Baby Central: Setting Up a Change Area

You can count on changing your baby’s diaper about 5000 times before she finally graduates from Potty Training U., so you may was well make those diaper changes as convenient as possible. Here’s what you need to know to set up a baby change area that will work well for both you and your baby.

Location, location, location.
It’s the mantra of every real estate agent, and it should be your baby change area mantra, too. In fact, you might even think about setting up more than one baby change area for the sake of sheer convenience. (Hey, if we can have a donut store on every corner, why not a change table on every floor?) Depending on the size and layout of your house, you might decide to set up your main change table in your baby’s bedroom or your family bathroom and a second change area in your familyroom or your downstairs bathroom. And, of course, when you’re sizing up a particular location, you’ll want to give some serious consideration to the flooring and wallcovering in the immediate vicinity. (Think easy-clean and stain-resistant!)

Turning the tables.
If you’ve priced change tables lately, you may be hitting the panic button at the thought of having to come up with the cash for not one but two change tables in order to set up your two change areas. Fortunately, you don’t have to break the bank by doubling up in the change table department. In fact, you don’t even have to buy a change table at all, if you don’t want to. (Some parents consider them to be one of the least essential baby equipment purchases.) If you’d rather save your money for something else, you might want to consider one of the following change table alternatives:

• A portable playpen that’s designed to do double-duty as a change table. These playpens feature inserts that convert them into change tables—a great way to get a “free” change table, if you already own one of these playpens.
• A change pad with raised sides and a safety strap. These change pads can be used on a bathroom counter, inside your baby’s crib, on your bed, or on the floor. While the raised sides and the safety strap on these change pads are designed to keep baby from taking a tumble, if you’re using them on any elevated surface, you’ll want to hedge your bets by keeping one hand on your baby at all times.
• A well-stocked change bag with an oversized change pad. While change bags and change pads are generally used when you’re out and about with baby, there’s no rule that says you can’t use one at home. If you live in a small place, this might be the ideal solution for you because you can store the change bag and change pad under your bathroom sink or in somewhere else out of the way in-between diaper changes.

Stock picks.
The last thing you need to think about is stocking your baby change area with the essentials. After all, carrying around a barenaked baby while you go in search of a missing diaper is asking for trouble! That means having the following items within grabbing distance at all times: a half-dozen diapers, an ample supply of diaper wipes or wet washcloths, diaper cream, at least two spare outfits (in case your baby manages to pee or spit up on the newly clean outfit the moment it appears on the scene), a diaper pail with a foot pedal (for the ultimate in hands-free disposal), a mini-laundry hamper with a lid, and a toy or mobile to keep your baby entertained. Voila! You’re well on your way to becoming the ultimate quick-change artist—someone’s Mom or Dad.