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?

What about clothes nappies etc?

I just used a rucksack style bag which did the job just as well and was fine for dh to use too.
DS is now 15 and the bag is still in use when we go on holiday!!

Most nurseries they provide nappies, bibs, wipes and I leave one change of clothes there sometimes but very rarely ever needed them. I think only used once

Annie, when mine were breast feeding they went through about 8 or 9 nappies a day. So add that to changing mat, wipes and nappy sacks that's quite bulky. Then there's a change if clothes. More than one if you have a reflux baby plus a host of extras if you have two under 2yrs. More clothes, snacks, drinks, toys to occupy etc.

Gosh my dd can go through four lots of clothes per day

I never used changing mat, nappy sacks etc but nappies just go in bottom of buggy. I only ever go out with tiny handbags.

My children started childcare full time at 9 months and I sent them in with a change of clothes in their own bag, and that's it. Nappies were provided, as were meals (total bottle refuseniks, the two of them, no matter whether expressed or formula, so they only drank water during the day and ate food). Wr never had a dedicated changing bag, but used any old bag that was big enough to hold a few nappies and a change of clothes when out and about.

I think it depends whether or not you are a 'bag' person and have lots of them knocking around.

I'm not, so needed to buy a bag to put DD's things in, so bought a changing bag. I find all the compartments useful and it came with a little fold-up changing mat (which I'm sure I could've bought separately, but why bother!).

Bag is a little girly and exactly DH's style, but it's never seemed to bother him.

I carry for 1yo DD:

3 nappies
Wipes
Sudocream
Nappy sacks (for 'wet' things, not nappies!)
Vest, top, leggings and socks.
Babygro
Snack
Cup
A few toys.

All these people saying you just pop a couple of nappies in your handbag, I think you've been very lucky! I had a refluxy baby, we always needed about four or five muslins, a couple of changes of clothes, a clean top for me and a load of gaviscon in addition to the usual nappies and wipes. It gets pretty gross, so if I can have a bag with a waterproof pocket to put all the pukey crap in why wouldn't I?

I also like having a separate bag I don't need to pack and unpack all the time, and that hangs easily over the buggy handle.

If you don't like them fair enough, but plenty of people find them useful. I couldn't have managed with a normal bag.

I think it depends more if you are they take a load of stuff with you everywhere type. You know people who go away for weekend and take about 5 pairs of shoes etc. I cant be arsed

Dd hasn't even had reflux or anything and still needs several changes a day! What with messy play, self feeding and dribbles plus the occasional exploding poo

I never spent a lot of money on a changing bag but I always kept one with all the bits in it. It meant it was ready to go depending on who was taking the dc out. No point having my handbag packed if dh was heading out with the baby. Also my dc might have been taken out my his/granny or auntie. Also I liked to keep my handbag for me, just me and my things. Didn't like the thought of a baby taking over every single aspect of my life. When I went out alone it was nice to have a grown up bag

Never saw the point if a baby bath though. Weird, pointless things. From first bath at 2days old, my eldest has been in a seat in the bath, often with one if us. Now, at 10, he has started to ask if he still needs to bath with his 2 younger siblings. So I guess it will be showers from here on in as I'm not running two baths if an evening!

I use one because it's wipe clean interior, it's handy when a bottle leaks or he's stuffed half a banana in there when I'm not looking

I still have my baby bag, but now it's an emergency hospital bag.

It has mine and DC PJ, spare underwear and socks, spare change and phone charger and slippers.

Never know when you need to dash for the hospital.

I remember mine had a fold out / detachable changing mat, loops to store bottles upright and was completely washable.

It did the job perfectly.

YANBU - I got a Pacapod bag. it looked like a great idea, but with two bags inside the big one , it was mostly bag with little space for stuff. Luckily the zip broke and Pacapod replaced it, so I could sell the new one. I then bought a cheap, big beach bag, which was perfect as it was light and big enough for loads of rubbish.

yep, a formula fed baby usually needs compartments, DD has to have a milk that doesn't do cartons, so I take water out with me and a formula dispenser, I learned the hard way that the bottles need to be upright or they can leak through the anti-collic bit...

But mainly, I just got sick of scrabbling around in a big beach bag or rucksack trying to find the sudocreme tube or my lip barm, or having sick covered mussies in the same section with the clean clothes, assuming at first glance that they'd be a pack of nappy sacks at the bottom of the bag and then there not being any, and decided I need compartments to be organised.

A lot of people say they are expensive, but if you compare it as the same cost as a handbag, or even for the cost of a rucksack or messager bag, you aren't spending all that much more (unless you want a fancy one). If you need to buy somehting new, it does make sense to get something that has compartments and is made for the purpose.

Useful to have a specific bag, as it goes wherever baby goes - with Mum, with Dad, at Grandma's, at the CMs or Nursery, etc. Makes sense, if you are buying a bag, to buy one that is plastic lined, as some babies can create a lot of mess. If you are taking milk, changes of clothes and bibs, toys/little books or rattles, it's just easier to have them all in one place. I also much preferred having my own changing mat to whip out as needed that lying my babies on surfaces that I didn't like to think what had been on them before.
So, Yweren'tBU not to have grasped why people like them, but now you know
However, I only spent about £7 on mine - the £70 someone mentioned upthread is just ridiculous.

Yabu.

Much easier to just keep a bag ready packed up with the baby stuff in, so the bag goes with whoever is looking after the baby. Doesn't need to be a flash expensive one.

Couldn't be bothered with having to try and squeeze stuff into my handbag every time we wanted to go out, or root around for a bag if Dh was taking the baby out.

I have one, and i still use it now the little one is nearly 3. Very handy if we are out all day and need a change of clothes, snacks, juice wipes. Also handy when she has a sleepover at her grandparents. All her clean clothes will go into it.

Yabu.

Much easier to just keep a bag ready packed up with the baby stuff in, so the bag goes with whoever is looking after the baby. Doesn't need to be a flash expensive one.

Couldn't be bothered with having to try and squeeze stuff into my handbag every time we wanted to go out, or root around for a bag if Dh was taking the baby out.