10 of the best changing bags
How much room do you need? – Babies need a surprising amount of stuff for a trip out of the house – nappies, cream and wipes are the basics but you should also pack feeding equipment, a change of clothes, toys, muslins and anything you might need for the weather, such as sun cream for summer and warm items for winter. For a day trip, a compact bag is usually fine but for weekends away, you might also want to invest in a larger bag or case. If you’re just popping out quickly, you can even buy a changing purse that comprises a small fold-up mat with space for a few wipes and a couple of nappies.
How do you want to carry it? – Changing bags come in several styles, so choose what you would usually use as your day-to-day bag. A backpack keeps your hands free and is great if you’re baby wearing; a messenger or shoulder bag can be worn on one side or across your body and a handbag can be held in your hand or over your arm. Many bags also include clips to attach the bag to your stroller while you’re on the move.
Storage compartments? – To keep everything organised and help you find something in a hurry, most bags have both internal and external pockets. Areas dedicated to a changing mat, nappies and wipes are essential and hidden pockets for your keys and purse are helpful. Some bags even feature handy extras such as insulated pouches to keep drinks warm or cool and anti-bacterial linings.
Does it include a changing mat? – Look for a bag that has its own matching changing mat. Not only will it have a dedicated space that holds it perfectly but it saves having to buy an extra item.
Practical or designer? – There’s a huge range of bags available, from inexpensive bags just for use with your baby, to stylish designer bags made from premium materials that transform into a handbag when your baby has grown. Though a luxe bag might be more expensive, it has a longer lifespan and might be a good investment in the long run.
Below, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite bags, including unisex baby changing bags for mums and dads, to help you make the right choice for you.
1. Baby Uma Chic Vegan Leather Unisex Changing Bag, £49.99
– Best for vegan leather
Dimensions: 43 x 33 x 25cm | Awards: Gold – Changing Bag, MadeForMums Awards 2021
This is a neat vegan leather bag that borrows some of the top features of the best changing bags and comes up with a solution for baby changing that both looks attractive and has plenty of room inside. The top zip is extra wide, making it easy to access everything inside the main compartment and there are a total of 12 compartments, meaning you can store everything in its own space.
There are two insulated pockets for bottles or snacks in the front pocket, which are quick and easy to grab, and the bag comes with its own padded changing mat. When you’re not using it as a changing bag it doubles as a bag for everyday life, the gym or even a weekend away. It is made from vegan-friendly faux leather with silver coloured hardwear and it will fit a laptop or tablet inside. Pair it with the additional buggy clips (bought separately) to attach it to your stroller.
MFM home tester Jenni, who tested this with her newborn son, said: “The bag is incredibly spacious and allows for good organisation of all the items that babies seem to require upon leaving the house.” Fellow home tester Tracey adds: “Great bag, easy to use and very smart.”
Pros: More than enough pockets for all your gear, generously sized and vegan friendly
Cons: May be hard to find small items at the bottom
Available from: Amazon and Baby Uma
2. Bubble and Pop Ollie and Ella Baby Changing Bag, £89.95
– Best for organisation
Dimensions: 40 x 32 x 16 cm | Awards: Silver – Changing Bag, MadeForMums Awards 2021
The bright designs and fabrics of this changing bag caught the eye of our judges, who like how it stood out; there are five different fabric designs to choose from featuring sweet prints and pops of bold colour. Testers were impressed with the abundance of pockets (11 in total), which make storing and organising essentials simple. Another clever touch is that it comes with labels, so you can immediately tell what’s in each pocket. It has both handles and a long strap, to allow you to wear it how you prefer and there are also stroller clips.
There’s plenty of storage space for all the essentials and the front opens completely, allowing you to see what’s inside at a glance. It comes with a changing mat and the inside is water resistant. For these reasons, we awarded it Silver in our MadeForMums 2021 awards.
Parents who tested the bag were impressed. Jenna says: “All the compartments are very handy to keep the bag organised and everything in a place…lots of room to cater for two or more kids.”
Pros: Plenty of pockets, generous storage space and well organised and has labels
Cons: Vibrant designs may not to be to everyone’s taste
Available from: Bubble and Pop and Amazon
3. Lässig Tidy Talent Backpack, £81
– Best for range of accessories
Dimensions: 35 x 15 x 45cm | Awards: Bronze – Changing Bag, MadeForMums Awards 2021
Lässig makes a wide range of high quality, stylish baby accessories and this bag looks like one of the trendier backpacks from Scandi brands. In dark blue or olive, it has good quality zips with neat pulls and comes with a wider range of accessories than many changing bags; a changing mat, insulated bottle holder, jar holder and stroller clips for starters.
