changing table - yay or nay?

[Marzipan23]

20 weeks with first baby and starting to think about sorting the babies room! the room is small so its looking likely we will get a tall boy set of drawers which are usually about 120cm high, expect these will be too high to change the baby on but storage is an issue so no other choice!
question is - do I need a changing table? I have also seen changing boards that fit on top of the cot that i'm thinking could be good? any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Ds2 rolled off the changing table onto a tiled floor when I turned my back for a second (to deal with toddler ds1 weeing all over the floor). Ds2 did a complete somersault as he fell and hit his head.

Babies move fast once they have figured out how to roll. I never used the changing table again after that. Ds2 and dd were changed on a mat on the floor.

(ds2 is fine now - doing well in Y12 so no lasting damage. Ds1 also stopped weeing on the floor, eventually)

I suppose the solution to entirely remove that risk is to only use the change table until they can roll.

We had one which we used until my baby was rolling and I loved it. It was annoying when we had to move to the floor. But ours was just on top of drawers so no wasted space.

We just used the top of a chest of drawers and kept in contact at all times, I had a basket on top with nappies etc. so no need to move away.

Yes you can manage fine without one. We were given one for free by friends and it turned out to be a godsend after I ended up having a c section. Ikea used to do a folding one which I thought was a great idea!

No. Always change on the floor. You spend (what feels like) your entire life on the floor with a baby anyway, and once they start rolling there’s a chance they could fall off.

No- get a normal chest of drawers and put a changing mat on it.

We were given one for free that is part of a chest of drawers and use it for all upstairs changes. Had a c section so wouldn’t have been able to change on the floor at first and bed would be too low too. It’s perfect height to save backache. I would say look on your local Facebook hand me on groups for one.

I didn't have one for ages and I really regret it. My back was in bits! Much better since I got one.

If you have any back issues I would highly recommend one. Saves my spine so much, I had two one upstairs and downstairs. They were loaned from colleagues that I think are still doing the rounds.

When they are tiny you won't be on the floor. It's only when they start to play and roll and move that you're on the floor.

A changing table of some nature is invaluable if you’ve had a c section. I had EMCS with both of my babies.

With DC1, in the early days, I changed him on the DH ing table if we were downstairs and on the chest of drawers in our bedroom if we were upstairs.

With DC2, we bought a cheap changing table from ikea for upstairs. It has a shelf below for nappies etc and some changes of clothes. The cheap ikea changing mat fitted on the top, it’s a smaller changing mat than standard. I think it was about £25, big this is 12 years ago.

I got a travel cot with changing able and out that up downstairs. Useful. Didn’t really need anything else upstairs (bed, floor etc). You’ll only use it for max 6
months so don’t spend a fortune

I had one that was on top of DD chest of drawers- saves your back and would 100% Reccomnend

I understand where you’re coming from (especially with feeding/forth trimester/baby wearing) but I don’t agree. I was on the floor with both mine. Moses basket: on the floor. Playmat / baby gym: floor. Bouncer / swing: floor. Nappy changes: floor.

I was about to say I did them on the change mat on the kitchen table too when very young but remembered the recent outcry of putting a tied up nappy bags just outside your front door and was then too scared to say it.

I agree with this. Was always scared of the height and rolling off too. Preferred a padded mat on the floor or bed.

My preference is a proper padded mat on top of a chest of drawers. Best height for shirt arse be. Loads of kids, never had one fall off. Great containment for crawlers wrigglers & toddlers. great for getting nappies & clothed after a bath!

I don't like the flimsy changing table only ones & I don't like the over the cot ones,

Mat on the floor here, works perfectly fine.
Means that if I need to get a new outfit, more wipes etc I'm happy to just leave him there safely and walk away.

I know of friends whose baby rolled off their changing table so I've never wanted to use one. Not badly hurt luckily!

I had straightforward births though, you may prefer to change higher if having a c section etc.

@PurBal what you doing with a Moses basket on the floor?! Newborns don't have playgyms or mats either. When you've got a newborn baby you really don't need to be on the floor. You're on the sofa absolutely but not the floor.

I've always changed a decent chunk of nappies on the floor/any surface that comes to hand but having a raised surface to change on in their room is probably always a good idea.

Mine was an ikea one which had drawers and converts into a bookcase. It was so useful, saved my back and we used it until we potty trained. It’s now a bookcase and drawers and still useful!

Changing mat on top of 4 drawer malm chest of drawers from ikea.

Had one which I used and loved for my first two but moved house and the changing table didn't follow us but we've managed v well without it. Beds & Floors.

Just get a couple changing mats you can use them on beds / floors / chest of drawers

honestly the more gadgets you buy the more you have to get rid of.

On my lap. All 4 of them.