It’s time to bug out – do you have everything you need for your family members for an emergency? Having a baby bug-out bag ensures you have everything your infant needs to survive for the next 72 hours.

Bug-out bags contain enough supplies to survive 72 hours after an emergency while making it to your bug-out location. If you have an infant, your initial thought might be to include those items in your bag, but babies need many things. They’re completely dependent on us, and the more practical idea is to make an emergency diaper bag for all of the things your child needs.

Keeping your baby healthy and happy during this time is essential, but you have to be ready to face whatever might come your way when you bug out. That varies based on what the situation is and the weather where you live.

Let’s take a look at what you should put in an emergency kit for your baby.

Why You Need Baby Bug Out Bags

Having a bug-out bag for everyone in your family is essential, and adding things for a baby into your bag takes up valuable space that you need for yourself or your family. A baby BOB may not be something your baby wears, but it holds all of your necessary items that help your infant survive while your family bugs out.

When you start to add up all of the things that your baby needs, it’s enough to fill an entire bag. I suggest using a backpack that covers into a shoulder carry bag as well. If you have your baby on your chest in a baby carrier and your diaper bag on your back, you need to be able to carry their bag over your shoulder.

Make sure the bag is sturdy with comfortable straps. I prefer bags with a wet and dry pocket for dirty clothes and one with an included changing pad to make your life easier.

Since you might evacuate during a disaster, it would be great if the bag is waterproof. You don’t have to be fancy; a basic backpack that holds the gear you need for prepping is fine.

What to Put in a Baby Bug Out Bag

Are you wondering what you need to include in your diaper bag? Here is my list of must-have essentials for my family.

Baby Carrier

How are you going to carry your baby while bugging out? A family stroller or a wagon is a great choice, but depending on where you are going, it might not be practical to have a stroller with you. That’s when you need a baby carrier.

A baby carrier allows you to carry your baby hands-free. It makes carrying bags a little complicated, but depending on your baby’s age, you’ll either put your baby on your back or your front and carry your bag on the opposite side. For babies under six months old, keeping your baby on your chest is the most practical, especially if you’re breastfeeding.

Rotate who carries the baby with different family members. That helps to take the burden off of one parent.

Formula

Whether or not your baby is formula-fed, I recommend that you keep a can or two of formula in your baby bug-out bag. Breastfeeding is optimal for bugging out because you don’t have to worry about running out, but it’s not possible for all women to breastfeed.

On top of that, your breast milk supply depends on your hormones, and an emotional, stressful situation might cause your production to drop significantly. It’s not uncommon for high-stress situations to cause a loss of milk, and when you bug out, you don’t want to worry about your baby going hungry.

I suggest fitting as much formula powder as possible into your bug-out bags. Some brands sell individual packets, which are easier to keep in your bag, and you might want to shove as many as possible into your own bug-out bags.

When prepping, infant formula is one of the things you don’t want to underestimate for your child. It’s better to have more formula than you need than not enough!

Bottles

Bottles are essential for breastfeeding and formula-feeding moms. Bring at least two but three, preferably because they need to be cleaned out. Make sure you bring extra nipples for the bottles.

Water

Water is necessary for all; you need it to mix formula and clean your baby, so pack as many bottles as you can comfortably carry. If your child is older, he will need water to drink like you.

After that, I suggest that you pack a Lifestraw or something similar (or two) in your baby BOB. Every person in your family needs at least one filtering straw for survival. At some point, you might have to filter out the water that you find and make it safe for your baby. Grab some filtering tablets as well.

Something else to consider is that if your baby is exclusively breastfed, you still need plenty of water because the mother gets easily dehydrated and might lose her milk supply.

Baby Food

If your baby is six months old and above, baby food is a necessity to your bag. I recommend rotating these foods out every six months to avoid any spoilage.

The easiest baby food to pack in a survival bag is pouches of baby food. You’ll want three or more per day to be on the safe side. Then, if you have older infants, you’ll want some snacks included as well.

Toddlers like baby food as well, especially the food pouches with different blends. When packing food for toddlers, grab plenty of crackers and non-perishable snacks like crackers or other comfort items your child enjoys.

Diapers

Packing diapers in your baby’s bug-out bag is essential, but it can be complicated to be prepared for a disaster. Disposable diapers make the most sense when bugging out for a short period, perhaps until you reach your final destination, where you will hopefully have tons of diapers waiting. If that’s not the case, cloth diapers make the most sense.

I recommend having both on hand. A pack of flats or flour sack towels from Walmart is the most economical choice and versatile because they work as blankets or burp cloths. Keep a pack in your bug-out bag along with two or three covers. Flats and covers are the easiest cloth diapers to wash by hand in a stream if needed.

Then, pack as many disposable diapers as your baby will need for 72 hours, which is generally the recommended amount of time your bug-out bag should sustain you.

Most babies need to have a new diaper every two to three hours. If you have a toddler, you might need to change their diaper every four hours; it’s different for all children. Try to carry as many as possible.

Wipes

You will need wipes for all of the messes. Cloth wipes are possible, and I suggest cloth wipes for any long-term emergencies but keep two packs of disposable wipes in your bug-out bag. You can use these wipes for cleaning your baby and cleaning hands.

