Baby Bags in Australia: Backpack or Tote, and Five Worth Buying
The bag you pack at 36 weeks is rarely the one you are still carrying at nine months. Early on it holds newborn nappies, a muslin and a change of bodysuit. A few months later it also holds a spout cup, snacks, a spare top for you and a toy that has to stay within reach. Parents often buy for the first picture and then fight the bag for the next year.
The choice mostly comes down to one question: do you need both hands free, or do you need to find things fast? A baby backpack suits the first, a tote suits the second, and a few convertible designs try to do both. We compared five bags using manufacturer specifications and published product listings, looking at layout, carry style and pram-attachment features, so you can skip the tabs.
One pram note before you start: check your pram manual for a maximum handlebar load. Any bag hung off the handle adds weight there, and the maker’s limit is the number that counts.
Backpack or tote: how to decide
Before you look at brands, settle the format. It affects daily comfort more than any feature on the spec list.
Where a baby backpack wins
- Both hands free: you can carry a baby, hold a toddler’s hand or push a pram without a strap sliding off your shoulder.
- Weight is spread across two shoulders: this matters on the days a full bag, a bottle and a water bottle add up to a few kilos.
- Easier on your back and neck: especially if you are recovering from a caesarean.
- Trade-off: you have to take it off to get into it, and the main compartment can become a pit if the bag has no internal organisation.
Where a tote wins
- Fast access: a wide, open top means a dummy or wipes are a one-handed grab.
- Looks like a normal handbag: handy if the bag doubles as your everyday bag or you go straight from daycare to work.
- Easy to hang on the pram: most totes have straps or a handle that sit well on a pram handlebar.
- Trade-off: it all sits on one shoulder, which gets tiring on longer days.
The deciding rule
- If you walk or take public transport, a backpack is the easier carry.
- If you mostly drive and push a pram, a tote is quicker to use.
- If you do both in the same week, a convertible bag is the compromise.
What to look for before you buy
These are the features that separate a bag you love from one you stuff in the wardrobe by month four. Buy before your hospital bag is due, so you can pack it properly.
- Wide-opening main compartment: you will be searching one-handed with a baby on your hip, so a zip that opens flat beats a narrow top.
- Insulated bottle pockets: useful through an Australian summer, though they are not a substitute for a proper cooler if milk needs to stay cold for hours.
- Wipe-clean lining: leaked bottles and nappy blowouts happen, and a fabric you can sponge down saves a wash cycle.
- Pram clips or straps: lets the bag attach to the pram handle. Keep the load within your pram manual’s handlebar limit.
- Changing mat included: a padded fold-out mat is what you will actually use at the park or in a cafe.
- Padded, adjustable straps: for backpacks, thin straps dig in once the bag has a full load.
- Outside pockets: keys, phone and wallet should be reachable without opening the main compartment.
- Fabric: coated or synthetic fabrics are generally easier to wipe clean than untreated cotton canvas.
How much bag you need at each stage
Use these as a rough guide for capacity, then check the litres on the listing.
- Newborn: a handful of nappies, wipes, a muslin, a spare bodysuit and a dummy. Roughly 10 to 15 litres.
- Around 6 months: add a bottle or food pouch, a bib, a spare top for you and a toy. Roughly 15 to 20 litres.
- Toddler: spare clothes, a spout cup, snacks and a book. Roughly 15 to 20 litres, with more outside pockets for things you reach for often.
What to skip
- Bags with a dozen tiny compartments that you will never use in the same way twice.
- Light-coloured fabrics with no stain-resistant coating, if you want it to look decent after six months.
- Oversized bags: a big bag gets filled, and a full bag weighs more than you want to carry daily.
When not to buy a dedicated nappy bag
- Your pram came with a matching bag: use it first and see whether it covers your outings.
- You already own a roomy backpack: add a few zip pouches for nappies, wipes and a change of clothes, plus a fold-up changing mat.
- Short-term use: if you only need a bag for a few months of newborn outings, a low-cost option or your existing bag is the sensible call.
Five bags worth your time
Capacity in litres, empty weight, pocket count and inclusions (changing mat, pram straps, insulated pocket) differ between versions and colourways. We have not quoted figures that may be out of date, so confirm all of these on the current listing before you buy.
1. Skip Hop Forma Backpack
The Forma is our best overall pick because it combines a backpack carry with the features most parents end up wanting: a wide-opening main compartment, insulated bottle pockets, pram straps and a changing mat. It is a mid-range bag, so you are paying for organisation and padded straps rather than for a name.
It suits parents who walk, use public transport or want both hands free, and who want everything to have a place so a dummy is findable at the bottom of the day.
- Strength: the wide opening makes one-handed access easier than on a narrow-topped backpack.
- Strength: designed with pram attachment and insulated bottle pockets, so you do not need to add accessories.
- Strength: padded backpack straps for a full load carried daily.
- Trade-off: backpack carry only, so quick reaching means taking it off or swinging it round.
- Trade-off: mid-range pricing is hard to justify if you only need a bag for a short stage.
Skip Hop Forma Backpack
2. Anko Nappy Backpack
The Anko Nappy Backpack is the entry-level pick, for when you want a working bag without a big spend. It is a backpack with a simple layout, and it makes sense as a second bag for grandparents or the car, or while you are still working out what you actually need.
Designs rotate by season, so look at the current version’s litres and pocket count rather than assuming it matches an earlier one.
- Strength: entry-level pricing makes it low-risk for a first-baby purchase.
- Strength: a simple layout that is easy to understand on day one.
- Trade-off: expect lighter fabric and thinner padding than the mid-range, so it is less supportive when heavily loaded.
