Playroom changing solutions?

[akc]

Hi all -

I haven't posted in a while because I've been consumed with my three-month old daughter, but I'm back with a quandry. We are lucky enough to have designated a playroom for my daughter on our second floor - it is small, but panelled with white beadboard and can hold her toys. The problem is that we need a changing station of some sort...and NOT the big 'ol Pack n' Play. We have used that when she was little, but it is so big in the small room and has also become a mess of stuff that we just throw in the bassinet side. I know, know, know that people will say that this is the most convenient, but it really isn't when it takes up so much space.

My thoughts were to get a plain wood simple changing table (just a changing table), but I'd like to know from Moms of older kids if they get to a weight where they don't fit anymore? I thought if I got a simple one I could repurpose it for coloring and other art supplies. Or, I could get some sort of piece of furniture (not a dresser, but something storage) and put a changer on top. That would be pricier, so I'm not going to run out and do it.

What do y'all think?

Thanks in advance -
Alexa
(Mother of Maeve, born 7/6/02)

[sntm]

I'd be interested in this too. The baby's room will be upstairs, and we plan on getting a dresser with a changing station on top, but want something for our small, cramped downstairs, also. (Or else it's going to be my bed or the kitchen table (yuck!))

shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/8/03

[megsmom]

Hey, Shannon, congrats on the news! I've been crossing my fingers for you. Looks like the overachieving paid off in the conceiving dept! ;)

Jen
mom to Meghan
born 7/13/01

[NatF]

My 6 mos old daughter is getting so squirmy that we have a hard time keeping her from rolling onto her stomach while we are changing her. We are now quite often putting her diaper on while she is on her stomach.

Having said that you might just want to consider changing your baby on the floor. If the room has a closet, keep your diapers and wipes and a portable changing pad in there. An extra diaper genie might be nice too if you are using one. I think in a few months you will find that changing your little one becomes more of an adventure.

We use a combo dresser for changing her in the nursery upstairs, but downstairs I sometimes just grab her diaper bag and change her wet diaper from my supplies in that.

[megsmom]

I don't have any bright ideas, but just another point to ponder and why you may not wanna overspend here. We used the top of Meg's dresser with a pad till she was about 8 months old and then she became so roly-poly and wiggly it was unsafe to change her any other place than the floor. Other babies are much more patient, but unfortunately mine is on the go! :) Much of the time we are playing together on the floor, and since I am down there with her anyway, it is just as easy to change her there. A stack of diapers, fold-up changing pad, and box of wipes stuffed in a diaper bag works great for us as a changing station. Also, no expense. My day care provider half the time lays Meghan down on her sofa with the changing pad under her rear end and just sits with her knees off to the side. Good luck finding something that works for you. There's more than one way to change a baby! :)

Jen
mom to Meghan
born 7/13/01

[twins r fun]

For our downstairs, we bought a cheap white cabinet (the put-it- together-yourself type)at Target. It has a door which we've put a childproof latch on and 3 shelves. We keep all our diapering stuff in there. I also bought a foam changing pad that folds in half (Babies R Us)-we used that for awhile on the floor until the cat decided to pee on it! Now we just use one of those waterproof mats (or nothing) on the floor.

Nicole

[akc]

Hi again -

Yiye. All these postings (last three) that recommend changing her on the floor make sense if I weren't 5' 11" and my husband 6' 2". We are just much more vertical people and, even if we're playing with her on the floor, will find it very inconvenient to have to store changing things on that level. I'd almost rather have a safe, wider surface at a medium height than be on the floor with nothing. Also, unfortunately, it is space on the floor that is at a premium. We have plenty of room for furniture that is functional, but are fighting for floor space with all of her toys like the UltraSaucer and FP Activity Table, etc. So, anyone have any ideas on something that is higher and still will work for changing an older child?

REGARDLESS, all your comments on squirminess do give me pause - I'm thinking maybe I should wait to see what her nature is before I get anything. I was just thinking that if we consistently change her on something, she'll get used to it and be fine even when she's older. My next-door-neighbor's son is 2 and he's still changed on a Rumble Tuff pad thrown on top of a Pottery Barn tall bookshelf type thing, so I guess I was thinking it would be safe. It sounds like that might just be their son and I may be in for a different experience.

