Top items parents pack in baby bags – including nappies and toys

Although nappies and soothers were the items most likely to cause the most drama if forgotten, today’s parents are nearly twice as likely to make sure they don’t leave the house without a first-aid kit (22 percent, compared to 13 percent of the older generation).

And only a third of older parents carried suncream, while more than half (56 percent) of modern mums and dads now pack it frequently.

Furthermore, 29 percent now make sure they have anti-septic cream on them, compared to just 17 percent of those who had a baby before 1990.

Must-have items more likely to be found in modern pram bags include soothers and Calpol, as well as a new item deemed essential – an iPad or tablet to keep their youngster entertained.

As a result, mums and dads now pack a minimum of 11 items for their baby before leaving the house, with 69 percent admitting they carry more on them than they need to.

Lisa Parkhill, managing director of MAM, which commissioned the research as part of its Soothement campaign, said: “The findings show how prepared parents are for every eventuality.

“Key staples can make all the difference to ensure parent and baby have a relaxing day out, versus a stressful, fraught experience.

“Parents are doing their research, with no stone left unturned to ensure they don’t get caught out if a tricky situation arises.

“Innovation in baby care products has come on leaps and bounds over the years, and it’s a good thing that parents can have an array of items in their armoury to soothe baby every time they leave the home.”

The study also found 70 percent of all parents reckon being a new mum or dad now seems more complicated than it was in the past.

And those who had a baby 30 years ago favoured a more “relaxed” approach to their child’s bag (39 percent, compared to 27 percent today).

However, as a result, they were more likely to end up forgetting something, with 20 percent admitting they always left an item at home – while just 16 percent of today’s organised mums and dads said the same.

It also emerged all parents spent an average of seven minutes packing a bag for their baby before heading out, with 35 percent receiving comments about how much they carry.

However, 31 percent wouldn’t trust their partner to pack a bag as well as them, and 17 percent would abandon a trip entirely were they to forget their bag of baby essentials – with 27 percent admitting they would head to the nearest shop in search of new supplies.

Soothers were an item most likely to stress a parent if it was left at home, according to the OnePoll data.

And nearly six in ten parents (58 percent) said they relied on them in the first year, with 38 percent revealing their child couldn’t go without.

Parents who used soothers with their child said the biggest misconceptions other parents have around a child using one were babies becoming too reliant on them, or even hooked on them – or that they’re purely used to keep an infant quiet.

But while 30 percent believe certain types of soothers are better than others for a child’s teeth, it’s a common misunderstanding that using one hinders breastfeeding.

Lisa Parkhill, from MAM, added: “It’s interesting to see that one of the key items it’d be a disaster to leave the house without would be a soother.

“It can be a key tool in the early days to ensure infants are happy and relaxed when out and about, giving parents one less thing to worry about.

“It’s also been great to see how aware mums and dads are of the misconceptions that remain incorrectly around soothers.”