AIBU to think that you don't change your baby's nappy in the middle of a coffee shop?

[Anonymous2003]

I was in a coffee shop today and there was a family with two babies sitting a couple tables up from us. I looked over and I saw the father changing the baby's nappy on the seat (the soft seat side of the table, not on a hard chair). I know it wasn't on the table or anything and I think it was only a wet nappy but AIBU to think that was a bit odd... I wasn't in the toilets so not certain if there was a baby changing mat in there.

Why would a new Mum with a tiny baby go out without a portable changing mat?

And wipes too.

My front doorstep looks out on to a big green. Beyond that is the pavement where people walk with kids, dogs, etc. One evening a couple came by with a toddler and a load of stuff, looked like a family get together. I was smoking by my open front door and was amazed to see them put a potty down on the pavement for the child to use. People should be more careful and avoid exposing their little ones in public.

My DS is nearly 40 now but I can remember being told off for something similar. I didnt have a lot of choice. There was a queue for the loo and if I hadn't changed him he would have screamed the place down. A quick, reasonably discreet change seemed like the best option.

That being said, I'm still blushing with shame about the comments I received nearly half a century ago.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Just because they're a baby doesn't mean it's magically hygienic.

So, you wouldn't put your child on some changing tables, but you'd happily expect people to sit down, eat and drink on chairs/tables you've changed your baby's nappy on?

I'd rather see and smell a little kid on a potty than someone smoking. One's a biological necessity, the other one is an optional, revolting and antisocial addiction. Horses for courses.

🤮🤮🤮

anyone who does this is fucking gross.

I know, so many times I've had to make that tough choice in public - do I smoke or do I strip a child and let it piss in front of everyone? I wish there were a third option like doing neither.

What else do you expect people with a potty training child to do? Never go out? There are dogs weeing and shitting on that self same piece of grass! Odd comment.

And it doesn't compare in any way to changing a nappy at a cafe table.

Legally there has to be a door between a kitchen and a bathroom, so if they were making food in the same part of the building as the baby was being changed then that must be illegal.

No. There must be an alternative to doing this, surely…

Fine, no one else had to put up with the smoke, my front door which I happened to be standing at, my business.

This is the only sensible answer

At the end of the day shit is shit and it should not be making an appearance in a room where food is being served, take your baby out to the car to change if you don’t want to do it in the bathroom on the changing table or take your baby home to change don’t do it where people are eating it’s gross.

Look, I know what it’s like with a small baby. But come on that’s not acceptable. I do think we become immune to the daily routine of changing a baby, and obviously it just becomes so normalised, but that is not the problem of other people.

Yes, a wet bum isn’t gross or smelly, but it’s still inappropriate to do that in such a setting, and yes any open arse near food eating areas is unhygienic- I don’t care if it’s an infant arse or that of an 80 year old man, I don’t want it near me. Also, what if the baby decided to pee/poo while the nappy is being changed? That definitely wouldn’t go down well.

I always change mine in the bathroom even if there isn’t a changing table. I put the fold away mat on the floor, or if I have the pram with me I try to do it in there if it will fit in the bathroom.

It’s just pure lazy and inconsiderate.

🤮

What? Read my message again. I said with a mat/on lap is non issue. Anyway the portable ones are so thin I would never put a baby on the loo floor on one it would be so hard and unhygienic.

And?
It's still gross

I changed my baby in a large well known coffee shop the other day. I went into the baby change first of all which was fucking rancid!!!! Also both ladies and gents toilets were out of order, which meant only one working toilet in this huge cafe!

I changed baby in the pram instead , hood up so no one could see, used our fold away changing mat and hand sanitizer etc. made sure none of the changing items touched the table, chairs ect.

We were sat discretely in a corner and it was only a wet nappy.

I felt this was ok, given the circumstances.

TBH, I doubt anyone even noticed.
This thread is more about parents who plonk their baby on the seating, or worse, the table, and change their nappy.

Maybe because she’s absolutely fucking exhausted and forgot that amongst the 101 other things she needed to take out with her that day. When my daughter was newborn I got all the way to the shops before I realised I’d forgotten my purse, you can forget anything when you’re running on next to no sleep.

So the public have to be party to your baby's ablutions and smelly nappy just to suit your parking requirements

I've heard that some children can start peeing mid nappy change. Imagine a boy, squirting it all around! Revolting.

I am in no way squeamish or ultra hygiene conscious but I do think that is very grim indeed.

I can only imagine the furore if a dog peed on the floor ( let alone on the seating, although it should never be allowed on that obviously.)

Men's loos need the same changing facilities that women's loos have.

I'd do this is there wasn't any baby changing facilities and it was a wet nappy. I would always use a mat and my portable one never leaves the change bag (but for nappy changes). The used nappy would go in a nappy bag, inside the change bag until I got home. I'd use hand sanitiser.

If it was a dirty nappy I'd leave and do it either in the car or at home.

Nothing wrong with this. With a baby sometimes you have to do what you have to do.