How to buy (or adapt) a changing table for baby

It may be that I'm more clueless than most first-time moms-to-be, but the issue of changing tables has me utterly, thoroughly confused. With less than three months to go until my due date and my shower invitations in the mail, the questions I have on the topic could fill a book.

Do I really need a changing table? Couldn't I save myself the bucks and the space and change the baby on a surface I already have — maybe a dresser, for instance, or even the floor? Why are some changing tables $100 and others $1,000? If I do decide to get one, what do I do with it after the baby is out of diapers? And the list goes on.

With my book of questions in hand, I consulted no fewer than eight experts. Here's what I learned.

1. Necessary? No. Helpful? Yes. Parents have changed their babies on floors, beds, countertops and tables for ages, and that's not likely to change. Among the experts, the consensus is that as long as the surface is secure and, at every second, you keep one hand on the baby, it is OK. "A changing table is safe when the person changing the baby is there," says Mark Lazar, owner of Lazar's Juvenile Furniture in Lincolnwood, Ill. — and father of seven.

That said, a changing table offers several benefits that the other surfaces do not. Accessible storage makes it easier for you to keep hand-on-baby while grabbing for the talcum powder. Ergonomic heights (36 to 43 inches, according to Consumer Reports) reduce the strain on your back. Details such as lipped edges, wall mounts and straps assure extra safety.

2. Store-bought options. I thought I was confused before. "There are at least three choices in the market today: basic changing tables, changer tops and changing systems," says Jamie LaPorta, merchandising director at The Land of Nod stores.

Changing tables are pieces of furniture with drawers or shelves or other storage options.

Changer tops are traylike components that attach to the tops of existing furnishings, such as dressers. Relatively new to the scene, changer tops are becoming the popular choice because of their flexibility and relative affordability.

Also new are changing systems, massive wall units with the changing unit in the center and columns of shelves or closets on either side.

3. Other options. For her two babies, Courtney Baros bought an old dry-sink cabinet on eBay and attached a changing pad. "I wanted something that I could use again for other things after the baby got older," says Baros, co-owner and executive director of the shop Be By Baby! (www.bebybaby.com) in Chicago. Between babes, Baros used the piece as a serving table and to display photos. This sort of retrofitting is acceptable as long as you stay true to certain specs.

4. Non-negotiables. Sturdiness, security and supervision rank supreme. Most changing tables and tops come with hardware for mounting the pieces to the wall or to each other. For even more security, LaPorta recommends requesting additional hardware to secure the table or dresser to the floor.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a lip on all sides of at least 2 inches high, the higher the better. Never place a changing table in the middle of an open space, and never use a piece that could be considered remotely tippable.

Baros' dry-sink creation met all of those specs: the sink-base was sturdy, matched the dimensions of her changing pad, had drawers for storage and featured 5-inch built-in barriers in the form of splash guards.

5. Cost. The same factors that drive variations in all home furnishings drive the wide gaps in changing table prices — quality of materials, craftsmanship and shipping methods. The recent demand for "green" nursery furniture has driven up prices further. "Solid quality furniture is shipped mostly assembled via freight trucks (rather than broken down to ship via ground service)," says Deree Kobets, owner of Grow, a Chicago kids boutique specializing in organic gear. Grow's low-VOC changing tops and tables range from about $225 to $2,050. At The Land of Nod (www.landofnod.com), prices range from about $119 to $349, while most Target (target.com) prices are $79.99 to $299.99.