Want to ease the strain of changing diapers on a squirmy, (sometimes uncooperative) baby? Do so with these 16 changing table essentials.
Okay, mamas, let’s establish what changing table essentials we need in our arsenal when facing inevitable, daily diaper-changing battles!
When it comes to the never-ending battle of the diapers vs. the resistant, squirmy baby, we can arm ourselves to achieve SWEET VICTORY!
A well-equipped changing area will keep you prepared for any unexpected mishaps that are sure to occur at any moment.
Things such as urination mid diaper change, diaper blowouts, unforeseen diaper rash, stinky booty, and soiled items that need disposal can (and will) happen without notice.
My diaper changing station includes all of these baby products.
As an experienced mom, I could NOT imagine one day without any of them in easy reach for diaper duty as I juggle a toddler and an infant.
Let me show you the baby essentials that can’t be sacrificed when setting up your baby changing station.
This post is all about changing table essentials.
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Changing Table Essentials:
1. Diaper Changing Table
A diaper changing table is a good idea for baby’s room.
It provides easy access for all the nappy changes and allows you to keep everything you might need to change the baby’s diaper, such as wipes and diapers.
Not only that, but it also offers flat surfaces on which one can lay their baby during the changing process.
With easy access and plenty of space, a diaper changing table is an essential item for every new parent.
2. Traditional Changing Pad and 3. Cover
You will need to place a changing pad with a changing table cover on top of the changing table.
It immensely cuts down on clean-up time by allowing you to quickly switch out the covers, ensuring that your little one is always in a sanitary environment.
Besides its convenience, it’s soft and comfortable for baby.
4. Changing Pad Liner
Keeping a portable changing pad liner on top of your changing pad is the perfect accessory to make sure baby stays sanitary.
Changing pad liners are lightweight and can easily fit into a diaper bag or backpack.
These water-resistant mats provide just enough padding that baby won’t experience any discomfort while still being comfortable and safe for their sensitive skin.
In addition, a portable changing pad liner will help provide an extra layer of protection during diaper changes in case of an accident.
5. Diapers
One of the most obvious changing table essentials – diapers!
I find it best to keep a lot of diapers in the changing station! You never know when unexpected messes will happen, so having enough is always best.
Plus, different brands offer different benefits, so you want to make sure you have the best one for your baby.
Investing in multiple packs at once keeps you from running out all the time – trust me, you want to avoid adding extra errands on top of all the already full days with a new baby!
Some moms are interested in finding the best cloth diapers or reliable disposable diapers.
I found Huggies’ name brand and Target’s generic Up & Up brand to be the best diapers for my baby.
You will want them conveniently located on either the top shelf of the changing table or in a caddy hanging off the side of the table.
I use both the shelf and the caddy.
I fit what I can on the shelf and put any leftover diapers inside the caddy.
6. Baby Wipes
Baby wipes are the yin to the yang of baby diapers. You can’t have one without the other.
Keep both items centrally located on the top shelf of your changing table for easy accessibility during diaper changes.
7. Wipe Warmer
A wipe warmer can reduce your baby’s fussiness and discomfort during diaper changes since they’ll have nice warm, mildly-damp wipes caressing their bum instead of unexpectedly cold, wet wipes stroking across their bum.
I noticed both my babies were much more comfortable when it came to dealing with warm wipes instead of cold.
8. Diaper Rash Cream
Every diaper change time can be a struggle, especially when diaper rash cream isn’t easily accessible.
Placing diaper cream in your diaper station is a lifesaver!
It’s already right there at diapering time and ready to go, meaning you have one less worry when your little one needs their diaper changed.
9. Baby Powder
Baby powder is soft on baby’s skin, helps absorb excess moisture, and provides some extra freshness.
Freshen up baby’s booty between changes with a nice sprinkle of baby powder.
It’s one of my favorite products to use.
10. Cotton Storage Bins
With the addition of storage bins in your changing station, it’s easy to keep everything essential for baby within reach.
Whether a diaper change requires ointments, wipes, or extra clothes, storage bins help us organize and store all baby’s needs while making them easily accessible.
This eliminates the need to rummage around, allowing you to stay on top of all your little one’s needs.
Keeping my babies’ diapers inside flexible, collapsible boxes on the top shelf is very useful.
It makes it easy for me to separate diaper sizes (since I’m working with two different sizes for my two little ones) and prevents them from getting scattered about the table.
11. Small Cloth Hamper
You can use this as a little toy box to access quickly and easily to give older, more wiggly, and curious babies something to occupy themselves with so they (hopefully) spend less time squirming all over the table trying to grab things randomly.
I keep small miscellaneous toys and a baby comb and brush in mine so that my toddler can have a toy to entertain himself with while he’s getting changed, and if we’re going out, I can easily fetch a comb or brush to fix his hair after he’s changed.
12. Collapsible Hampers
One or two small collapsible hampers on the bottom shelf will make it easy to store soiled clothes.
I keep two of these on the bottom shelf.
One is for soiled clothes from pees and poops.
The other is for clothes that need to be stored separately due to spills, sweat, or anything unrelated to bodily waste.
13. Hanging Diaper Caddy Organizer
For better organization of miscellaneous items such as hygiene products or loose individual items such as unpackaged diapers, use a caddy to store them and conveniently hang them from the side of your changing table.
You can store your baby powder, diaper rash cream, wipes, extra diapers, backup changing pad cover, liners, and a bottle of hand sanitizer in your hanging diaper caddy.
14. Diaper Genie and 15. Refill Bags
I initially used a small pedal trash can with a lid and scented baggies plus air freshener for disposal of dirty diapers.
Eventually, I realized that I would need something else.
I was so tired of smelling an overwhelming aroma of poopy baby butt in the air.
I could not deal with another second of life without a diaper genie.
A diaper genie works wonders for extinguishing dirty diaper funk.
It’s right in the changing station, can hold an abundance of diapers, and traps all the foul odors associated with dirty diapers within the receptacle.
16. Febreze
Even if you have a diaper genie, having some air freshener on hand is nice after messy diaper changes.
Soiled clothes may lie around for a short time, causing additional odors or just an unpleasant-smelling diaper experience.
A little bit of Febreze will help give a burst of pleasantly scented freshness in the air.
With these diapering essentials, you will have a well-stocked and prepared diaper changing station for handling any situation that may arise while handling diaper changes.
I have all these in mine, and lacking even one of them would make my diaper-changing station much less functional and efficient.
Happy shopping, mama!
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