to use a disabled toilet if I've got the buggy?

[MrsHelsBels74]

Pretty much as the thread title says, if you're out in public & need to loo but can't fit the buggy into a normal cubicle is it acceptable to take the buggy into the disabled toilet? I'd never use a disabled parking space but did this today in desperation. So, is it ok or still a no-no?

This thread is descending into stupidity.

In an IDEAL world every establishment would have exclusive use facilities for disabled people and separate facilities for parent and children/buggy users. BUT clearly we don't live in this toilet utopia so we have to employ some reason and understanding.

Obviously if there is another viable option then no able bodied person should use an accessible toilet. However, there are so many extenuating circumstances that sometimes it just makes sense to use them. Some of you may be happy to wee/poo/change tampons with the door open - great. I am not. Some of you are ok about leaving baby outside and closing the door. You're probably right the risk is miniscule, but the mental mother part of my brain cannot allow me to do this. I have had newborn/unable to stand twins so the baby juggle is not an option.

Then you have people who have the squits/IBS/are pregnant and can't wait etc etc.

Surely all people have to accept that on occassions the toilet may not be instantly accessible and there may be a wait. I do not condone using the accessible loo because you can't be bothered to queue or similar.

I think it's fine obviously as long as no one else is waiting and then I'm really really quick. But would find alternative if had to do nappy change, John Lewis always good.

Exactly, there are such things as extenuating circumstances. Not everything is clear cut and black and white

Exacty what I was thinking MrsDeVere!

No way would I chance my babies life...

What a drama queen!
No one is saying leave your baby unsupervised. Hold your baby?

And me, MrsDV!

I actually can't believe people would be willing to deny another woman from using an accessible toilet, and would rather her leave her baby outside, just in case someone happened to come along. Which they might not.

And how on earth do you change a tampon whilst holding a baby?

How do you Hold twins?

No bloody hell not a drama queen perfectly reasonable actually, yes it can happen. How do you juggle a baby and pulling your clothes up and down, putting on a tampon/ pad with a baby in your arms. There are a lot of self righteous people on here

Also, in one of the shopping centres near me, the public toilets separate cubicles with radar keys for disabled people, and separate baby changing cubicles with radar keys.

You can't fit a pushchair, even a small one, in the cubicles in the women's toilets, and they haven't bothered putting toilets in the baby change cubicles. They've put a chair in the baby change cubicle instead.

I don't really understand the reasoning behind not having a toilet in a lockable baby change cubicle. The planners have gone to the trouble of putting in separate disabled and baby change cubicles, which is excellent, but not considered that people with pushchairs might need a wee and daren't leave the baby unguarded.

There are other toilets nearby with large (non-disabled) cubicles in the women's toilets, so not a major issue, but I still thought it was a bit annoying.

its simple - the disabled toilet is for those that have a need to use the disabled loo as their condition/disability makes using a standard public loo difficult.
Some places thr baby changing unit is in the loo - well that is where you take your baby to change it.

Before you use the disabled loo, please ask yourself if you really need to, because sometimes your desire for convenience really can prevent someone using a facility that is essential, not just a preference

How exactly do you hold a baby while you go to the toilet?! Are you lot actually octopus ninjas? Am I that physically inept? No way could I hold DS and pee. Unless I want to drop him or stumble out of the cubicle with my trousers round my ankles?

Yes risk dropping my baby on the look in te process. It is rearly, very rearly that I use a disabled toilet but if I need it URGENTLY and there is no other toilet than I will use it

Meant floor

In one of the local restaurants the disabled doubles up as the womens I suppose I shouldn't use it at all then...

But it doesn't preveny someone from using it, it just delays it. In the same way that another person with a disability using it would?

Just to be clear, I'm not advocating using them (though there are situations where I would deem it more acceptable than others).

Easily, i am known for my clumsiness but even i managed to master the art of holding ds whilst... peeing, cooking dinner, applying make-uo, dressing the other ds, eating, etc etc

Not everyone is the same mymat

I can hold him and cook, do various things, but I really don't think I could hold him and pee!

That is made difficult in a narrow slippery cubical

Most disabled loos I encounter have changing facilities in them!

There is a disabled loo in my town (though I am told that it is as disgusting as the rest of the public toilets in the town centre) and absolutely no where to take a baby...

The disabled loo can't be used by parents as it (like the baby changing room with no loo) is locked unless you have a radar key. If I have used a disabled loo with my child it's been a combined on and I have always been annoyed that i should have to compromise my values or potentially inconvenience someone just to take my child to the loo.

Children are not made provision for in this country - they are not valued... They have no rights to services or provision in there own right - they can be educated in failing schools by failing teachers and they are not entitled to access to anything which would make their development much easier even though the evidence tells us that the early years are the most important. Prisoners get more money per head for their meals than our children at school.

My son is 'disabled' - his ASD means he needs to live life differently to everyone else... I have had to fight tooth and nail for his provision yet I know his TA is utilised across the class during a time that his statement specifies that is available for him.
Using the disabled toilet stance I should be going into school on Monday and demanding that stopped immediately as the other children should be bloody grateful they can access their education in a normal way, unlike my child.

I wouldn't dream of doing that for many number of reason but not least because prior to statement my son was supported by a 'shared TA' andit prevented an exclusion.

This attitude about what provision can be used by which sectors in society is becoming a form of segregation - I was in a wheelchair for 2 months earlier this year - I couldn't have used a disabled loo in my town as I didnt have a radar key. Does that mean I wasnt disabled enough?
When out of the chair I could walk short distances unaided but couldnt always get from sitting to standing easily so used a disabled toilet - I was tutted at coming out of disabled loo in a pub as I obviously didn't fit the bill... I felt deeply ashamed for using a provision which it could be argued I 'might' not need.

And the best one was the disabled loo I couldnt fit the chair in and shut the door.... I was told I could ask staff for help... so it was independence or dignity - great choice. Thankfully there was a family toilet that I could fit in so I used that instead and luckily no parents tutted at me.

Wish I was joking... it was in a hospital too...

Easily - Yes of course ther could very easily be another disabled person in there but given the disabled population is relatively small there is a small chance that it will be occupied by a disabled person who has a genuine need.

If every Tom, Dick or Harry starts using it then the queue for the disabled loo will be longer. Not every disability effects a persons ability to wait but for some it really does.

When ds was non standing/sitting/walking, I carried a folding mat in a carrier bag which I'd put on the floor of the cubicle. If the floor looked too grim (I know all toilet floors are grim!) I had to do the going to the toilet with the door propped open by the buggy thing, because ds would have screamed the place down being left outside (very bad separation anxiety).