To leave my DS with strangers while I go to the loo?

[MeerkatMerkin]

DS is 2 and a half and in the buggy. Big city park, mummy needs relief. There was a queue to the ladies, this is just two cubicles and a sink - DS' (double twin) buggy too wide to go into the loo and not block the other toilet or sinks. So I ask the rest of the queue (some women with children too) to keep an eye while I run in and out.

When I return from peeing (30 seconds?) a woman in her 30s with an older toddler told me I was irresponsible and that my child could have been abducted or worse. She hadn't been in the queue as far as I'd seen before.

AIBU to leave DS in the buggy with mothers watching him while I take a pee? Or am I some kind of terrible neglectful wench? I don't think I am BU but I might be wrong and would appreciate opinion for next time.

fishy you have spent far too long thinking about the toileting details :o

seeker you might be surprised how little effect saying "sorry I can't" has on some people.

For clarification, there was only one door separating me and DS. And it wasn't even locked (lock was broken - in both cubicles in fact). I had to trust the same women not to burst in and ogle at me peeing to be fair. The main door to the toilet was bolted open and there are two cubicles - I was in the one closest to the door - I was literally probably 4 feet from DS in all with one closed and unlocked cubicle door between us and I was gone literally no longer than 30 seconds. I pee fast! I doubt a fire alarm or any other extenuating circumstances could have stopped me (and the one other woman in the cubicle next to me) from diving out from behind the unlocked door, grabbing my DS (and my OFRS ) and escaping danger.

I am feeling more relaxed about it today after visiting the same park, standing in the same queue (but DH was there today and looking after DS) and being asked by a man going into the gents with a DD my DS's age and a 3-4mo old in a vair posh and expensive Bugaboo donkey to look after them while he nipped into the loo. I could've stolen his children AND his expensive (not free as ours was!) buggy so I think I am probably not out of the ordinary in terms of how I handle these situations. :)

I want to know how it takes fishy 45-60 seconds to 'clench, hoike and unlock' the door. That's actually an amazingly long time when you actually count it passing and I'm fairly certain, if you do that, you'll realise you could do it in about 5, if you needed to. I know I could!

Did any of you read about the case in the paper (not DM ) this week, a mum pushed her child & buggy onto the tube, stepped back to get her luggage & the train left without her - I just think it is so sad that presumably she felt she couldn't ask someone to help her on the train with her luggage, not quite the same scenario I know but just shows perhaps how all of us must be prepared to help others out .

Oh my, Ragwort, that is awful! I'd be completely distraught if I were the mother - did she manage to get baby back quickly? I have travelled by train alone with DS and have always had offers of carrying luggage whilst I heave DS onto train in buggy. Must be a horrible feeling. :(