What do I need to consider, and help!!!

[K8eee]

Am 30 weeks tomorrow and I think it's about time dh and I started getting stuff ready for when baby #1 arrives

I'm looking at changing bags but don't want something dh is going to feel uncomfortable out with (something that's not girly and too feminine I suppose!) and I have no idea on the sex of the baby he does but tbh I'm bit taking that into consideration as if much rather just get a unisex one anyway!

Just after some advice/guidance on what I should keep in mind before buying one, and any good recommendations or shops I can go into to have a look

TIA! X

Try Caboodle website - a couple of nice designs that aren't girly. Or you can get plain black ones from various places. Or use a bag you have already, but the little travel changing mat that comes with the bag is v useful.

My DS1 is only 1mo so I haven't got much use out of mine yet but I got a Storksak one (can't remember what it's name is) but it's got a grey circular pattern on it & cost around £80. So it's not extremely feminine although masculine isn't a word I'd use to describe it either! Storksak does some beautiful leather ones if you have a budget of a couple hundred. I bought mine at John Lewis & felt that had a good selection in stock to look at & play with.

Mine came with a bottle insulator & a little insulated pouch plus a changing mat. It also has special velcro sections to hang it off the push chair handles. But I really like it so far I'd def check out John Lewis if you have a big one nearby - my local one was great for push chairs as well.

Good luck & congratulations!

Thanks for your two suggestions

Crispy we bought our pushchair from john lewis but their bag range is very limited I have found one from tesco, opinions would be nice actually. If you're bored (as I am as I can't sleep!) it's the babymoov star maternity changing bag.

look at any bags you have already - if it fits over the handles of your pushchair and has space for a few nappies, a pack of wipes, a change of clothes and a couple of plastic bags to put soiled nappy or soiled clothes in it will do.

or just use a shopping bag. honestly it doesn't matter.
I'm not one for spending money on "must-haves", sorry, they tend to be for show and baby doesn't actually need it at all.

and I found that the wipe clean mats that come in changing bags (yes, I've looked and then decided against) are wat too small and too cold against baby's skin - I prefer to use a flannel sheet, folded as it's soft and warm and if it gets dirty it's much easier to chuck in the washing machine.

I hope I don't sound rude, but don't waste your money on it - as babies grow you'll find you'll need bigger bags or more of them for feeding stuff, extra shoes, blankets, toys - you might find a ruck sack more useful or a plastic box in the car to store things!

good luck

I either have small hand bags or holiday bags

aha.

well I'll shut up then, I know you want to get something nice and useful.

so in this case don't listen to me!

It's trying to find something that's not too feminine for dh too. He's ruled out floral & polka dots

I just use a rucksack. It is fine and DH has no problems with it :-) I think all this changing bag stuff is a bit of a rip off tbh.

I know a lot of people say that changing bags aren't necessary and that you can just pop nappies, wipes and a spare babygro in your handbag or any old backpack.

They are probably right.

But I like changing bags. I've had several over the years and I like the matching changing mats, the many pockets and the extras like bottle holders. My youngest is 2 but I still use a changing bag when out and about. I love it and it makes me happy.

What is your budget? Oioi do some very funky bags. Or there are some sellers on eBay that make changing bags. I had one of these and was able to choose the fabric etc. Got lots of compliments on it.

We'll I've found one by babymoov that I like, which is black and grey, so would go with our icandy pushchair, and hopefully dh wouldn't feel too feminine with it

I don't really want a rucksack, extra weight in my back whilst out and about doesn't seem good to me; and grandparents will be using it too every now and again so I think a changing bag would be far more functional. This one I have my eye on is easy to use when in the middle of changing a nappy in the sense of everything is just 'there' if that makes sense?!

Make sure it's big enough for everything you need

I avoid light colours as they can get grubby especially when on your pram

Get one you like, it'll get loads of use if you don't have a suitable handbag you can use.

For dh, this bag is free from boots parenting club (they send you a voucher when you sign up).

The Babymoov looks nice OP. Lots of lovely extras! And only £43.95 on Amazon.

Go for it if it's what you want.

Hate hate hate changing bags. They always seem to have a similar markup to anything labelled bridal.

Crumpled bag off ebay.

Whatever you do you'll want to ditch it after 12-18 months and a grown up bag.

Hmm we'll see didireallysaythst. Our friends have been using theirs for the last 3 years, and have got through both their kids with it. It will be an adult bag, but it'll have baby bits in

I have signed up to boots parenting club :) so can always use that when he has dc, but I can't find another I like apart from the babymoov one. It's nice and spacious and colour is dark, perfect for days out :)

Although I was another one who just used a rucksack or a large bag I already owned, if you really want a changing bag just make sure it has pockets for nappy cream, bags, nappies but also somewhere to put your phone and purse away from the rest of the stuff.

By 12 months I just chucked a roll up changing mat with a couple of nappies, a few wipes and sacks under the pushchair anyway and used a proper bag for myself.

The only thing I would say you really need to think about is a pocket or something that will keep a bottle upright. Milk bottles or water bottles always leak a little bit so someway of keeping them upright in a changing bag is a must for me. You could just get a rucksack and have a fold up change mat but personally I find it useful to have some pockets so I know where stuff is and it is good to be able to keep clean clothes separate from everything else. I have a Skip Hop but at 18 months have moved onto a wrap with a few nappies, change mat and wipes that I can chuck into a big handbag. Congrats on your new arrival, hope all goes well for you.

Choose a bag your partner would be happy to carry ,(rucksack mentioned earlier) they will use any excuse not to change nappies when out (or in!)

I would get a normal bag or rucksack.

Bare in mind that if you hang a large bag onto your pram it will make the pram heavy and adjust how easy it is to push and steer. Esp if you have brought the pram for the above reasons

Get a travel changing mat thing like a 'melo baby'. Comes with a mat and can fit a few nappies and wipes in one side and a spare baby grow. Then find a leather over shoulder bag you both like and can pop the travel pack in. Then quick trips out you can also just throw it in the bottom of pram/ in car etc. if you have a sling you can still wear the should bag but a large changing bag prob too awkward and heavy

You can obv choose what you want, but you really don't need anything that's as big as most. The changing bags are bigger than a weekend bag I would take on a flight for myself and x2 toddlers

Different things float different people's boats (thank god). I remember I did have a juju bag in bad-trip colours which I sold on eBay when I went back to work at 3months. The juju range were a lot less fussy that the hopskipwhatever bags but may have moved over to the conservative side (they do small bags through to bags you could go to Australia for a month in). The boots one is still in use (at home only - DS2 is 3 now). The out and about nappy roll fits in my grown up black leather work bag. Along with the raisins, the calpol and all the paperwork I haven't done....

Different things float different people's boats (thank god). I remember I did have a juju bag in bad-trip colours which I sold on eBay when I went back to work at 3months. The juju range were a lot less fussy that the hopskipwhatever bags but may have moved over to the conservative side (they do small bags through to bags you could go to Australia for a month in). The boots one is still in use (at home only - DS2 is 3 now). The out and about nappy roll fits in my grown up black leather work bag. Along with the raisins, the calpol and all the paperwork I haven't done....