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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think Dr's surgeries shouldn't ban buggies?

137 replies

AlbaDeTamble · 28/09/2011 11:13

Mine does, and I generally ignore and a blind eye is given, but yesterday unavoidably with both DCs with me (4yo and 8mo) with all their bags and baggage from the day, just picked up from childminder, I was told I couldn't come in with the buggy. The waiting room was not full. So it wasn't a space issue.
I said either we came in with the buggy or they cancel my appointment (did not feel up to carrying everything) so they relented, after much tutting, and I felt very scolded.
But it strikes me as a highly unreasonable rule? The HCP I saw quoted 'fire hazard' and 'it makes the carpets dirty' and 'elderly people may trip over the buggy'. I don't see any shops or crowded cafes banning buggies for any of those reasons, so why should a Dr's surgery?
But it appears to be common round here... I went to check out next nearest surgery this morning (with sleeping baby in buggy) and they had a big sign in the door saying 'Prams and Pushchairs must be left outside' so I got no further.
Is this really the norm everywhere? Is it really reasonable?

OP posts:
Ormirian · 28/09/2011 13:55

So what would you have said if the waiting room was full? Demand they kick out some other patients to make room for you? Of course it's about space - some modern buggies are monsters! Imagine a waiting room during innoculation clinic - 20 plus parents all with buggies Hmm

Ormirian · 28/09/2011 13:58

"Now it has always occurred to me that if the fire alarm sounded that I would probably want to take my baby with me and not leave her asleep in her pram so that some poor sod (who has preumably just discovered they no longer need their walking frame!) can trip over her."

Yeah, great! A load of buggies being pushed out of the fire exits and causing more blockages.

januaryjojo · 28/09/2011 13:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SardineQueen · 28/09/2011 14:15

"Only once have I asked to bring in the buggy and that was when DD was having her pre-school jabs and DS was too small to be put down and I'd need two hands to hold DD."

Did they say yes or no?

If they had said no, would that be more of a biggy?

januaryjojo · 28/09/2011 14:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SardineQueen · 28/09/2011 14:37

I had the same thing - DD1 needs her jabs and DD2 was a babe in arms. I asked them what to do and they said I had to find someone to look after the baby and that was that. I said could I put DD2 down on the floor of the room and they said no, that was not hygienic.

SardineQueen · 28/09/2011 14:38

*needed her jabs, not needs. This was a couple of years ago.

SardineQueen · 28/09/2011 14:40

The difficulty is of course that lots of women suffer emotional problems post-natally which means that difficulties such as these seem insurmountable and stop them getting the treatment they need for them/their children.

notcitrus · 28/09/2011 14:55

My surgery asks they be left in the outer lobby, but in practice people take them into the waiting room and no-one complains, though I have seen people asked not to take them into the consulting rooms if the child is capable of walking.
There aren't many people in the waiting room so it's not really a problem.

Though I used to be at a GP's in a converted Victorian terrace right on an A road - two steps to the front door, then the ground floor waiting room was about 6 foot x 4, and the upstairs one the same, and corridors very narrow. It would be physically impossible to get a buggy in there! You'd have to chain it to the railings or leave the child elsewhere.

30 years ago people would simply leave a baby in its cot at home or dump an older child on a random neighbour or leave it in a shop/library for the duration. Or the GP would do a home visit. But given home visits are essentially extinct and we're not allowed to leave children alone any more, the surgeries and other public places need to adapt.

Catslikehats · 28/09/2011 15:29

"Yeah, great! A load of buggies being pushed out of the fire exits and causing more blockages"

ormrian I can guarantee that back in the days when I had two under two, if exiting a burning building you'd rather be behind me with baby and toddler in pushchair rather than behind me trying to carry/drag two DC's out, which woul have been about as effective as herding cats.

When did the UK become so intolerant of kids?

Ormirian · 28/09/2011 15:45

No-one's intolerant of kids! Why does this ridiculous old chestnut come up everytime someone dares to challenge anything that parents do? Children can exist independently of their buggies - yes it's inconvenient but it's not impossible.

In a confined space full of people who may or may not have problems with mobility, a large number of prams/buggies is going to pose a problem. If you have a huge purpose-built surgery with buggy-friendly doors, corridors and waiting rooms, I can see it wouldn't be an issue. But a lot of surgeries aren't like that.

rainbow2000 · 28/09/2011 15:48

I find its not the crying children but the aul wagon who mis giving out to everyone gets on my goat.

