As most of you will know, my baby butterfly is due to join us in just a few short weeks, so I have been making the most of my time (while I still have some!) to investigate the most practical, yet aesthetically pleasing baby items to take with me on my travels in the coming months. The first item that I have been fortunate enough to review is the Babymule changing bag.
People often ask me how I can afford to travel to such cool places. Well, I have a number of money saving techniques, but the one that proves most relevant to this discussion is my wardrobe, or should I say lack of. I have barely any clothes compared to your average female of my age and even less accessories. I have only really ever tended to own two bags at one time- a going out bag and an everyday handbag. One of them probably came from Primark and the other wouldn’t be much more expensive. But over the years I’ve found that these bags are not comfortable to carry for long periods of time and don’t tend to have a particularly long life span. This was especially the case for my travelling rucksack- seriously, Hayley, what were you thinking when you bought this?!
So, having learnt my lesson (largely through agonising back ache and broken bags) and on the dawn of purchasing bag number 3, I decided to do some thorough research into changing bags.
Appearance
When searching online I found that most bags resembled a lady’s handbag. Whilst this may look nice, if I bought one of these the chances of my husband taking his turn to carry the rucksack type of bag for practicality (seriously, I’ve had enough back aches from poorly designed or inappropriate bags to last me a lifetime), but I wanted one that also looked nice and that was a bit different. What I loved about the Babymule was the choice of colours and the design. It was unique and suitable for both mummy and daddy to carry.
The Accessories
This bag, however, is not just pretty on the outside! When the bag arrived I was super excited to explore what it had to offer…. A bottle warmer, a changing mat, a wet-bag, a grab-and-go pouch and loads of different pockets to store various items. As somebody who is new to the world of changing bags I was really impressed!
The Quality
As I said, I don’t want to end up dragging it along the floor through Beijing or with terrible back ache as I walk the Inca trail! So, for me, a good design was imperative. This was another aspect of the Babymule that I was really happy with. The straps are adjustable and can be worn to suit your body type and preferences. It also has all the right padding in the right places. In fact, it seems like a product I would buy from an outdoors shop such as Blacks as opposed to a baby shop! I also like the way that you don’t have to use it as a rucksack, it can be used as a messenger or strapped to the buggy. Versatility- I love it!!
Practicality
This is the perfect bag for our travels as a family. It’s spacious enough for us to squeeze a few of our own belongings in as well, and can be worn comfortably on days when we might be a bit more active. All of the compartments allow you to organise your nappy-changing essentials, without having to keep packing and unpacking.
Price
The bag can be bought from a number of retailers including Hippychick and Amazon where it is available for £85. As with everything, the market offers a wide selection of changing bags which can range anywhere from £50 up to £120 (and above for designer names) for a decent bag, with prices fluctuating on things like quality, size and brand name. The Babymule bag is therefore well priced in relation to competitors and well worth the money. The fact that this bag appeals to men too can’t be underestimated when it comes to price (sharing the load is so important!). With the above in mind, I’d have no issue at all with parting with £85 for a bag as versatile and daddy-friendly as the Babymule.
In Conclusion…
Overall, I am really impressed with this product. It will be perfect for us as a travelling family, but it's also great for while we're at home! I give this changing bag a five star rating!
With fourteen weeks to go until baby Stainton arrives I am really keen to hear from you if you have any recommendations for baby items, particularly ones that we can use on our travels! You can leave a comment or drop me an e-mail, I'd love to hear from you!
When did you start travelling with children? I saw pictures on worldee with very young childrens (around 2 year) on trips.
This is really a good looking bag and so versatile, looks good and appropriate with both the genders and also functions as your typical outdoor bag with so many features and not just be a typical baby mule bag.
[…] with poorly designed rucksacks which have subsequently hurt my back (as I discussed in my recent review of the Babymule changing bag) I knew that choosing the right baby carrier was not a decision to be taken […]
[…] baby Isla was born I was sent a Babymule to test (you can read my review of this changing bag here) and I was super impressed. I haven’t yet tried any of their other products but I have had a good […]
[…] 100ml rule) and when hiking through the Costa Rican jungle this summer. It will slot nicely into my BabyMule changing bag too! I also love that it will grow with my daughter and that when she is ready for a sippy cut we […]
I don’t have any children but I can see how this bag would be so helpful and practical – and it actually looks good!
They are really coming out with some cool products to make travelling with children easier. This seems like a nice durable bag. I will let my travelling parent friends know about this changing bag.