and I know I've done a bloody stupid thing but - changing a wet nappy in public

[booradley]

I feel so stupid and I know I'm in the wrong but I changed DD nappy in the cafe area of a farm park today. It was 4.30 and there was no-one around, the nearest people were sitting 15 feet away and the baby changing station was occupied. I knew that it was just a wet one and that she had on dungarees so no part of her body or the used nappy would touch the table so I changed her.
A member of staff came up to me late and said that a doctor had seen me do it and he is going to report the park to the dept of health.
I know the staff member was freaked out but when I asked what this would mean she said they would probably get closed down.

I know its a bloody stupid thing to have done and I feel a complete mug but does anyone have any idea what's going to happen?
I figured the best scenario would be a get a snotty letter from park telling me off but the worst, well I have a vivid imagination and I'm thinking all kinds of stuff - does anyone have any ideas.

ps - yes I know it was a bloody stupid thing to do.

Could have been made up to worry you.
To be honest some places are gross anyway and they dont clean there tables properly anyway. I am a bit OCD but bet the amount of people feeding animals etc never washed there hands when they sat down to eat or used the loo and put there hands all over the chairs and tables and cutlery etc. think a small babies nappy that never actually got wee on the table and was cleaner than the table probaly is the least of their worries!

Money is the filthiest stuff in shops, banks, cafes. You never know where it has been, although a friend who worked in AandE has told me of removing some from unusual places....Greece is winning Euro vote currently.

My son turded on the newly carpeted floor of Specsavers once. It must have fallen directly out of his shorts - it hadn't touched the sides.

The staff were fine.

Sounds like the staff membe wanted to scare you! Don't do it again, but you know this already.

I often see parents change nappies in the cabin of the aircraft, not bothering to use the change-facilities in the toilets. It's very unconsiderate of other people.

My dd1 (who is now 14 so we don't mention it) had a wee in a display toilet in a DIY superstore many years ago.Her friend wet herself at her first communion. It happens, it gets cleaned up. A lot worse is lying around.

Seashell that is inconsiderate but this situation happened to me with a 17 month old.

What would you have done?

dd1 had a dirty nappy within moments of us boarding the plane. The seatbelt light remained on for over an hour. The baby was smelly, it was a confined space.

3 options as far as I can see

1. ignore it, leave child stinky in dirty nappy? Not nice for her or anyone else nearby.

1. Ignore seatbelt light and go to change area. (cabin staff were insistent we could not do this)

1. change discreetly and apologetically on lap

I did 3. IMO a little different to the OP's scenario as given that situation I would probably have waited for the changing facility to be available.

I'm sure there are still plenty of countries where the drugs schedule still includes the live oral vaccine, just as there are plenty of countries where polio is endemic.

I'm afraid I can't possibly agree that human faecal matter is somehow better/less dangerous than animal dung. After all, human dung contains bacteria likely to infect humans, whilst animals, especially those from a very different species, are much less likely to have anything that will cross the species barrier to humans. There are plenty of faeces borne diseases in the world that are still a real problem- I really do not think any of us can afford to be complacent.

Onepieceoflollipop, I would have assessed the situation, for example asking the crew how long the turbulence was likely to continue for (maybe I could wait if it wasn't going to be for too long). Maybe I would have let baby sit in its poo for 1 hour before changing the nappy in the toilet (unless baby had a red bum or poo had leaked out). It's a tricky one but I have seen nappies being changed in seats when toilets vacant and no tubulence.
One passenger one day asked me to hold her baby so she could go to the toilet. I did, only to notice that baby was soaked in pee and soked me too. And she was going to the toilet, without changing her baby!!!

They won't get shut down, it's not like they had any control over it. I think I'd have laughed at them. Please don't worry about it, I don't think you did anything bad and I doubt they will get closed down. The staff member was probably just stressed if she had had a doctor have a go at her. It would have added weight to her worry because he said he was a doctor.

Anyone really distressed by baby wee/poo should move to another planet that doesn't have babies on it. The planet Earth is currently in use by the human race for the purpose of having kids.