Hmm...this is exhausting. Just when you think you have one thing down, another change pops around the corner!

Thanks -
Alexa

[suzska]

Evan is 19 months old, and while he's longer than the changing pad (or just about), I still change him there. It's attached to the dresser. The dresser is about a foot longer than the pad, so the fact that his toes stick out a bit doesn't matter. He can be squirmy, and usually flips himself over and stands up the second I close the diaper. But usually he's pretty good about it. I never did set up a changing station downstairs. I thought it would be a chore to walk upstairs to change him every time, but our house isn't that big and it turned out to not be a big deal. I wouldn't have had the room for anything downstairs either. And I'm 5'3" (DH is 6') and don't like changing him on the floor or in his crib. I've tried in the crib a few times, but it hurts my back. When we were on vacation, we just put his changing pad on the sofa in the hotel room when it was time to change him. At Grandma's house we use the floor.

[cara1]

Living in an apartment, it's hard for me to relate, but can't you just go upstairs to change her? As she gets older & you introduce solids, BM's will become less frequent. Just a thought.

[ct]

My DD is 24mo and I still change her on the changing table (but upstairs) - she is very good for changes now (was a little squirmy when younger, but has settled down). I too am relatively tall and changing her on the floor or bed is just a killer for me. As they get older, they don't need to be changed as often, so it isn't a big deal for me to go upstairs - of course I was able to use the pack n play for much longer than 3 months. I had thought of getting a regular changing table for downstairs, but just as I was 'thinking' about it, I realized DD didn't need to be changed often enough to warrant it anymore (plus I can use the exercise of going upstairs :)!). Anyway, I would think that if you could find a nice bookshelf or something of that nature that could be used for another purpose later and you think it'll save you time, energy and back pain it will be worth it for you. Best of luck to you...

ct

[suzska]

Hmmm...maybe Evan eats too much fruit or something because I think he has more BM's now than a year ago. About 4 a day. Plus about 4 wet diapers. (He was formula fed, if that makes a difference, until about 11 months. Started solids around 5-6 months.) It almost never fails that I change a wet diaper after his nap, take him downstairs to play and have a snack, and he decides to give me a "poopy" diaper. So it's back up the stairs we go!

[MinnieMouse]

When our dd (now 15mo) was 6 wks old my MIL came to visit...we went to a consignment store and got a basic jenny lind style changing table for $25 for our downstairs...and it's been priceless!

Not only does it give us a place to change her (our backs were breaking trying to use the floor/couch/etc. but the two shelves underneath give us someplace to stash all her baby stuff...including her diaper bag, etc.

Just a thought....

Christine

[Sixofus]

You might want to consider the folding changing table that is made by Badger Basket Co. It folds in half so it doesn't take up a lot of space and it has the storage bins that you could use to store toys, etc. if you wanted to. And as changing tables go, it's pretty reasonably priced. It looks real old-fashioned so it may not be aesthetically what you had in mind, but I use mine in a similar situation for my first-floor changing area and I love it. My 3 yr old just recently potty trained, but I used it for her until then, so it can take a pretty good weight. She's probably over 30 lb.
You can see a picture at:
http://www.babysupermall.com/main/products/bdg/bdg27071.html

Good Luck!

Debbie

[sntm]

That's cute! What's the seller's user ID? (I can't read it from the picture)

shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03

[JMarie]

Actually, it's not PBK at all, but a very similar design. There was also a previous thread somewhere in here that mentions you can get the same changer at Sam's Club for around $95.00. That's where we found ours and we just finished priming and painting it white to match the rest of the nursery furniture. It was a breeze to put together, but I have to admit the baskets are not as nice as PBK - we've measured and IKEA carries some baskets that look like they'll fit and appear much nicer. I will say that priming and painting this changer was not exactly a walk in the park - to get a nice, relatively smooth finish, we had to use thin foam rollers and used about EIGHT coats of paint (the layers were so thin because of the finish we wanted) - but it turned out beautifully. Also, the pad that comes with it is TERRIBLE - it's about an inch thick and it doesn't look comfortable at all. Unfortunately, the area for the pad is not a common size - it's 17" x 27 3/4" - so you can't find one to fit. We're having one made by 1st Choice Baby Bargains (1stchoicebabybargains.com) that will be more like a Rumble Tuff pad. The changer is extremely sturdy and will make a great bookshelf or storage area when the kids are older, which is a plus. If you don't live near a Sam's Club, I would highly recommend getting this changer off Ebay - it's wonderful! Good luck with the play room!

