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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Stopped from taking my child into a changing room.

132 replies

LemingsLemon · 07/04/2026 23:10

went to my local John Lewis today- more to buy some things for DD, but found a blouse that was on sale so decided to try it on

Went to the changing rooms- I had 3 items for DD (2 dresses and a pair of trousers) and the blouse. Went over to the changing rooms, pleasantries exchanged and attendant handed me a card with my number of items. DD was fast asleep in her small, umbrella fold buggy. Changing rooms are quite large- could have fit me and DD in th buggy in there with room for me to try items on.

Assistant stopped me as I was pushing her into a cubicle and explained it wasn’t allowed. Apparently in case I stole something and stashed it in the pram?!!? Assistant offered to keep an eye on DD for a few minutes while I tried my blouse on. I said I don’t know you, why would I trust a stranger with my daughter unsupervised. Assistant called a manager over who asked me to leave.

Safe to say I won’t be going back

AIBU to think this is batshit?

OP posts:

August1980 · 09/04/2026 19:18

sorry this happened to you op. How old is your baby?
a new mum myself, and we are south london based I have noticed the hostility towards buggy users not just in retail but cafes etc. my little one is 17 months old but I wouldn’t have left with anyone, would have either left the blouse or woken up toddler but leave her unattended no nor would I have challenged staff - particularly in a store like JL as those on the floor don’t make the rules…

ConstanzeMozart · 09/04/2026 19:22

SandyHappy · 07/04/2026 23:32

Where I live it is a very well known tactic of shoplifters to hide things in a pushchair/pram as they are less likely to be challenged, I'm not surprised some stores have introduced a policy like this.

And she allowed you to go in to the changing rooms with her, but wouldn't let you take the pushchair into the actual cubicle with you, why would you need to take the pushchair into the actual cubicle? She was sleeping, so you could have just left her outside the door/curtain or kept the door/curtain ajar while you tried on a blouse surely? It's not like leaving her on the shop floor while you went into another room.. it's a private area with an attendant at the entrance.

You had no need to bring a sleeping child inside the actual cubicle with you when you were already in the changing rooms.

But she was given a card saying how many items she was taking in.

Walkden · 09/04/2026 19:31

"But she was given a card saying how many items she was taking in."

Which is irrelevant to why prams are banned from cubicles, as multiple posters have explained.....

SandyHappy · 09/04/2026 20:19

ConstanzeMozart · 09/04/2026 19:22

But she was given a card saying how many items she was taking in.

Show quote history

But she was given a card saying how many items she was taking in.

I would say no one can be this naive, but it is evident from this thread how many people don't understand how devious shoplifters are.. and they honestly think that the card system is some sort of infallible system to stop them.. good grief!

What they take in the changing room is nothing to do with what they actually steal, it's just a reason to get in there and have some privacy away from cameras. Anyone could covertly stash something inside their clothing or 'drop' something in their bag while 'shopping'.. they then take 4 legitimate items in to the changings room, while in there they take the stolen items out of their clothing/bag/whatever, remove the security tags, and stash them properly underneath their sleeping baby, in with the baby stuff (while pretending to try on their items), then they give the 4 items back and walk out of the store with their stash without setting off any alarms.

How do people not know this as common knowledge? It's been happening for at least 20-30 years!

Mere1 · 09/04/2026 21:45

Ninerainbows · 07/04/2026 23:20

What about a wheelchair? Are people expected to pop up and walk out of those into a cubicle?

Excellent point.

SandyHappy · 10/04/2026 00:06

Mere1 · 09/04/2026 21:45

Excellent point.

Show quote history

It's not an excellent point, it's a silly comparison.

No one in a wheelchair is going to be told they cannot take their wheelchair into a changing room, being disabled is a protected characteristic in UK law, unlike having a child in a pushchair, and is not a reason in and of itself to be suspicious of someone, why would it be?

Someone trying to put a pushchair/pram in a completely private cubicle, when they are already in a private area with an attendant at the entrance is suspicious, there is absolutely no reason OP couldn't have left the pushchair the one side of the curtain while she tried on a top the other side.

Pushchairs and prams have been used as tools for stealing for years, the stores are well within their rights to mitigate the risks of it happening, she was allowed to take it into the changing rooms, just not inside the changing cubicle.

JacknDiane · 11/04/2026 07:52

Interesting @LemingsLemon never came back

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