in changing my ds on a bench in a shopping centre??

[nappyaddict]

If i am please do tell me

Basically we were sat on a bench in a shopping centre eating our lunch. ds is very particular and won't have anything dirty on. He noticed butter on his clothes and started pulling at them and getting quite upset so i undressed him. I thought as he was undressed anyway i might aswell change his nappy before putting a new outfit on. The woman next to me is tutting. So i said have you got a problem? Of course she said no but it was obvious she did have a problem.

So was i wrong? Or was she wrong?

HG - i don't have a changing bag. I have a handbag in which i bung a few nappies, wipes and depending on how long we will be out a tshirt and some shorts.

well then I would have thought there would be room for a tiny square fold-up changing mat in that handbag then

BTW your changing your toddler's fairly clean nappy on a bench is looking SO good in comparison to changing poo-ey nappies in a restaurant

there would be but i've never used a changing mat so never thought to buy one.

So should NappyAddict get changing mats and make her son lie down when he normally stands up for changes?

I'm sorry to lower the tone here but we're not all fortunate enough to live in houses with several living rooms or a bathroom big enough for a change station or a separate changing room. I don't have any of those so she is changed where I can, usually the living room or on my bed. I keep the place clean and you can't smell anything in here.

well i wouldnt change DS on a bench in a shopping centre partly because he wont keep still but also cos i couldnt wash my hands after.

although i know that the person next to you probably was being unreasonable tutting, they also have a right to sit on the bench minding their own business without a nappy being changed next to them.

i usually spray lavender spray around after i change ds after a poohey one.

We went to the beach last last week (daughter is 3.10 and long since out of nappies) but when we went to use the public loos there was huge queue (about 7 or 8 people) and wasn't sure she'd have made it so told her to go for a paddle....go on shoot me!

fledtoscotland. good point?? where do all you people who change kids on benches wash your hands?

and i'm sure in everyone's bathroom there's enough space for a fold away changing mat instead of using your living room. and in your own home surely your toilets are clean enough to do this.

but each to their own. i know my kids drop stuff on floor in my living areas and eat. thats another of issuea against changing nappies on floor of my living room.

I wouldn't have ever changed my baby on a bench in a shopping centre: I think it isn't very good manners and certainly not hygienic

Good point re no plae to wash hands. Vital, really.

i don't wash my hands after wee nappies

2 year old, i would not.

even a tiny baby actually

OMG some of the replies on here are from 'clean freaks'! Are you the people with cupboards full of antibac spray, wipes, handwash etc? You are doing no good for anyones immune systems and probably responsible for the increase in asthma and eczema.

Wipe your hands with a baby wipe for heaven's sake. Your baby/toddler is NOT toxic (even if it smells like it is sometimes)

For the record, I have changed nappies in a cathedral, on a train, in peoples living rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, park benches, office floors, library floors, and in shops etc. I always use my change mat underneath so I can't any problem with doing it TBH.

I'm sure if you have a toddler and a baby in nappies you will understand the necessity for doing this sometimes - because you can't always fit in the baby changing rooms with a pram/buggy, and you'd be lucky to find one with baby seat to put one child in whilst you changed the other.

I am geniunely at some people's opinions on this!

I wouldn't change a dirty nappy (whether wee or poo) in close proximity to anyone who wasn't either with me or there for the same purpose. On a bench with someone else next to you is intrusive. And in a restaurant is revolting.

A friend changed her baby's nappy on my dining room table once. I thought that was pretty rude.

i think it depends on age and whats in the nappy!!

i change DS2s (6mo) nappies on my lap in public all the time, i think its easy to be quite discreet about it, more so with wet nappies but i have done the odd pooey one having said that he is BFed so i might stop when he is on more solids and it starts to get smelly!!!

AS for living rooms at parents or friends with DCs i do it in the living room and they do the same at mine.

she was definitely wrong for tutting, that is very rude.

It's not about being in public. It's about proximity. Sitting down next to someone and whipping off a full nappy just isn't very considerate. IMO.

washersaurus, i grew up on a farm. i'm not a "clean freak" fully aware that excessive cleaning is not the best thing for your immune system,

however, a general standard of hygiene is required. not washing your hands after changing a nappy (pee or poo) is the same as not washing your hands after going to the loo yourself.

it's disgusting.

you then spend rest of your day touching door, cupboards and fridge handles. not to mention drinks/food containers for your kids.

you have to understand that doing certain activities require cleaning hands, perhaps it's because i grew up on a farm, that we learned that there are certain bugs that can be ignored. i.e mud,grass, outdoors type mess.

however, any sort of faeces/urine should be avoided.be it animal or human. cleansing of hands after any activities involving these is a must.

this can be from a simple washing of hands. however if your somewhere without water. a once over with baby wipes will go a long way to avoiding stomach upsets.

Well said elmo.
We're not the clean freaks, they're just mingers.

washersaurus - i'm not a clean freak. as a nurse i am fully aware of the "superbugs" and i never personally use handgel etc outside work. plain old soap and water does me. yes i wash my hands after every nappy just as i wash my hands after going to the toilet myself - even if its just a wee.

re changing your baby anywhere, i know there are times when it just has to be done, but surely common decency prevails and when in a shopping centre, use the facilities available and spare a thought for others who may not want to see your child's nappy (clean or dirty)

I don't see why people are getting so uptight about not washing your hands after changing a wet nappy?

I don't suppose everyone washes their hands after walking around the supermarket with their hands on the shopping trolly handle? I suspect most just get in the car, hence touching the steering wheel with their germ ridden hands, go home and touch the fridge door handle, then touch the food they have just bought. I dread to think how many germs are on those trolly handles!

Or how about touching the rails on the bus/train? Or pressing the button on traffic lights to cross the road? Or touching the door handle to enter a building? There are probably more hamful germs on these things then there are on a babys wet nappy!

They're there because people don't wash their hands after going to the loo/changing a nappy

I personally wouldn't have done it at that age though I did sometimes change my newborns in their pram if we were out and it was discreet (not poo though may i add lol). There are usually changing facilities about anyway to be honest.