Small Toys and Pacifiers

The toys you pack will depend on your child’s age, but familiar board books, rattles, dolls, cars, and stuffed animals are always beloved choices. If you pack books for babies or toddlers, bring board books, not paper ones; they withstand more abuse.

Pacifiers are a lifesaver, especially when you need your baby to stay silent. You have no idea what dangers you might face if you bug out, and babies are a ticking time bomb waiting to start screaming.

Also, consider keeping some teething toys with you if your baby is the age to start teething. These help keep your baby calm and relaxed.

Hand Warmers

Every bug-out bag needs hand warmers; they’re cheap and versatile. Babies cannot regulate their body temperature, so these help your child stay warm for several hours. You can wrap hand warmers with your baby in the blanket, but they should never be placed directly on your child’s skin.

Blankets

I suggest packing two or three blankets. The first blanket I suggest is a lightweight muslin cotton blanket. These are thin and versatile; you might use them as a nursing cover, blanket, or a place for your baby to lay on the ground.

The second blanket would be an organic wool blanket. Wool is amazing; it’s warm whether it’s wet or dry. When you bug out, you might encounter rain, so wool is a great option. The third would be whatever you want; I like a backup for my backup.

I also suggest that you toss a few emergency mylar blankets into your baby BOB. These take up little space in your bag, and they’re a necessary item for survival. Children need to stay warm, and clothes aren’t always enough if the temperature drops too low. Emergency blankets are a must-have for your infant and older kids.

Baby Sleeping Bag

Carrying a pack and play with you isn’t practical, but babies need a safe, comfortable place to sleep. Cosleeping sounds nice, but your baby won’t stay warm in adult-sized sleeping bags if you keep getting in and out to use the bathroom or light the fire.

Grab a sleeping bag for your baby that is made for outdoor use, along with a sleeping pad. Sleeping bags trap heat more than blankets, and if you get one for outdoor use, they’ll keep your infant warm down in low temperatures.

Several Changes of Clothing

You’re bugging out, and you have no idea what you’ll encounter, but you know that your baby needs dry clothes. Fashion isn’t important; you have to think about practicality. Clothing needs to be comfortable, breathable, and easy to dry. I prefer cotton because it meets all of these criteria.

I pack several pairs of pants, onesies, sleepers, socks, and shorts. For preparedness, make sure you have lightweight and thicker clothes for all of your children. If your child is older, you might want two pairs of shoes as well.

Hats, Socks, Mittens

Don’t forget about hats, socks, and mittens. These should be in your bag, even if you don’t think you’ll need them. Remember, babies have trouble regulating their temperature, so a hat comes in handy even when you think you won’t need it.

Don’t forget a sun hat! Sun is a danger for babies, so pack two sun hats to protect your baby from harmful rays. It’s a good idea to have sun hats for your toddler as well; they’re lightweight and easy to stuff into a backpack.

Plastic Bags

Keep several sizes of Ziploc bags in your baby BOB. If you have dirty cloth diapers or wet clothes, stick them in the bag until you can wash them. You don’t want to get the rest of the items wet.

Anything liquid should be kept in plastic bags as well. All it takes is one spilled water bottle to ruin an entire BOB.

Baby First Aid Kit

A baby first aid kit needs to include many items. I include hygiene items and medical products that we might need. Some things that you should be pack include:

• Nail clippers
• Thermometers
• Nasal aspirator
• Saline spray
• Benadryl
• Tylenol
• Ibuprofen
• Orajel
• Gripe Water
• Gas Drops
• Sunscreen
• Extra syringes
• Bandaids
• Hand Sanitizer
• Lotion

Hand Pump

It’s possible to induce lactation, even if you aren’t breastfeeding. If you run out of milk, it’s an option, but it takes time. The more likely reason that you need a hand pump is to keep up your supply. Stress makes your supply drop, so pumping is a good way to keep it up.

Thermos

Having a thermos keeps bottles warmer or colder, depending on what you want. You might be able to keep your baby’s bottle warmer this way.

Pedialyte – Single Packs

Pedialyte or a similar brand helps to restore electrolytes if your infant ends up dehydrated. Babies have an increased risk of dehydration if they have diarrhea, and since you might face uncertain water sources, this is likely. Keep a bottle or individual packets of Pedialyte in your baby bug-out bag.

Pedialyte is essential for children in general. Anyone in your family can drink Pedialyte, and kids think it tastes good. Staying hydrated is essential for survival. You might include the single-use packets in your first aid kit.

Waterproof Suit

A waterproof suit isn’t something most people consider, but if you’re bugging out and it starts to rain, or you evacuate because of a hurricane, having waterproof suits is a great idea. In fact, having rain suits for all of your family members will keep everyone comfortable and dry. They make infant, children, and adult sizes.

Packing Your Baby Bug Out Bag

Don’t forget to make a bug-out bag for your infant too. It’s easy to think you’ll grab what you need on the way out and stuff those items into your BOB, but you need a baby bug-out bag too. When you’re on your way to your bug-out location, you’ll be thankful you planned for any situation.