Looking for a larger changing pad

[Edensmum]

Does anyone make one large enough to protect the baby/toddler's whole body while changing in public? I am so not into putting her down on a changing table in public without a barrier there. I have a large pad that holds dipes and wipes but does not fit in any but the largest diaper bags. I was wondering if anyone makes a large one that folds up thin enough to fit into a regualr everyday bag. (think sling tote size)
I could just use a blanket I guess, but that is not water proof etc. So a water proof sheet with no padding it what I am looking for.
Does anyone find those tiny pads that come in the bags useful?
Eden 9/04

[ladybugmom6]

These are awesome, and it's a wonderful place to order from...great work and great customer service. I never found the pads that come with most bags useful either.

http://happytushies.com/store/catalog.php?item=7&catid=7&ret=catalog.php%3Fcategory%3D7

[daisymommy]

I second Happy Tushies. She will even custom make the length for you if needed. Joshua is 36" tall, and I asked her to make mine 37" long. She did, and only charged like $1 more for the added fabric I think.

Also, the changing pads in LE Do-It-All diaper bags are huge!

But what I like about the Happy Tushies one is it's so soft and flexible that it folds up much smaller to fit in a medium size bag (versus the LE pad which is so big and stiff it only fits in the DIA diaper bag.)

[ladybugmom6]

I just happened to stumble upon these today while shopping for diapers. Actually, a lot of the cloth diaper websites have the type of changing pads you're looking for, and a lot of the places will probably even customize the size if you ask them.

http://www.fuzzifannies.com/store/WsDefault.asp?One=61

[julieakc]

A couple of months ago I started using an extra large lap pad as my changing pad. It folds up small, is waterproof, is larger than most of the changing pads that come with the diaper bags, and is machine washable. This is really my preference now for all the reasons listed, although when DS was smaller I did prefer the more padded ones that came with the bags...but then again when he was smaller he fit better on the little ones.:-)

The best part was I didn't have to buy anything since I already had a couple of these pads layiny around.

I do have a couple of LE bags and I do love those chanign pads, but as a pp mentioned they aren't really practical to use in a different bag since they are so large.

[newmom03]

Have you checked out the Patemm Pad? They come in 24" and 30" round sizes and fold up nicely. Lots of great patterns to choose from too. www.patemm.com

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/mguinness/img_product03.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/mguinness/img_product01.jpg

[skipperlou]

Thanks to posters on this board, I now carry a disposable incontinence pad in my diaper bag for that exact use. They are huge unfolded to cover the whole changing table (you can buy them in several sizes) but I can fold one up into a sandwich bag for carrying in the diaper bag. A package of 20 only costs somewhere around $8 in CVS. They are soft cotton on one side and a waterproof plastic on the other. Just use it and throw it away. No need to carry germs back into your diaper bag! You can even put your regular changing pad on top of it if you want more cushioning for baby.

HTH!
Lara

[Rach3975]

I embarked on the same search a few weeks ago, and I finally found something that works perfectly for me—oilcloth. It’s hard to describe exactly what it is, but it’s kind of a cross between fabric and vinyl. One of the changing pads for sale, I think the Patemn Pad, uses oilcloth for the top layer. Oilcloth doesn’t fray, so there’s no need to sew the edges. Just cut the fabric to the desired size and fold for your diaper bag. Oilcloth can’t be machine washed, but it easily wipes clean with a wipe or wet cloth.

I got a 1 yard piece from http://www.mendels.com/fabrics_oilcloth.html (about $12 including shipping), and it was large enough to cut into 2 changing pads, each one 36 x 23.

My oilcloth changing pads fold up smaller than anything else I’ve used, including the disposable Huggies pads and incontinence pads. I have the LE Little Tripper, and I can fit the oilcloth, 3 size 5 diapers, and a hard-sided wipes case in the largest mesh pocket.

[o_mom]

You can buy "lap pad" material at JoAnns - it's the stuff that is flannel-like on the outside and has some sort of waterproof layer in the middle. If you have a 40% off coupon you could buy a yard for about $5 which should be plenty of material. Doesn't need sewn - just cut to the size you want. It is usually on rolls near the baby fabrics.

