Changing Unit (sorry if i am being dense...)

[emmazed]

Hello

I went looking for changing units (ideally on top of a chest of drawers) over the weekend. apart from in John Lewis (which i didn't really like) the units we found were the exact same size as a changing mat.

surely as you need a bowl of water, clear & dirty cotton wool, nappy etc you need to put all of ths stuff somewhere (not on the mat where it will be kicked off). Am i being stupid to wonder where you are supposed to put all of that stuff? I dont want to have to buy something else to put that all on - it seems to make no sense, if you buy a changing unit surely you should be able to change a baby on top of it without needing any other furniture?

Anyone able to shed any light on this?

thanks

I ahve mat on chest of drawers and a shelf above with all the bits and bobs and a nappy hanger on the wall next to drawers.

I change nappy then put DS in his cot while I clean up the dirty items. I am always stood at the side of him and the wall is the other so he would struggle to fall off.

liking the idea of the shelf above the a chest of drawers - particually one with toys hanging down to entertain. i am a big one for second hand items, but hadn't found many changing units (because people must still use them as drawers) and was a bit annoyed about forking out for a new one which didn't even seem to fulfil the basic requirements.

very funny about the bowl of water & cotton wool Vs wipes. yes i am a first timer, and had faithfully belived the NHS leaflet that water was all you needed.

We have got the universal cot top changer from mothercare. I didnt bother with dc1 but Decided i wanted it this time round especially as using reusables

Dd is nearly two and I now change her on the floor. My back went crazy after birth though and I changed her on a large set of drawers so had bags of space for everything.

I hardly ever use wipes and find water and the pleated cotton wool much easier to use. I use a water bottle with a sports cap to wet the cotton wool instead of a bowl so the water is always clean and you won't spill.

With my first 2 I had a pair of small chest of drawers pushed right next to each other. On top of one I put the cot top changer (which made the cot unusable if it was on there) and the mat on that, which made it all nice and secure. That meant all the bits and bobs were easy to hand on the top of the other c of d. I found it really useful because it was much kinder on my back than changing on the floor. Because everything was handy I never needed to turn my back or move away. All nappy stuff was on the top and all clothes in the drawers right there. So both were changed on there for the duration without incident.