Best changing bags: the stylish and practical bags Mumsnetters love

This article was updated on 6th September 2023.

The best changing bags have space for all the baby and toddler paraphenalia you need to carry around. But finding one that you actually like and feel good carrying? That's the holy grail. The stylish mums of the Mumsnet forums are experts on finding the essential baby gear that's designed to look great as well as for practicality.

Here at Mumsnet, we're dedicated to making parents' lives easier and we know how much difference the right product can make. That's why we've vetted and reviewed all sorts of products, from the best breast pumps to the best baby bottles - turning to the real experts: the real parents of the Mumsnet forums, for recommendations.

A great changing bag is one of the most important items in your baby arsenal; your defence against poonamies and toddler tantrums. Having a single bag designed with parenting in mind - and always packed and ready to go - can make your life that little bit easier. The right bag can be an all-in-one solution that you’ll be carrying around for years to come. But how to choose?

These days, changing bags come with all sorts of useful functions. We recommend you consider what’s necessary for you and your baby’s needs, then take a look at our list to inspire your choice. We took the advice of Mumsnetters on our forums - real parents who’ve used and rated these bags - alongside trusted online publications. Importantly, we did our own testing of some of these bags, to see how they coped in the real world. Whether you want something budget, stylish, small or all-singing-all-dancing, we hope there’s something on here for everyone.

These are the best changing bags to buy.

What are the different kinds of changing bag?

• Backpacks

Worn on your back with two shoulder straps so your hands are free for carrying babies. Our tester had a strong preference for backpack-style bags. They help to keep the weight of the bag centred across your shoulders, rather than all of the weight being held on one side – a lifesaver for parents with back issues or those using baby carriers.

• Messenger-style bags

Worn on the hip with a long crossbody strap. Our tester found that leaning forward could sometimes cause the bag to swing around in front.

• Changing units

Smaller changing units are designed to just carry the essentials - a few nappies, wipes, and a change of clothes. We think it’s a great idea to get one of these smaller bags in addition to a full-size bag, either to use for emergencies (just leave it in your car boot) or for quick trips out of the house.

• Regular backpack

Of course, some (including some Mumsnetters in our forums) argue that simply using your best backpack will do. For some, this may be true and we’re not claiming it would be impossible to use a bag that’s not explicitly marketed as a changing bag. But changing bags are specifically designed with a parent’s needs in mind, and they generally have certain useful features that you won’t find in a standard rucksack, such as baby changing mats, insulated bottle pockets and wipes dispensers.

• Buggy organiser

Designed to clip onto your buggy handles, buggy organisers keep your essentials close at hand as you're walking along. Many have a drinks holder, space for your phone and, naturally, a packet of baby wipes.

• Stroller bag

A stroller bag is designed to be carried slung over the handles of your pram, fitting neatly in order to maximise space. Many big brands make stroller bags that will fit effortlessly with the corresponding pram.

• Tote

A more formal-looking option, a tote-style changing bag is worn over the shoulder and keeps its myriad pockets and compartments stowed discreetly away inside.

Do I really need a changing bag?

This topic is hotly debated on the Mumsnet forums. Many Mumsnetters advocate for using an ordinary backpack or bag - Longchamp's Le Pliage is a particular favourite - and chucking everything inside.

Others swear by a made-for-the-purpose changing bag. Features such as waterproof sections, bottle-holders designed for baby bottles and oodles of pockets aren't usually found in your everyday bag, and you'll be grateful for the baby-friendly design when you're faced with another sick, poo or wee-based accident.

Many modern changing bags are designed to look good while offering practical features too, so it's perfectly possible to find a changing bag you're also happy to use for other situations. In the early months and years of parenthood, you'll be using your changing bag a lot, so it makes sense to put as much consideration and money towards it as you would any other everyday bag.

What to look for when choosing a changing bag

• Looks for added extras - is there a perfect-fit changing mat included or do you need to buy one separately?

• Does it have pockets?! There's no such thing as too many pockets when it comes to changing bags - you'll want to keep things organised so you can access everything you need in a hurry and/or one-handed.

• Insulated bottle pocket - if you're bottle feeding, this is a real plus.

• Waterproof material - for keeping the weather out and wet clothing in.

• Convertible straps - a backpack is great for when you need your hands free, but a shoulder bag works best if you need to rummage around while you're on the go. Look out for versatile straps that let you choose.

