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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think changing a toddler's nappy in public is unacceptable when there is a change room 20 feet away?

66 replies

knittingmama · 15/09/2008 17:31

Having a disagreement with someone over this- I think at a certain age it's really unhygenic and disrepectful to change a child's nappy in public, in front of strangers, when there is a changing room nearby. (Of course when you're desperate you do what you have to...)

OP posts:

cornsilk · 15/09/2008 17:33

agree. My friend changes her ds's pooey nappy in my front room. He's nearly 3. It makes me feel ill.

TheProvincialLady · 15/09/2008 17:33

I don't think that hygeine or respect for the child come into it unless the child still needs nappies very late on. But it is never pleasant to witness a nappy change so regardless of the age of the baby/child it is always better to use the proper facilities. BUT sometimes the facilities are so boakingly foul smelling and unhygeinic that it is impossible to use them.

Lomond · 15/09/2008 17:33

Yes I agree completely. There is no need for this when a changing room is nearby. If there are none around then fair enough but even then I would go into a normal toilet and try and find a way to do it in there.

TrinityRhino · 15/09/2008 17:35

dont really see the problem

crokky · 15/09/2008 17:37

I don't think it is very nice if the toddler has done a poo, but I wouldn't mind too much.

However, I carry disposable changing mats with me (have baby and toddler both in nappies) and I would lay that on the grass etc and change their nappies.

Sometimes changing rooms are really filthy and disgusting and sometimes there is nowhere to put stuff and it's really difficult.

TheFallenMadonna · 15/09/2008 17:40

I think it depends how public is public. I wouldn't want to be in close quarters with a toddler having a dirty nappy changed. It isn't pleasant.

LittleBella · 15/09/2008 17:41

Yes YABU.

Who cares where a toddler's nappy is changed? As long as it's not actually at the table while you're dining, or next to the chef while he's preparing the ingredients, how much ill-effect on people's lives does it really have?

Original poster

knittingmama · 15/09/2008 17:43

PS- Just to clarify, the location was in a museum, one of the other mums and myself both used the change rooms- they were perfectly adequate.

OP posts:

mshadowsisevenmorefabthanfab · 15/09/2008 17:55

yanbu they are.

mazzystar · 15/09/2008 17:58

yanbu in the slightest where there are decent facilities available

charitygirl · 15/09/2008 17:58

Oh i can't say i care really.

PavlovtheCat · 15/09/2008 18:00

It is really no big deal. There are worse things to get your knickers in a twist about.

rookiemater · 15/09/2008 18:01

I get a bit annoyed when we are out in public and DH insists on changing DS aged 2.5 nappy on park benches and castle battlements when there are perfectly good loos within a couple of minutes walk. However he still insists on having a nappy change pull down thing as he can only do it when DS is horizontal.

It's not a big deal, but I think once children are old enough to understand what is happening it is good for them to follow normal social conventions. Wasn't there a huge outrcry a couple of weeks ago about a woman putting her son on the potty in a restaurant, tbh I can't see a huge difference between that and nappy changing in public.

PavlovtheCat · 15/09/2008 18:04

rookie - of course there is a difference, that person put her child on a potty under the table!! right near food and where people were paying to eat. That is not a PUBLIC place, it is an eating establishment. Completely different.

Notalone · 15/09/2008 18:11

Is this is response to another thread started recently or is this just a huge co-incidence . I think the poor woman has had enough stick without there being another thread about it. Apologies though if this is just a co-incidence.

Notalone · 15/09/2008 18:13

sorry - the other thread was about a toddler using a potty in a museum cafe and she got well and truly slated It must be a good time of year for poo in museums. Sorry knitting mama, I thought for a minute this was one of those threads about another thread.

Yanda · 15/09/2008 18:15

YABU I don't really see why it matters. DOn't you think you are being abit highly strung about it all? Its just poo and wee. They are just toddlers. As Little Bella says, as long as its not next to your dinner, so what?

traceybath · 15/09/2008 18:23

Friend just changed her toddler's on my rug with no changing mat - not impressed at all.

Its just not nice.

steviesgirl · 15/09/2008 18:24

A museum is NOT the place to change a nappy in front of others. If there is decent changing facilities then there is absolutely no excuse to change a nappy in the main part of the museum. It's just inconsiderate to other visitors. A museum is a place where you should have certain decorum, so go to the changing room! That's why the changing rooms were put there. I'm sure the managers of the museum don't really want nappies being changed anywhere in there, do you?

noonki · 15/09/2008 18:29

YABU - as long as it isn't nearer anyone eating and is done discretely don't worry about it

LackaDAISYcal · 15/09/2008 18:40

I think you are being a tad unreasonable. Maybe the changing room was full and the child had horrible nappy rash and needed to be out of the nappy ASAP; maybe the child screams the place down if they even get sight of a changing table (my DS was like this after pushing himself backwards out of the restraint straps at 8months old )

And, if you have a tall toddler, there is no way they fit on those fold out changing tables. Even my 15 month old DD is a challenge on those, but I absolutely refuse the change her on the floor of a public toilet. And what does age have to do with it? is a 2.5 year old's poo more potent and unhygienic than a 1 year old?

I change my DD on my lap wherever we are if the facilities are either busy, inappropriate, or just unpleasant. Not in a cafe or near food though, but within reason. Sometimes needs must.

bubblagirl · 15/09/2008 18:50

well my ds has autism and would often freak out if i tried to change him in a changing room the noise and other people would frighten him so would be left with no choice but to change as privately where i could

before my ds i would of maybe found it bit off putting but having my ds with sn i now understand there could be many other reasons why someone is doing something so tend not to judge anymore

Blandmum · 15/09/2008 18:53

I worst case of this that I ever saw when when my late dh was having chemotherapy. the room was full of quite ill people, many of whom were already feeling sick at the thought of having their chemotherapy.

Two sisters were with their mother who was the patient. One went to change her child's shitty nappy in the middle of the waiting room. There was a baby change area in the loos 5 metres away!

Even the woman's sister was horrified and told her not to be so daft

Some people are just lazy and self centred

Blandmum · 15/09/2008 18:54

NB, I did say some people.

onager · 15/09/2008 19:18

Most people get over their fear of nappies once they have kids of their own.

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