A Hollow Grand Canyon

When you're expecting a baby you always buy the baby bag. Usually it's a well packed bag which helps save the day when you're out, well-stocked with essential things. You fill it up like you are going to end up on a deserted island. If I end up there myself, we could survive for days with just the baby bag.

But what do we carry in this bag and do we really need everything? Personally, when someone else carries my magical Mary Poppins bag, they are surprised at how heavy it is. As a comedian Kenny Sebastian called it, it's a "hollow Grand Canyon".

My baby bag

So I have the purse, keys and mobile of course, what normal people carry. Then I have the nappy changing mat, nappies, wipes, pull ups, disposable bags, tissues, nappy rash cream, pacifier, band-aids, paracetamol, Jaimee's water bottle, Sam's water bottle, ice pack, change of clothes for Sam and Aimee, sunglasses, spoon and fork, diary, 3 small cars for Sam (to keep him occupied), camera, lip stick (as if I ever use it), tweezers (to pluck my eyebrows in the car while baby is asleep), lip balm, the 3 hospital books, the gift vouchers I got as presents for Aimee, cheque book, breastfeeding cover, a sewing kit, a pen, plastic carry cot cover, an empty container just in case, crackers, 2 apples, baby food and at the moment I am also carrying a pair of leggings I need to make smaller! Luckily I breastfeed, coz if not, I would have to carry even more things. Wait until you see me going out in the summer, to go to the beach.

The good thing about these bags is that you only have one and you just top up. No need to take everything out to choose another bag. Same thing with the beach bags. I only change the towels, the rest stays. Like the sunblock, shampoo, conditioner, body wash (everyone uses a different one), beach toys, noodles, hats, baby float, etc. Those remain in the bag.

Although this time I have a very good baby bag with compartments and clips, I still manage to get lost in it. I still spend around 5 minutes looking for something. Apart from the baby bag, I also carry the carry cot with the baby in it of course. Including a blanket, muslin cloth and Sophie la girafe. Normally Jaimee wants to get a diary and some colours and papers to draw. So she gets her own bag, which I end up carrying myself. Then we buy something, so we have other bags. Since Sam likes to run away, I like to keep him on me too. He knows how to get out of the pushchair if I buckle him in there.

I'm just guessing, but I think I carry around 12 kilos carry cot and baby, 12 kilos Sam, 5 kilos the baby bag, and maybe 2 more kilos with the extra bags. I am roughly carrying half my weight most of the time! No wonder my biceps are getting bigger. And of course it's not just me, but all the mummies in the universe. Our life is bags, bags and more bags.

Just mentioning these things I carry when I go out alone with my kids, I can feel my shoulders and back burning. No wonder I feel so light in the weekends when hubby carries the load! And that's the only time I can wear high heels. I love it. But I really miss wearing a normal hand bag which matches my shoes, clothes and nails.

When I have pain somewhere and go to the doctor, he advises me not to carry things and rest. And I ask him, "Doctor, do you have kids?!".