Changing unit ysy or nay

[Junosmum]

Upstairs we plan to have a changing station (wide chest of drawers with mat on top and changing related stuff in the top drawer).

But, do we need one downstairs (would have to be a purpose built unit) or wil a changing mat on the floor and a box of supplies suffice?

Changing mat on floor. Perfectly fine.

Changing mat for upstairs and downstairs in our house. I've never bought a change table.

This seems to be one of those things that people either love or don't see the need for. I loved mine when I had ds, it was good for storage and saved my back. However lots of people manage without and I'm using mine less now for dd as I'd have to take ds upstairs with me too, so just use a mat on the floor downstairs.

I loved mine & can't imagine how people do without! Used it multiple times everyday til DS was toilet trained

Barely used mine! The floor is good, especially as they get wriggly fast! So i had a box of stuff (like a trug) for upstairs and downstairs.

I hadn't planned on getting one. I had two changing mats, one for up and one down. Then a friend gave us their old one, it doubles up as a baby bath underneath. I was very reluctant to get it, thinking it'd take up space and just be annoying.
It's actually been brilliant and I wouldn't like to think I'd still be changing her on the floor at 1 yr.
It has higher sides than a normal mat on drawers scenario, so as she's been rolling it has been that little bit safer.
Also as winter approaches I remember what it was like last year when we were changing her on the floor of the bathroom or bedroom, before and after baths especially. Draughty.
Also I had a bad back for a few days and it was great to have the baby bath function too, I filled it with the shower head and there's a little hose to empty it into the bath.
Still use the mat on the floor downstairs though.
Tl;dr... Get a cheap second hand one with a bath under it. They can come in very useful!

My babies are obviously very wriggly because being high up (eg in public loos) is just an additional faff for me. Mats on the floor all the way.

Didnt bother with ds, and not bothering this time. Towel on the floor is ideal, then you give them plenty of nappy off time without having to stand right by them the whole time

If you have the room for a travelcot downstairs you can always get one of those cot top ones to save your backs. Then it's multi purpose as baby can nap in there if they are too big for Moses when baby is still napping in same room as you. I've always done in floor tho and have a basket of stuff in our storage footstool with the mat.

Mat on the floor downstairs. Easier & cheaper. You won't then have to figure what to turn it into when you don't need it anymore

I found a changing station brilliant for the first couple of months as I had a section with my second and third babies and it saved me bending over or bending down which was great. But as soon as they start wriggling it's not worth having one - they'll be trying to escape. So if you do decide to go for one get a cheap one as you won't use it for long.

I had a mat on top of my dd's chest of drawers, just because there was a built in space for one! I kept all nappies, wipes etc in the top drawer. There was no way she could have rolled off because I was right at the side of her the whole time! I have to say, she was never wriggly while I changed her nappies. I found if I ever changed her nappy on the floor, she'd roll and wriggle like mad though. Probably trying to get to other things in the room that she could see. Every baby is different though and I understand the safety reasons for changing on the floor

Mat on floor every time for me - and I had a bloody changing table, a nice one too. Have decided not to reuse it for DC2 as it was more bother than it was worth.
Maybe DS was particularly active, but he'd roll all over the place, sit up on it as soon as he could, and try to propel himself off. Yes, I was right there, but trying to pin down a writhing toddler with one arm while changing a dirty nappy is not easy. On the floor, yes he'd wriggle, but at least he couldn't launch himself through the air.

Loved my changing table and always used it.

Only ever changed a couple of nappies downstairs.

One upstairs one down stairs.

I'm five weeks post c section and only just able to get down on the floor.

It doesn't have to be a dedicated unit I suppose but I couldn't have used a mat on the floor.

I'm 3 weeks away now and decided changer upstairs and mat downstairs - I guess it's what you think it best and as skip ton said if you do end up with c section at least you don't have to bend all the time. I've used mine as storage too to keep an eye on stock - love it !

I found our changing table brilliant!
Got it off eBay for a fraction of the full price.

It doubles up as storage for all the clothes, plus obviously all the nappy changing bits.

I love it as everything is in one place, if a change of vest/entire outfit is need then it's all there.

We do live in a flat though so there is no need to worry about stairs & going up and down constantly.

Our LO turns 2 in February and it's still going strong.
Have changed nappies on the floor from time to time, also when we're over at friends/family.

However, I couldn't imagine having to do each change on the floor each time, with bits all over the place etc

When I was pregnant, some friends insisted that's what I'd be doing before long...but no, I LOVE our changing table!