Inside, there’s plenty of space for all of baby’s bits and pieces and everything is neatly stored in the internal pockets. There’s even a section for your computer and a few documents or magazines, plus concealed pockets on the strap and the bag’s rear for your keys, purse and phone. A loop on the rear allows you to slip the bag over a suitcase handle when you’re travelling.
Home tester Danielle said: “On first glance, it was easy to see the different compartments and find where I wanted to put different things. I like that the zip was large so it was easy to access the inside of the bag when on the pram.”
Pros: Chic and stylish, roomy enough for day trips, plenty of accessories
Cons: On the large side
Available from: Amazon
4. PacaPod Saunton, £120
– Best for modular expansion
Dimensions: 36 x 32 x 21cm
PacaPod’s impressive Saunton changing bag wowed our home testers over and over again. Great as a unisex baby changing bag, our testers loved the top quality materials and soft vegan leather construction.
As with all Pacapod’s bags, you can customise and extend this bag according to your baby’s age and stage with different pods – there’s a changing, feeding, toddler and travel pod, plus a ‘freedom’ pod which holds mum’s precious items like phone, keys and sunglasses. Add a changing mat, pram clips and a bottle wrap to complete your bag. When your baby has reached the age where you no longer need the pods, you can simply remove them and use the bag as a generous backpack. The bag attaches to prams with clips and is worn as a backpack.
Testers were impressed with how easy to use the bag was. Home tester Kate says: “It takes some of the stress out of trips out and about. The pod system means that your bag is really well organised and when you need to change your baby it is easy, as everything is in one place.”
Pros: Highly organised and functional, versatile, unisex
Cons: Strap may be long on smaller prams
Available from: John Lewis, Amazon and Pacapod
5. Bambino Mio Baby and Beyond Change Bag, £79.99
– Best for cloth nappy users
Dimensions: 14 x 43 x 40 cm
From a company that makes some of the most user-friendly washable nappies is this clever bag, created with sustainability in mind; it’s the perfect bag if you’re an eco-conscious parent. The water-resistant side pocket holds four of Bambino Mio’s reusable nappies when you’ve used them, keeping them away from your clean stuff. In addition, there’s a hidden pocket on the back for your valuables and a handy change pocket, with an easy-to-use magnetic closure in which to keep your clean nappies and reusable wipes, without any rooting around. The large parent pocket at the front is ideal for storing your phone, tablet or a novel and an insulated pocket keeps drinks and snacks fresh.
Home tester Lara says: “The bag has numerous pockets and is a good size to hold all the essentials for a day out or weekend away with your baby. The bag has been thoughtfully designed to ensure there are pockets to suit storing both baby’s and mummy/daddy’s things.”
The bag can be used as a backpack, shoulder bag, on your arm or hung from the stroller with the included pram clips. Add the change wallet, which contains a changing mat and space for your wipes to complete your bag (available separately).
Pros: Easy to use layout, water resistant pocket, designed with sustainable baby products in mind
Cons: No changing mat included
Available from: Amazon, Bambino Mio and TheNappyLady
6. Pink Lining The Wonderbag Rucksack – Dalmatian Fever, £65
– Best for standout style
Dimensions: 44 x 35 x 10 cm
Best in show? We love the dalmatian print on the Wonderbag Rucksack. There are two other eye-catching prints available, all with the signature pink lining that gives the brand its name. The Wonderbag can be worn multiple ways – as a tote bag, backpack or attached to the stroller (stroller straps available separately).
There are plenty of pockets inside the bag and on the outside too, to store all your baby’s essentials. There are also some clever accessories such as an insulated bottle holder that keeps drinks warm up to four hours, a wash bag for dirty items and a wallet to keep your money and cards tidy. Clever touches include a mirror and pen holder, a key fob and space for a photo, plus there’s a thick changing mat for nappy changes on the go.
“The bag has lots of compartments, which is helpful to keep things stored separately and neatly and is fairly spacious. The bag has a fun and attractive design – lots of mums commented on it at various classes and playgroups,” says our home tester Anika.
