I've changed a lot of diapers at 36,000 feet. Tiny airplane bathrooms can make the process quite challenging. To add insult to injury, you can only hope that there will be an actual changing table on-board many domestic flights. It's one of the toughest parts about traveling with babies and toddlers.
The folks over at Cozy Cover recently sent me a complimentary sample of their On-The-Go Changing Pad to evaluate for review in the travel trenches. I took it along with me on my cross-country Christmas travels this year to really put it to the test. (Luckily, my Southwest flights between SFO and ATL at least had changing tables on which I could use it!)
The On-The-Go Changing Pad passed my exacting standards and those of my 15 month old son with flying colors. While I like a lot of travel products, I LOVED this thing. I will never go on a flight again without it. I've tried dragging my larger diaper bag into the airplane bathroom only to find myself with no space and sometimes no where to hang it. I've also used a small Ziploc bag with diaper changing essentials, only bringing that to the airplane lavatory. While this is certainly an economical option, the On-The-Go Changing Pad just makes everything easier, especially in tight spaces when you are working with only one free hand.
Simple Design
The On-The-Go Changing Pad has a simple design. When laid flat, it is a padded vinyl (PEVA, which is PVC-free) surface on which to lay your child on a changing table. At one end, there are two connected mesh pockets that are perfectly sized for sliding in a small pack of wipes and a few diapers. I found I could stuff a small travel size pack of wipes and 2-3 diapers without overloading it (any more and it will be too bulky when folding). The pockets position the wipes and diapers perfectly so they lie under your baby's feet where they are really close to where you need them at crucial moments. When you are done, you simply fold the changing pad up into the size of a medium clutch secured by Velcro. I was able to fold it up tightly and neatly with one hand with a squirmy toddler on my hip in a small airplane bathroom. Truly impressive. The changing pad also has a small zip pouch on the outside when folded up for a little additional storage.
Reducing Yuckiness
I also really like that the product seems to be a more sanitary option on germy planes. I have always hated using my nice cloth diaper changing pad on airplanes because those bathrooms are so gross I feel I have to launder the changing pad each time. I've also used a disposable single use changing pad instead, but I hated having to pack multiples of those. They aren't padded or comfortable for your child either. The On-The-Go Changing pad is made of padded vinyl, so you can just wipe it down with a Wet Wipe at any point for easy sanitizing. Much easier than running a load of laundry or buying disposable changing pads for every trip.
Well-Priced
There are a lot of fancy and expensive diaper clutches on the market, but the price of the On-The-Go Changing Pad is just totally right. List price on Cozy Cover's site is $11.99. Amazon sells it for about a dollar more (but the free shipping for Prime members more than makes up the difference). You'll spend more than that on a meal at the airport, so the changing pad is well worth the investment if you plan to travel with a baby or toddler even a few times. And, of course, you can use it for everyday purposes as well. It would be great to stash one in the trunk of your car so you are never caught out and about without diaper changing essentials.
Intrigued? Stay tuned for a giveaway of the Cozy Cover On-The-Go Changing Pad and several other cool baby and toddler travel products later this month!
Disclosure: Cozy Cover provided me with a free product for review purposes. As always, opinions are my own.
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