I Used All The Changing Bags So You Don’t Have To

A little while ago Pregnancy and Birth magazine asked on Twitter if there were any mothers with young babies who wanted to test out baby changing bags. As I change so many bums these days I list ‘poo’ as one of my Facebook interests I responded wholeheartedly with a YES PLEASE.

When I was pregnant with Elfie I went straight for the Limited Edition Cowshed bag by Pink Lining (as you know what a big fan of Cowshed I am) but as it was so, well, pink I was looking forward to trying something a bit different. I was sent bags from Mia Tui, Pacapod, Pink Lining and Sugarjack… here’s what I thought.

The Pacapod (above, right), £80

This is an awesome changing bag as it’s so different to anything else I’ve ever used. I love the colour and pattern and it’s made from really good-quality wipeable canvas. There are two main pockets on this bag: the first one is large and opens at the top and the second is located on the side and contains two little containers, a ‘changer pod’ and a ‘feeder pod’. These ‘pods’ are for all the bits and pieces you need for changing and feeding and whilst at first I thought it’d be a little fiddly to be getting bits in and out of them it actually works really well. There’s no scrabbling round at the bottom of the bag looking for bottles as you know exactly where to find them, in the dedicated insulated ‘pod’! If you are happy to be carrying around a bag that’s quite obviously a baby changing bag, this is an excellent option for meticulously organized mothers (like me). The bag comes with a changing mat along with the various ‘pods’ you might need. Check out the Pacapod website for full information on how the bag works.

The Pink Lining (above, left), £79

I was lucky enough to be sent a bag from Pink Lining’s collection before its release to the general public on 10th September (though it’s currently available on pre-order). The interior of the bag is very similar to my current Pink Lining bag so there were no surprises, it’s a great sized bag with loads of handy pockets (some insulated for bottles) along with my favourite feature, the in-built mirror! A matching changing mat is included. I have to admit that the exterior of it is just a little too, hmm, twee for me… I’m not a ‘yummy mummy’ sort of gal and having had one baby already I was more interested in a bag that perhaps didn’t look so much like it is carrying nappies.

The Sugarjack (above, right) £249

For me, this is the Dogs Bollocks of changing bags. Just look at it: burnt orange, gorgeous leather… you’d never know you were toting nappies around in it. Since I received this bag it has not left my arm, there’s nothing I dislike about it. There are pockets on the front for keys and other little bits and a detachable lining that has pockets for baby-related paraphernalia, so once the baby has grown out of nappies you can still use it as a handbag. Again it comes with a matching changing mat and bottle insulator but it’s so super-stylish nobody would ever know that is what you are carrying around. Basically, if I had to use one bag for the rest of my life then this would be it, and if I had £249 to splash on a changing bag then I’d be throwing it Sugarjack’s way.

The Mia Tui (above, left) £44.99

This is another bag that’s constantly in rotation in our house: as I use the Sugarjack as a handbag this one travels with Elfie as her nappy bag to my Mum and Mother-in-Law’s houses. For those on more of a budget (and really, few can afford to spend £250 on a nappy bag with a baby on the way)  this is a most excellent option. It doesn’t look like a nappy bag but it has everything you need; including even a handy matching interior wallet that can be used to switch your ‘handbag belongings’ between bags. It’s easy and simple to use with plenty of room for all your baby bits and pieces and is super-stylish too, a friend commented recently to me how much she liked my new handbag. I was lucky enough to meet Charlotte, the creator of Mia Tui and her beautiful daughter Amelie (who has a bag named after her, just like Harper Beckham) and hear the lovely story behind the inception of Mia Tui which you can read about here.

Conclusion: if you’re looking for a traditional ‘nappy bag’ then either the Pacapod or Pink Lining are great options. They’d especially work well if you’re bottle feeding or starting to wean as there are so many features to assist with this. However, if you’d rather carry around a bag that looks like a handbag or that you can use when you’re not with baby (we used the Mia Tui when travelling to Madrid) then I’d definitely recommend the Mia Tui or Sugarjack.

Psst… Mia Tui are offering 10% off with the code ‘MT2012’.