need I say more? These are very similar to the wipes. Store brand are really just as effective. We tried a couple of different brands with our son. He was so long and skinny; some brands just weren't tight enough to his little body. Finally we settled on Kirkland and Pampers. But really Kirkland were just as effective at a lower price.
9. Extra hat, socks, outfit: If you leave the house without a hat, it will rain. If you leave without socks, your child will loose one. If you leave without extra clothes, your child will spit up. It's a given.
10. Snacks and drinks: for you and your child. Of course your child won't be eating right away, but when they start, a baggie of cheerios can go a long way to getting you out of Target without buying snacks and having your sanity in tact.

For more Works for Me ideas, check out We Are THAT Family.