Changing bags - recommendations?

[surreyhillsmumtobe]

I'm 35 weeks with DC1 and trying to get organised with the final bits and pieces we need to buy. A few friends have said a decent practical changing bag is essential so I was hoping for some personal recommendations on particular brands/styles that won't break the bank. I was in John Lewis the other day having a browse and was drawn to a beautiful soft grey leather changing bag, but sadly it was £250 - bit of a shock! I guess I was thinking more around the £50 mark!

Any recommendations?

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Hello, this thread is a little old and the links are out of date. Take a look at this handy page for a round-up of the best changing bags.

www.theoldbagcompany.com/Catalogue/Baby-Changing-Bag they do seem lots more expensive than mine though.

I found the satchel types a pain as things get lost and they have v long straps.

I love my Skip Hop Dash, plenty big enough, not too girly so DH doesn't mind it and not plain black or brown either. It also has pushchair clips.

The Skip Hop Pronto is good too.

Rucksack so you have 2 hands free.

Mine has
nappies
wipes
nappy bags
First aid kit
Bibs
Change of clothes
my purse and phone
Hand gel
A pen
And assorted other junk that gets cleared out.

I think that's it

Thanks for all the responses - I'm feeling much more prepared now, really good to know what people actually put in these magical bags as well! I can't really visualise life with the LO yet and what we'll actually do each day while I'm on maternity leave and at the weekends etc. so I think I might go for the 'wait and see' approach and hopefully pick up the Boots freebie in the meantime to tide me over! Love the idea of being one of those carefree Mums with nothing but a little fold-up changing mat type bag, but who knows how things will pan out for me!

op, in the early days, go nowhere without your nappy bag and pack at least one change of clothes for your LO and consider a change of top for you as well!

Enjoy your LO, it's soooooo much fun having them around

Its worth just using the freebie Boots one and seeing whether you use it loads and whether you need more room etc.

I have a Lin and Leo with has lots of pockets and compartments. But then I am pg with DC2 so will need to carry around x2 lots of kit.

In mine for a 2 year old DC is:

Nappies
Wipes
Nappy Sacs
Tissues
Food/Snacks
Spare top and Vest
Small toys/crayons

Also, as DS has severe allergies:
Epipens
Piriton
Food/Snacks
Wipes for cafe high chairs etc.

What I am trying to say is that I would just be using a handbag and shoving a nappy in if I could say for the park or toddler groups. DS's medication means I end up lugging a massive bag everywhere.

Boots one is pathetically small.

And I just knew this thread would attract the miseries bragging about the old carrier bag they used with their children.

really? have they changed the boots one? (it is 5 years since I got mine so I'm guessing the answer is yes!) Mine was pretty big - I still use it now as our family swimming bag - fits four towels and cossies plus swim nappies and shampoos & snacks, so not that small!

lynniep , yes they have definitely got smaller in that case!

I just replaced my bababing bag after 7 months - it was oddly heavy even when empty and whilst huge, did not not enough room for my every-eventualities type packing. It also had too much velcro on it which both catches on my tights and wakes DS up if I'm not careful. I instead bought a satchel-type one from Mothercare for £40. The lining on the mothercare one is ugly but I like the light fold up changing mat, the insulated bottle compartment I can actually fit a bottle into without hurting my fingers, and the zip across the top so I can get into it from the top. I did look for a non-nappy bag replacement but as I hang it across my pushchair handles, really wanted the top zip as I don't get on with flaps.

I use a skiphop dash as it has the fold over flap so contents dont get wet. I like the way it clips to pram handle rather than dangle at your shins. But it does slip off your shoulder. Dh uses the free boots one and its good. The strap is thinner than mine so it doesnt tend to slip as much as certainly discreet enough for a man. Only problem is that everyone at baby groups or weigh ins seem to have the boots one and i have had to check before.

Just another vote for skiphop here, used mine for two years, full of stuff, and husband liked it too. I got one with shuttle clips which is a fancy clip for clipping it onto your buggy. Cleans well, and is still used if I need to take overnight stuff with us for The Boy.

