Out with child in a pram and you need the loo...

[Blackbear19]

If your on your own what do you do?
The obvious answer is to use the 'family loo' if there is one but few places seem to have them. Do you?

1. Use a standard cubical in the ladies. Keeping the door open so you can keep an eye on child?

1. Ask a stranger to keep an eye?

1. Leave pram unattended and hope for the best?

1. Use a shewee?

1. Quickly nip into the accessible loo?

List all that apply or you'd consider.

Admittedly I don't go to shopping centres etc much and do most shopping online, but what is different about the end cubicle to the rest?

not letting anyone see me with my pants down

If you were to use an end cubicle you could maybe pull your buggy right up to the door then just open it a crack to keep an eye on it. No one would see you or try to open the door as they would see your buggy.

Accessible toilet always. I seriously can't understand why people take issue with mothers and babies using the accessible toilet? We can't fit in the normal loo and 99% of them have the baby change in them anyway, so are clearly a shared space. It's not as if we take up residence, I change a nappy, have a wee, wash my hands and leave. If my child could walk I'd take them in the normal toilet with me but until then there's no other option.
There is no way I am ever leaving my baby unattended or with a stranger, nor am I peeing/changing a tampon with the bloody door open, especially given the fact that people with penises can now elect to use the female toilets.
Obviously if a disabled person joined the queue whilst I'm waiting I'd always ask them to go before me.

This is why I don’t take my child out much. I already have to military plan a short excursion reading these comments just makes me keep her home more. I wonder how many others with disabilities or disabled children do the same? Is it really so difficult to get together and push for decent family facilities, instead of accepting short cuts such as baby change in accessible toilets?

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/accessible-toilet-project.blog/2014/02/24/disabled-or-accessible-toilet/amp/

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2019/04/30/by-using-the-disabled-toilet-youre-putting-me-at-risk-9327740/amp/

www.changing-places.org/the_campaign/what_are_changing_places_toilets_.aspx

I am fortunate in that the disabled members of my family don’t need a changing places space anymore but I still joined the campaign so is it really hard to get mumsnet to assist parents in getting decent family unisex places (so the single dads can use them too) inside places?

Its amazing how much progress has been made.
For years those doors were locked tight, and to get a key you had to meet the health requirements. No popping off to wherever to easily buy a key. No one moaned about the locked door even when there were queues. Somehow parents managed to piss in the toilet.

Makes you wonder why there's a key system in place at all if all and sundry are going to use the space.

It is many years since I had young children but I have enough experience with disability that I would never use a disabled toilet for this. If I was going to need to be out for long enough that I would need the toilet I would either use the sling or arrange to go with a friend so we could watch each other's children while we used the toilet.

Thanks to all who’ve reported. We’re just dropping in with a strong reminder that we don’t tolerate disablism in any form on Mumsnet, as such posts don't fit with our basic philosophy of support and advice for all parents and break our Talk Guidelines. We also ask that you consider the challenges many parents of children with disabilities, or who have disabilities themselves, face on a daily basis, and bear this in mind when posting. Please remember there are real people behind these posts and do consider the hurt a thoughtless comment may cause.

This thread feels like a rehash of a very similar thread recently. Because of this, we're going to close this thread now.

I'm really surprised at people not encountering combined accessible and baby changing cubicles. Pubs and coffee shops do this. I assumed it was so male or female carers could use them. My bugbear is when they're only in the ladies!

Accessible toilet always. I seriously can't understand why people take issue with mothers and babies using the accessible toilet?

As the numbers here show, the reason is because so many are willing to use them despite the fact they often have an alternative that’s just a little bit tricky, those who have no other option at all find these loos constantly in use.

Ask yourself this, if there was a massive queue for the disabled toilet and none for the ladies, how many of your seemingly impossible issues would miraculously melt away?

I would never leave my child with anyone. And I'm not leaving the door open.