Hello, I have a lovely product review for you today which I'm so very excited about!
As you all know we went on our holidays last week, just a quick pop over to Paris on the ferry (being thirty-one weeks pregnant I wasn't permitted to fly...I do not recommend holidaying through any modes of transport this pregnant FYI). With Moo still being in nappies, my mind was a whir with packing my travel essentials, food, luggage, bedding and changing bag in our Meriva that was also carrying four adults and a child. Thankfully, I was offered a solution; the Origional Nappy Purse and Change Mat by Ruby and Ginger.
Ruby and Ginger is a lovely, West-Yorkshire based company run by two mums (Liz and Brenda) since 2009 and is designed for 'families on the move'. They create fun and functional products in beautifully-designed fabrics for young children when out and about.
The Origional Nappy Purse and Change Mat comes with a lovely, soft, towelling change mat, plastic wipes case and a little pouch to put it all in with space for three nappies. You can also easily slip some nappy sacks down the side (or in the little phone pocket). I loved the wipes case, it meant that I could leave the whomping big packet in my suitcase (or, as I later found out, squashed between it and the side of the car) and load up the case provided with as many as I thought I'd need. I easily got a quarter of a packet into it which yes, I realise is excessive but every time I blink my child seems to have something on her! She's one of those children, you see...the sticky child that nobody wants to go near at weddings/BBQs etc. I used it from day one, popping it into my handbag for the drive to Dover to stay in a hotel and dinner out. It was incredibly liberating to be able to just grab my little pouch with one hand and child with the other and haul off to the loos rather than lugging my whole bag. As I've mentioned before, pregnancy brings on SPD and I also have a slightly damaged spine so the heavier the change bag, the slower the waddle.
The next morning was time for an early morning ferry, I'd made sure I had my three nappies loaded up before leaving the hotel and inevitably Moo needed a change about twenty minutes into the crossing. The changing station was in a slightly-bigger than-average cubicle and to my horror there was nowhere to hang my bag, there was no hook!
It was such a relief to have something so small and compact with me rather than my big bag (though I do love my change bag). It really did make a difference. Moo seemed comfortable on the change mat and unlike plastic ones that you get usually, she wasn't sticking to it in the heat. I imagine younger babies especially would benefit from such a soft surface and with it being so small, I didn't have to put anything on to the floor, despite how small the changing surface was.
The nappy purse became my best travel buddy whilst on holiday, even my husband popped it into his backpack at Disneyland and gave it a whirl, saying that it was ideal for when he was out alone with the children as he could just pop it in the buggy basket and not have to be seen walking around town with my floral change bag (though he does).
I've already planned to take this to the hospital with me when I have Bear rather than my full-sized bag as it's ideal given the situation (I have to travel light due to the new set-up of my local health authority with regards to maternity care) and I know that since using it, I would grab it over my regular change bag for a variety of situations. This is also an ideal solution to if you are on the fence whether to buy a specific baby changing bag or not. At £20 it is a fraction of the cost of most changing bags and can be used in most handbags or alone. You also have a choice of three fabrics unique to Ruby and Ginger so that you can 'reclaim your handbag' in style!
You can buy Ruby and Ginger from their online shop, at select independent shops as well as Halfords and House of Fraser. Personally, I've got my beady, little gaze settled on this!
Clare
Please note that I was sent this product for the purposes of review, however all opinions and experiences are that of my own.
Labels: Baby, nappy changing, review, toddler
