Shared disability toilets with baby changing facilities

[MobilityCat]

Yesterday, I found myself in an embarrassing and upsetting situation when I crapped myself while waiting outside the disabled toilet. A mum was inside, chatting and cooing to her baby while changing its nappy. While I completely understand that she needed a suitable place to change her baby, I couldn’t help but wonder: why does it have to be in the one facility specifically designed for the disabled? Why can't the baby changing facilities be located in the women's toilet or have a separate dedicated room for this purpose?

@fuzzychic

Would it be accessible?

There is no reason for it not to be.

We have 3 Tesco extra stores on our city and each of them has a disabled toilet and a baby change which is large enough to consider access needs.

Sorry that happened to you that sounds awful.
there needs to be more facilities in general, it’s not the mum fault but I do find it unfair that the only changing facilities is in the disabled toilet, it’s like that in a few of the big stores where I live too. I’m conscious when I’ve taken my baby in there that someone may need it but there’s no space or facilities in the ladies toilets so what do we do?

But where would you have it OP?

Arguably they could pop a baby changing area in both the womens & mens toilets, if space, but there would still need to be a disabled toilet with baby changing facilities because disabled people do still have babies so they would still need that.

I get it OP.
I was stood with DD in her wheelchair for 25 minutes before Christmas outside the only accessible toilet for her which was also shared baby change.
Eventually the attendant knocked (we'd knocked previously and had no reply) and identified herself and asked if all was ok. The reply came "Yes, just feeding the baby".
It was then pointed out that feeding spaces were available and that there was a queue of disabled people waiting outside. The entire family (mum, dad, 2 kids) finally appeared after spending half an hour in there.

Change your kid by all means, but half an hour feeds are not fair.

YANBU but neither was she. Issue should be with the venue however what sort of venue are we talking about? A large pub then yes they should have more than one disabled toilet. A small cafe with only 1 toilet on the whole premises then no.

What’s a long relaxing nappy change?

I wish they were separate too. I also wish there were more accessible toilets. I am often out with two babies and a double buggy. I have to use the disabled toilet as while I could carry one child into the toilet with me, I can't carry two and sort my trousers. But the reality is that buildings don't want to give up more space than they legally have to for toilet facilities.

It’s normally down to space and money
The only business selling food and drink that need to provide toilets

if they start upping the requirements they wouldn’t bother there’d been even less or no toilets at all

do to access in some places with pram

Is there any way you could have used the other toilets?

Do you have adult protection pants for this type of occurrence?

I didn't mind waiting, the point was that I crapped myself while waiting. It wasn't just an academic thing.

Perhaps her baby had a poo explosion and needed to be changed in to clothes as well as a clean nappy. You can't always hurry up.
DS is autistic, non verbal and still in nappies at 4 and It sometimes takes ages to change him, especially if he doesn't want to co operate. It's not anyone's fault the baby change is in with the disabled toilet.
Ideally it would be separate or in the men and ladies toilet but it very rarely seems to be.
I can see it would be mortifying for you OP but would you be equally annoyed if another disabled person had been using the toilet? It's not the woman's fault she needed to change her babies nappy. YABU to be annoyed at her. YANBU to think baby change and disabled toilets should be separate.

Well cooing and chatting usually makes the nappy change quicker not slower - much easier to get them cleaned up and dressed if they are calm rather than angry and fighting you at every step! Sometimes nappy changes can take a while especially if there's been a leak and they need a full outfit change!

Yes they should be separate but that is the fault of the venue, not the parent.

Agree with you the facilities in the accessible changing room need to include facilities for a parent with disability to be able to change their baby plus the facilities to change a child with disability

There are some post(ers) here with serious empathy bypasses. Hope you are ok @MobilityCat .

I ageee. I think a lot of it is to do with that people think babies trump everything.

They don’t.

I understand what you are saying but many women are disabled through childbirth so it can do. On top of that many people with disabilities have babies. They may need the accessible facilities. I'm concerned by all the suggestions of moving changing facilities OUT or the accessible facility. By all means stick one in the nonaccessible men and women's loos but for the sake of mothers with disabilities please please don't remove them from the accessible facilities.

It was in a large supermarket

Clearly not or they wouldn't have been waiting for the accessible facility!

Actually having a baby does result in a disabled mother sometimes, my cousin for one.
This toilet was for BOTH disabled and people needing to change babies. I remember one time when my kids were little changing them in one of these loos. Somebody started knocking, then when I told them I'm just changing my babies they started banging on the door demanding I hurry up. When I came out I was told I was a selfish bitch and these toilets are for disabled people by the person pushing the wheelchair. The person in the wheelchair was also angry and complaining about me as well.
I'm still pissed off about it 16 years later.

It’s easier for businesses to combine the disabled toilet with baby change facilities because then their baby change area is unisex and the large space also means that parents can take pushchairs in with them.

It means that people who actually have to use the disabled toilet are waiting around for parents to change their baby and then use the loo themselves before coming out. It’s completely unfair.

Great good on Tesco. Hats off to them.

It was perfectly clear to me

Childbirth can cause life changing injuries.