To think that the perfect place for a changing station is the toilet

[ProseccoMamam]

We had visitors over and there was one woman I want to ask you lot about (DH's side - auntie or something like that - the ones you only acknowledge on special family occasions). So anyway, all was good, Christmas was enjoyed etc etc.

I have 2 toilets. One downstairs toilet and an upstairs bathroom. The downstairs toilet is quite big (purposely built to be easily changed into a wheelchair friendly house), so it's big enough to have a unit in there which can hold a changing mat on top and the shelves underneath hold nappies and other changing bits. Brilliant, I have a toddler and big family so lots of babies. People who visit love it, they can take their LO into the toilet and change them easily just like you could in a public mother and baby toilet.

The woman from DH's side pulled me to one side and asked me to move all of the changing stuff 'upstairs where it belongs' I was confused? I asked why? She told me that it is very unsanitary to have a baby's changing things in a toilet 'that adults use too'. Now am I missing the point or is it disgusting? I was very happy that I could create a small changing station downstairs so I didn't have to take the toddler upstairs to change him all day every day. But now I'm thinking, Is it unhygienic? The toilet is cleaned daily (obviously) and I have always been in the habit of wiping down the changing mat with an anti bac wipe before and after use. I personally am completely confused with her comment so am I thick or is she just strange? Isn't a toilet the best place to be wiping bums and throwing away dirty nappies or am I missing something?

She's mental.
No it's not weird. Sounds fab.
Also you clean the toilet every day?! Obviously?! i dont know any people in real life that do this so in fact in my book you are way ahead of the game!

Unless you're leaving shitty nappies to pile up in the bathroom she's batshit. Ignore!

Very jealous of your bathroom big enough for a changing unit. Stealth boast!

Omg your auntie sounds ridiculous. YANBU whatsoever. You're well within your rights to be taken aback by by your relatives odd behaviour. How is a tiny baby any less hygienic than a full grown adult? Why is she bothered by it? Who does she think she is or does she need a golden throne to do her business on complete with BD at the side?

Surely poo is poo whether it comes from a baby or an adult? So changing a poopy nappy is no different to an adult having a poo?

YANBU

Why did she ask you to take them upstairs? Was she planning on sitting on the shelf?!

She’s weird

But even if you were being unreasonable, it’s the kind of thing you notice in someone’s house and just don’t say anything. She evidently doesn’t have that filter of keeping quiet when she thinks something is wrong, however small and not affecting her

Crazy woman, ignore her. My friend had this set up in her downstairs bathroom and I was always envious of her. It's the perfect set up.

Another jealous one here.....can't see any problem at all! She sounds batshit and rude.

The toilet is the wrong place to change dirty bums????? Feckin ridiculous comment. Have exact same set up as you and have had changing table in downstairs toilet for a few years now as have all the houses with young children on my street. Tell her to cop on to herself.

I'm jealous of your changing station. I have to have changing mat and changing box down side of the sofa! Your auntie would have a coronary!

I have facilities upstairs too in DS's room but I'm not going upstairs every time!

Its about what you are used to. I had a flat mate who thought leaving dirty sanitary pads in a bin in the toilet was wrong. I think putting them in my bedroom is disgusting. Who is right? We obviously both think we are.

I personally think it's unsanitary for you to have a toilet in your toilet and you should have taken it outside before she came.

The nappies are bagged in nappy sacks and put into the bin (for pads/tampons and nappies). It's a pedal bin so the lid is shut unless you open it. All nappies and wipes and creams are on the shelves under the unit (in those fabric storage boxes) so nothing is even 'on show' it's just a plain white unit with a yellow mat on top and matching yellow storage boxes). She really made me curious as to whether people were exiting my house thinking I was a crazy woman for having such set up glad to hear there are others who have it too!

I have issues around germs hence the cleaning toilet daily, and changing the toddler in the living room I couldn't do unless I could bleach everything afterwards

I think your lucky to have the space. I have a downstairs toilet but it's not big enough for a unit. Mind you I'm not a fan of them as once baby is rolling they're dangerous so I don't see the point. I'm more of a changing mat on floor person. Sorry I do digress...

Your dh's Aunt is clearly bonkers.
It sounds wonderful.

Only odd bit about your post is the bit where you say you clean the toilet every day 'obviously', as if this were a 'thing'

Where do these people come from
Is she still there? Please ask her for more info, is she worries about the baby catching something or adults catching something?

Oh this brings me back. When my babies were babies I had a built in cupboard in my bathroom and it was above the stairs so the “floor” of the cupboard was raised to seat height. I put in a set of plastic drawers and a bit of vinyl flooring and added a changing mat. I loved my little self contained baby changing station. Was really sad to lose it when I moved.

Used to change my dcs on the dining table...

She’s bonkers 😂

It’s not like you’re dunking his bum in the toilet water to wash it! 😂

It sounds great, but please don't use anti bacterial wipes

I'd say all poo related issues take place in one room...so the downstairs toilet is ideal.

Do any smells come out? Maybe leave some air freshener in there.

Best place for it - put the cat's litter tray in there while you are at it, for full poo containment!

Baby wee and baby poo is less likely to be infected than an adults, so more sanitary!! She can fuck the fuck off!

I think it's a brilliant convenience and would have loved something like that if I'd lived in or visited a two-story place when mine were little.

I suppose, from a sanitary perspective, a changing table in a room with a toilet could get the spray from the flushing toilet all over it (especially if some people don't put the lid down), which wouldn't happen to a changing table in a bedroom. But I think that's getting way too picky. It's also true of the sink, the door, the walls, etc, even ourselves if we're in there while it flushes and we don't get hosed down with disinfectant before leaving.