If you're going to be doing a lot of pavement-pounding, make sure that your bag is waterproof because you won't be able to hold a brolly and push a buggy at the same time! Mine's made of oil-cloth type material and is brilliant. (I also have a sou'wester for the same reason).

Who mentioned carrier bags?

I had a Pink Lining one when my, now 3 year old, was a baby. Have to say although I liked it, I relegated it to the back of the understairs cupboard before her first birthday as it was a bloody nuisance to lug about! Some families could manage a week away with a less capacious bag, though I found I could hardly zip up the damn thing, I'd accumulated so much junk! Since then I've found I managed perfectly well with a big handbag. Treat yourself to a nice one - I have an Orla Kiely (thank you Santa!) which is a brilliant size.

I bought a pacapod but, still have to try it out (DS still isn't out). I chose a rucksack instead of a normal changing bag as we're going to be using a baby sling instead of a pram.
I'm pretty impressed with it though, feels light and has loads of storage.

I have a pacopod and love it but once you have both pods in place then there isnt much space in the main area of the bag. Love the fact you can just grab the pod you need and its all in one place. Clips onto the pram brilliantly, DH happy to carry it as its not too girly. I hate my free boots one.

I had the Mothercare rucksack style one and loved it. It had loads of pockets and plenty of room for changes of clothes and nappies, a compartment for a small pack of wipes, its own little fold-out changing mat and an insulated side pocket, which I used for a bottle of water for me, but I guess it's designed for bottles of milk. It was plain black, so DH was happy carrying it as well, and I still use it quite regularly for days when we need to cart a lot of stuff with us (picnic/beach etc) or as a weekend bag. They don't seem to sell it any more, but it was similar to this one but a bit taller.

The free Boots one is tiny! My normal handbag is bigger than that, but I'm buggered if I'm putting dirty nappies in my lovely Bayswater . We have gone for a satchel type bag in blue and brown so not too girlie for DH to carry, but am still pregnant so can't say whether it's any good or not...

I've got 2 DCs (under 2) and still struggling, backpacks work best normaaly but hard to chuck on buggy.

We have reusable nappies which are quite bulky.

I always thought I would be a 'minimal mum' with a tiny bag. Bring on DC1, who needed 5 nappies plus 2 changes of clothes for a day out and DC2, who vomited regularly and also needed changing etc regularly. Plus weaning, potty training etc. I tend to carry the following at the moment (for 2 DC plus what I will need for DC3)

Snacks/drinks - for DC plus me when BFing
Toy plus crayons
Change of clothes plus potette (sp?) thing for toilet training DC2
wipes
Tiny first aid kit (sad but has been v useful, as has squirty anti bacterial gel)
For baby will take fold up changing mat, wipes, nappy bags, 4 nappies minimum, 1 change of clothes minimum and depending on the baby muslins and bibs.

Plus keys, wallet, phone. So no small bag for me then . Would also say that using a handbag style bag previously meant I always had to carry it - felt uncomfortable leaving it attached to the buggy when said buggy gets abandoned chasing after small children. DH also felt a bit of an idiot carrying it.

I have had a changing bag or similar for nearly 6 years now and expect to for another 3 or so. Worth getting one you like and that works for you and your baby.

I have a Jojomamanbébé one. It is nice and stylish. Money worth. I have paid 45 Gbp with a 10% voucher.

Skiphop bags are brilliant for the way they clip onto buggies. I got a very plain one brand new on eBay for about £30

I've ended up with three!!

OH's mum sent me this one - www.johnlewis.com/231429251/Product.aspx?source=63258
Which is just lovely!

My mum sent me a nice one -
www.kiddisave.co.uk/store/product/12681/Little-Lifestyles-City-Hobo-Shoulder-Bag-Raspberry/

And I've got the Boots one too!!

I think I'll find them very handy cos I have a huge handbag normally anyway, I'm the sort of person that carries lots of needless crap with me. I'm using the one mum sent me for the baby's stuff in hospital.

It really depends on your budget vs. what you are getting for the price.
I recently had another baby and its much more challenging when you're out and about with 2. We did not want to spend much this time round so we went for a unisex changing bag we could both share. Cost us £79 - everyones needs are different.