to expect to use a disabled toilet when I'm out with the pram?

[CT123]

I can't use the ladies when I have my baby with me in the pram. The only thing I can do is wheel him into the disabled toilet with me. But the disabled toilets have special locks on them, which presumably disabled people have special keys for. I appreciate that they want to stop able-bodied people hogging disabled toilets but what else can I do?

[citronella]

no yanbu. I have done it when the abled toilets were too narrow to fit buggy in and I'm on my own.

[Dropdeadfred]

some disabled toilets are changing rooms for babies too..just ask for a key at the shops/restaurants cashdesk

[Northernlurker]

This really annoys me too. A 'disabled' toilet is really just a more accessible space then the tiny cubicles alloted to able bodied people. Space that benefits a lot of people - including mothers and children. Very often it houses the changing station too so you have no option but to use it - if you can get in it. You would only be 'hogging' it if you were in there for hours - and I'm sure that's unlikely.

[ilove]

Go to radar.co.yj (I think) and you can buy a key. Perfectly legitimately.

[ilove]

radar.co.uk I mean

[FfreckleFface]

I did this in M&S yesterday - was on my own with the inordinately huge Quinny, which I would not have been able to get into a cubicle, Ff was strapped into buggy, zipped into footmuff, and shrouded under rain cover, so I would have probably weed myself by the time I managed to extricate her. Plus, I had no wish to then dump an 11 month old who currently puts everything she finds on the floor into her mouth onto the floor of a public toilet while I wrestled with my own wet weather gear.

So, after looking furtively over my shoulders, making sure that there was no one in the immediate vicinity who looked as though they might need to use the disabled toilet, I ran in, had the quickest wee of my life, then ran back out again, feeling incredibly guilty.

[mm22bys]

Was there no baby-change facility?

Doesn't always work though, it must be a man who designs baby change facilities with no toilet....

I went to use the baby change facility at CW yesterday and it was engaged. I knocked on the door to make they knew someone was waiting (I do hurry up myself if I know there's someone else waiting) and a young baby-free woman, no obvious disability, came out....There is a disabled toilet next door if she was disabled but I was just a little cross!

[PussinJimmyChoos]

I always use the disabled toilets when I'm with DS and I don't feel guilty about it. I can remember coming out of a disabled toilet once and one guy was being wheeled towards it by his wife and they tutted as they saw me come out (its not as if they even had to wait!) but I just gave them a hard stare.

I'm not prepared to take the risk of leaving DS outside a cubicle in normal toilets!!

[raisingrrrl]

Yanbu, so long as you're not holding up the loo and preventing a disabled person from using it. I used the disabled loo in Sainsburys the other day, as the cubicles there are tiny and I'm 38 weeks pg!

[Shitemum]

Sorry but I think it's perfectly ok to use the disabled toilets. If you think about it there are far more people with babies in prams around than people in wheelchairs or with mobility issues. I'm not saying the prampushers should have preferance obviously but they should definatley have access.

(If anyone needs to change a baby in Malaga airport on the first floor where the restaurant are they can thank me and my 'suggestion' for the fact that there is now a changing station in the very accessable disabled toilet and you no longer have to cram your way round the corner, up a corridor and into a small, narrow womens toilet with no cubicle bug enough to fit you and the pram into, so you have to leave your baby outside and unattended (If you usually travel alone like me) while you use the loo yourself...Pity it didn't occur to them to put a sticker up on the disabled toilet door informing people that there is a changing station inside, but we're getting there, we're getting there...)

[FfreckleFface]

There was a baby change room in M&S, but it was one with no toilet...so after sneaking myself out of the disabled toilet, I had to queue for the baby-change, and then do the whole rain-cover/footmuff/straps/snowsuit release...It's no wonder I was late meeting my friends for lunch. (Hard work, this SAHM business!)

[CT123]

Thanks everyone.
Most of the baby change facilities in my town centre do not have toilets. I was in one the other day when this old lady came in, with no baby, looking for a toilet!
I checked the Radar website and see that I can buy a key for £4 so that might be the way to go.

[Wonderstuff]

In our town there are disabled access loos AND parent and baby ones. I can't see a problem using disabled loo tbh. Normally there will be someone with a radar key. Obv. if there is a queue disabled person should get priority, same as for lifts imo.

[chegirl]

I dont think there is anything wrong with using the disabled toilets if you have a baby, are pg etc. They are meant for people who have difficulty using the other facilities. They are not like disabled parking spaces.

But the toilets shouldnt be just a bit bigger. IF they are they are not disabled toilets. They should have a number of fixtures (grab rails, sinks with access, low mirror etc). Too many places try and get away with having a slightly more space. Not enough to turn a wheelchair in tho!
Of course disabled toilets should have baby changing facilities in, so disabled parents can change their kid's bums

As usual, the people that moan are generally oaps that think only old people are allowed to be disabled. My OH and my sis are always getting evils because they park in a space or use a loo and some old biddy thinks they are not as disabled as them. Oops ranty of topic strikes again

[naturalblonde]

My local shopping centre has a couple extra big cubicles that you can fit a buggy in.

But no YANBU. I eon't leave my dd unattended outside cubicle.

[Pheebe]

I always do this and have yet to have anyone object. Have even exited while a chappie in a wheelchair waited outside, got nothing but smiles and a quick chat about the bonny babe from him Don't be so paranoid, only the gringiest person could possibly object besides the baby changing mat is often in the disabled loos for reasons of space too.

[2shoesformyvalentine]

yabu
your not disabled so ...

[TotalChaos]

I'm quite horrified that radar keys appear to be so readily available.

[2shoesformyvalentine]

dd says you can alll hve her CP and her radar key

[comparethePeachydotcom]

It is awkward though- the system is quite clearly nto working! there should be facillities provided so a mum with a buggy (hardly a rare thing) can use a toilet without uusing the disabled loo provided.

It's that thats crap.

i've never done it but I suppose its better than eleaving a baby buggy where it could get nicked (and they do, our old surgery had a spate of it).

I would say if you have to use them, make sure you follow with a complaint to the manager about lack of proper facillities.

[fattiemumma]

I can understand why you have done it.

but being the mother of an autistic son who cannot go into the toilets alone and the daughter of a disabled father who cannot get his chair into a normal toilet..YABU.

they are there for the use of people with a disability. unless they are also doubled up as baby changing facility (which bugs me)

[fattiemumma]

do you also assume that disabled parking bays are for people who find it inconvenient to park away from the door?

or dont want to run the risk of a scratch to their nice new car?

why is it any different?

[2shoesformyvalentine]

well with ds I managed without ever using one and he is now 17(happy birthday ds)
dd is disabled so has her own key.