Petunia Picklebottom Boxy Backpack diaper bag

When I was pregnant with the Pickle, I was on bedrest for six months, so I had a lot of time to research things - I was lying on my back even while working, and then I was alone at nights because J was working second shift.  So I researched things to take up my time.

I felt like I found the best purchase for the best price most of the time.  I was probably flattering myself, but I'm okay with that - I mean, I was on bedrest.  Give me a little room.

I decided we were going to splurge on a Petunia Picklebottom diaper bag, though.  I'd read hundreds of posts of women talking about how much they loved theirs, best invention ever, nothing else was fit to hold their baby's soiled diapers.  Plus, it was trendy, I knew I'd be the only person in my tiny little midwest town with one (not that most people would have heard of it), etc., etc.  I found their clearance sale on their website, and got one.  I don't see the style I got on their website anymore, so I'll choose a random one (LINK):

If you clicked the link, you may notice that the price of this runs around $180.  I got it for a little bit cheaper, right around $100, and got a pattern that was gender-neutral so that we could use it for multiple babies AND so that my husband wouldn't feel emasculated carrying it.  But it was still about $100.  For a diaper bag.

Anyway - we got this shipped and I got it all set up before we went to the hospital.  It has lots of pockets inside, so I was able to organize pacifiers, extra clothes, bottles (which we didn't really need as we were nursing), diaper cream, whatever.  I was most excited about this feature - the front of it unzips into a portable diaper-changing station:

We took the PPB with us to the hospital, and it worked fine.  I mean, they already had diapers there for us, and it's not like we needed to use it a whole ton on the 15 minute trip between the hospital and home, so it was sort of illogical for us to bring with us.  But it carried her clothes back and forth great!

The more true test of the diaper bag came when we were out and about.  I found that, unless I was changing Pickle on a floor of a place I knew or something, I didn't really feel comfortable putting the diaper bag we were going to use constantly on a changing surface that was riddled with germs.  (I know, I'm crazy, I'm not ashamed.)  It's not like I can wash an entire diaper bag.

I also didn't feel like the pockets were very efficient, the more I used it.  We were pumping instead of nursing due to multiple issues within a few weeks of birth, and it felt like bottles had to be in 17 separate pockets since there wasn't a huge amount of room in the middle.  The pockets for diapers and such were nice, but I'll be honest - it was easier when I was running on three hours of sleep to just throw new diapers in a big sack rather than put them in individual pockets.  I couldn't put a bigger pack of wipes in here, I had to put them into a small carrying case - which always worked out TERRIBLY if we had a poop-splosion and needed more than six wipes.  

It was cute, but I also didn't think that the strap was incredibly useful.  It wouldn't work on a stroller, because the strap was too long and the bag would drag on the ground.  I did have a stroller clip, but always forgot where it was.

I ended up not using this bag after about four months, which still makes me physically ill.  We switched fully to a cute little personalized bag that my aunt had gotten Pickle when she was born.  It is basically just a big rectangle with a few small pockets, nothing fancy - but I can cram coats, toys, etc. in there.  We use it now for our portable potty seat.  

I hate to admit that I'm going function over fashion on this.