What to Pack in Grab N' Go Bags for Babies, Toddlers, and Parents

I've lived in the Philippines for more than half my life and it never did occur to me to prepare for all types of risks we have here such as natural disasters (earthquake, flood, typhoon, volcanic eruptions, etc) and man-made emergencies (fire, protests, bomb threats, etc).

Except now... It's mainly because I've become a parent and becoming one is a serious life-changer.

My actual profession involves a lot of planning and preparing and of course, one major lesson from Benjamin Franklin that I'd like to quote is this:

"By Failing to Prepare (or Plan), You Are Preparing (or Planning) to Fail"

And so, I decided to research and conduct a survey among parents to create these infographics listing the supplies that must be in the Grab N' Go Bags for babies, toddlers, and parents.

Everyone should have some basic supplies on hand in order to survive for at least three days if an emergency occurs.

However, it is important that individuals review this list and consider where they live and the unique needs of their family in order to create an emergency supply kit that will meet these needs. Individuals should also consider having at least two emergency supply kits, one full kit at home and smaller portable kits in their workplace, vehicle or other places they spend a lot of time.

A quick note to breastfeeding moms like me: I indicated here that we can bring formula. Why? No one disagrees that the breast milk produced by the mother for the baby is THE best thing (I'm a breastfeeding mom too). However, in the unlikely event that I get separated from my baby, my child would need an alternative sustenance and I have no idea how prepared PH is in terms of providing enough BM for those who need it, plus my husband and I agreed on this. Again, this is just a suggestion.

For older kids, what applies for parents should also apply to them in terms of supplies. Just to show you -- here's what we've prepared at home. We packed for my husband, for our 2 helpers, and for our 18 month old (her grab n' go isn't in the photos - will add soon).

We found this Flashlight / Glowstick and Whistle in 1 for only P169 at this Outdoor Store in Glorietta 3. If you are wondering why we chose Spam - it has the longest shelf life among all canned food. Yes, zero nutritional value but that's what the canned tuna is for :)

For each bag, we pack basic medicines and a hygiene kit.

These are disposable towelettes that expand once you pour a little bit of water on them. P125 for 12 pieces.

This is a rechargeable lamp with a flashlight. It also serves as a powerbank. We got the multi-purpose tools to save space (don't want to carry so much stuff during emergencies).

In the event that cellular phones won't work, we have Walkie Talkies as back-up. This specific model is excellent for emergencies - long battery life, clear signal, covers a good distance and very easy to use.

As for Kara's stuff (my 18 month old daughter) - we placed them all in her own Grab N' Go bag but we also added some of her supplies in each of our bags (for back-up purposes).

All our Grab N' Go bags are lined up at the hallway near the door but we plan to put these to where we usually are whenever we're at home (i.e. in the bedroom).

I hope you find these tips useful. SAFETY FIRST!!! I posted the Infographics in my Instagram and Facebook Page as well. Feel free to repost and share.

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