Catslikehats · 28/09/2011 15:53

I was actually thinking more along the lines of not permitting children to attend appointments with their parents, because it disturbs the other patients. If that is not intolerant I don't know what it is Confused

And yes sometimes it is impossible. If you have two pre schoolers who need jabs, you need to put one in the buggy whilst you hold the other; when I had my 6 week check and smear what would I have done with my baby if she wasn't in her buggy?

SardineQueen · 28/09/2011 15:53

Orm many parents have problems with their mobility too.

Akandra · 28/09/2011 15:54

Makes me realise I am lucky where I live. My GP allows buggies. It even has a lift to get upstairs where the MW/HV are. And there's space for a buggy in the treatment rooms. And the Nero in our town is child friendly, as are most of the places in town despite the fact that the buildings aren't really designed for it being pretty old.

If the GP wouldn't let me' take DD to an emergency appt (I have no childcare options) then my next few calls would be the PCT complaints department and the local paper...

SardineQueen · 28/09/2011 15:55

So find it hard/impossible to carry one or more than one child.

I have friends with 3 under 5, 2 within a year... It is very hard to see the doctor if you don't have handy relatives who can have them for a bit.

SardineQueen · 28/09/2011 15:57

"If you have a huge purpose-built surgery with buggy-friendly doors, corridors and waiting rooms"

My surgery has this.

"Why does this ridiculous old chestnut come up everytime someone dares to challenge anything that parents do? "

What, like not be able to attend the doctor for treatment for themselves of their children?

I haven't seen anyone on this thread who has said that they ignore the rules. No-one is challenging what parents do. People are questioning what some GP surgeries do.

MrsKwazii · 28/09/2011 15:57

My surgery doesn't allow buggies in either. There is a covered buggy park though and it has a rail running along it so that you can bike-lock your pram/buggy onto it. You have to bring your own lock.

It's never really bothered me as it's always been that way and I just adapt to it. With the amount of children in there when I go, it would be utter chaos if everyone had their buggies in there with them - especially at the baby clinic when instead you risk breaking your neck while trying to pick your way through the car seats.

Yes it's frustrating when they've fallen asleep and you have to get them out of the pram, and it can be difficult when I have both the baby and my 3yo with me, but you just get on with it.

And we also have a local cafe that won't allow buggies inside. They just don't have the space. So we sit in the garden or go somewhere else.

SardineQueen · 28/09/2011 16:00

Going to a cafe is different to seeing your doctor though.

halcyondays · 28/09/2011 16:05

I have never heard of a surgery where you couldn't bring buggies in. Not being able to bring children with you is even more outrageous. Parents should not be left unable to access medical care because they don't have childcare on tap.

halcyondays · 28/09/2011 16:07

Yanbu. Yes, going to a cafe is totally different. It's not essential and I would just go to a different cafe, their loss, but you should be able to bring a buggy into a dr's surgery.

Original poster
AlbaDeTamble · 28/09/2011 16:25

My goodness, didn't expect so many replies... And I realise that since I'm not well I could well be being a bit unreasonable, I'm far from perfect, especially when under the weather (posted then realised this may not be the place to be whilst unwell and over-emotional, so many thanks to the many of you who've been kind). I schedule non urgent appointments for when I have cover for the kids, but not possible for last minutes.

But it sounds like there are some more caring surgeries when it comes to bringing the kids and I think therefore that I shall continue my search and try to find one.

OP posts:
Ormirian · 28/09/2011 16:28

Saying you can't take a buggy into the surgery is not the same as saying children or parents of children can't attend the surgery.

SardineQueen · 28/09/2011 16:32

Some people's circumstances mean that this will effectively bar them though

No childcare to hand
Disability of parent (whether permanent or temporary)
Multiple babies
Mental health problems

And so on, and in combinations.

Obviously this is the problem of the parents and not the surgery, but it's OK for people to discuss on the net why they find it a real problem I think. It's not as if any of these places are going to change their policies.

BarmyBiscuit · 28/09/2011 16:32

My surgery has this rule and with no family or friends nearby, my DH always had to take time off if I needed the Doctors when DS was younger. There was no buggy park and it was a good 20 minute walk.

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