AD | Gifted item
Erin is getting on for being 2 and we have already had probably 5 different changing bags. None of them have been quite right though. They either haven’t been big enough, not enough pockets, or not the right colour to go with the pushchair… just to name a few. Some bags we have had in the past have also been pretty feminine (Cath Kidston) and it’s really not John’s kind of thing to carry about all the time. Then I came across Storksak and found the Jude changing bag.
The Jude is a brand new bag from Storksak and it was only released this month. The bag comes in three different colours, black, dark grey with black handles and light grey with beige and currently retails at £110. I know this may seem like quite a lot but bare with me, I’ll explain why it is actually very reasonable and soooo worth it!
The reasons why I use a changing bag now have changed so much compared to when Erin was a newborn. Back then it was as many nappies as I could fit as well as formula, ready mixed bottles and lots of changes of clothes. Now though, I need nappies, lots of snacks, lunch if we’re out for the day, drinks, milk, toys, changes of clothes, the kitchen sink (well, it feels like it).The Jude is 39cm wide and 30cm high so there is plenty of space for everything you need. There are 8 pockets in total, one of which is padded for a tablet or laptop and there are also 2 insulated pockets for drinks or bottles. The main compartment zips up completely for safety and peace of mind but there is also a small pocket on the front of the bag for your phone and keys and you want to be able to get to them easily.
The bag also comes with a portable changing mat and a small bag with clip on strap to be used however you wish. The changing mat has its own pocket for wipes and nappies so I use the smaller bag to keep some snacks for Erin. The strap means I can attach the bag somewhere else on the stroller making it super easy to get to! Erin can get pretty stroppy when she’s hungry!
I chose the black version of this changing bag because I thought it would suit both me and John the best. Our stroller is beige so this fits with it quite nicely. The bag is made from water-resistant canvas and has leather trims. I actually think this looks like a beautiful handbag, or weekend bag, rather than a changing bag! If you were to carry this around or have it on the handles of your stroller, no one would be able to tell that it wasn’t just a regular bag and that’s what I love about it. The material seems really robust and like it will withstand being thrown about a bit, although I won’t be doing this on purpose to test it out!
What I love the most about the Jude changing bag is the straps. Not only does it come with handbag style straps but there is a long, adjustable across body strap which then turns the bag into a backpack! John and I have been away quite a few times this year and London is our downfall. I can’t stand the tube/ escalators and I’m too scared to take Erin on them or any kind of luggage. This means John gets everything. Having the Jude changing bag which can be used as a backpack means I can take some of the weight myself as it’s not in my hands!
Storksak changing bags have something else really special about them: stroller straps. Although you could use the shoulder strap to hang the changing bag, it does kind of hang too low, making things hard to get to. The strap has additional stroller straps which unfold and then attach to the stroller handle. These straps make the bag hang higher up and at the perfect height for me. Also, I feel like the bag is much more secure as it really doesn’t move anywhere once attached.
I cannot express just how much I love this changing bag. I love how it suits Erin’s needs, my needs and John’s needs all in one go. It is so super stylish and I would use it as a weekend bag for myself when I have to go away without Erin. The Jude changing bag makes me feel a bit more like me again, the handbag using me, rather than the ‘mum’ me. I wish I’d had something like this from the very beginning!
If you’re looking for your first changing bag, a new bag or an upgrade, I urge you to look at Storksak. There are so many options and they’re all beautiful.