Is a changing table necessary?

ttc35+ · February 2012

I don't have enough room for a dresser and a changing table. Is a changing table necessary? Can you buy something to put on top of a dresser to make it a changing table? Obviously, I am a first time mom.

katcarls · February 2012

Not necessary at all, I think they're a waste of money and space. I just put a changing pad on top of the dresser and it worked great for us. They do come with screws to attach the pad to the back of the dresser but I never used them. I put down a piece of gripper shelf liner and never had a problem with the pad moving.

nikkylee · February 2012

I have 5 younger-by-6-to-12-years siblings and a nephew, my mom had a changing table for me that stuck around forever and we never used it for anything other than a catch-all storage shelf. Babies got changed on the couch or someones bed. Totally unnecessary, in my opinion.

alyss0nl · February 2012

Nope. We put our changing pad right on top of the dresser. Works great for us and a definite space saver.

gimmietimmies · February 2012

I've never had one. I use a change pad, and we change on the floor, the bed, the crib. There are other things I'd rather spend my money on.

chardonnay24 · February 2012

Not necessary. We didn't have one (and our dresser was too high to use a changing pad on top) for the first few months when he slept in our room. I just changed him on the couch or our bed at night. We did end up purchasing a cheap changing table from IKEA (Spoling) that we used primarily for cloth diaper and wipe storage but he fights changes so much that we stopped using it a couple months ago and now he gets changed on the floor.

karleegirl · February 2012

alysson.lawless:
Nope. We put our changing pad right on top of the dresser. Works great for us and a definite space saver.

this is what we did. I always changed ds on it b/c he would find away to pee on me, the wall, whatever when we changed him. I tried to keep him covered but somehow he would make a mess. So I'd rather have it on the changing pad. Now ds2 and babygirl are sharing a room. So at night I don't change her in their room so she doesn't wake him up. I bought a fold up changing pad( like what's in a diaper bag) and I change her on the bed or floor.

Temp123197812503460 · February 2012

Most people say no, but for us it has been really useful. I have two LOs in one room so it's nice not to change them in their room if one is sleeping. And there isn't really room in the small nursery for a large enough dresser to use with a changing pad, but we had a funky space in the hallway that fits the table.I like how it's in a corner so that's one less side to worry about the baby rolling/wriggling off. And it's right by the bathroom eih is convenient. And we store a bunch of stuff on the shelves. I got one from IKEA so it was about 100.

PhantomPower · February 2012

A lot of people just put the changing pad on top of a dresser and use the upper drawer for diaper/wipes storage. We'll have one but only because it's attached to our crib.

skio · February 2012

alysson.lawless:
Nope. We put our changing pad right on top of the dresser. Works great for us and a definite space saver.

This is true for us, too. I will say though that a designated changing AREA is a must in my house. I'm not cool with just changing the baby on the floor or couch or anywhere else all over the house. But I'm super anal-organized like that. I like keeping the dipes/wipes/creams all in their designated places. When we're away from home, all bets are off. I'm a pro at changing her in the back seat of the car, woot.

CrazyToast · February 2012

katcarls:
Not necessary at all, I think they're a waste of money and space. I just put a changing pad on top of the dresser and it worked great for us. They do come with screws to attach the pad to the back of the dresser but I never used them. I put down a piece of gripper shelf liner and never had a problem with the pad moving.

We have done this exactly. We have never changed DD on anything other than the changing pad on her dresser (while in our house). The dresser is a much better height for my DH & I (no hunching over at all) and will be able to be used as a dresser for DD for years to come.

sosoph · February 2012

We got a Davinci dresser/changer. It has three real drawers, plus a solid wood lip around the top. We use the top drawer for diaper supplies (we cd) and then the bottom two for clothes. At home, we have never changed her anywhere else, so we obviously like it and use it. I thought about just putting the pad on top of a regular dresser, but really like the frame around the pad. Everything stays in place (and I read somewhere that when people take the pad off the regular dresser they realize the finish underneath is ruined).

OUKatie · February 2012

We're just going to use a long dresser with a pad on top.

I'm not opposed to changing tables but we, unfortunately, don't have the room for one in the nursery. We can have either a dresser OR a changing table, so it's a no brainer for us. The dresser has more storage. Also, I like that we'll have more room on top of the dresser than on top of a changer. That's been the only thing that I've found a bit of a pain when using other peoples changing tables.

I'm assuming that we're going to really need to use the pad on the changing table. I have 2 smaller dogs that will be all up in my business if I try to change her somewhere that they are used to being (floor, bed, etc).

dojo1 · February 2012

I have a dresser with a hutch so I didn't really want to use it as a change station. I got a change table for free from a work friend, but would have never bought one myself.

If you have a long dresser I would just use that.. You can store diaper accessories on top and ready at hand whereas I had to install halves next to the changer so that think like creams and wipes would be within reach.

eclipselova4eva · February 2012

Not necessary what-so-ever. With DS i changed him on a plastic changing pad on the floor. I kept his wipes, some diapers and the diaper genie right in the same area. The plastic changing pad was perfect for those unexpected fountains and poops while the diaper was off for a split second.

garnet10 · February 2012

It doesn't necessarily have to be a changing table but I greatly prefer having and elevated changing station. We do have one, but don't utilize the shelves as well as we could. But I do keep an open bin for socks, surplus diapers and wipes, etc. If you do get one, look for one with a little ledge next to the changing area to set wipes and the dirty diaper before you have a chance to toss it.

chardonnay24 · February 2012

mullenem:

katcarls:
Not necessary at all, I think they're a waste of money and space. I just put a changing pad on top of the dresser and it worked great for us. They do come with screws to attach the pad to the back of the dresser but I never used them. I put down a piece of gripper shelf liner and never had a problem with the pad moving.

This exactly. I do think a dedicated changing area is a must-have though. The thought of changing a newborn on the couch or bed is disgusting to me after having a newborn....seriously, they pee/poop as soon as that diaper comes off.

My kiddo has peed twice and never pooped outside a diaper in his life. But, that is what a changing pad is for...

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