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?

Well they shouldn't be putting the baby change in there as it gives the impression that it is ok for mothers with babies to go in too.

Yanbu as long as there is no one disabled waiting for the cubicle.

I would and have done.

These toilets are designed for wheelchair use, that's the prime reason they are larger. You have a buggy, therefore need more room.

It's fine by me.

Our local shopping center disbaled loos also have the mum and baby logo thing as well and are fine to use - most places I think appreciate that mums with buggies need that extra space,

if i was ever in a queue with sonmeone disabled behind me though which I have never been, I would always ask them if they would like to go before me.

I loathe m & s were I am - has a special key disbaled loo and no provision for people with prams.

I can't see that a viable alternative has been suggested. As a non-supermum I really couldn't deal with the belts, buttons, pants etc and safely hold a baby. I have twins so this would have been impossible. Able bodied people shouldn't have to suffer the indignity of having to toilet with the door open either. Obviously once baby can stand there's no reason to use disabled loos but until then there's no other option really.

I hate that they put the baby change in the disabled loo, I feel anxious the whole time in there to be as quick as possible.

Good for M&S.

Re: IBS, if the regular toilets had a queue and the sufferer urgently needed a toilet, of course they should use the disabled loo. I genuinely don't think anyone would argue that they'd be better off soiling themselves. Know someone with crohns who has a little card to show to request access to non public toilets in an emergency. Same kind if thing really.

I make a decision on a case by case basis whether it's ok to use the disabled loos. One of the nearby shopping centres here has lovely "parent cubicles", so I use those. If it's a quiet place with a long row of cubicles and easy to navigate doors I will park the buggy outside the end cubicle (and sometimes leave the door open...). I have weed many times holding a baby or toddler - it's not easy, but not impossible either. But if the disabled loo is the only viable option, then I will use that.

Our local shopping centre, during the planning stages, did a trial test of the toilets (amongst other things) to check that they were accessible with buggies but also that the cubicles were big enough for heavily pregnant women to get in and be able to turn around and close the door.

How women friendly is that?!

I only do this if there's a sign up indicating make cleaners are present. Otherwise, I head to the end of the row and shut the door only to the extent that I can just still see the buggy.

Can someone give me a link to where I buy the sign to stick on my head, so that people know that I have disability.

the thing is this time last year, I didn't have a disability, you wouldn't guess just by looking.

but I still knew that it was wrong to occupy a disabled loo, because I was aware of how others with disabilities need to use them(maybe everyone should before leaving education should have to work with the disabled and elderly, the lack of awareness is astonishing), it not just the time that a person with a disability has to wait, when undressing to use a loo it takes time.

It wasn't many years ago when there was no such thing as a disabled loo for people to use, so people were stuck in their homes, the legislation that came in that forced the requirements of disabled loos to be proved did not come about because people with buggies and children were thought to need these facilities,

by all means start a campaign to get planning law changed to force places to provide loos that accommodate buggies, I very much doubt it will be successful as it is an unreasonable request, where as providing essential facilities for people who have no choice is reasonable, therefore it happened, to abuse those facilities for your own convenience, is selfish and nasty.

people who have a disability cannot hover over a dirty loo seat, so when people use the loo for their children, who dribble over the loo seat, they are making the use of the loo an even more horrible experience, for the disabled person, often when I go to use a disabled loo, I wait while a parent supervise children, when you ask them politely if they could clear up after the child, they react as if you have asked them to lick it clean.

My dad is disabled and my brother had downs - my dad would never EVER EVER critise someone for using a disabled loo if they were desperate or had a buggy, or were ill that day or didnt have a badge but were in alot of pain for whatever reason that day and I know my mother wouldnt have either.

Someone going into the disabled loo to snort coke or have sex or get changed etc take ages and clog it up... YES - but not a human in some sort of need.

I also know my mother wouldnt have complained if she had been waiting with my brother to use a diabled loo and then a mum and baby came out...

There was talk of some speical loo campaign recently trying encourage business with loo's to let the public use them.

I just cant get the lack of humatiy in some people. Its like lets say there is a queue for the normal loo s and there is no queue for disabled and someone is literally about to wet themselves - they are just suppsoed to do that - while watching the empty disabled loo because they didnt campaign for it!

