The changing table must be practical and comfortable to facilitate baby care and toilet. Where to arrange it and how to organize it to put baby safely? Our advice, tips and models to shop!
(Update of February 2, 2022). Wall, folding, chest of drawersequipped with a bathtub or not, adjustable in height, with casters … Young parents can feel lost in the face of the diversity of models of changing tables available on the market. What criteria to look at before Choose your changing table ? Where to place it in the house? How to install it safely and fix it on the wall? Find all our advice, selections and tips.
Your use is the number 1 criterion. A changing table can be used to change your baby, dress it, wash it And bring him all the care necessary for his hygiene and well-being. It will have to include, depending on the use you will make of it, a bathtub or storage basketss to store products and clothes. Then, other parameters such as material, design, safety system, price or color can help you make your choice. First of all, make sure it is Complies with standard NF EN 12,221 which guarantees product safety, side protections and fixing systems. Finally, everything is a question of space. Small spaces will more easily welcome a folding or wall changing table which, once its use is over, can fall back to the wall or store behind a door. Classic or convenient changing tables are small practical wood or plastic furniture, which can be equipped, depending on the model, wheels, storage tablets and are more or less wide. They will be more suitable for the greater spaces. The casters are very practical because they allow Move the changing table from one room to anotherfrom room to bathroom for example. The fact that it has a lot of storage is also a criterion to take into account: having everything at hand (wipes, care products, towels, languages, liniment, cotton …) will make your life easier and save you from wandering from room to you in your arms. But if you opt for a wheel model, make sure they are well blocked before installing your baby there. Finally, Choose the model with edges on the side To avoid the fall accidents as much as possible. Finally, also think about what will be the most convenient to clean.
A wall changing table for small spaces
There are Mural changing tables which therefore attach to the wall. Their advantage? Spurring, they fall back on themselves and represent a real gain in space. However, they are not devoid of storage and can be fitted with baskets, bins and pockets to have all your products for your child’s hygiene. It will be necessary to ensure that it is very stable once unfolded and that its fixing system is solid, adapted to the weight of the baby and to European standards. Do not hesitate to test it in store and request information from a specialized seller.
A folding changing table to store it easily
Like wall changing tables, Folding changing tables fall back on themselves, with the difference that they have feet (so they land on the ground) and often a storage tablet. They can easily be put behind a door or in a cupboard. Before buying it, check its withdrawal system, locking and robustness: it must be the most secure for baby. Choose it with edges on the sides to avoid the risk of falling. Regarding the features, some models can fall back with one hand, while others are equipped with a bathtub which can be pulled on the side or folded under the changing table: very practical to save space and time.
A dresser changing table to have lots of storage
Some changing tables are real dressers : that is to say that they have spacious drawers, an often removable changing plan which is placed on the top of the chest of drawers. His plus? She has many storage spaces And can be used to store baby clothes or other accessories. And once your child is tall, you can easily remove the mattress and use it as a conventional dresser. On the other hand, it remains more bulky than a folding or wall changing table and cannot move from one room to another (impractical if it is in a room and that it is not close to a water point).
Cheap changing table: Make it!
You can absolutely Build a practical changing table, secure and functional. Above all, it will be more economical, customizable and can adapt to your needs and the space you have. Know that The changing table should be adjusted to your size : to find out the distance to which the changing table plate must be found, Measure the distance between the ground and your navel. Either you take a piece of furniture (table or dresser) with a similar height, or you build it from wooden planks of the width of your choice. To do this, go to the cutting department of your DIY store. There are many changing tables on an internet. Also think of tablets or drawers if you want other storage. The easiest way is to start from an existing piece of furniture as A dresser on which you put a changing mat. However, if the chest of drawers are not wide enough, fix a wooden board with a square to enlarge the surface of the changing plan.
- How to choose the Changing table height ? A changing table must be adapted to parents’ size Who should neither “break” his back, nor be on tiptoe when they take care of their baby. On average, the changing tables measure between 82 and 97 cm high, but some are adjusted in height. Regarding the depth, the ideal being to have a changing table of 70 to 80 cm, so that it is the longest suitable for the size of your child.
- Prefer the changing tables allowing youhave your baby in front of youand not on the side. More practical, this will allow you to be as close as possible to your child when you take care of it.
- Install your changing table on a flat surface so that the baby does not slip. Favor A location against a wallwhich makes it possible to better maintain the child and to prevent the table from the rocking.
- It is also advisable to install your changing table in the bathroom to have a water point near. Ideal? A changing table with casters or a changing plan that you have on a piece of furniture in the bathroom.
- A changing table fall can very quickly happen. It is therefore advised to Do not leave your child unattended And to keep, as far as possible, a hand placed on him.
- Finally, don’t forget to Provide a trash can next to your changing tableand why not a mobile or a hanging toy above the changing table to keep the attention of baby when you change it.
