FTM - over thinking changing table, advice please!

[Secontale]

Hi lovelies,
I am 31 weeks and the countdown is on ... trying to get the nursery sorted. Looking at changing tables and I like the idea of one on top of a chest of drawers so that you have the extra storage. But I'd be changing baby at a sideways angle, won't that be harder?? Isn't it easier if they are facing you? See my beautiful illustration here where the baby is in pink and the person doing the changing is either green for option A or orange in option B. Wouldn't option B be easier for changing or AM I OVERTHINKING?? Seems the chest of drawers options you can buy are generally set up as per option A. With the layout of our room, it would be difficult to set it up so I can stand at the side of the chest of drawers without losing valuable storage space. I am currently thinking a changing unit which gives me option B, and then a small chest of drawers next to it which I can store the changing things on top of, and the clothes inside. I am thinking in option A I'd be twisting awkwardly to do a change compared to option B which looks more ergonomic.
Any thoughts for an over-thinking FTM?
Thanks 😁

Unless you live in a one floor house, you'll be changing mostly downstairs anyway. Put a mat on a normal chest of drawers upstairs and save yourself the £££.

When they're tiny, you can lie them the other way anyway.

Sideways is fine IME. Remember to position baby with the business end towards your preferred right or left hand.

I got one from ikea which has built in draws and a shelf and allows you to not be side on to the baby, with space for wipes and so on at the side. I agree I’d find it hard changing from the side but I think you’d just adapt to the set up you’ve got after a few weeks!

@Secontale you're overthinking it. Option A works really well. Plus you're not in the firing line for those newborn squirty poops. I have a nice anti-roll wipeable mat on top of a chest of drawers. In the top drawers I had muslins, all nappy equipment inc creams and socks/hats/tights in one drawers. We are one plan as London flat!

Cot top changer. It worked brilliantly for me and I kept all the nappy paraphernalia in the cot while baby was still sleeping in the bedside crib.

I also have a wipe clean mat on top of my chest of drawers sold as a changing table. I always change both my toddler and baby on this and use the travel mat for downstairs on the floor. I have a shelf next to the table with my cloth nappies on and wipes so just have to be mindful they're out of reach or get covered in poo thanks to my little helper during a change. Side on is out of the danger zone!

Always change sideways. And i always change on a changing table, i've never changed either of my 2 on the lounge floor

When you changed downstairs, did you put a wipeable mat on the floor? The idea of getting up and down off the floor right now feels not ideal but that sounds like a husband job until I've recovered anyway....
My original idea was normal chest of drawers for maximum storage, and then put one of those mats with wedge sides on top of it, and all the changing stuff alongside, using the drawers for storage.
Hadn't thought that when baby is tiny I can lie them the other way and then gradually shift around until I get used to things! Thanks!

I always change from the side, even if I'm changing on the floor. You'll soon get the hang of whatever your set up is. If you prefer the drawers then I would get them. If you do get a table though they usually have good storage space for baskets/boxes so you might not need drawers as well depending on what else is in the room (wardrobe?)

Also, love your use of a diagram!

Sideways is way easier, that way you can hold their feet above their head with one hand and wipe with the other

but I agree with the others, get a wedge mat and a chest of drawers and you’re fine

That makes sense! Thanks

I never changed any of mine sideways, I suppose you could but it never occurred to me. Aren't changing tables just for newborns? I Would be worried about them rolling off. I just used a changing mat on the floor, with the changing stuff in a basket.

Maybe I need to look more closely at the Ikea one, is that the SUNDVIK? I did look at that but assumed it was only wide enough for the changing mat, not changing mat plus supplies ....

Classic me 😂 Hadn't thought about not being in the firing line .... good advice! Where did you get your mat?

I always used the changing table. I loved it. I had a tricky delivery, with the stitches and a bad back no way could I get up from the floor every hour to change a nappy. It felt much safer for me to use the table. I used it constantly, drying after a bath and dressing on the table.

I don’t understand why you’d change a nappy on the living room floor?

Interesting! Just had a quick look - were you never worried about baby falling off into the cot if the cot top changer got dislodged somehow? I'm sure it's no different from the top of a table / chest of drawers, but something about it makes me anxious!

I’ve never been able to change babies sideways, I do need to be at the feet, but that’s just me.
I used a changing table in the bedroom for the first 6-8 weeks, after that mostly change on a mat on the floor downstairs. By 8 weeks ish both of mine have stopped pooing at night so didn’t change them over night anymore really, but just did it on the bed if I needed to.

I have ikea Malm drawers and then an ikea changing mat (which is chunkier than normal) on top. I prefer to not change sideways so the drawers are set up with the end facing towards the door to give me more space to change. The top drawer is full of all the nappy related paraphernalia.

Oh, I don’t think I ever used the B st up with the feet facing me. They can toll sideways so I thought that was where to be. Plus you can look at them and smile more easily from A

Oh God I hadn't thought about the need for a splash zone where I keep supplies 😂Might need to set it up so that the business end is away from the supplies lol

@DobbyTheHouseElk why would you bother going upstairs to change baby 8+ times a day?!

We've got a wedge changing mat on a kallax unit - change sideways on because then if they do roll I'm there to block any falls. It works well!

Thinking about it when I change on the changing mat downstairs on the floor I do the other way round rather than sideways on. They change and you'll adapt so quickly either way.

Good luck!

I can imagine changing a wee nappy on the floor downstairs (oof my back!) but somehow I feel like a poo or poonami needs proper supplies and a wipeable space.... Glad we recently bought a washable living room rug!

@Secontale they only wee when you take the nappy off for the first couple of weeks.

I never used a changing table, just a foam changing mat on top of the bed, sofa and then floor when DD started squirming, lay a toweling nappy over the top so the plastic wasn't cold on baby's back. Have one on each floor to make life easy

The benefit apart from obvious cost was that it was easy to give DD nappy free time instead of standing up worrying she might roll off.