• Do you feel good wearing it? This is very important as you'll be using this bag a lot. Don't forget your own style (and that of your partner) when making your choice.

A note about milk safety – although some bags are marketed as being able to keep bottles of milk warm for hours on end, we have questions about the safety of this practice. Bacteria loves to grow in warm environments, so keeping a bottle of milk warm for a long period of time seems questionable at best, especially when it’s going to be fed to a vulnerable infant.

There seems to have been limited research in this area, but it’s probably better to view insulated bottle pockets as a way to keep fridge-cold milk fresh for longer, rather than keeping warm milk warm – and of course, don’t feed the milk to your baby if it’s no longer cold to the touch. You can still heat the milk to the appropriate temperature before feeding. Here's some advice from the NHS and NCT

What’s the best changing bag to buy?

We chose the Skip Hop Forma Changing Backpack as our best overall after testing because of its popularity, spaciousness, separate compartments and extras like the changing pad.

While you’re obviously not going to want to buy all nine of our recommended baby changing bags (well, maybe you will), there are several bags listed here that would complement each other well. Our tester, Becca, would recommend choosing one main bag to use day-to-day for most of your baby needs, plus one smaller bag or changing station. The smaller bag can be left in your car boot for emergencies or quickly grabbed from under the pushchair for on-the-go nappy changes.

How we chose our recommendations

We spent several hours sifting through Mumsnet's forums for our users' recommendations on the best baby changing bag they rate. We were on the lookout for poor reviews of products to avoid too. We also consulted recommendations from trusted consumer websites and looked at new releases to ensure that we gave newcomers a level playing field when competing with old favourites.

We also asked writer Becca Heyes to test a selection of changing bags and let us know her thoughts. As a mum to a boisterous two-year-old and a three-month-old baby, Becca was able to offer insight into what makes a really great changing bag that will grow with a family and last for years to come. Over the course of three months, Becca rigorously tested a shortlist of 15 bags before narrowing them down to favourites, some of which we included on this list. We combined all of this research to choose a selection of products that we think offer something for everybody.

How we tested:

To make sure we were as thorough as possible, we tested some of these changing bags in two ways.

Firstly, we used each bag in real-life situations – Becca took the bags with her when out and about with her two children to see how they fared day-to-day. She tested each of the bags for up to a week each, stuffing them in the storage basket of her pram, using them for dozens of nappy changes, and filling them to the brim with baby toys and snacks.

While one bag may look more attractive than another at first glance, real-world testing offers a better insight into how practical a bag truly is – especially how it performs in those spontaneous ‘we-never-could-have-predicted-this’ moments (always more likely to occur when you add a runny poo to the equation).

We asked Becca to check that the bags were straightforward to use (what parent of a newborn has time for instruction manuals?) and that there were no nasty surprises – stains after just a couple of hours' usage, hard-to-reach pockets, or ripped seams after a long day out.

Secondly, we conducted two specific tests on each bag – the spill test and the one-handed test.

• The spill test: We spilt a small amount of milk onto each bag, both inside and out (something that’s sure to happen in the lifetime of any changing bag), then cleaned them up as best we could. We assessed how easily the bag was able to be wiped clean and whether there were any stains or smells left behind.

• The one-handed test: Could the main compartment of the bag be unzipped with one hand? This is vital for those panicked moments when you’re holding the baby but urgently need to grab a muslin or a pack of wipes – those spit-ups always seem to come without warning.

With just one person testing each of the bags in exactly the same ways, we were able to ensure consistency in our ratings and give the most accurate comparisons.

After thoroughly testing each bag, we then scored them on several criteria, including comfort, aesthetics, value for money, practicality and cleanliness.

These scores allowed us to compare the bags as objectively as possible and to award our favourite bags with coveted Mumsnet Best awards. Any bags that failed our tests were not included in our recommendations. We then added other bags to our list, based on research.

Why you should trust us

Mumsnet has been helping parents make their lives easier since 2000, and, in that time, we've investigated, tried and reviewed thousands of products. All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust – brands can’t pay to be featured in our articles or win a Mumsnet Best award.

Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about how we tested the products we recommend. We won't always recommend the cheapest products or the ones with the most extra features. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones we'd recommend to our own friends and family.

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.