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Original poster

Anything to look for when choosing a changing mat?

37 replies

moomin35 · 07/02/2014 18:22

Ive bought a really basic one from Mothercare off ebay but when it turned up it didnt seem particularly substantial. Is there anything I need to be aware of? As a first time Mum, I just foresee using it on the floor but do I need to take any factors into account (quality, extra padding, high sides etc)? Or is a changing mat a changing mat?!

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greentshirt · 07/02/2014 18:24

Watching with interest as i've been wondering this too after having seen someone asking about a phalate free one or something like that, I hadnt given it any thought at all, just thought i'd get a white one, job done!

Iheartcrunchiebars · 07/02/2014 18:27

Cheap. That's it!

BartBaby · 07/02/2014 18:30

In my opinion a changing mat is just a changing mat. If you are just using on the floor ect anyway. For ds we got one free with the cot and bedding set from toys r us and it is pretty basic, and we are still using it to dry ds on 4 and a half years later. We had a spare aswell for downstairs that was probably around £10 and again it was perfectly adequate.

snoggle · 07/02/2014 18:33

I am PG with DC3, we've been through a few of them. They all crack at the seams eventually, but my preferred one for home use has been the big squidgy white mothercare one with slightly ramped sides. It's the permanent one for the bedroom.

I have had other smaller, lighter ones for downstairs and travelling

changedirection · 07/02/2014 18:33

Pretty sure a changing mat is a changing mat!

Sammie101 · 07/02/2014 18:34

My sister had one with a little towel mat attached (which you could remove) so it wasn't cold when you put the baby down. I wish I had one like that because I feel guilty putting DD down when the mat is so cold. This doesn't seem to bother her though!

Mine was £4.99 from Home Bargains!

GingerMaman · 07/02/2014 18:36

I've got a cheap one from mothercare and it's been perfectly fine. I did in the early days use old hand towels on the mat, so it wouldn't be cold for her and if she peed then it was easy to change and didn't go everywhere!

WillYouDoTheFandango · 07/02/2014 18:37

Mine was a cheap one from mothercare. Has lasted 13 months before cracking which I don't think is too bad.

For the first few weeks I used a cot top one from babies r us to save my back. I had that upstairs for nighttime and the other one downstairs.

WillYouDoTheFandango · 07/02/2014 18:38

Really simililarly worded Xpost there

tinkerbellvspredator · 07/02/2014 18:38

The towel mat ones get dirty with practically every pooey nappy then you have to put them in the wash. But they have Velcro on so then I didn't want to put them in the wash with clothes the Velcro could damage. They are good for soaking up wee accidents on the mat though, but I ended up just using a little towel.

Only1scoop · 07/02/2014 18:42

I bought a beautiful one from John Lewis.... It was expensive but worth every penny.
It had towelling white thick cover and a spare. We used to lay a piece of kitchen roll under dd so as not to have to wash it everytime.
Really snuggley on tiles after bath also

elQuintoConyo · 07/02/2014 18:42

Got a white plastic squidgy one from Ikea to fit on their changing unit, chucked it after 3 months as DS could turn over and we started using the bed (unit has since been painted blue and is being used as a bookcase).
We now have two very soft ones from Ilea, they roll up to put in a bag, they're green frog towelling-type stuff, then wipe clean other side. One for upstairs, one for down. They were maybe a fiver each?

GingerMaman · 07/02/2014 18:43

I must say though that for the first three months I placed the changing mat on a table and changed her on there (settled up a little changing station). I couldn't get to the floor, stitches were too painful. And changing on the bed used to hurt my back. But after three months, the floor was fine.

beanandspud · 07/02/2014 18:46

Sorry, but a changing mat is a changing mat

Buy a couple of cheap ones (one upstairs, one downstairs) and use a muslin cloth on it to soak up wee/poo or stop it being too cold. Muslins can go in the wash easily.

Even with high sides you still wouldn't want to leave a baby unattended.

bugoven · 07/02/2014 18:47

Asda £6 brightly coloured funky little animals. Seen it for 2 years ttc so bought when I saw a heartbeat. I definitely just went for cheap, waterproof and squidgy!

MyNameIsKenAdams · 07/02/2014 18:50

I bought the cheapy Mothercare one. Also got a few hand towels from Primark that id keep with the changing stuff so would lay one of them on it. Used for around four months and put away for the next one.
My dd also used to nap on hers on the odd occasion, obviously not on the hand towel! So it nust have been confy

mellojello · 07/02/2014 18:55

Asda one is great, had it 9 months & use it every day, not faded or cracked.

beginnings · 07/02/2014 19:05

Changing mat is a changing mat. DD1's was about £3 on Amazon and is still going strong 21 months later!

But, get thee to ikea and buy some of their towelling changing mat covers. They are cheap but keep it all cosy

PenguinsDontEatKale · 07/02/2014 19:13

It is just a wipe clean mat. Cheap and big enough is all you need.

hubbahubster · 07/02/2014 19:17

Wipe clean and cheap. I found the towelling covers annoying as inevitably got poo on them and then had to wash rather than mop up with a wipe. And don't make the mistake I did of getting one with inflatable sides - once DS developed teeth, that didn't last long...

neversleepagain · 07/02/2014 19:34

We had a cheap Mothercare one and one from Tescos in the Baby Event. Tescos one lasted 15 months with our twins (a lot of nappy changes). Used hand towels on them when babies were small.

SweetPea86 · 07/02/2014 19:38

There's some nice ones in matalin for around £10 to me it's just a changing mat a friend advised me to get 2 one for upstairs and one for down stairs makes it easier saves running up and down the stairs :)

Madamecastafiore · 07/02/2014 19:39

We use a cheap one as always cover it with a hand towel. Spend the money on some lovely bright coloured towels.

Jollyb · 07/02/2014 19:46

The John Lewis standard ones are good. Bigger than average.

Devora · 07/02/2014 19:50

Fabric covers look nice and are warmer for the baby, but you'll end up washing them constantly and who needs that?

IME a changing mat is a changing mat.

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