Changing bags - worth the money?

[alliemarg]

My mum wants to buy me a changing bag - however, once I started researching them I realised how much they can cost. I'd feel terrible asking her to buy me a bag worth £95. My question is, do you need one do you think? I have seen some neat options, like a thermal pocket for bottles and a foldout changing mat. But surely a normal cheap bag with lots of pockets also suffices? With a changing mat added in?

What did you use?

I have got two changing bags and I'm still using them. DD is 3yo. She doesn't wear nappies. But I don't have any other bags that can fit a lunch box, water bottle, wipes, nappy sacks, a spare set of clothes. (DD has been toilet trained for a year but accidents still happen). I don't carry the changing mat with me.

I just need a very large bag with a lot of pockets. I haven't seen many handbags that have it. And if I have they aren't cheap either. So I don't see what's wrong with a changing bag. I actually carry a smaller handbag alongside. I either hang the changing bag on the pushchair or just carry it from the car and leave it on a chair at the softplay etc. or even sometimes just leave it in the boot.

Have a look at Mia Tui bags. They have loads of pockets and clips for dummies, keys etc. I think the most expensive one is about £50 but you can use it as a big handbag when the baby gets older. I have the Amelie bag which is big enough for a day out with 3 dc. It holds my iPad, changes of clothes, food, drinks, snacks and all my other junk I carry about with me like plasters etc.
It also doesn't look changing bag-ey so it's the best of both worlds.

I am not the trusting kind who actually leave my wallet and phone behind in softplays and parks. So it is always two bags anyway. I use a tiny tiny bag so it's no hassle carrying it running behind DD.

I had a next changing bag for £25 which was really good and surprisingly big but after a few months one of the handles snapped which was annoying but I had used it loads and stuffed it full as I'm a notorious overpacker (and was also bottle feeding). Now I switch (depending on where I'm going and for how long) between a normal rucksack, a small cath kidston box bag and a large cath kidston box bag - which is ginormous and I can fit looooaaaaaaaaddddddds of crap in it. Agree about nappy sacks for soiled clothes.

My two changing bags are made by BabaBing and Pink Lining. Not sure how much they cost originally.

Pink lining have a sale on at the moment, I got my changing bag half price on there a while ago and love it.

Thanks everyone, really handy. Glad that £95 or thereabouts is not the standard price! I didn't think about rucksacks, also a good idea - especially with slings.

I'm waiting until after baby's born to decide... If I manage to bf then I'd rather have a smaller bag without space for bottles, and if I find I like using a sling a lot then I'd probably prefer a rucksack. Suspect I'll just use an existing bag tbh, I've got enough of them... Maybe with a bag organiser inside?

moggle I bf actually. You carry more once they are weaned. And I found it uncomfortable with any style if bag with a sling. Nothing stayed on the shoulders properly and it's so heavy carrying all the stuff and a baby. I ended up with a pushchair to carry the chaning bag when I go out on my own! It's ridiculous but DD hated the pushchair until over 6mo and can sit upright. If going out with DH, he carried the baby.

But I'm tiny so that might be the reason why I struggle with baby + bag.

We have bought a rucksack too.

We have purchased a storksak tote for a holiday change bag (boyfriend is from italy so will visit a lot) it was £70 and I love it, gorg colours too.

My friend gave me her lovely (Kate Spade!) changing bag. problem is it is so big it won't go under the pushchair and puts my back out.

I now have an ancient much smaller zip up bag for changing stuff and an emergency bottle (I mainly bf but carry a bottle for emergencies ), which goes under the buggy, and then a normal small handbag for my stuff, a couple of dummies and a muslin. Works much better. If I need more stuff when she's weaned I'll use a normal rucksack!

Having said that most of my NCT friends seem to love their change bags...