Changing Bag - Cheap or Treat?

[Kellyjdancer]

I can't decide which direction to go with a changing bag. Should I just use the free one from Boots? After all, I'm just going to be chucking clothes with baby sick and poo in there... But at the same time, I would imagine I won't also carry a handbag... so should I splurge on something I love and makes me feel good?

Other thing I was considering was that I want to try to use washable nappies which take up more space than disposables, so was unsure whether they would fit in the boots bag?

Owl...I found 2 cloth nappies would fit in the Boots bag but it was hard to get extras in and the opening was too narrow making it hard to find what I wanted.

I found a wahm bag maker online and got one made to my spec...was about £30, really spacious, cool material and all the pockets I asked for.

This time I'll dig that one back out but may also try to sew myself something as I'm a bit handier with the sewing machine now...a project for that first week of mat leave before the baba arrives maybe.

I bought this yesterday in TKMaxx for £30. It's online for £25+£4p+p

www.mamonlineshop.com/acatalog/Change_Bag.html

It's quite big without being bulky and has detachable hip bag for phone/keys/wallet...

Refoca what a good idea! Can you name the maker?

I bought a cheapish biggish handbag from a normal high st shop and used that. Worked really well (I used the change mat from the free change bag)

I think a proper change bag maybe more useful if you are ff and need to take bottles with you though?

I got a skip hop one which was great with loads of compartments.

I think I'm missing a gene with the whole changing bag thing. My usual bag wh0re side seems to just shut down with changing bags. I never had one with DD, just used a normal handbag, even when I was using cloth nappies and washable wipes, I still never saw the need for one. I've never seen one I've liked to be honest. They all seem either so big and I've never needed to carry that much stuff around or they seem so ugly or just like a normal bag. I'll look around for one this time but I think I'll end up sticking to a normal handbag again.

I loved my OiOi hobo bag

I'm currently pg with dc1 so can't speak from experience, however I'm unable to fathom why anyone would chose a changing bag over a regular roomy handbag?
From what I've seen the vast majority are hideous and frumpy, as for a rucksack that was suggested by a previous poster I wouldnt be seen dead wearing a rucksack-why on earth would you want to walk around looking like you're on a camping trip?!!

You'll be glad of a cheap one when you leave a satsuma in there for 3 months.

I got the free boots one which was fab! My mother who has much more money than sense then bought me a very expensive one which i sent straight back as it was so impractical!

Dilly, if I buy a 'not so cheap one' then it's likely I'll take far more care not to leave a satsuma in it!

I love my handbags and usually they are big so I'm thinking I'm probably not going to want to carry around 2 bags so I'm going for a babymoov changing bag very nice, they are about £40-50 x

I've gone for treat and bought a babybeau one. Let's see how practical it is!

When a dirty nappy bag splits or the Sudocrem lid comes off you'll be glad you're not using a posh handbag. I found as long as there's a long enough strap to loop over the buggy handles I can use any bag now my dd is older but newborn needed more stuff. More nappies, changes of clothes, bottles, muslins and clean top for me as she always vommed on me (wear beige).
I kept the Boots one in the car with spare everything in it.

I love the way people are assuming the first timers won't have even considered the fact something might leak or that any scenario involving a changing bag could get messy!

Still haven't decided what I'm doing yet, what I hate about choosing all this baby stuff is that I'm not sure what my requirements will be yet. Even on this thread it's all about personal preference, should have got a baby to practise with first!!

I never had a need for a changing bag, all I took out with a young baby was a slim box with a few wipes, a couple of nappies and nappy disposal bags. Everything fitted easily into my handbag.
I didn't have any scenario with my babies where I had sick clothes, or anything messy, but if I did I could have improvised.

I would suggest using a normmal bag first to see how much stuff you actually need to carry around, you can always buy one once your baby arrives- and nothing beats wandering around baby shops with a newborn!

I have to say in nearly 7 years I've never had any nasty leakages or any accidental wee etc (even from those lovely fountains that baby boys make) on my leather bag and it still looks as good as it did when I bought it.

I never really put dirty nappies back in the bag itself, the smell tends to leak out and what ever bag you are using starts to smell which is pretty yuk, there is usually a bin around and if you are using re-usables you use them with a really thick bag anyway.

To be fair the more DC's I have the less I take out with me, I wasn't very confident when I had my first so I liked the comfort that I had every eventuality covered so I took out far more than I do now.

I think you either get the bag thing or you don't...

I take it back, I saw a Pacapod today and I neeeeeeeed it.

I started with the free boots bag but didn't like the strap fabric. I've used a back pack but it's just not me. I used a shopping trolley! I've got an actual nappy bag. And a nappy bag for wrappers.

For me the problem with using a hand bag is that I have cloth nappies (big bulky terry squares) So I need something that is big enough to do that. Oh the favorite feature of my nappy bag is that it has two outside side pockets which just fit a bottle of wine. So if we are going out to friends for the evening it can take everything I need. Nappies and wine.

Pacapod have 2 designs on sale at the moment. Just got mine for £48 instead of £80. Pretty much the same as second hand ones on eBay are going for.

Oh my, thank you RandomInternetStranger, I have just found my PERFECT bag! hideously expensive but exactly what I have been looking for. Ordering right now!

Does anyone know if the pacapods come with buggy clips or do you have to order separately?

I've got a 12 week old ds, I honestly couldn't do without the changing bag! I bought a skiphop bag from tkmaxx half price for £30ish, the pockets are brilliant as I know exactly where everything is. I've found lots of places have fold down changing surfaces but nowhere to put the bag, so I end up fishing about in it with it hung on my shoulder while holding onto a wriggly baby with the other - if it was all tumbled into a normal bag I'd have no chance .
I don't think I carry a particularly large amount of stuff either (on a memorable day out a couple of weeks ago I used all four nappies I'd taken and had to buy more!)

i had quite a few but now with baby number 5 i just chuck a couple of nappies,nappy bags,wipes and a muslin in dds old cath kidston mini backpack and take that with me.