DH is making our changing table
overtonhayes
member
Aaagh, I'm worried this will sound like spam...
DH and I both want him to build our changing table. I love the 'open' changing tables with baskets, like this https://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/ultimate-changing-table/?pkey=bchanging-tables , but people have told me they're really impractical because as soon as babies can crawl, they love to pull the baskets down and empty the contents all over the floor.
So I was thinking that we would have a table like that, but there would be a little 'curtain' over it. Think of a bed skirt, basically, but covering the baskets instead of going around the bottom of a bed/crib. But then I was thinking: surely the whole point of the 'open' changing tables is you can quickly grab diapers etc? Would having a curtain defeat the object of that?
This is the best picture I can find of how the curtain would be attached to changing table. See the plastic curtain rod holding these lace curtains up? https://0.tqn.com/d/gocaribbean/1/0/m/5/-/-/Hemingway-cats---03SM.jpg It would be like that. So the curtain would slide along pretty easily...
What do you think? Impractical?
Edit: DH and I are designing the table now, and trying to figure out measurements. If anyone knows the measurements of their changing tables - how tall they are, and how long/wide the baby changing surface is - I'd be so grateful if they could share them!
Re: DH is making our changing table
I don't think a curtain will necessarily stop a child from pulling things off a shelf...
We have an open changing table and I find it very convenient. DD is almost 6 months so I have no experience will her pulling things off shelves (yet).
You should make the changing table how you want it. Personally, I like the idea of baskets on open shelves, it will give you more flexibility for organizing everything.
I agree... A curtain isn't going to stop anything...and it will most likely add to frusteration when it comes to grabbing things. And really...I think it will ruin the look.
I'd go ahead and ditch the curtain and continue with baskets. If it comes to the baskets being an issue then deal with that later...
Do it and deal with the shelf emptying when the time comes.
But yes, when babies start to crawl, anything in their sight that isn't behind a solid door with a lock will end up on the floor or in their mouth.
Honestly, the first dilemma you'll have to face with the changing table (aside from the rolling) is trying to keep all the cutesy jars and baskets on the top of the table. DS started kicking them off around 7 months or so. So we moved the pad to the opposite end and put the crap at his head... he just reached over his head and threw it instead. By 9 months he was too tall anyway (32.5" tall and the pad was 32" long) so we got rid of the changing pad and now we just use the bed, the floor, couch... whatever.
http://pandce.****/index.cgi#general
Sorry, but that sounds funny to me! (I mean ha-ha funny, not 'weird', by the way!) I guess Pottery Barn and all those other cutesy stores don't think about that when they show the changing tables with everything at baby's feet.
This is my first baby and I have no idea about how big they get... Is your son average size? Should we plan to make the changing table bigger than what you could buy in stores? Or are they too heavy/wriggly by nine months to use a changing table anyway?