to still (a year down the line) not understand the point of baby changing bags.

[bluecheeseforbreakfast]

When I was pregnant I remember looking at the changing bags in baby shops and being perplexed as to why parents need these special often bloody expensive vast bags.

Ds is 1, when he was a newborn I took a bag (any old bag) with 4 nappies, 1/4 of a pack of baby wipes, 2 baby grows, my phone and purse. Now I take 2 nappies 1/4 pack of baby wipes, a onsie, pouch of food, satsuma, phone, and purse.

I think I have less stuff in my bag, back in the days before I had a baby my bag would have all sorts of things in, makeup and hairbrush incase we went out for after work drinks, book/magazing to read on the train, phone charger as I would sometimes have so much spare time to play with my phone that the batery would die. phone and purse.

Is there a purpose that I am missing for these specific changing bags?

I liked mine, a cheap one that went with the pram. I found it useful to separate my stuff from the babies. The fold out changing mat was great too if we were out and about.

Well, I think UANBU if by Changing Bag you mean an expensive thing, but as you are going to need something to carry all the paraphernalia in, then I don't see what's wrong with a dedicated changing bag.
The one we had (years ago) was great - had an attached changing mat and useful compartments for 'stuff'. I liked something that was always ready by the door and could just be picked up and hung on the pushchair or stuck in the boot.
Ours got plenty of wear but just about lasted 3DC.

YANBU. I don't get it.

And did you know there is an entire separate topic on MN dedicated solely to changing bags.

Weird.

Old musette bag from the army surplus. Fit everything for a day out with two little boys playing on the trains around London - packed lunch included.

I didn't use mine often with one baby, but by the time I had a newborn and an eighteen month old I had a massive changing bag, with rucksack straps on it. And I breastfed, I just needed a lot of room for spare clothes, bottles of toddler milk, food for the toddler, nappies, some more nappies and some spare nappies, wipes, two different kinds of nappy cream, spoons, dummies and sachets of Calpol. And that baby biscotti that Heinz do, which is all that would keep the toddler quiet. I still take a changing bag with me when I go out with my two year old (the older one is potty trained now), but it's about the size of a washbag. I do miss my lovely petunia pickle bottom bags.

I didn't have 'any old bag' to use. I'm not a handbag person. I got a free rucksack with my nappies (washable ones) right at the very bottom was a waterproof section for wet nappies, and had a small fold out change mat too.

YABU if you've been thinking about this for over a year.

Waste of time and money. I never had one and just chucked a few nappies and babywipes in my normal bag.

You are not out longer than a few hours with a baby anyway. When they are older you take little snacks and wáter and put the spare nappy in the pushchair underneath bit.

Changing mats? I just did it on my lap if I needed to.

Yabu!
Before dc I had a tiny handbag containing purse, keys, phone, ticket.
Had to get changing bag for all the nappies, wipes, clothes etc.
Now that dc are both at school, I am back to tiny bag!
I don't like carrying round a big bag unless necessary.
Changing bag went to charity shop.

I wouldn't have bought a proper changing bag but I got one handed down and the advantage is all the compartments and that the strap is a good length to go over the pushchair handle - it seems to sit on the buggy better than other bags might. This actually ended up being important to me!

Oh I needed a changing mat, ds had to be pinned down, I'd never known a baby to hate having a clean nappy on so much!

Ahh, but we were often out for more than a few hours somersethouse.

No family locally, so we often travelled to see them - sometimes for a day, sometimes overnight. We needed something larger to carry all the nappies etc, so why not a specific changing bag.

I had one with my first. It came with the pram and promptly fell apart. With my second I carried on using my handbag. It is a satchel type with two front pockets under the flap. Inside the main compartment is two slip pockets, one zip pocket and a large space. I ended up bottle feeding my second. However I stuck to the four hourly schedule the hospital put him on. This meant up to two bottles which went in the front pockets. In one slip pocket scissors and the other went dummy and pen. Then wipes/nappies in sacks/towel/all in one/vest/tissues/small cartons of formula. Zip pocket keys and purse. If it was a day trip the eldest, aged 3 when baby arrived,had to carry his own bag with spare top/toys/snacks. Simple. :-) p.s why do people carry their red book around?!

I've just bought a really nice black leather hobo change bag worth £200 but I got it second hand in perfect condition and paid £40 . My normal bags aren't big enough for nappies, change of clothes, bottles, wipes, dummy, infacol, muslin cloth and then a few bits for me such as hair brush, some make up, keys, purse so this bag is perfect as its big and has lots of compartments. Also it looks like a big bag rather than a change bag which was important to me.

I never had the need for one. Maybe I was just lucky. Any bits I need either go in the buggy basket or my handbag.

Somerserhouse - not out for more than a few hours? Maybe you're not but we are! As for changing on my lap I prefer to avoid getting shit on my clothes, particularly when our and about, so a change mat or muslin cloth is needed!

When I had a newborn I was not out for more than a couple of hours at a time, no. Always factored in the lunchtime nap. But we lived in Madrid and it was very hot. Morning and evening walks in the babybjorn.

When she got past 6 months, I just chucked things in my bag and never got shit on me through lack of a changing mat! A friend came to see me, got hers out and made such a fuss and mess, absolutely everywhere.

But, as gaggia said, maybe I was just lucky, and I live in a very child friendly place, you can always use a café or bar to change your baby.

If I went overnight somewhere I would take an overnight bag! I think the OP is asking the point of changing bags for normal days out to the park, beach or shops. I think she is NBU. They are a waste of time. But I had a very good baby and was very lucky. I never owned a muslin for example. Just tissues and wet wipes. I didn't fuss.

Each to their own!

I used the free one I got with the Boots baby club, then decided to treat myself to a new one and spent 60 quid on it!
I filled it with so much unnecessary crap that the zip bust! It has spare clothes in it which are two sizes too small.

DS is nearly 8mo and I've only had to change his nappy while out about half a dozen times, and only one poo explosion full clothes change.

I now just launch a spare nappy, a small pack of wipes, a dummy, a hat, his teething keys and a bag of rice cakes in my bag.

Oh I love mine, it's the best most poshest bag I have ever owned. It's a Radley and it was bought for me.

I have never in my life owned anything with a name so I feel very decadent when out with it.
Only have a couple of essentials in it.
I will use it for ever and ever as its just black leather & not obviously a nappy bag.

Baby bag came with the pram.

DC had their bag, which anyone was welcomed to go in. I had my bag for personal things.

DH just loved a well packed baby bag, that was his job and I have never ran out of anything while out.

Mine went to childcare full time but didnt I dont ever take a bag. I did get the free boots one but didnt really use it I just chucked a few bits in buggy bit underneath.

Even if out all day what do you actually need? As long as you have the baby, couple of nappies and a bottle your sorted.

I had many a spilt bottle in mine that's why I had one. It's the waterproof linings that are useful IMO.

If your dc were in childcare full time as babies, and you didn't have a changing bag what did you send them with? Or did you just empty your handbag when you dropped off in a morning

Leave a bottle there and thats it

All those people saying they're a waste of money and just use a normal bag are assuming everyone has a roomy handbag big enough to carry change of clothes, changing mat, wipes, nappy sacks etc plus all the stuff needed for a toddler too if you have two.

I have never had a handbag that big or anywhere near that big. The only bags I have ever owned are evening bags so a new bag was essential for me. And yes, I guess I could have just grabbed any old rucksack but I liked the space, the separate sections and the folding mat. I have found it very useful and it's lasted three kids so far and will do a fourth! You don't, of course, need to spend £200 on one. I think mine cost £50, not bad as its lasted 10yrs!