Baby Gear Tips: Changing Table Purchase and Safety

    The changing table is an invaluable piece of equipment that will help
    mom and dad protect those back muscles while making a baby change here
    and there (literally thousands…). Choosing the right changing table may seem like a piece of cake, but there are some safety concerns to consider before making that purchase. There are also a few rules parents should know about changing table safety to keep baby safe.

    Buying the Changing Table
    The first consideration parents must address is space. How much space is available in the nursery for a changing table? Some changing tables are created the size of dressers complete with drawers and / or shelves. The can often double as a place to store clothing, but not every nursery is large enough for a dresser sized changing table. Smaller models are also available, but parents need to measure the height or try out the changing table with a doll baby before making the purchase. Baby should be at a height that allows parents to bend minimally during the clothing and diaper change.

    Used changing tables are an inexpensive addition to the nursery, but all used pieces should be checked for recalls and stability before buying. Parents can find the name and model number of the changing table with a little inspection of the piece. The Consumer Product Safety Commission lists all product recalls, so this is the website parents should check.

    As for stability concerns, parents can take three to five bags of flour or sugar into the second hand shop and test how the changing table reacts when weight is added. If the changing table bends, shifts or feels wobbly under weight, do not buy the table.

    Changing Table Safety Precautions
    All changing tables should come with a waist belt to hold baby in place. This safety belt is crucial to keeping baby on the table when mom or dad is reaching for the powder, diaper, wipes or other objects. If a safety belt is not in place, one can be attached to the changing table, but only as a last resort or to repair a belt that has broken to fallen off the changing table.

    Baby should be watched at all times when secured to the changing table. A fall from any height can cause injury or death. All supplies parents need should be kept within a hand’s distance from the changing table but high enough so baby cannot reach. Toys like rattles and noise makers are perfect to have on hand to keep baby calm during the change.