How One Baby Mat Can Be Used From Infancy to Toddlerhood (Real Parent Hacks)

When you’re expecting a baby, everything comes with a list. Not a mental list - an actual one.

A mat for tummy time.
A mat for nappy changes.
A mat for play.
A mat for travel.
A mat for toilet training and it goes on...

At the time, it all makes sense. You’re preparing. You’re trying to do the right thing.

What no one tells you is how quickly those purchases stack up and how often you’re still left scrambling when real life happens. A blowout where you didn’t plan one. A spit-up mid-massage. A need for floor time when the couch suddenly feels unsafe.

The Tazzy Mat wasn’t designed to fit neatly into a checklist. It was designed to support real days - across phases - without adding more work for parents.

Here’s how it’s actually used, phase by phase.

1. Newborn Phase: Floor Time Without the Fear (0–3 months)

In the newborn stage, everything happens close to the ground. You’re encouraged to give babies lots of floor time but that comes with its own mental load.

Leaks. Blowouts. Spit-ups. Milk dribbles. Constant outfit changes. Constant cleaning.

This is where the mat becomes a quiet safety net. During the newborn phase, we used the Tazzy Mat for:

1. Tummy time, without worrying about spit-ups or leaks
2. Nappy-free time, knowing accidents wouldn’t soak through
3. Baby massages, directly on the floor or bed
4. A day mat, so our baby could get lots of floor time without us cleaning after every mess (basically, blow-outs)
5. Bassinet protection during refluxy nights or leaks
6. Pram bassinet lining, especially during long walks
7. At-home nappy changes, wherever we were
8. On-the-go change mat, folded and packed easily
9. Early sensory play, without stress about clean

What mattered most here was peace of mind. I didn’t want to hover or rush. I wanted my baby on the floor and myself mentally present without constantly fearing the mess and cleanup.

2. Infant Phase: Movement, Exploration & More Accidents (3–12 months)

This is the phase where babies start to move, like really move and suddenly, everything changes.

Rolling. Sitting. Pushing up. Trying to stand. Crawling. Falling over. Trying again.

Movement brings freedom, but it also brings more unpredictability. During the infant phase, the Tazzy Mat became even more useful:

1. Tummy time, as strength and confidence grew
2. Nappy-free time, especially while learning to roll and crawl
3. Post-bath changes and massages, when wriggling made change tables impractical
4. Sensory play, with water, textures, and mess
5. Car seat liners, for reflux, drool, and snack mess
6. Couch and pram liners, to protect surfaces during everyday use
7. At-home and on-the-go nappy changes
8. Travel essential, for hotel floors, relatives’ homes, and unfamiliar spaces

This was also when I realised how valuable it was to have one familiar surface, no matter where we were. Something consistent. Something I trusted and my baby knew. It allowed my baby to explore and allowed me to stop managing every single variable.

3. Toddler Phase: When Containment Is No Longer an Option (12+ months)

Then comes the toddler stage. The fun age. This is when babies are no longer containable. They move constantly. They have opinions. They don’t want to lie still. And they definitely don’t want to wait. The mat evolves again.

In the toddler phase, the Tazzy Mat is used for:

1. Daytime toilet training, especially when toddlers insist on sitting on furniture
2. Night-time accident protection for beds and cots
3. Messy play because toddlers absolutely need it
4. Massages and post-bath changes when toddlers won’t stay in one place
5. Car seat and pram liners. Perfect for beach days, snack crumbs, babyccinos... you know it

At this stage, the mat stops being about prevention and starts being about support. It doesn’t try to stop mess. It simply catches it so parents don’t have to work harder than necessary.

Why This Matters to Me

I believe deeply that it’s a baby’s job to explore, experiment, and create mess.

I also believe it shouldn’t automatically become a parent’s job to clean constantly, replace products every few months, or feel guilty for choosing ease.

The Tazzy Mat was built to grow with your baby but also with you, as a parent. From anxious newborn days to more confident toddler moments.

One mat. Three phases. Countless everyday moments. That’s the kind of product I wanted as a parent. 

So that’s what I built.