Colourful vibrant baby diaper nappy bag. Mother sitting on picnic rug with baby next to the best shoulder tote diaper nappy bag

8 Reasons Why Shoulder Tote Nappy Bags Are Better Than Backpacks

May 25, 2023

Struggling to Choose Between a Shoulder Tote or Backpack Style Baby Nappy Bag?

HERE IS WHY THE SHOULDER TOTE IS THE BEST NAPPY BAG

Mother with Baby putting essential supplies inside baby nappy quilted luxury diaper bag by Bublet Co

1.Greater Interior Capacity

Mummas are busy people and babies need a lot of stuff! There is nothing worse than being caught out in a poo-nami situation when out and about and realizing you didn’t pack enough clothes!

By design, a shoulder tote nappy bag allows for a greater internal volume, so there is always plenty of space for a second, or even a third onesie change! Totes are not restricted by the ‘turtle topple effect’ of a heavy backpack and come in a large variety of sizes and styles.

They are a perfect option for parents who have more than one baby, or just want that extra room so they don't have to guess which teddy bubba will demand at the park!

2. Superior Single Handed Access

Picking a tote style nappy bag that has external slip pockets is invaluable when trying to juggle everything with just a single hand. Sometimes you just need to reach essential items in a hurry.

Most backpacks don't offer external slip pockets, but even when they do, it's easy for things to fall out when you're swinging the bag over your back. Shoulder tote slip pockets let you reach down and grab what you need instantly, all while carrying your bubba or toddler.

Just slip their water bottle into the bag hanging by your hip, or even better, into pockets that are right there in front of you when your bag is hanging off the pram. Lets face it, you have enough stress in your life without having to take off a backpack and start unzipping pockets looking for wet wipes in the middle of a parenting emergency!

Mother with Baby putting essential supplies inside baby nappy quilted luxury nappy bag by Bublet Co

3. Effortless Accessibility

Offering a classic sideways rectangle design, shoulder totes are longer and shallower, meaning your baby essentials are much more visible, accessible and always within quick reach when you need them. In simple terms, it’s just easier to get the stuff out!

This design also features a wide opening so you can easily see what’s inside the bag. No one has time to waste rummaging through layers upon layers of baby supplies in a backpack style bag while trying to find the one item you need. With a shoulder tote, you can see what’s inside easier and retrieve it quicker. No more dumping the contents of your backpack on the ground in exasperation!

4. Find Your Perfect Designer Match

Just because you haven't slept a full night in weeks doesn't mean you can't still feel a bit luxurious when you leave the house! Which brings me to a sneaky benefit of a nappy tote bag -the diversity and uniqueness they offer to suit your taste, even if it is a little designer! Compared to a backpack, totes allow for a greater range of styles, prints and patterns.

With more canvas to play with, designers have the freedom to explore different materials, textures, features and colours. If you're looking for a baby bag that matches your style and personality, tote styles are much more diverse and the fashion conscious Mumma is sure to find her perfect match.

5. Perfect Pram Pairing

Tote bags are the perfect match for any pram, either hung off the handle or stored underneath.

Backpack styles are a cubed design and tend to swing back and forth on pram handles. Nobody likes being hit in the knees as they try to enjoy a stroll in the park with bub! Shoulder totes on the other hand tend to sit flush with the pram and provide greater swing stability thanks to wider anchor points.

If you opted for a smaller pram with limited storage space underneath, shoulder totes are much more likely to fit easier by just turning it sideways and popping it in, while a backpack might hit the bottom of the seat if it’s a bit too square!

Let’s face it, most of the time parents are not going to be carrying the nappy bag, it will be in or under the pram, and having some lovely big slip pockets right in front of you is so very handy.

6. Easier to Grab and Go

For quick and efficient transfer between your car, home, childcare or the playground, shoulder totes are just easier!

Totes offer a versatile shoulder strap as well as a pair of handles. When you need one hand free to hold bubba, you can pick up your tote and carry it comfortably over your other shoulder. They are simply a better one handed choice over awkward backpack styles, where you will be forced to carry the whole weight by the little top hoop, or balance a big square weight on one shoulder that tends to easily swing forwards and off. Unless you put bubba down to make sure both your shoulder straps are on, the tote just has more swing stability.

Another potentially confusing situation is wearing your baby in a harness or sling at the same time as your bag! Just…. So many straps! Shoulder totes are designed around a grab and go concept, but backpacks are designed to be worn, so you have to make sure you put things on, and take things off, in the right order to avoid being stuck in a mess of tangled straps. How annoying!

7. Easy to Clean and Maintain

Let's face it. Parenting can be messy and tote bags make our favorite job, cleaning (I’m sure there must be someone out there who loves cleaning, right?) just that little bit easier!

The shallower compartments and open access makes it simpler to combat spills, stains and other surprises. Thanks to the better visibility inside a shoulder tote nappy bag, your chances of discovering a 3 month old mouldy teething biscuit in the dark depths of a backpack are greatly reduced.

8. Stylish Organization

For busy parents, life is made so very much easier when you just know where everything is.

You want a nappy bag that will separate everything into neat little pockets and compartments, where you can store the same thing every time.

With vast interior space, shoulder tote nappy bags can be easily customised, giving you extra compartments that just wont fit in most backpack designs.

Even good backpacks that pack in all the features can end up feeling very cramped because they sacrifice the main compartment size for the pockets needed. If maximum organization is what you’re searching for, totes are a superior choice!

Many Totes include:

Insulated baby bottle holders
Water bottle/drinks holders
Waterproof wet clothes pocket
Nappy slip pockets
Extra internal organizers for creams and lotions
External front slip pockets
Separate quick access dummy spot
Mummy pockets for things such as tablets, phones, keys, lip balm, etc.
Don’t forget your baby health red book! You'll need a place to keep that too!

If you want a tote bag that features all of the above and more, click here to check out the ultimate mothers bag.

This Bublet Co Nappy bag even features a removable internal organizer to convert your nappy bag into a stylish tote bag so you can keep using it for years to come.

When is a Backpack Style Nappy Bag Better?

We admit, there is a time and a place for all bags! Even though in most situations a shoulder tote bag out performs a backpack style nappy bag, there is one situation more suited to a backpack style bag.

If you are planning on going on long walks without your pram, lugging around a heavy nappy bag is no fun at all! It's true that this is unavoidable, regardless of which style you choose. After all, most nappy bags aren't designed to be carried for more than a few minutes at a time, in and out of your car, and back and forth from hanging it off or under your pram.

However, if you are a very active Mumma and plan on going for walks without your pram while wearing your baby on walking trails or similar, the backpack style might be the way to go.

A backpack distributes the weight evenly over both shoulders, so is a more comfortable option for long wearing. Perhaps a better option would be just to use a normal backpack for those situations, and still be able to enjoy the handy tote features day to day.