A changing table is necessary for infants and toddlers. With the help of a changing table, you can swaddle your baby, change clothes, change a diaper, do massage and gymnastics. A baby changing table must have a hard, reliable surface.
The photograph clearly shows the table top of the changing table; it can be made of wood or plastic, with protective guards: flat sides and rounded bolsters.
Many new parents make their own changing tables. This has its advantages, the table will turn out to be what parents need, corresponding to their tastes and preferences, and it will also be unique.
Types and features of a changing table
Folding table. Looks like an ironing board. It consists of a metal frame with folding legs that can be fixed at the desired height. On top there is a plastic surface with sides for changing. On the sides there are sections for children's accessories, at the bottom there are shelves for children's clothing, for example, diapers, bodysuits, rompers, socks. This table can also have a bath located under the changing surface.
This type is very convenient due to its compactness, it folds easily, can be carried, and even taken with you on a trip. Perfect for a small apartment.
Wall table. The table is attached to the wall. For use, it reclines, when the table is not needed, it closes, pressing against the wall. Inside there are shelves for necessary children's things.
Changing board. The board has edges along the edges. Attaches to a baby cot. This board is durable and solid. There are pockets on the sides for children's cosmetics.
Changing mat, mattress. It consists of oilcloth material and filler, and has low sides. You can place it wherever you want: in the crib, on the washing machine, on the chest of drawers.
Whatnot. This changing table comes in wood, metal or plastic. It has wheels, shelves, drawers, and a bathtub. Pros: compact and very roomy.
Chest of drawers with changing table. Looking at the photo of a children's chest of drawers, you can see drawers and a changing table, usually a folding one, on which you can put a mattress. This option is practical, roomy and popular, but cumbersome. It is the Stuva chest of drawers from Ikea that has a transformation, that is, in the future, the changing chest of drawers can be used as a regular wardrobe or desk.
Changing table with bath. Very easy to use, everything is at hand. It’s comfortable for both the baby, who will be bathed and swaddled here, and for the mother, she won’t strain her back.
Baby cot with changing pad. Built into a convertible crib, which also has a chest of drawers.
Dimensions
In order for the baby and his mother to use the changing surface comfortably, it must have comfortable dimensions so that the baby can fit on it at full height. For children under six months old, the length of the changing board is recommended within 70 cm. If parents plan to use this device in the future, it is better to choose a model with a length of up to 90 cm.
The recommended height of the sides is 15.5 cm.
Almost all models of free-standing changing chests are equipped with folding standard changing boards. This allows you to create a comfortable and spacious place for your baby with a relatively shallow depth of the chest itself. The surface dimensions of such a board vary from 66*69 cm for the narrowest chest of drawers to 96*77 cm for a wide chest of drawers, the tabletop of which is divided into two functional zones: the changing surface itself and a place for storing baby cosmetics.
An interesting find was the placement of the babies sideways to their mother , while the design of the chest of drawers made it possible to dispense with the folding changing board. This innovation is present in models of the Italian brand Feretti, which allows you to increase the length of the changing surface to 86 cm. The height of the sides in some models reaches 17 cm, and on average varies between 15-16 cm.
For built-in chests of drawers, the size of the changing surface is limited by the width of the crib, that is, such chests of drawers can have a tabletop length of 68-72 cm. As for the width, manufacturers, forced to limit the size of the built-in chest of drawers due to aesthetic considerations, have found a way to increase the width of the changing surface due to the fact that its side edge protrudes 10-15 cm above the wall of the chest of drawers. If the overall dimensions of such a chest of drawers are 46*66 cm, then the size of the changing pad can be from 56*66cm to 61*66 cm, and this is already quite acceptable for a baby under six months of age.
A review of the height of changing chests deserves special attention, since this indicator directly affects the comfort of use. There is no standard in this category; the minimum height of chests of drawers on the market is 88-92 cm. These models are produced by Almaz-Mebel, Antel, Feya, Lel, Ikea, as well as chests of drawers from the luxury brand Geuther Cottage.
