All new mothers, regardless of their background, have one habit in common. We all walk around shopping malls for hours looking at anything baby related almost as soon as we find out about our pregnancy. Most of you will agree with me that a MUST HAVE for all new mums is a diaper bag.

Why not a big tote you say?

I asked the same thing too and learnt the answer the hard way. Giving myself a pat on the back for my ingenious idea of using a huge tote with no pockets as a diaper bag, I went out with 1 month old Kiara. All was well, till she started crying for milk. I was carrying her, my rocking increasing in intensity to match the increasing pitch of her crying while my poor husband frantically attacked the depths of the bag for the bottle, the powder dispenser, the flask, the bib, the wet tissue. Well, wasn’t a good experience at all. At that moment of chaos, it dawned on me WHY I needed a diaper bag and why it came with all those pockets.

Tribe Singapore Sling – Why I love it

Before you start wondering, no I do not get any sort of benefits from Tribe bags

It does not look like a diaper bag

Yes, the perfect diaper bag should not scream ‘Hey look! I am a DIAPER BAGGGG’. The beautiful shape, exquisite leather and gold hardware makes it a gorgeous bag. Most other diaper bags in the market seem to harbour a vengeance against new mothers.They want us look worse because it is not bad enough having to deal with lack of sleep, stretch marks and a flabby tummy. Many diaper bags were suitcase shaped and were made of material that I could essentially tear up and make a tent out of. Making it worse were the patterns on the bags that ranged from huge pink/blue flowers (because pink and blue are the only colours you are allowed to pick, based on whether you have a boy or girl) to random animals. There was even one bag which literally looked like a 2 year old drew all over it with crayons and it was $300+. I convinced myself that it was probably modern art that I didn’t get. It just had to be.

The zips can be opened single-handedly

When you have a yelling, kicking, fussy baby struggling in your arms, this feature will be much appreciated.

Lots of space and pockets

The bag is very roomy with lots of pockets and even a compartment at the bottom to keep all the dirty clothes away.

Diaper pouch and a diaper mat

The diaper pouch comes with a diaper mat (patterned on one side, so you know which way to face up) and it can easily hold 3-4 diapers and nappy rash cream. There is also an additional pouch that I use to pack bibs.

Easy to spot things

The wide opening of the bag ensures that there will be no more frantic digging around. One look and you can see where everything is.

Well designed

The material makes it very sturdy without looking like it is made out of canvas. Small details in the design clearly indicate that this bag is indeed created for mothers by a mother. Examples of such features are a) a key ring in the outside compartment that will let you open your house door even if you are carrying your baby on your hip b) two inside zipped compartments that can keep your things away from other baby stuff c) flat shoulder strap with extra padding.

The catch 

Unfortunately, all good things come at a price and this one is about SGD650. I know, it is expensive. Personally, I don’t own any branded bags and I never thought I would spend this much on a bag, BUT it has been worth every single cent. I travelled to Japan and India with this bag and it was all I needed for all the running around. Why not spend on something you will carry around every day, at least for the next couple of years?

Final Verdict – A must have if you don’t mind the price. If it survived 3 weeks in India, it will survive anywhere!

Hint: If you feel too guilty about the purchase, it could always be a gift from Mr.Husband 😉 Check them out at : http://www.tribebags.com

Coming soon: Supporting your new mummy-wife