JMarie
EDD 2/23/03
Aidan Christopher

[akc]

Hi - Thanks for the input. I'm pretty satisfied since it was a playroom changer - it's very classic looking and not too "changing table-ish," and I agree that it can be completely repurposed afterwards. It's funny how much use the two changing tables get - after BB recommended skipping it! We would be lost without BOTH of ours! I think it just depends on picking one that has added possibilities for after the baby gets older. The one in Maeve's room (our daughter) can turn into a toy storage, night table or even a regular little dresser and this one to toy, book, or other storage.

By the way, for anyone looking, the table goes for all different prices on eBay, so if you're thinking of getting it, be sure to check all auctions. It's been as low as $105, but I also saw it as high as $149!

I suspected that the changing pad would be thin, so what we've done is to buy a Rumble Tuff pad and actually cut into the bottom (where the little compartments start on the table), so that it can sit flat and full length (the RT pad is thick enough that it doesn't even affect the top). Then I got a PBK basket (the thin diaper one) to fit on the end (my husband hooked it up so it's connected to the table and sits flat). We did this because our daughter is long (man, she's 3 months and already out of some 6 month clothes, even though she's at the very low end of the weight range), so we wanted the longest possible space for changing (the RT is 33" long). I didn't know about 1st Choice Baby Bargain, so thanks for the tip!

On the basket front, I ordered PBK baskets to go in the changer because we've used them all throughout her playroom. The regular medium Sabrina baskets (3 of them) will fit on the first level where the three baskets sit (the ones that come with it are 12" x 12" x 7" - the Sabrina are 12" x 12" x 6".) I didn't replace the big ones but ordered matching liners from PBK so that they all sit as a set together (And, to be fun, I had them personalize the liners with "Bum" (diapers) "Bib" (bibs, obviously) and "Burp" (burp cloths!) I'm not sure if the Sabrina XL baskets would work on the bottom - I have two so I guess I'll try them.

Thx -
Alexa

p.s. I hear you on the painting! We painted all of Maeve's bedroom furniture except her crib (as I mentioned above) - or should I say my hubby because he decided to use oil paint & I was in my third trimester! Anyway, it was not a fun process, but we are SO thrilled by the final result. And, you can get solid things that aren't as crazy expensive as the furniture sold with cribs!

[JMarie]

I didn't even think of looking at the PBK smaller baskets. I think the Sabrina XL baskets would fit okay, but I do like the smaller baskets better. The woven wood ones - which I just love - should fit perfectly! I just think the PBK look is so nice and clean, but there is no way I can afford the PBK price. Well, maybe I could, but I couldn't afford much else afterwards. As far as the painting and furniture was concerned, we wanted things to match in color but couldn't justify spending $1000.00 on the matching armoire and $1200.00 for the combo dresser and hutch unit, just because it was in the same 'family' as the crib. We ordered a paint chip from Legacy and took it to Home Depot - they matched the color perfectly. We're finishing up by painting a dresser and nightstand this weekend (before it gets much colder here in Chicago - it's FREEZING already!). DH's father is building a toy chest and shelving for the room, so hopefully we don't run out of paint! I think my only splurges (in the nursery anyway) are the crib and the glider. I honestly don't know what we would do if we had more than one room or even more than one level to deal with! I guess I'm thankful for my little condo in that respect... Good luck!

JMarie
EDD 2/23/03
Aidan Christopher

[akc]

Hi - Funny! We did the same with our Legacy crib - we have the country cottage in antique white, which do you have? We took it to the paint store and had them match it (it was trial and error - they had to make a few batches) and then painted our unfinished stuff to save $ (changer and small bookshelf) and then our hand-me-down dresser. It is actually quite satisying and a big savings! I also splurged on a glider but I got the upholstered Dutalier glider (looks like an actual chair, but has the glider mechanism underneath) & skipped the ottoman to save $.

