Travel Change Mats

About

A travel change mat is what you use when there is no change table, which turns out to be most of the time. Park benches, the back seat, a friend's floor and the questionable shelf in a shopping centre bathroom all become workable with one in the bag. The Surface Is the Whole Point What you are really buying is a clean barrier between your baby and whatever is underneath them. A wipe-clean top layer matters more than padding, because it is the thing that lets you use the mat again ten minutes later without a wash. Waterproof backing does the other half of the job, keeping whatever happens on the mat from reaching the surface below. Some padding is welcome on a hard bench, but a mat thick enough to be comfortable and thin enough to fold small is the balance worth looking for. How It Folds Decides Whether You Carry It A mat that packs down small gets carried every day. One that does not gets left at home on exactly the outing where you need it, which is the practical test that matters more than any specification. Clutch and wallet designs go furthest, folding into a slim pouch with room for a few nappies and a travel pack of wipes, so the whole change kit leaves the house as one item. Larger stations open out to a full changing surface with storage built in, which suits the car boot better than a shoulder bag. Details That Earn Their Place A small head pillow makes a hard surface tolerable and costs nothing in bulk. Nappy pockets keep everything in one place instead of loose in the bag, and a wipe compartment that opens from outside saves unpacking the lot one-handed. Look for a mat that opens flat in one movement, since you will often be doing this while holding a baby. A wrist strap or a clip for the pram handle is worth having too, because a mat that hangs off the frame is one you have not put down somewhere and left behind. Size is the last thing to weigh up. A larger mat gives you more clean surface, which matters once your baby is longer and less inclined to stay