Changing Bags

[sundaesundae]

Hi,

Is there any benefit to buying a "changing bag" as opposed to a large handbag and a rollup / fold up changing mat?

I just can't quite see what you really get for the money!

We've never had one - just used a rucksack with all the stuff in as I found more practical (and easy to carry when baby's in a sling on your front). I have a large waterproof make up bag that I keep nappies, wipes and nappy sacks in (and a freebie fold up change mat when dd was little) that I can transfer between bags.

No. We had random cotton shopping bags or rucksacks. You can get insulating covers if you are bottle feeding so you don't need that, and I bought a roll up changing mat which we used sometimes, but tbh even that wasn't really necessary as mostly they are lying on their clothes and you just whip out the nappy, wipe, whip in a new nappy and it's done (barring poonamis). Those bags always look so heavy and bulky, half the weight seems to be the bag itself. I wouldn't bother with them really.

My work bought me a beautiful changing bag, I used it a little when my son was born but found it took up too much space under my pram, was too heavy to carry and if I hung it on the back if the pram it tipped it. So I made it up as a day bag I give to grandparents when they childmind for me (2 days a week). Personally I use a 20x15 cm makeup bag, which somehow holds the following, 2 nappies, nappy sacs, baby wipes(admittedly a half used pack) thin changing mat, bib, calpol sachet, spare bib, packet of raisens and a oaty biscuit and teething gel! I transfer this from bag to bag and basically never go anywhere without it!

Good luck finding what works for you, but remember you can get a free changing bag from boots if you join the parenting club which might let you have something to start with and let you figure out what you want.

Nope, I use my leather satchel and frankly prefer not to feel quite that Mumsy, just about to buy another for 2nd baby. I find changing bags a rip off and prefer a bag that's more "me"

Had a changing bag for dc1 at first, for dc2 I just bought a big gorgeous bag. I still use it as a handbag & it will be my changing bag for this dc also. Made sense as you can pick one you really like & I never found any advantages to having a 'proper' changing bag!

I like a changing bag

I like the compartmentalisation of it - so much so that I've went for a pacapod this time. Having to dig in a bag for the bits I need is my idea of hell. But then, I'm anally organised. I also like having the proper 'bits' so that the bag hangs off the buggy handles - I have a stokke, so a 'proper' handbag can't hang on it - I need the clips.

I do like changing bags and agree the compartments are great, but I walk everywhere (don't drive at all) and carried my son in a sling a lot so just found them too heavy/awkward also found going up and down steps with a bag hanging off the buggy very difficult. I lived in a flat at the time. I suspect I will be using a bag this time as with 2 in nappies or 1 needing an emergency full change of clothes I will need extra space definitely looking up a pacapod, I know I need something light weight!

I used to use 2 ziplock bags. 1 for feeding stuff, 1 with nappy changing stuff. These then went into a large hand bag. In there was also a make up bag with my stuff (purse etc) in. If DH took DS out he put the zip lock bags into another bag of his choice, though often took my handbag instead. I rarely took spare clothes: I can think of only one occasion when I actually needed them.

I use my old school satchel type bag. I couldn't justify spending that much money on a 'proper' changing bag so just dug out an old bag. We also have a Johnson's starter kit which is a little bag with a foldable mat which is spacious enough for nappies & wipes so that keeps all the necessary changing bits together so they don't get lost in the main bag. Works for us!

Boots do one for free, I haven't done it but have heard you just have to sign up to their baby club and buy a packet of nappies, Just put the wrong house number, phone number and email so you don't get bombarded with marketing

I have got the Boots one, but it is yuck really! I think I will get a nice handbag and either the big makeup bags or ziplocks. Will probably create a rucksack for OH to have and have the Boots thing at my mum's for her to always have an easy stash.

Thanks for the responses, I do need to think about how it will go on the uppababy!

I bought a Baby Bjorn rucksack changing bag on a friend's advice and found it ridiculously big. So I replaced it with a large cheap funky handbag - the BB rucksack made an excellent baby weekend bag though and now I use it for their swimming kit.

I have a changing bag, it has lots of compartments that I love. I never use the changing mat that came with it. It's also got a good sturdy strap and little velcro-y things to attach it to the handles of the buggy. It's a babymel and is brown and leathery looking, it doesn't look like a change bag. DH still thinks men shouldn't carry bags, so the car had a well stocked crate as he'd rather make a return trip than carry a bag.

I usually have BIG bags but they are usually shoulder bags and are full of bags within bags, but with a baby/toddler it was just too much trying to quickly find the muslin as she'd puked in my hair, or wetwipes and a nappy as we had a poonami.

However I didn't buy my changing bag for a while. I too found the boots one a bit small and ugly.

I saw someone the other day with a cath kidston shoulder bag hanging off the pram and thought it looked really pretty as a changing bag.....

I had the boots free one to start then got a Yummy Mummy bag, which was lovely. Both totally useless once DS was about 18 months, had to have a rucksack then as running after a toddler with a big flapping bag on your shoulder is not easy!! So what you need at first may not be right for later. You will be surprised how much stuff you have to carry around so if you go for a handbag make sure it's a big one! You'll still need a portable change mat too, but if you have the boots one then you can always use that.