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.

Yep - complete entitlement and arrogance.

That is no excuse to change a nappy where other people are eating.

It's definitely not ideal but I have been in a position while out walking with my baby and he had a bad nappy. There was one toilet in the cafe we were in and someone had taken it over and been in it for about half an hour so I couldn't access the baby change. There was nowhere else for me to go. I used my car so it was fine but if I'd walked I would have needed to do the same because I couldn't have left ds in that nappy for any longer. Sometimes needs must.

Slap it up to the owners. If it happened that often the answer is providing a changing facility -
then and ONLY then do you have a right to complain about parents changing a child at the table.

utterly ridiculous you accept children coming to the restaurant and expect parents to let their child have a dirty or wet nappy and leave them in it.

I would have unapologetically changed my child at the table if YOUR establishment didn’t bother to provide such a basic facility

I had to change my babies nappy in a pub restaurant last week. On the bench seating next to the table. And it was poo.
Luckily there was hardly anyone in there.
I didn't have any choice and I actually asked the staff what I should I do and they told me to do that. I did have a travel mat so it wasn't like it was on the bare bench that people would have to sit on after.
It was a medieval building and had no baby change, and the toilets were like coffins you couldn't have even used the toilet floor. And I'd brought her in the sling not the pram so didn't have the pram to do it.

I genuinely don't think anyone but the people I was with saw thankfully.

I think it depends on the scenario. If there's no baby change and your baby is screaming their head off... I think if I'd come in the car I'd go do it there, or if I had the pram I'd do it in the pram.. outside in the pram if warm enough...
But I suppose there might be occasions when you just had to quickly change the nappy to keep the baby quiet, and there's no other option but to do it right there on your lap or something.

Controversial but if it was a small baby and just pee and he used a travel changing mat I wouldn’t care.

I was in Copenhagen with my toddler this year and a lot of the smaller cafes didn’t have a changing table, which surprised me as it’s a much more child friendly place. When I asked the staff they said I was welcome to change her on the benches/ floor.

It's not ok even if there are no changing tables available.

There are other options like the pram or on the floor of the toilets. I used to take a travel changing mat out with me with some anti bacterial wipes so that I had the option of the floor if absolutely necessary.

There definitely should be more accessible changing facilities for parents of both sexes but it is never necessary to change a baby in the middle of a cafe.

Pee is actually sterile, so germs aren't the issue, and disposable nappies keep the pee in, but I still agree with you - that is not the place to do the change.

Revolting. And then didn't wash his hands.
I'd have said something to the staff.

Urine is not sterile. That is a myth.

I saw someone do it in a softplay on the table. Yes there were baby changing facilities. It was only a wet one but I still was bemused and thinking WTF! It's disgusting.

This seems to be becoming something of a thing. I have seen women change a nappy three times this year at a table near me in cafes. I had never seen it before this year. Two were just wet nappies and one was a poo. Even the first two put me off my food. I know that the loos in these cafés are clean and pleasant and have a changing table, so why not use them?
I have GC and change nappies myself, so I am not squeamish. I just don't want it done next to me when I am eating.

YANBU but I feel like a hypocrite saying that as I've previously had to change my child on the seat of the pub at the sports club as there was no changing area in any of the toilets. 😬

Indeed.
https://www.healthline.com/health/is-urine-sterile

I'd rather that than have dogs in a cafe. Especially when people have their dogs up on the seats, panting at table level. Minging. Bare anus on the chair. I could change a nappy without any part of my baby or the dirty nappy touching the underneath surface. Not that I did. And if the toilet's are tiny, what are parents supposed to do? I'd rather not put my baby on the floor of a public toilet.

Because no one wants to see and smell pee/poo and genitals when eating.

I don't want to smell dog when I am eating, or, in fact, any time, but you take your mutt everywhere, and impose the stench upon the rest of us, don't you.

I don't have mutt.

Funny how on dog threads, people always moan about dogs being compared to children... yet here you are doing the same on the opposite type of thread.

If a dog is allowed somewhere, then a person with a dog is doing nothing wrong.
Changing a nappy in a place where people are eating and drinking is rank, unhygienic, and just shows a ridiculous level of entitlement.

You do have a mutt. I was pointing out that a tiny child having their nappy changed harms absolutely no one, yet people who are allergic to dogs, or plain don't like the smell or energy of them, have to contend with them everywhere now. So until we ban mutts from food establishments, I don't really see how it's worse to deal with a necessary baby situation. Chill out.