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?

I'm going through every shop in my town in my head and can only think of one place that has roomy enough toilets.

None of us have had a baby stolen

Good for you, but it doesn't mean it can't and won't happen. It's a risk I wouldn't be willing to take.

you insinuated that the same people saying dont leave babies on other threads were saying it was ok on this thread?

i have the same stance on all, it depends on the child and the situation, baby strapped safely in pushchair outside toilet cubicle for 60srconds is fine.

baby in pram in garden fine in many situations, i left mine to sleep in the pram in the front garden.

the hotel room, done to death (like this thread tbh) depends on the situation, size of hotel, how far away from your room you will be, age of child etc etc.

5mad - I'm not insinuating, I'm telling you so. They know who they are.

I've never seen you post before so couldn't comment on you :)

FFS, nothing bad will happen to your baby if you hold him or her before you have washed your hands after using the toilet! When you change a nappy, you touch the child before washing your hands to get the nappy back on.

crashdoll - I'm not saying anything will happen, but did you miss the uproar on the thread about hand washing?

crash if you have wet wipes you could give your hands a wipe before you pick your baby up anyway, most parents will have wet wipes! but yes they gave clothrs on etc and would be fine.

ghost i dont keep a dossier of who said what on what thread.

Just because a person decides that they won't do something (ie: leave their child in a buggy outside a public toilet cubicle for a couple of minutes) doesn't give them the right to do something they shouldn't (ie use a disabled toilet when they themselves, or the child that is with them, are not disabled).

The one decision does not automatically mean that the only other option is to do something that could seriously impact on someone who does not have the same choices that you do.

It just seems like people are spinning out excuse after excuse to justify why their need comes first and screw everyone else.

5madthings - I'm talking about the people saying you should hold the baby whilst your on the loo. Wet wipes won't come in handy there will they?

MrsDevre - theres some chances you have to take, this one you don't. You don't have to leave your baby in it's pram in a public place, when there's a toilet unoccupied.

I can't believe you'd rather have a BABY left unattended in a public place, rather than the mum use an unoccupied loo.

People have been calling my view selfish and entitled, I can see only one view that meets that criteria

I'm bowing out anyway as it's one that will go around in circles. But lets hope it doesn't happen to anybody ey?

CRASHDOLL - when has anyone said their needs come first!

They're not pushing in front of a disabled person in the queue for a loo. They are using an unoccupied toilet. If a disabled person needs it whilst theyre in, surely they can wait just as they'd wait if it were occupied by another disabled person? Is it really that big a deal that people are literally frothing at the mouths over it. Like someone upthread said, a poster with a disability, they wouldn't want a baby being left just because the person felt they couldnt use the access toilet.

Creative said "Just because a person decides that they won't do something (ie: leave their child in a buggy outside a public toilet cubicle for a couple of minutes) doesn't give them the right to do something they shouldn't (ie use a disabled toilet when they themselves, or the child that is with them, are not disabled)."

Yes, I agree it doesn't give them the right. But I'm afraid to say that a lot of parents will carry on doing it until parent & child facilities improve.

YANBU

Ghost, a baby does not have to be left unattended. It can be taken out of it's buggy and go in with the parent.

Disabled people face so much discrimination and oppression. It's a really fucking hard life. That baby will hopefully grow up and be more mobile. Some people will always need to use an accessible toilet etc.

Disabled people campaigned for equality and social justice. Parents, if you feel you are discriminated against, then I suggest you do the same.

Standing causes me considerable pain. Waiting for the toilet because another disabled person is using it is an unavoidable part of life. Waiting for the toilet because it's the easier option for a parent is avoidable. That parent could do what other parents say they do.

I don't think the point about holding up a disabled person is accurate; surely they'd have to wait if it was in use by another disabled person anyway? I'm not saying it's right, just that there are also queues for disabled facilities.

I've never been in the situation myself, but I had a car seat/pram thing when DS was tiny, so I'd have just detatched that from the pram body and taken it into the loo with me, I think.

But I'm also lucky enough to have had DH with me a lot, too.

wow all this jealousy
are people so sick that they begrudge disabled people a toilet
seems the answer is yes.

Ghost have you read anything that has been said on this thread? I am seriously starting to doubt it.

As an able bodied person I am lucky enough to have the choice of toilets, most places have at least 2 or 3 cubicles others have a lot more. A disabled person will normally have the choice of one toilet and be unable to access the others at all.

Is it really a lot to ask that people don't use that facility unless they have a medical reason to do so?

I do. What else are you to do? Go for a wee and leave the baby in his/her pram in the corridor? I think not.

Just read up entirely. Seems most of you WOULD do that. Goodness.

So many people are making the 'you'd have to wait for another disabled person so what's so wrong with waiting for an able bodied person/family' argument.

Surely it's pretty simple to understand that in a group of say 1000 people likely to be in a large department store at any one time the %age that will be disabled will probably be about 10-15% (of which maybe only half will need a disabled toilet? Not sure about that.) So probably more like 7%. The %age with buggies or tiny children will be a lot more than that.

So you up the chances of a person in need having to wait massively simply by being selfish. An occasional unavoidable problem could become a frequent avoidable problem if mothers with buggies use disabled toilets as well as those with disabilities.

Some people have selective reading skills. There have been other suggestions. Personally, I would not leave my baby outside a cubicle. I would take my baby in with me.