Is It a Diaper Bag or a Purse??? Hmmm, so Hard to Tell

When I had my first child nearly 11 years ago, I was disappointed by the limited diaper bag choices. I could go to any local department store and purchase a cool, trendy designer handbag, but when it came to diaper bags, moms with style were SOL. I paid big bucks to look like a stylish career mom and felt ridiculous sporting my Winnie the Pooh diaper bag around town. (Okay, so I did found a vinyl black one that was mildly better). Shockingly, the fashion police did not impound the hoards of Mickey Mouse and country plaid diaper bags that lined the shelves of the baby superstores. Rather, I think those hokey bags actually proliferated and multiplied (kind of like my husband and I have done four children later).

For the past 11 years, diaper bags have substituted for purses for me. Lugging around a baby carrier and roly-poly baby was effort enough—I did not need to add two bags on top of that. My diaper bags carried everything, and I mean everything, but the kitchen sink—wallet, cell phone, bottles of breast milk, toys, binkies, the essential change of clothes, smushed Cheerios and every doodad known to new parents. Thankfully (and finally), some enlightened designer (a mom, no doubt) had a epiphany—how about a diaper bag that actually looks like a purse??? Brilliant! And then, the snowball effect. Now, trendy mommies, you can find a myriad of diaper purse lines, so chic even a celebrity would use them, like the Born Out of Necessity line, shown at left, featuring gorgeous butter soft leather exteriors and insulated interiors. Check out http://www.diaperbagsinc.com/ for a designer baby bag you'll love to carry.

Guess what? My fourth child, bless her tiny heart, potty-trained herself in July. Hallelujah! 20,000 plus diapers later, I am FREE, FREE, FREE!!! I’ll bet you think I raced right out and bought myself the Coach handbag of my dreams. HA, HA, HA! NOOO! I did not need to. I now have such a wonderful collection of chic leather diaper purses that, would you believe-- I STILL USE THEM!!! They are beautiful and roomy and have those fabulous spill and stain- resistant pockets that moms with leaky sippy cups and toddlers need. I cannot think of a handbag line that holds up as well to my 3 year old. Hey, I may not need an extra compartment for dirty diapers, but I still use them to hold markers...and Legos...and half-eaten lollipops forced on me by sticky little fingers.