This height will be convenient for short mothers. For those who are taller, it is worth considering height options in the range of 94-98 cm, for example, chests of drawers produced by Gandylyan, Aton Furniture, Ikea. Chests of drawers with a height of 102 cm (Feretti), 104-106 cm (Krasnaya Zarya, Mozhga, Leander), 108 cm (SKV-Company, Sweet Baby Domenica, Ikea) are also produced.
Thanks to such diversity, every mother will be able to find the best option for herself.
As for such a parameter as the depth of the changing chest, manufacturers almost unanimously offer narrow models that do not take up too much space in the nursery. The minimum depth of the models is 44 cm, the maximum is 52 cm.
The exception is a few premium models, for example, an oval chest of drawers from the Leander brand, transformable into a bureau for a teenage student, has a depth of 72 cm and is designed for corner installation. In addition, this model is distinguished by a comfortable and spacious changing surface and a price tag of 83,000 rubles.
Features of the material in the manufacture of changing tables
The basic rule is durable, reliable and safe furniture. The best material is wood. Metal and plastic are also used, but here you need to carefully choose the manufacturer. Only natural dyes should be used in production.
Assortment of changing chest models
Now the furniture industry is so developed that there are changing chests for every taste and budget. Among all the variety, even the most demanding buyer will be able to choose a product to his taste.
The simplest design is a regular changing chest, which is equipped with a changing table at the top and has several drawers or a niche at the bottom. Everyone has seen such options in children's clinics and hospitals. But manufacturers are trying to take into account the wishes of parents in purchasing multifunctional furniture, so they offer the following options for purchase of such furniture items:
Chest of drawers with removable changing table. This is a very convenient model for use in the first months after the birth of the baby for various manipulations. Subsequently, when the child grows up, the changing board on top is simply removed and the furniture turns into a very ordinary chest of drawers for storing things.
Product with a hinged lid. This mechanism allows you to assemble the changing table when it is not in use for its intended purpose. This allows you to compactly place the chest of drawers even in a small room. Interior parts can be placed on top of the lid, and in a niche under it there is an opportunity to store hygiene items for caring for the baby.
Chest of drawers as part of a bed. Nowadays, we often find transformable beds that are equipped with a sleeping place and a changing chest, representing a single structure. But in size, such a composite chest of drawers is much smaller than its free-standing counterpart, since space is needed for the bed.
Transformable chest of drawers. This model implies the presence of a lid that can be conveniently lowered to the desired level so that the child, when he grows up, can use it as a desktop. This can also be used by adults when the furniture is not used for its intended purpose.
These are the main options for changing chests currently on sale. There are also a lot of additional options that greatly increase the functionality of these changing products:
- Wheels with a locking system that allow you to make a piece of furniture more mobile and move it to any convenient place right with your things. This will become an additional function when you need to clean or just get something you need.
- A system of closers on the chest of drawers, which allows you not to close them completely; this will happen automatically.
- Covering the changing table with stain-resistant materials.
- A changing table divided into several functional zones to accommodate the baby and all his accessories.
Important! Most of the wheels on dressers are made of silicone so as not to scratch the flooring in the house.
The nuances of choosing a changing chest
Before purchasing a changing chest, it is best to familiarize yourself with the range on offer. Nowadays this is easy to do even via the Internet. Dresser models already sorted by selected characteristics can become the basis for determining.
Certain functions are important for every parent. Some people choose only eco-friendly materials, others want a discreet model for a classic bedroom design, others want bright colors and lots of drawers. It all depends on the preferences of a particular person.
If we talk about quality, then the first place here is taken by a chest of drawers made of solid wood. But not everyone can afford it, so in order to save money, you can buy furniture combined from solid wood and MDF. When purchasing a changing chest of drawers made of chipboard from the manufacturer, you must ask for a quality certificate for review in order to be sure of the safety of the product.
Before purchasing, you should look at the selected model in the store to feel the ease of use in practice. This is the only way to understand whether the changing chest suits the buyer in terms of height, color, and the presence of additional functions. You should not buy furniture that has defects on the surface; even a small scratch can cause a lot of trouble during use in the future.
