Change tables - wooden or plastic?

[Olivia]

Hi, can somebody give any advice on which change table to buy? Are wooden ones any better than those plastic ones with trays etc? I saw one today with a bath that slides out and quite liked the functionality of it but the shop assistant mentioned that wooden ones are more stable...Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[cwsmum]

I had one of the very basic, fold up ones for DS...you know the ones with a metal frame and a vinyl mat. It fell apart within 12mths :thumbsdown:

For DD we got a very simple wooden one for about $60 from Ikea and I love it :thumbsup: It is just the changing surface, which needs something on it to make it soft for bub, and one shelf underneath. You can also buy containers that attach to it, but I didn't bother. It looks kinda light and flimsy in the pictures but I was actually quite impressed with how heavy and sturdy it actually is.

A friend of mine had one of the ones with the bath underneath and she thought it was a waste of money. Her DS only used the bath for about 2/3mths before he was too big for it...like most baby baths I guess...

[rynosmum]

My sister generously gave me her change table when I had DS. The one she gave us is laminate with 3 big drawers and a bath that slides out - not my style but I certainly wasn't going to argue :D

I found it much easier to put a baby bath on the kitchen benchtop and bath bubs there rather than bucket water in to his room to use in the slide out bath. I ended up taking the bath out and using that area as a shelf.

If I was to choose my own next time, I would choose a timber one with drawers, no bath. The drawers ARE great as you can use the area for so much and little hands can't just grab the creams/wipes etc off open shelves.

[aardvark]

I have a wooden change table. It is not on it's 3rd baby, and DH and I were musing that we might keep it inthe garage to be brought out again when we are grandparents.

It has certainly stood up to the use, and we used it 2-2.5 years both times before.

I have a baby bath that hangs into the normal bath, which you fill from the bath taps, and empty by pulling up the small plug it is fitted with. I love that - no moving water from place to place. I simply put a cheap vinyl change mat on the bathroom floor with a towel over it to wrap baby up, then take him back to his room to dress him.

[slick2]

Hi Olivia

When I was pregnant with our first we bought all matching furniture from a baby shop. In the set was a 3 drawer tall boy, which had a board that you put a change mattress on with sides and a small shelf on it. If this description doesn't make much sense I can e-mail you a pic if you like.

I thought it was quite practical as i can take the board off and just use the drawers when the kiddies grow up. As it's solid wood I have never had any doubts about it's sturdiness or how much weight I put on it. I personally find the other tables look too weak.

I also agree with Rynosmum on the bathing. I found it too difficult to try and bath my baby in his room and ended up just putting his bath in the laundry tub or on top of the washing machine or dryer. Hope this helps.

[jessgray]

we brought a wooden change table with a shelf underneath just after DS was born. he spent 12 days in SCN so i got a few extra days to set up stuff lol
i dont like the metal frame ones they look unsafe to me. i worry under DS's 9kg body they might collapse or fold up. having the wooden one we have now is great. i use the bottom shelf to store all my fitted nappies and covers and boosters and liners :laughing: and there is a few towels and face washers there too. well thast where it all lives till DS gets to it lol

[LittleBoysRock]

I have a wooden one and it is brilliant!! :)

[filmgirlgail]

I got one from IKEA which is a wooden chest of drawers with a fold out change table on top and it's been great. It has a shelf underneath where I store all the spare stuff.

I agree with the others about the plastic ones - they just don't feel sturdy enough for me and ones with the baths are a bit of a waste of space as they only use those for 2/3 months.

Hope this helps

[Princess_Alisa]

Our bathroom is very small, so we bought the Infa changing table that goes above your bath tub (I think it is the Infa Venice) and it has a slide out bath as well. When we bought it I thought it was a great buy because it saved so much space (as we never use our bath tub).

Once we started to use our changing table/bath we changed our mind about the product. The changing table is still great, but it is a different story with the slide out bath. It is quite uncomfortable to bend over the sides of your bath tub to get in the right position (because you can't put your feet underneath or beside the bath tub). You will get a sore back like me from bending over and remain in that position for longer. My husband can't do it at all because he is very tall. And after 2 or 3 months the slide out bath will be too small for your baby anyway.:thumbsdown:

I am on holiday at my parents place at the moment and they bought one of those foldable stands with a big bath tub and it is so much better.

I am still happy with the infa changing table that goes over the bath tub, because it saves so much space.

Good luck :fingerscrossed:

xx