The Best Changing Pads for a Comfortable and Hygienic Diapering Station

This durable, peanut-shaped changer is made of a non-toxic, BPA-free material that parents say is super easy to wipe clean after diaper changes (yes, even the really messy ones!). Additionally, this pad is water-resistant, so fluid won’t seep in and lead to mold or bacteria growth.

Although it has a firm surface, parents find it surprisingly soft for baby’s comfort. (That said, some say it can be cold for baby during cooler months.) This changing pad is sturdy and has substantial weight to it, which helps keep it firmly in place during diaper changes, in addition to its slip-resistant bottom. It's a great dresser changing pad because you won't have to buy any additional materials to make it stay.

“We loved the Keekaroo for its sleek and neutral design. It also sat perfectly on top of our daughter's dresser,” says Olivia DeLong, Senior Health Editor with What to Expect. “It was SO easy to clean — just wipe down with soap and water.”

“We love that it's so soft and my baby can kick around without hurting his feet,” adds Tika Fender, Senior Art Director.

Despite the price, many reviewers say it’s held up during multiple years of use, while others, including Tika, say they’ve purchased a second one to keep elsewhere in their house or at a grandparent’s house. Many parents also comment on the Keekaroo’s longevity.

“We got it about three and a half years ago, and while it's in storage now, looks the same as we did when we first got it,” says Olivia.

Stephen Klop, Director of Product Management, appreciated how easy it was to keep the Keekaroo sanitary and said it “held up well with two kids, but we had the light grey version and there was discoloration over time.”

Because of its unusual shape, make sure to measure the area you’re planning to use the pad before purchasing. Some parents found it to be a tight fit for a changing table with guardrails.

Weight: 7 pounds

Dimensions: 17 x 32 x 4 inches

Material: Polypropylene

This smart changing pad is so much more than a place to change baby’s diaper. The Hatch Grow doubles as a scale, which means you can easily keep close tabs on your baby’s growth. The best part? The scale connects to an app, making it easy to track and store baby’s weight. Having this information is useful for baby’s checkups and can give insight into how much your little one is eating. 

I used this changing pad when I had my twins, and was so grateful for the app feature. Since I exclusively breastfed,  I had no real sense of how much they were consuming. Tracking their weight allowed me to gauge how much they were eating and assured me they were growing at a healthy rate; the peace of mind that provided was priceless.

On top of that, the Hatch Grow easily wipes clean and the foam material is soft to the touch for baby’s comfort. 

Weight: 7.5 pounds

Dimensions: 29 x 16.5 x 3.5 inches

Material: Foam upper, plastic base

Power: ‎3 AA batteries required (included)

The Skip Hop portable changing pad is a multi-purpose item: It’s an easy-to-clean portable pad and a place to stash diapers, wipes and diaper cream. It was one of my diaper bag heroes in my early days of motherhood. I’d organize all the diapering essentials in the included compartments, and use the pad itself to change my babies on-the-go. This clutch made outings and travel so much easier for my family, especially since we could easily grab everything we needed for diaper changes in one hand. 

Jeanne Beacom, Campaign Performance Manager at Everyday Health Group (What to Expect's parent company), loves that she’s able to fit the Skip Hop changing pad inside a backpack and that it stores all of her diapering essentials. “I've never really had a big diaper bag since the Skip Hop does most of the work for us,” she says. “We keep diapers, wipes and plastic bags (for tossing dirty diapers) in the pockets, so it can hold everything we need in one place.”

The zippered front compartment even allows parents to stash their own essentials as well. Reviewers also mention how the surface is smooth so it’s easy to wipe clean. And, it has a clip to attach it directly to your stroller.

Weight: 12 ounces

Dimensions: 21.5 x 36 x 0.25 inches

Material: Polyvinyl chloride

This affordable pick checks the most important box: It’s a safe, secure space to place your baby down during diaper changes, complete with high sides and a strap. Parents love how soft this pad is, especially when compared to the hard surfaces of other options. In fact, Lisafe Carreon, Senior Product Manager at What to Expect, found the Summer Infant was a huge success with her daughter when it came to comfort. “We used the Keekaroo but had to change it as she would cry when she would be on it,” she says, noting that she thought the Keekaroo was too cold and hard for her. “We changed to the Summer Infant and she loved it.”

Leah Rocketto, What to Expect’s Associate Commerce Director, also appreciated the Summer Infant pad’s softness, as well as the slight concave design. “Even though our changing table had guardrails, I felt a little extra sense of security knowing the pad itself had ‘walls’ so to speak.”

Both Leah and Lisa say the pad’s surface easily wipes clean, though it also comes with a machine-washable liner. You can also do as Leah did, and choose from a selection of changing pad covers in a range of adorable designs and patterns to add a design element to your nursery. Some reviewers say messes can soak through the surface of this pad, but most say using the liner should prevent messes from getting through to the interior foam.

Weight: 0.032 ounces

Dimensions: ‎32 x 16 x 3.5 inches

Material: PEVA vinyl

Parents rave about the Naturepedic changing pad, specifically the thick, organically-sourced cotton padding that’s comfortable for baby. Although the Naturepedic is expensive, it’s made of extremely high-quality materials. The organic cotton is Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified, which means it meets strict environmental guidelines for how it is produced, and Greenguard Gold-certified, which means it has been tested for chemicals that are potentially harmful to air quality. What’s more is that the waterproof surface is naturally derived from sugarcane, and parents say it’s smooth and easy to wipe clean.

Weight: 2 pounds

Dimensions: 16.5 x 31.5 x 4 inches

Material: Cotton

There’s no denying that these disposable changing pads will make life easier. You can use them to line your changing pad at home so the next time baby has a poop-splosion, simply toss the pad avoid wiping down a soiled changing pad or throwing a machine-washable liner into your ever-growing pile of laundry. Or, you can stash a few of these in your diaper bag for on-the-go changes (because really, does anyone want to put their baby down on a public changing pad?). Each pad has an absorbent lining and waterproof backing to contain mess and prevent leakage. Many reviewers attest to the absorbency, claiming that even blowouts don’t stand a chance.

Weight: 1.5 pounds

Count: 25 per pack 

Dimensions: 17 x 24 inches

Material: Cotton