Also I'm glad someone mentioned dogs. They are allowed to shit anywhere as long as the owner picks up the biggest lumps.

< sigh > Grey, it's not "baby poo", it's human poo. That is the nub of the problem. The baby may be sweet, its excretions still contain bacteria, viruses and possibly even parasites.

And forgive me, but the planet Earth is currently used by a great many other species and life forms than humankind. We're the only species conceited enough to believe it is here just for us though.

O.K. So heres the deal go to B&Q this weekend where they're bound to have one of those 'farmyard looking' benches...buy one, donate it to the farm making sure they put one of those gold donation plates on it
Take old 'farmyard bench', complete with childs DNA on carry down the bottom of your garden and BURN IT!...Result; Farmyard pleased coz they have new bench, you're pleased because you've distroyed evidence of baby's DNA [on bench] before the hygene police start work again on Tuesday morning

I read something recently about the number of germs on doorhandles in public loos, and on the taps themselves. Taps, get touched with 'unclean' hands to turn them on, then you touch them again to turn them off, with your washed hands and then dry them!

Also, aren't handbags supposed to be incredible germ carriers? They get put on floors (sometimes in public loos there is just no choice) then put on tables in cafes etc.

In fact, I think all handles/taps/handbags etc. should be banned immediately. From everywhere. Along with all children who are potty training and might possibly have an accident. And of course the elderly.....

Seriously, I feel pretty sad that people can be so judgemental. Yes, the OP could have waited for the facilities to be vacant BUT you have to factor in everything else going on for that person at that time, which none of us surely know?
When my DC were toddlers I had days when I was so dazed, tired, overwhelmed and prob downright depressed that I suspect I would have changed a nappy on Gordon Ramsay's chopping board without thinking about it!

Duchesse - It wasn't a pooey nappy.

Onepieceoflolipop - I have had the exact same situation happen to me. I had a travel changing mat and I changed my dd on the seat before we took off. I suspect no-one even noticed. I frequently changed my dd1's wet nappies on the seat of the aircraft without anyone noticing. She was not very old before she was too big to lie on the pathetic changing tables provided on aircraft toilets. For a pooey nappy I would normally struggle in the toilet but only because of the smell.
I truly see wet and dirty nappies as different.

LOL at the supposed doctor being an authority on germs. DH is the filthiest person I know (TBF, he is very good at hand washing after weeing).

intersting Riven, never thought about SN kids and toilets What do you normally do?

ROFL Colditz! I have tears rolling down my cheeks

I've changed my DCs in cafes before, in the buggy lying flat. I wouldn't use a table.

Booradley - nothing will come of it but it was an inconsiderate thing to do. If the tables had been outside and a bird pooed on them they wouldn't close the cafe down. That's just cafe staff being jobsworthy and using H&S as an excuse to be nasty to you.

riven , I spend at least a couple of months a year in asia and found it difficult enough changing my 2 year old with no fascilities. Usually on a pile of carrier bags whilst curious eyes looked on....our western bits are something to behold apparently. Toilets in most parts are washed with the same mop no rinsing as the one that cleans the urine from the hole in the floor toilet.
I cannot imagine being in this country reduced to that and with a 4 year old..... I am interested to see your biceps!!

I am not jusging the op., he feels bad, she wouldn't do it again, but IU am surprised at some of your reactions in a ''what are you supposed to do if the nappy changing facilities are not available...'' way.
FFS, do none of you have little fold up mats and hand cleanser?? Do you have to be spoon fed by venues?
I have changed my babies' nappies in some right old places, indoors, outdoors but not on a table meant for eating on.

Boo, as several people have said, don't panic! Staff member was telling a great bit porkie in order to make you feel bad. She invented the doctor - no doctor would do any such thing (they would know the difference between the Dept of Health and Environmental Health, for starters). And it would take a LOT more than that for EH to even bother turning up, let alone close the place down. I've spent a day out with EH and I can promise you parents changing nappies is the least of their problems...