- Trade-off: insulated pockets and pram attachments may vary from one season to the next, so check before relying on them.
Anko Nappy Backpack
3. Storksak Alyssa Backpack
Storksak is a UK brand, and the Alyssa is its backpack for parents who want a bag that looks closer to an everyday work bag than a baby bag. It has a more structured shape than a slouchy fabric backpack, which helps it hold its form when only half full.
This is the premium pick. You are paying for materials, finish and design, not for a feature the cheaper backpacks lack entirely.
- Strength: structured shape and quality finish suit daily commuting as well as baby outings.
- Strength: backpack carry keeps your hands free on the way to work or daycare.
- Trade-off: the cost is hard to justify if the bag will only be used for a short stretch.
- Trade-off: a smart finish means more care with stains and scuffs than a hard-wearing synthetic.
Storksak Alyssa Backpack
4. Lässig Glam Signature Bag
This is the tote pick. Lässig is a German brand, and the Glam Signature Bag is a tote aimed at parents who want a bag that does not look like it came from a baby aisle. It suits the parent who drives, pushes a pram and wants a wide opening for quick access.
It sits in the mid-range, in the same price tier as the Forma, so the choice between them is the carry style, not the budget.
- Strength: a tote opening means a quick, one-handed reach into the main compartment.
- Strength: a more grown-up look that works as an everyday bag.
- Trade-off: check the strap length and whether it is long enough to wear cross-body. A short drop is what makes a tote slip when you lean into a car seat.
- Trade-off: it attaches to the pram with straps, so confirm they fit your handlebar width, since thick or ergonomic handles can be a squeeze.
Lässig Glam Signature Bag
5. Babymel Robyn Convertible Backpack
For the undecided, the Robyn is a convertible bag: it carries as a backpack and can be switched to a handle or shoulder carry. Babymel is a UK brand, and the Robyn suits a week that mixes walking and driving, where one carry style would not cover both.
It sits in the mid-range tier. The convertible design lets you change how you carry depending on the day, though convertible bags rarely do either job as well as a dedicated backpack or tote.
- Strength: one bag covers a pram walk, a drive and a longer outing on foot.
- Strength: styling for parents who do not want a typical baby print.
- Trade-off: the switch between carry modes adds a little complexity and can feel fiddly at first.
- Trade-off: less comfortable than a purpose-built backpack when fully loaded.
Babymel Robyn Convertible Backpack
The five side by side
| Product | Brand | Price tier | Key features | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skip Hop Forma Backpack #1 | Skip Hop | Mid-range | Backpack, wide opening, insulated bottle pockets, pram straps | Walkers and public transport users who want hands free |
| Anko Nappy Backpack Budget | Anko | Entry-level | Backpack, simple layout | Tight budgets, second bags, short-term use |
| Storksak Alyssa Backpack Premium | Storksak | Premium | Structured backpack, refined finish | One bag for work and baby, carried on foot |
| Lässig Glam Signature Bag | Lässig | Mid-range | Tote, wide opening, pram straps | Drivers who hang the bag on the pram |
| Babymel Robyn Convertible Backpack | Babymel | Mid-range | Backpack that converts to handle or shoulder carry | Mixed weeks of walking and driving |
The table does not show capacity, empty weight or dimensions, because those vary by version and we have not quoted figures we cannot confirm. Check litres and weight on each listing, and aim for the ranges in the stage guide above. A bag that is heavy when empty is heavier again when full.
Want to see how these stack up? We’ve reviewed 8 baby bags in total.
Common questions about baby bags, answered
Can I wear a backpack with a baby carrier?
Usually yes, if the backpack straps are adjustable and the bag sits high enough not to press against the carrier’s back panel. Pack heavy items close to your back. If the bag feels awkward over a carrier, put it in the pram basket or use a tote with a long strap worn cross-body.
How many nappies should I carry?
Newborns can go through a nappy every two to three hours, so plan on one for each outing hour or two, plus a couple spare. Add a few extra for a day out, and keep a zip bag for used ones.
How do I clean a nappy bag?
Follow the care label. Many bags are wipe-clean and best kept away from the washing machine. Empty it, shake out crumbs and sponge the lining with mild soap and water, then air dry with the zips open.
What if my partner or grandparents share the bag?
Pick a simple layout with obvious pockets, and restock it after every outing so it is always ready. A short list tucked in the lid pocket (nappies, wipes, spare clothes, dummy) saves a lot of calls.
For most parents who walk or use public transport, the Skip Hop Forma Backpack is the sensible default: padded straps, a wide opening and the pram straps, bottle pockets and mat that you would otherwise add yourself. If you mostly drive and hang the bag on the pram, look at the Lässig Glam Signature Bag, the tote, and check its strap length and your handlebar width first. For the smallest spend, the Anko Nappy Backpack covers the basics, and the Storksak Alyssa Backpack is the one to choose if you want a single structured bag that works for work as well as baby. If your pram came with a bag or you already own a roomy backpack, you may not need to buy one yet.
Where to buy these picks
✓ Verified prices are checked live at the retailer. Otherwise we show the approximate RRP (an indicative recommended price, not a live retailer price), or “price pending” where we don’t have one.
All 4 prices we track for this pick
- Kiddie Country $129 checked 30 Oct 2026
- Baby Little Planet $129 checked 30 Oct 2026
- Whole Bubs $149 checked 30 Oct 2026
- Baby Village $160.99 checked 30 Oct 2026
Storksak Alyssa Backpack
Best for work and baby
Anko Nappy Backpack
Best budget pick
Lässig Glam Signature Bag
Best for pram hanging
Babymel Robyn Convertible Backpack
Best all-rounder
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