Sounds like the nursery is coming together - I had mine all finished by May (due in July) and I was so relieved to have it finished. I forgot that near the due date you have to get other stuff...like diapers, duh! And ointment, and medical supplies, and wipes, etc. So, that was the last stuff I did before she was born (10 days early!) It was a relief to have the nursery finished and ready to go.

And, I'll tell you...it just springs into action once the baby is born. It's funny, you agonize over all these decisions and what goes where, etc. And then the baby is born, and you will find that you use EVERYTHING! If it's well thought out and not excessive, the whole room becomes a happy, functioning place and it seems like the baby (she, in our case) has been living there all along!

Best of luck - :)
Alexa
Mother of Maeve
Born 7/6/02

[JMarie]

We've selected almost the exact crib, except with open-ends and the drawer beneath. We had originally picked out the country cottage crib, but due to the orientation of the nursery, there is only one spot where we can put the crib and the end would face the door - we wouldn't be able to see inside the crib from the doorway. The crib will be in matte white once it gets here - we're hoping right around the holidays. We would like to have the nursery finished by the new year, simply because of how nasty January and February can be in Chicago and because of how uncomfortable I've heard the third trimester can be for some - I'm not taking any chances!

We're still looking at unfinished furniture - there are a couple nice stores in our suburb and one has a beautiful armoire that would be perfect, but I'm not sure how well it would grow with Aidan. We'll probably still stick with a dresser. As I previously mentioned, we want to have everything picked out and get it painted this weekend. I think it might be too cold, though. Worse comes to worse, IKEA isn't too far and there are a couple nice dressers and nightstands there that match.

My mother keeps reminding me that Aidan will not care if he wears the most expensive diapers or has the most ornate nursery. All he will want is our love and attention, and everything else is just icing. I'm trying to keep that in mind as we're getting ourselves ready for his arrival. Thanks, and I'll let you know how the nursery turns out!

JMarie
EDD 2/23/03
Aidan Christopher

[akc]

Hi all -

Thanks for all the advice. I think I am going to get a simple, wood changing table for her playroom. I know it sounds extravagant, but we live in a 3-story, 100-year old home, and I can already barely walk because my feet are so sore from walking up and down the stairs all the time. I'm going to look for one that doesn't look changing table-ish.

In fact, I found this one on eBay that looks nice and I think I'm going to get it. It's solid, all wood, with a clean design (in line with the other items in our playroom). I figure I can use it later for storage and put her coloring things in the top (paper in the changing section and boxes of markers, crayons, etc. in the compartments). (I actually like the wicker one, Debbie, but I am even so lazy that I wouldn't want to open it up all the time! It's all about convenience in our house!)

We'll see how this solution works. At least I won't have spent a lot of $$$!

Thanks again - :) :)
Alexa

[akc]

Hi -

I bought it from mitchellhg BUT there are several listed - not sure if they are Pottery Barn flawed or something (they are virtually identical to the PBKids one called the "Classic Changing Table." Anyway, it's always listed as Wood Changing table with 5 baskets if you do a search for changing tables.

I thought it was cute too...it's nice to have reinforcement!

Alexa

p.s. If you are thinking about a changer, I would recommend one that has drawers and/or doors for your nursery. There is just so much to store in the newborn phase - our primary one upstairs is a solid wood one that the changing pad goes on top of - it's not open below like this wood one. I've attached a picture of it in case you want to see it.

We love it because we can put diapers, lappads, wipes, crib sheets, and other assorted stuff in the drawers. We also had no closet for our daughter (the one in her room is mine!), so the one we got has a bar on the left side where we can hang her little clothes (behind the door). We got ours at an unfinished furniture shop and painted it to match her crib and the other furniture in the room (an unfinished bookshelf and a hand-me-down dresser.) It was fun because we could customize it to her room (I painted the little knobs green to match her dresser and a mural that is painted in her room!) Anyway, this wood one is nice for our downstairs where you are storing less stuff - just want a functional place to change her and we'll throw the diapers, bibs, and burp cloths in the baskets.

Just my .02, but feel free to email me if you have any questions, comments...