Nappy changes away from home: what to dress your baby in

Changing on the go in Pakistan

Many places families take babies in Pakistan, like wedding halls, older relatives’ homes, markets and some restaurants, have no changing table. You may be changing on the back seat of a car, a shawl spread on a bed, or a mat on the floor of a spare room while guests chat next door.

In these places, the outfit makes the difference between a two-minute change and a full undressing on a borrowed bed. Choosing clothes with the nappy change in mind, not just the photos, makes a long day out much easier.

Outfits that make it easy

• Separates, so only the bottom half comes off. The Oatmeal Teddy Ribbed Top & Jogger Set has pull-on joggers.
• Rompers with snaps underneath, like the Sky Blue Sailboat Polo Romper or the Cream & Blue Striped Car Polo Romper, which open at the bottom and stay on at the top.
• Elasticated waists on eastern wear, never a tie cord.
• Nothing that has to go over the head to change a nappy.
• For wedding outfits, a separate kurta and pajama or frock and leggings rather than a one-piece.

What to pack

Pack the spare outfit in its own bag, rolled up, so you can grab it with one hand while the other stays on your baby. Refill the bag as soon as you get home, so it is ready for the next outing.

• A foldable changing mat or a large muslin.
• More nappies than you think you need, and wipes.
• Small bags for dirty nappies and soiled clothes.
• A full spare outfit for the baby, and a spare top for you.
• An extra pair of trousers or leggings, the piece most likely to get wet.
• Hand sanitiser for when there is no sink nearby.

Wedding halls and long events

At a wedding, a baby may be in their outfit for five or six hours. Change them into their special clothes after arriving if the journey is long, and have a softer outfit for the drive home. Heavily embroidered pieces with lots of layers are hard to change on a car seat, so ask a family member to hold the dupatta or waistcoat while you work.

Our guide on kids’ outfits for a Pakistani wedding covers what to wear to each event.

Changing respectfully

In a mosque, at a relative’s house or in a busy hall, ask where you can change the baby rather than using a prayer area or someone’s bed without asking. Many hosts will point you to a quiet room, and some keep an old sheet for exactly this.

Put the mat down on the floor where you can, and bag dirty nappies to throw away later if there’s no bin. Wipe the spot afterwards, and take your bags with you: it is a small courtesy that hosts notice.

In the car

If you change in the car, use the back seat or the boot with a mat underneath, keep your baby well back from the edge, keep a hand on them, and never leave them alone, even for a moment. Keep a spare mat and a pack of wipes in the car itself, so you are not relying on the seat upholstery or digging through the boot.

For quick changes with a wriggler, see dressing a wriggly baby, and for a change after a big leak, changing a messy top without pulling it over their face.

Long journeys

On a long drive to another city, or a trip home for Eid, dress your baby for comfort rather than arrival: soft joggers or a romper and a sleepsuit for the night leg of the journey. Change into the visiting outfit when you get there. Plan stops for changes rather than waiting for a leak, and keep one set of spares in the car as well as the bag, since bags get packed away in the boot.

If you are flying, a front-opening outfit makes changes in a small aeroplane toilet far easier than anything that goes over the head.

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