Since becoming pregnant, my shopping requirements have veered from the newest oscillating mascara and light-reflecting moisturizer to the more practical considerations of diaper pails and sleep sacks. Yes, my beauty obsession may have been temporarily pushed to the back burner, but there's still one road I can never steer clear of. Handbags. I've clocked way too many miles on this path, and the purses I've accumulated have made this an increasingly hazardous road to travel. Yet, at 41 weeks pregnant (a week overdue) with my hospital bag packed and all my household projects done, my thoughts turned to the perfect diaper bag, a seemingly harmless, well-deserved distraction. At first, I gamely thought I could get away with one of the countless oversized handbags I own. How naïve and innocent I was in such a notion. It turns out a diaper bag isn't just an ordinary handbag. This precisely calibrated device is a much-needed soldier in the never-ending diaper battle I'll be waging for the next few years. A must-have weapon in my arsenal against fighting off germs and general yuck, I'd be remiss in turning my back on such a necessary object, no?

Surprisingly, upon entry to this unfamiliar kingdom, the search for the perfect diaper bag turns out to be littered with a boggling array of choice. The first landmark in this unknown mommy superhighway that stopped me in my tracks: The Go GaGa Messenger bag, a high-tech, Dad-friendly accessory that's not only stylish but ergonomic. Made of 72% recycled fabric, this fair-trade certified beauty is roomy enough to fit a 15 laptop, comes with pockets galore and sports two insulated side pockets for nursing bottles and sippy cups. Swap in a couple of small wine bottles and you have a romantic picnic bag at your disposal.

The jewel in Go GaGa's crown is the patent pending strap that ingeniously distributes the bag's weight across your torso. A boon to nursing moms. And for dads, the strap which comes complete with built-in cell phone/iPod pocket also serves as a sliding shoulder pad that cinches to create a more masculine look. With my impending worries about delivery, breast feeding and parenting looming large on the horizon, I'm overjoyed to have found the Go GaGa bag to ease the transition to motherhood.

Available at gogagalife.com and ebags.com.

by Lara Landa

Lara Landa, Shopjunkie
		About the author:
		Lara is a television producer and has worked on shows like Fashion File, Fashion Television and The A List. Currently, Lara is working on HGTV shows such as Sarah's House and Dirty Business. As a freelance writer she has interviewed everyone from Steve Coogan to Tommy Lee and Alanis Morissette to The Prodigy. Her writing has been published in Elle, Chatelaine and The Toronto Star.
	Read More >>