by BabyCenter Guest Blogger posted in Parenting

By McKenzie Stemper
It took me some time to realize that when it comes to baby-care, less can be more. When I was pregnant with my first child, I started making lists of things I needed in my baby bag at all times. It was lengthy, and now that I'm the mother of two I wish I had that list in front of me so I could laugh at some of the items on it. I never once needed nail clippers or a thermometer on a trip to Target, but at least I was prepared, right"
Downsizing your life
Lugging around a diaper bag can be a real pain, and after babies reach the 6-month mark, they don't need as much for short little trips to the store. If, like many, you're downsizing in all areas of your life and getting rid of items you hold onto because of "What if I need these someday"" worries, maybe it's time to ditch the diaper bag and bring along a few baby essentials in your purse instead.
The essentials list
Wipes: I always keep Johnson?s Head-to-Toe Cleansing Cloths with me. They're great for any type of baby or toddler clean-up, or any mama messes, for that matter. My favorite things about these wipes: they're super-soft and two times bigger than the average baby wipe. They also smell incredible, and are alcohol-, dye-, soap-, paraben-, and phthalate-free. Both my kids have pretty sensitive skin yet never had an issue with these wipes, even as newborns. I use them to clean up sticky mouths and fingers, dirty park hands, and...