AIBU to have thought that this was a scam?

[sereneswan]

I was at the airport having just returned from holiday. I'd just got through passport control, and went to the ladies. I was at the basin sorting my hair out when a lady behind me repeatedly said excuse me until I stopped and turned round (I had half heard her but assumed she was talking to someone else). She asked me to hold her baby while she did her trousers up. My immediate reaction was that this was really odd (I've never seen anyone do this before) so I tried to get out of it by saying that I'm not very good with babies (I've never spent much time around them) thrust the baby into my arms. As far as I could see she did indeed do up her trousers and belt, took the baby back, thanked me and went away.

I immediately panicked and checked my bag and pockets, convinced that she must have pick-pocketed me. Everything was still there. I left and still kept panicking, even going as far as wondering if she had planted anything on me and checked everything again. Nothing.

It seems she was genuine but it still seems odd on so many levels.

Why didn't she use the mother and baby facility right next door?
The ladies was really busy, why did she repeatedly try to get my attention -when I was juggling two bags and a hairbrush - rather than someone in the queue?
Why didn't she have a buggy or at least a sling to put the child in? (I've seen people take buggies right up to the gate when boarding, I assume you get them back as soon as you leave the plane?)

This morning Google has told me this is a common scam in southern Europe so I don't feel I'm being ridiculously cynical...

What would anyone else's reaction be in the same situation?

I don't take buggies to the plane - way too difficult at some airports and I have missed connecting flights because of waiting for the damn things. I also never used a sling, so wouldn't have had one on me. If I needed help (like my trousers falling off) I guess I would have looked for the nearest friendly looking person and asked them to hold my child for me, it certainly would be faster and less icky than putting your baby down on a change table (and her trousers might have been slipping down already!)

Could be a scam. But could be genuine.
Baby change is full, not everyone takes the buggy to the gate, you don't have to. Not everyone uses a sling. You may have looked the most trustworthy.
There could be a reasonable explanations for all your points. Or it could have been a scam.

How did she get the trousers down in the first place?

Unless she has trained the baby to pickpocket, you would notice if her hands were not in the process of fastening her trousers, unless of course she had an accomplice.

Even if you take your buggy to the gate my experience has been that you never get it back before reclaim.

Still a bit odd though

You can take your pushchair right up to the gate at departure, but the other end, it usually comes back to you via the usual baggage reclaim carousel. Which is a pain. So I can understand why she might not have a convenient way of holding the baby.

Mother and baby changing rooms typically don't have toilets and typically don't have places to put your baby while you sort yourself out.

As to why she picked you, maybe you looked more trustworthy to her?

YANBU for being worried about it being a scam/theft, but maybe it was genuine and she didn't really know what else to do.