Pros: Well insulated bottle holder, padded changing mat, stylish design
Cons: The bold pattern won’t suit everyone
Available from: Amazon
7. Skip Hop Forma Backpack, £70
– Best for easy access
Dimensions: 40 x 20 x 35
This is a lightweight backpack with an attractive quilted fabric on the outside with wide opening pockets and insulated side pockets. Inside the main compartment are separate holders for different types of baby gear; there’s an insulated one for bottles, plus a mesh pocket for clothes and muslins. They are accessed through a front opening, which makes it quick and easy to get to and the lining is in a light lime colour, making it easy to see what’s inside. There’s an included padded changing mat and the bag comes with stroller straps too. It will hold all you need for your baby and you can even pack a laptop with ease.
MFM Consumer & Reviews Editor Christy says: “The back straps are padded but only lightly, so it’s possibly not as comfortable as some. It has loads of great compartments, which is really handy for separating items.”
Pros: Internal pockets for different items, elasticated interior pockets make it easy to grab items, generous enough for a full day out
Cons: Doesn’t fit every bottle size, straps could be more thickly padded
Available from: JoJo Maman Bebe and Amazon
8. Babymel Robyn Convertible Vegan Leather Backpack Changing Bag, £75
– Best for versatility
Dimensions: 35 x 29 x 15cm
Another great bag that can be worn as a backpack, shoulder bag, cross body or handheld. It is ideal for the vegan parent, as it is made from faux leather with silver coloured hardware and comes in four stylish colours. The outer is water resistant and the lining is easy to wipe clean, helping you to keep it looking good.
It comes with seven internal and external pockets for all your bits and pieces and there’s also an insulated bottle holder that closes with an easy-to-use drawstring. The changing mat (which is machine washable) is included and matches the colour of the lining and a genius touch on this bag is a pocket on the side with space for a packet of wipes, with a slot to pull them out of.
Pros: Vegan leather, clever wipes pocket, can be worn in multiple ways
Cons: Faux leather can be less breathable
Available from:Amazon, Jojo Maman Bebe and Babymel
9. Nova + KOA Charli Backpack, £145
– Best for sustainability
Dimensions: 37 x 36 x 19cm
Nova + Koa is an ethical brand that uses vegan leather and is constantly looking for recycled materials to use in its products. The Charli bag is suitable for use as a backpack but also as a baby changing bag, giving it a longer life than many changing bags, as you’ll want to use it for years to come.
In black or pink vegan leather with gold hardware, the bag has three separate compartments and patented anti-odour linings – perfect for transporting baby’s dirty clothes and even your gym shoes. It has a good space for your laptop and inside is a bottle pocket that takes a 500ml bottle, perfect for baby’s drinks while you’re out. MFM Consumer & Commerce Editor Gemma says, “I got this when I was pregnant, it was great when my son was little, and I now use it for work! I’ve had a good 3 years of wear out of it. Just be careful when unzipping as I do find the various pockets and linings occasionally get caught in the zip.”
The bottom compartment is ideal for shoes, a lunchbox or a supply of nappies and wipes and it flattens down when you’re not using it, making the bag neater. It’s smaller than many bags, so it’s ideal for a day out though you would struggle to get enough in it for a weekend and it doesn’t really look like a baby bag – which may be an advantage when you have some time off!
Pros: Sustainable materials, anti-odour lining, clever use of space
Cons: More inside pockets would be handy, linings can get caught in zips
Available from: Nova + Koa
10. Kerikit Lennox Leather Changing Bag, from £345
– Best for high-end luxury
Dimensions: 31 x 15 x 28cm
If you would prefer to have a luxe leather bag that just happens to work when you have a baby, then the Kerikit range may be for you. While pricey, they will last for many years and become a favourite handbag, yet you needn’t compromise on functionality. It will fit a tablet and has elasticated pockets for all your wipes, nappies and baby items. Two insulated bottle holders will keep drinks warm and inside the generous interior is a secure zipped pocket for your keys and phone. A neat poppered holder will take your keys and there are rings to fix stroller clips onto as well. It has a short strap to hold on your arm or shoulder, plus a longer strap to wear it across your body.
Once you have chosen from one of seven colours, add your accessories such as make up bags, personalised luggage tag, stroller clips, nylon pouches to keep items separate, a padded baby changing mat and more.
Pros: Real leather, sleek and stylish, waterproof lining
Cons: Expensive, accessories cost extra
Available from: Kerikit
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