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?

Love my pacapod. Love the feed and changing mini bags. Love the extra compartments for my stuff. At 80 quid, its the most I've spent on a bag, but it gets a lot of use and I know I'll use it for years to come.

Annie, I EBF and just stopped BFing last week at 14 months - definitely not protection against poo-namis!

I ff and used a rucksack. I created compartments with large freezer bags - good for spilt milk also. I now use a bum bag 'little changing bag'. Never understood the concept of changing bags. Too 'mummy' for me.

Tbh I am amazed how many people don't have a changing bag!

I know no one who only ever carries minimal baby items and puts them in their handbag

I don't really see the difference between using a changing bag as a changing bag, using another bag/backpack as a changing bag, or using a big handbag as a changing bag tbh

At a changing bag being too mummy for a, er, mummy. For me a rucksack is too 'hiker' for me seeing as i was never hiking to mums and tots

bluecheese no, a bottle of formula is 'safe ' for an hour.
In my experience, my babies would drink the whole bottle in one go, 20 minutes maximum. If I was planning to be out for 3 hours I would take 1bottle, 6 hours 2 bottles, and so on. Not really a faff at all, once I got used to it.

I have several expensive leather designer changing bags because I like handbags. In different colours. So there :-)

I'm in denial billy . Harping back to my pre-baby hiking days .......

We just used the free ones from boots. Nice and roomy, with lots of compartments, and easy to clean. And free.

I squeezed everything into a tiny rucksack to go on the back of the buggy. It was almost an artform getting it as compact as possible. It was at its bulkiest when DD was weening approx. 7-12 months

• 2 nappies
• instead of baby wipes in those huge packets, I use the initimate female hygiene wipes (10 in a small really convenient pack)
• no clothes and we only ever had one emergency, but we are nearly always in reach of an H&M store, so that was solved in 10 minutes
• cartoon of formula or formula powder (to be made up in a cafe, using their hot water)
• porridge powder with fruit puree, banana and satsuma
• spare dummy

• bottle of water, purse and phone for me. Book if I felt I might get to read it.

I never bothered with the changing mat thingy. You can use the next nappy. Does the job equally well.

Never bothered with one. Just bunged everything under the pram or in my massive handbag with an in case of poonami carrier bag in.
Never did use formula or baby food, if I had I might have bought a changing bag.

I have a satchel style bag instead, but when dd was tiny I'd take 3 nappies, wipes, dummies, 3 bottles, small formula tub (prescription), 4 bottles of medicine plus syringes, change of clothes, snacks and drink for ds.

As she got older lots of snacks for her, her drink, toys for her and ds.

I could never change either child on my lap, but then I can't use a laptop computer on my lap either, it's not flat and too small. I have short thighs!

Anyway, those that never go out for more than a few hours, I can understand you not needing a dedicated bag, but we would often go out for whole days and be out from 9-5 from when DS2 was only a few weeks old. So a bag would contain:

Changing mat
Wipes
Nappies for DS2
Nappies for DS1
Nappy sacks
Small pot sudocreme
Spare clothes * 2 for DS2
Spare clothes for DS1 (mud and puddle related, usually)
2 or 3 empty bottles
Formula dispenser full of 3X comfort formula
Hot water flask
Cold water flask
Drinks bottle for DS1
Drink for me
Snacks for both DS
Small toys
Small book in case of wait if eating out
In winter - small umbrella, spare jumper etc.

That lot won't go in a handbag, but will go in a 20l rucksack with a compartment to spare for dirty nappies.

DS and I are often out for the whole day. He spends part of it at the CM and the rest with me. Each morning I pack the bag with:

• 6 nappies
• wipes
• nappy bags
• two lidded cups of water
• sudocrem
• sandwich
• muller corner + spoon
• rice cakes in a box
• banana
• baby ibuprofen and teething gel
• full change of clothes (vest, trousers, top, jumper, socks)

The spare coat and wellies have to live in the car as there's no room left in the bag!