Changing a baby’s nappy on a food table

[Intsywintsyspider]

I was in a park today having a coffee from a food van. There are 6 large wooden tables close together and on one was a group of new mums.
I was shocked to see one of them whip out a changing mat and change her baby’s nappy at the table.
The park is undergoing redevelopment but there are 2 portaloos, one modern public toilet and of course grass.
Now, I know we’ve come a long way since the days where I used to breast feed my kids in the toilet when I was in public, but I felt this was unhygienic and unacceptable.
i spoke to the food van and they said there was not much they could do, but she comes regularly, but they’d make sure they’d wipe the table.
I’d like to have spoken to her directly but didn’t want to shame her.
AIBU - it’s up to the park keepers to deal with it.
YANBU - I should speak to her, if so, what would you have said

That's ghetto and entitled at the same time😅

I agree

She should have put the mat on the grass to change her baby.

That is minging - and I've been horrified to see people changing a baby on a pub table as well. As PP said, seeing a human baby's naked bottom/genitals and what's come out of there in full view is completely different from the bottom of a bird/squirrel/fox or whatever that is always naked as the norm.

Just because wildlife might have pooed on the table, that doesn't justify humans doing the same thing, as we should clearly have much higher standards than wildlife. You may as well say, because dogs and foxes mate in full view in the park, it's fine for humans to do the same!

Portaloos aren’t suitable for baby changing.
This baby was on a changing mat. Their bum wasn’t on the table. Get over yourself. Maybe the poor mother wasn’t easily able to get up and down off the ground to change baby on the grass.
you know pigeons and crows etc stand on and shit on picnic tables right ?!

It's disgusting, I don't want to see or smell shit if I'm having my lunch!

Maybe because you didn’t feel you wanted to leave the older kids sitting on their own in McDonalds?

Guilty 🫣

I’m just intrigued how you’d change a nappy in a portaloo tbh

Youre not wrong OP, yes outside tables won't be particularly clean, but that doesn't mean people want the smell or sight when trying to eat.

Its An outdoor picnic table OP. They’re hardly hygienic with birds shitting all over them.

Take the older kids with you into the toilet?!

Not something I'd do myself. However that was probably the best option available. I recently discovered that I could not use the baby changing cubicle in the local park because my small double buggy doesn't fit.

Some people are disgustingly oblivious to what they are doing in full sight of everyone. If I was having something to eat I do not want to see a nappy full of poo.

I once saw a women on a flight wait until the man next to her went to the bathroom pop her head above the seat to check he was in a queue and then changed her baby on HIS seat. The smell was awful but she was shameless.

2 children, 6 grandchildren, countless babies as I was a childminder for 25 years.
It is not nice or hygienic to change a baby on a table, in front of people eating, what was this mother thinking?

To those who asked how you could change a baby in a portaloo; you sit on the loo and lay the child across your lap and change the nappy! It’s not ideal but sometimes needs must.
Im shuddering remembering terry nappies and safety pins, rubber pants to go over the top. It was such a chore in the the heatwave of 1976!😳☀️🔥😉☺️

Many years ago my sister got married and had a meal afterwards at a very fancy London restaurant. A mega famous pop star was at the next table with his family. After their meal the pop star changed his babies nappy on the table in the middle of the restaurant! Gross.

Your options aren't reasonable but my vote is that you are being unreasonable.
Its hard enough trying to change a nappy as it is. She put the baby on a changing mat not direct onto the table.
The table could be wiped down.
What other things do you think may have been on that table when you weren't there.
As long as its wiped I really don't see the problem 🤷

I’d have used the seat. I don’t think there’s a risk of anything nasty on the table but I don’t think anyone needs to witness that when it can be done perfectly discreetly on the bench.

Never used a changing mat in my life always changed baby on my lap can do it in seconds so much easier

Get a grip. She used a mat and she n may well have asked for acloth or for the table to be wiped when she had finished. Its a baby.

Was she literally smearing baby poo all over the table?! If not then get a bloody grip. There are germs everywhere in public spaces, a baby being changed on a mat is hardly an environmental health hazard.

Was it a pooey nappy? My thoughts are different depending on this I think

I was on the tube once when a
couple sat their child on the potty.

Nothing can surprise me now.

You’re right…. If MIL needs her nappy changing when we’re on a picnic bench we can just lay her across the bench and do it there. As long as we don’t smear poo all over the table it’ll be fine.

I'd feel a bit grim seeing it whilst eating... i think that's the unreasonable part.

But its an outdoor table, birds and rats and foxes will crap/piss on it - dog trainers and walkers will use it for doggy parkour, older kids sit on them, I was once horribly sick on one and I am sure I am not the only person to have done that.

They're NOT clean. Assuming that they are is foolish.

Tables indoors in a cafe, yeah, I would expect them to be clean.