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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

shopping with baby

90 replies

mlspbrasil · 09/10/2012 19:54

Please tell me if I'm wrong, or if I'm over reacting. I was in the middle of my shopping at Benetton, finishing with the fitting room, I had quite a few items, which i was going to exchange, when Nicolas (my 6-month-old son) really needed a nappy change (one of those situations in which the nappy leaks). I asked the lady if I could use an empty corner to quick change him (on the push chair of course) and she said that she was going to ask the manager. Meanwhile, I touched my baby and found out that the situation was worse than i thought, so I didn't even think twice, I just changed him at the back of the changing room. It took me no longer than 3 minutes to do so, but staff members + the supervisor frowned upon me. What do they expect me to do? To simply leave the shop and change my baby in the street? Or drop all my shopping and rush to the nearest Mac Donald's? I didn't enter the shop to change my baby in the first place, it just happened. I'm a costumer, I was actually going to buy 2 coats and 2 dresses, but they don't give a damn about it, because I'm just one more person in Oxford St. I complained to the manager, but she shrugged her shoulders saying this was against the shop policy. To me this is disgraceful - no common sense, no solidarity.

OP posts:

Peevish · 09/10/2012 20:55

I'm not that surprised the staff weren't happy, but I'd have changed the nappy too, only without asking. I've changed my six-month-old in all kinds of places in emergencies, and if a business doesn't have a decent baby-changing space, I'm completely unapologetic about improvising.

Don't know about the OP, but I have hand-sanitiser wipes for after nappy-changes, if there isn't a sink.

Yika · 09/10/2012 20:56

I use antibacterial gel to clean hands after a nappy change so don't think it's less hygienic than finding a loo. I have a change mat with me but toilets can be really gross, and I'd rather change my child in a clean environment (on the change mat of course).

Spuddybean · 09/10/2012 20:57

if it was just wet i would do it without thinking of asking.

if it was messy poo, i would have crossed the road and gone into john lewis!

bumperella · 09/10/2012 21:02

D'oh! I forgot about antibac gel etc, I can't use it (dodgy skin) and so just never think of it.

ThalianotFailure · 09/10/2012 21:09

I think changing pooey nappy out in a shop is pretty grim and as every department store on Oxford Street has a baby room no excuse really, sorry. You could have asked them to hold the items you wanted to buy, whizzed off to change the baby and come back. Benetton's close to John Lewis, isn't it, huge fuck-off baby room there with a gazillion change mats to choose from.

secondseverncrossing · 09/10/2012 21:09

"if it was messy poo, i would have crossed the road and gone into john lewis!"

Or the Mamas and Papas store...

HandMini · 09/10/2012 21:10

You were being unreasonable. You should have gone to find a toilet / changing area and asked the Benetton staff to hold your purchases. Is really not ok to change babies in fitting rooms.

And just for info, if anyone else is ever on Oxford St and needs baby changing facilities, you're in one of the best spots in London - John Lewis, House of Fraser and Mamas and Papas, all within 2 mins of Benetion have dedicated baby change rooms.

skateboarder · 09/10/2012 21:10

I think ywbu tbh. Nobody else needs to smell your childs faeces when they are out shopping.

AmazingBouncingFerret · 09/10/2012 21:18

Poor staff.

Maybe they should go and change a child's smelly nappy in your place of work.

Just because they work in retail doesnt mean they should have to put up with the smell of shit in their workplace.

YABU.

GwendolineScaryLacey · 09/10/2012 21:19

Depends really. My 8 mo has really bad nappy rash at the moment, bleeding etc. if she poos I'm right on it and would have changed it there and then. Ordinarily I would have waited 5 mins and found somewhere better. But either way, meh, wouldn't be bothered.

WildWorld2004 · 09/10/2012 21:20

I dont see what the problem was. You go into a changing cubicle, shut the curtain/door & change your baby. No one will see it or know what is happening. When u are finished u put the nappy in a bag, wash ur hands with a wipe or handwash/gel & off u go.

ScaryBOOAlot · 09/10/2012 21:23

You do all know that anti bac gel only works maximum of five times a day, and really isn't the same as using soap and water?

I always have some in my bag, but its not the best option, especially not after changing a dirty nappy!

Sirzy · 09/10/2012 21:25

I agree with the majority. You find a proper changing facility to do it not just whip the nappy off wherever you are.

MrsKeithRichards · 09/10/2012 21:30

My rule of thumb is I don't change a nappy where I wouldn't take a shit.

Or the back of my car.

MrsKeithRichards · 09/10/2012 21:31

Although a friend used to work in a clothes shop and found a shit in a changing room once.

MistressIggi · 09/10/2012 21:32

I don't get people saying the staff shouldn't have to deal with the smell of poo. Most people know their baby has pooed because of the smell of poo, you don't have to change the nappy to smell the poo!

GoldShip · 09/10/2012 21:33

You do all know that anti bac gel only works maximum of five times a day

where on earth have you got that from?

Sirzy · 09/10/2012 21:33

But opening the nappy very much releases the smell making it worse!

ThePetiteMummy · 09/10/2012 21:35

I think it's very selfish to just change a baby in a shop, nobody wants the whiff of a dirty nappy while they're shopping! As for your shopping, well, you just either put it back or ask the staff to keep it for you. And as for anti bac gel being sufficient, it doesn't magic away poo on your hands! I can't really believe you've started a thread about this. It just seems obvious, you go to an appropriate changing place, then carry on.

ScaryBOOAlot · 09/10/2012 21:35

When I did my health and safety training for volunteering with the NHS, Goldship.

GoldShip · 09/10/2012 21:37

I've also done that training, along with other Infection Control and Health and Safety courses and that has never been said to me

It doesnt even make sense!

fedupofnamechanging · 09/10/2012 21:40

I can't see the problem with this. If I was a customer and saw someone quickly changing their baby's nappy, I wouldn't give it any thought at all. It's not like you were asking the staff to change the nappy or dispose of it for you.

It seems daft to me to leave the shop and then have to come back - there are always queues at the baby rooms, so it seems better to me to change the baby's nappy asap, rather than leave him in a dirty nappy for longer than necessary.

fedupofnamechanging · 09/10/2012 21:41

Presumably OP had wipes as well as anti bac gel.

ThePetiteMummy · 09/10/2012 21:43

I disagree, the op was minutes away from John Lewis, and the changing rooms there are huge, I've never queued. And an open nappy full of poo would smell considerably more than one on the baby.

PuffPants · 09/10/2012 21:43

Sounds like you were being a bit self-righteous about it all. Not to mention grim and anti-social.

Would you poo in your handbag in the corner of Benetton just because you really, really needed to?

For future reference, John Lewis have baby-change facilities as do Mamas and Papas, virtually across the road from Benetton.

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