[sunflowerseeds]

>I embarked on the same search a few weeks ago, and I finally
>found something that works perfectly for me—oilcloth. It’s
>hard to describe exactly what it is, but it’s kind of a
>cross between fabric and vinyl. One of the changing pads for
>sale, I think the Patemn Pad, uses oilcloth for the top layer.
>Oilcloth doesn’t fray, so there’s no need to sew the
>edges. Just cut the fabric to the desired size and fold for
>your diaper bag. Oilcloth can’t be machine washed, but it
>easily wipes clean with a wipe or wet cloth.
>
>I got a 1 yard piece from
>http://www.mendels.com/fabrics_oilcloth.html (about $12
>including shipping), and it was large enough to cut into 2
>changing pads, each one 36 x 23.
>
>My oilcloth changing pads fold up smaller than anything else
>I’ve used, including the disposable Huggies pads and
>incontinence pads. I have the LE Little Tripper, and I can fit
>the oilcloth, 3 size 5 diapers, and a hard-sided wipes case in
>the largest mesh pocket.

Hi there, your info about oilcloth interests me very much...

I have some questions, did you layer the oilcloth with another cloth for your changing pad? Are you just using the oilcloth?
And if you are just using the oil cloth, is there a right side up [meaning one side of the cloth for baby and the other for the floor/changing table? Is one side vinyl and the other cotton?] I hope that made sense.

How do you like using it? Is it too thin?

I would love to get this for a larger changing pad...and I'm also thinking about using more as a splat mat for DC's art easel. I looked online and there are some cute vintage patterns!

I'm glad I ran into this thread!!

Thanks in advance!
Rachel

[CiderLogan]

When my DD was little, I used the same thing. But I would also reuse them by folding them with the dirty side all together and keeping the soft, clean side always the one facing the inside of the plastic bag I stored it in. That way I could use them a few times before throwing them away (I hate to generate trash any more than I have to since I use disposables!). I felt they were the perfect solution - and I loved the huge size! Now I rarely change my DD while we are out, but I now use a lap pad type thing like another poster recommended.

Jenny
Mom to Julia, 8/03
...and another one due 5/29/06!

[Rach3975]

Sorry it took me so long to answer you--my hard drive crashed and I was without a computer for a few weeks. If you're still interested, I use just the oilcloth. I wanted something that would fold as small as possible, so I didn't want to double the size by adding a 2nd layer of fabric. There is a right side up on the oilcloth. The right side is shiny and the pattern is darker, so you don't have to worry about keeping track of which side to put the baby on.

I'm still loving the oilcloth! I'm changing a toddler, so the lack of padding doesn't bother me. Then again, DS #2 is due in March, and I'm planning to use the oilcloth changing pad with him, too. Unlike a receiving blanket, the oilcloth really feels like a barrier between baby and any germs on the changing table, at least IMO, so the thinness of it isn't an issue there. My one complaint is that the back of the fabric slides against the changing table as opposed to gripping it and staying in place. The weight of my toddler holds it down, but I don't know for sure yet if the weight of an infant would be enough to hold it in place. The slip factor might also be a problem under an easel, unless it's on top of carpet or something else that it won't slip on. If it's on a floor, you might need one of those gripper things that they sell to keep area rugs from sliding.

[calv]

ETA: I went to the fabric site you posted, so how much should I buy if I want to LARGE size pads? I'd like to do what you did also since I have 2 under 2 in diapers!

[sunflowerseeds]

thanks for the reply. waiting was not a problem...it was good actually. I was tempted to buy all different kinds of designs/patterns in the oil cloth...for table covers, splat mat, changing pad, what not... [another site was selling it as bibs and aprons too] Waiting kind of cooled my spending engine down. =)

again thanks for your comments. I did buy some incontinence pads to try out and now I think I'll see about the oil cloth.

Best wishes to you and your upcoming baby!!

[Rach3975]

How much you should buy depends on how wide the fabric is and how large you want your changing pads. I bought 1 yard of fabric that was about 55 or 60 inches wide. From my 36 inch x 60 inch piece of fabric, I cut two 23x36 inch changing pads. With the amount of fabric I had, I could have cut them a little wider (though not longer), but I found that size fits better on most of the changing tables I use.