Changing nappies in church

[StormGlass]

We went to a christening today.

After the service had finished, and as people were starting to leave the church (quite slowly, as the family group were loitering around the font so guests could take photos if they wanted), one woman changed her little girl's shitty nappy on the end of one of the pews.

I thought this was very bad behaviour.

Okay, shitty nappies need to be changed before too long or the kid could get nappy rash - but the service had finished. People were leaving the church. I've never been in that church before, so no idea what the toilet facilities were like, but surely the mum could have found somewhere outside the church to change the nappy, if it needed doing urgently. Like the well tended grassy verge outside the church, or their car, for instance.

I didn't mention anything, as the family group didn't seem to notice and I didn't want to spoil their day by making a fuss about it. But I'm sort of wondering if I should have said something.

AIBU to think this was unacceptable behaviour? And pretty grim.

raspberry, bear with me, here's a quote from the Bible that Ai think sums it up: "...man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7) People do different things depending on the situation, their circumstances and their attitudes. Most AIBU questions could go either way because we only get to see what happened, not a forensic report of the person's motives. Witness the number of times posters urge the OP to consider whether someone has SN etc. To me as a practising Christian, my belief is that it matters far less what we do than why we do it, otherwise it's a completely skewed and twisted playing field where people are governed completely by their circumstances.

Ai? I! I'm giving myself special names and everything now...

Not read thread but a lamb of god being changed in a church? Suffer the little children to come to me etc? Am pretty sure no one would mind in my church they would probably lend a hand.

I'm not bothered by the place of worship stuff but all churches have toilets. And people should take a changing mat with them if they go out with a baby in nappies so what the floor is made of is irrelevant.

Shit is unpleasant.

I was on a 5 hour train journey (12.5 hours travelling altogether) with just a small baby for company.

Nelly You really would have taken a spare blanket to lie on a piss-wet floor in a toilet to change the baby's nappy on, rather than just pop him on the next seat? Then what would you do with the piss covered blanket? Just chuck it in the bin? I would have needed at least 4 or 5 'spare blankets' just for the journey there. Sounds really sensible to take up most of my suitcase space with spare blankets just because people don't like poo.

Pretty much, or if she knew it was inappropriate but couldn't be bothered to move.

You don't know that Sirzy - maybe she's one of those that likes to discuss little Timmy's poos in great detail to anyone who'll listen.

Yabu its a nappy for goodness sakes!

I have changed DD's nappy in mass before. As discreetly as possible but nobody batted an eyelid.

Well as the OP managed to establish so much detail of the nappy changing procedure I am sure she would have informed us if that had been the cae

*case

I can not believe the attitude of many people that it's ok to change a nappy anywhere, other than somewhere private. We tell our children that bottoms are private, then dis regard this when it suits us. I don't want to see another child's shitty nappy, thankyou very much. I think it lacks respect for your child, yourself, and those around you. IMO, it is never ok.

I would. I don't think anyone else on that train deserves to have the sudden smell of an opened dirty nappy wafted around the carriage. If I was on a long train journey then I would plan for a dirty nappy and figure out what I was going to do to change it. I'd have taken a blanket that I knew was going to go on the floor, a carrier bag to out it in, and then pop it under the buggy when it was used. I know as well as the next mum that you can get caught out and have to do emergency changes, but I try my best to plan for it.

there are NOT always toilets in churches, that has been established.

and the trains i go on the toilets are NOT big enough to put a baby on the floor and they are rank so i wouldnt put a blanket on them! or a mat. i will go in the space between carriages if i can.

i highly doubt she did it to piss people off, does anyone change a babies nappy to piss people off? i do it because it needs doing and believe me i am not immune to the smell of my childs shit, there are times it makes me boak, but if it has to be done it has to be done and yes i will find somewhere out the way etc if possible, sometimes it is not possible.

Nelly I didn't take a buggy, I had a suitcase with baby in a sling. How else can I say it other than I WAS ON ONE TRAIN FOR 5 HOURS?? (sorry for shouting). You are quite clearly not reading what I have written, and I have had (also quite clearly) too much wine, and am now going out for fag. 'Scuse me.

raspberry the dragon comment just made me giggle :) It's when people tell me that I must be incredibly thick/needy/brainwashed and start trying to have battles of logic that it gets annoying and offensive. Luckily very few people are that rude!

Until there are decent facilities in all public places, then changing a child's nappy discretely is appropriate. Perhaps away from main body of people. If alternative is to place a baby lyng down somewhere cold and filthy then a church pew is always better. I have been caught many times with no-where decent to change a nappy, including a train with no toilet facilities and a child with very sensitive skin which turned sore and bled quick,y if not changed.

i often dont have a buggy, have a baby/toddler in a sling and i take the minimum wiht me, i wouldnt take a blanket to lie on the toilet floor and the toilets in trains are not big enough to do so anyway! plus i dont know when my child is going to poo, so i cant plan when to change it. its not ideal and i always have a mat and go out the way inbetween carriages if i can, but if they are full of bikes/buggies as they often are then it will have to be done on the seat next to me.

Changing nappies on the floor isn't always possible anyway especially not in a small space - I would be able to get onto the floor but would struggle to get myself up without plenty of drag myself up with!