Of course it's ok, you can't leave your baby unattended in the corridor can you? It takes me about 30 seconds to wee so it's not like I'm holding anyone up.

I wouldn't and have always managed with using normal cubicles, even with a pushchair. Leave pushchair outside the cubicle if room, toilets if not, take in supplied number of small wriggly children. Give toddlers important jobs to do like getting toilet roll for mummy and checking I've pulled my trousers up/skirt down; plonk baby on knee, wee; get up; hold baby with one arm, do myself up with the other; stick baby back in buggy. check clothing and wash hands.

It is a slight palaver but much better than to use up one of the few disabled loos in a town/shop which are only there because disabled people campaigned for them and need them.

If parents really need baby/child friendly toilets now, perhaps they should do the same.

There is no need for a viable alternative - wheelchair accessable toilets legally must be provided, but they are not for the sole use of wheelchair users. No wheelchair users can use them but it is curteous to leave them for the purpose intended if there are other suitable facilities available.

Wheelchair users can suffer from a range of diabilities, some of them meaning that they may need use of a toilet quickly........equally so can other members of the general public. They don't have toliets labelled for the sole use of people with issues that mean they need the toilet quickly but are not wheelchair users, they have to rely on the curtesy of the public in an emergency if there are queues.

It think it's fine, and I do it all the time, for these reasons:

1. Normally you're allowed to use them - that's why the baby change is in there. It's a shared facility between parents-with-buggy and disabled people, it's not exclusive to either party.

2. Leaving your baby alone outside the toilet cubicle is not safe. Balancing baby in arms while going to the toilet is not safe either, plus not very hygienic.

3. Disabled toilets are severely underused, so the chances of there being a long queue of disabled people waiting outside while you use the disabled toilet, is very low. In fact, I've never come outside to see even one disabled person waiting. Other parents with buggies, yes, disabled people - never.

But my main reason, I rather risk angry looks from the judgemental public, then coming outside the toilet and finding my baby gone from the buggy.

When I had a buggy, baby in it and toddler/small child I would use the normal toilet - would take walking child in toilet with me and park buggy by the OPEN toilet door. If anyone dared to say to shut the door (if offended by seeing 3yr old boy wee) then I would have said sorry, I can't fit the buggy in here. For my own wee needs, I would hold it in :)

Jaffacakeeater - I'm not sure that disabled "people should have to suffer the indignity of having to toilet with the door open" either. Although I suppose they are more likely to do so if there is a perfectly able bodied person in the disabled toilet and they can't get into a normal one.

Disabilities are not confined to those who use wheelchairs.

In the past when my kids were small I did. It was incredibly difficult to pee with dd in my arms only a few months old (she hated the sling thing), big baby bag on the floor and keep an eye on ds in there too while hoping that the buggy is safe being left outside the cubicle.

well it would depend if my pelvic floor could hold out,it's not what it was

would only use if clearly free

i dont see the big deal if it's free and you have a pushchair,no way would i put a small baby on the floor like another poster said

yanbu

i try not to visit public toilets to often but when i do the disabled one is normally empty

so i think in general people dont abuse them and do respect the purpose for what they are intended

I would. What's the alternative? I also use them when I have all 3 of my children with me - they are not old enough to be left to it and we can't all fit in a normal cubicle.

Not really any other way is there? The 'normal' loos are way too cramped to fit any buggy in and what else can you do if alone- take baby out of buggy, leave it outside and sit baby on your knee whilst you pee? Or leave the baby outside whilst you pee? Yanbu at all, I think everyone does it if there's noone with them to watch the buggy.

Welsh, no they aren't - the toilets may sometimes be called diabled toilets when in fact what they are is toilets designed for wheelchair users. They are equally of benefit to others who require more space, are infirm and need grab handles and those who may need the support of having an emergency cord.

Councils need to supply facilities that can be used by wheelchair users, they do not need to provide toliets for the sole use of people with disabilities that can use regular toilet facilities too.

As has been said, why should these toilets stand empty on the chance that someone with a wheelchair may come along when people may be queuing to use other toilets. It's nonsence.

In my office we have no wheelchair users - we have lots of accessable toilets as we need to by law.