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

[knittingmama]

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...)

[janey68]

I think what pisses people off is that some people don't just change their kids' nappies in public when there's no changing room nearby - they almost seem to want to go out of their way to inflict it on other people. Kind of, 'I've had a baby and I'm gonna make damn sure everybody knows it as much as possible'. For instance, when my kids were younger and I had friends round, several of them thought it was absolutely ok to start changing their baby on my sitting room floor, or even on the sofa. Why? There was a perfectly good bathroom with hot water to wash their hands afterwards (which I always pointed them in the direction of!!). As JuneBug says, no one else is going to think your baby shits roses, no one else wants to see your child naked with their legs akimbo.. just have a little respect for the fact that the world does not revolve around your baby

[HomeintheSun]

I've been shopping in a near by town where they have no changing rooms anywhere, I've changed my DS in a shoe shop on a seat where you try on shoes in the middle of the shop, in a car showroom on a leather sofa in the owners office and this wasn't a problem. So what if the woman wasn't using the changing room at least she changed the child. I went shopping with my DS and my mum in December and waited ages for an old woman to come out the disabled toilet so I could use the changing table, I think she could be still in there now because I gave up waiting and changed him in the toilets next to the sink, he was happy cause he had a clean bum and I was happy cause I hadn't wasted my life waiting for the woman to come out. Why are the changing tables always in the disabled toilet anyway?????

[hotCheeseBurns]

"Why are the changing tables always in the disabled toilet anyway?????"

And have you ever seen one that looked clean?

And they hardly ever have hooks on the doors so you have to put all your things on the horrible floor!

[ScottishMummy]

logistically baby change located in disabled because it is large can accommodate a pushchair, has big turning circle. makes sense change poopy baby in wc and dispose of waste in bin

[knittingmama]

Oh boy, didn't think I'd get so many responses with this one.

I agree 100% with JuneBugJen. Be considerate. If you're outdoors, well then who cares. If you're indoors don't assume that no one will be uncomfortable with your child's stinky poo and bare bum in your face.
Who would have the courage to say anything to the contrary? Someone might feel ill from the sight/smell of poo; someone else might find it disgusting that there is potentially poo on their floor/leather sofa/chair/friend's hand- but not many people have the courage to challenge a mother! I certainly don't say anything in that situation... what would I say? 'Excuse me, but that's nasty and I feel like I'm going to throw up now' seems pretty rude.

I think what we as mothers don't realise is that we can tolerate our own child's poo... and therefore think everyone else can too. When it's not your child it's different. ESPECIALLY when they are more than a tiny baby (in this case I was talking about an 18 month old) and are able to produce some really unpleasant stuff.

As for sn children/adults- I totally agree that there should be proper facilities in every city- it must be really difficult.

[Flibbertyjibbet]

I use our local sure start centre a lot for the playgroups etc. Every one changes their wet or pooey babies in the proper facilities.
Except one...
One mother has dcs aged 2.5y and 13m. She ALWAYS changes their nappies on the floor in the playgroup room. Every blardy week one then two children she has with her will poo during that playgroup. Even though there are mini loos, potties, changing tables in EACH of the 3 very spacious adult loos. One week we could all see that she got some shit on the floor. She just dabbed at it with a babywipe and carried on.
The following week she was about to start changing toddler. I said 'do you want me to mind baby while you go change ds?' Off she went. Result, we all thought. But no, next week she was back to changing her toddlers and baby's pooey nappies on the carpet floor in the playgroup.
I think there is a new category of mother for people like that.

Roseshit mummies.

[mytetherisending]

TBH it depends on the situation.
1 child use facilities
2 children is more tricky.
I changed dd2 5mths on the floor of the seating area in a soft play because I wouldn't leave dd1 unattended and she was happily playing, the toilets are out of view and she would have worried if she couldn't find me.
I wouldn't do it with her at 2.6y though, she is toilet trained but had 2 accidents, both dealt with in the toilets.

Wouldn't do it in an eating area but would at toddler group in a secluded corner for that reason.

[mytetherisending]

I wouldn't do a stinky one btw, they would go to the changing station.

[Pawslikepaddington]

I have never changed a nappy in public . Have been in many a rank changing room though, held my nose, covered my travel changing mat in alcogel and done it that way! It just never occurred to me not to scour around for one, even if it was miles away or meant we had to nip home. Feel a bit thick now!

[HairyToe]

I would always use a changing room by preference.

However I did once change DD2 in Clarks shoe shop. I had been sat in the shop for three-quarters of an hour with my numbered ticket in my hand with both DDs waiting for DD1 to have her feet measured. It was nearly my turn. There was no way I was going to leave the shop and miss it. DD2 filled her nappy and was stinking the shops out. I was p**d off at waiting so long anyway (another story). I asked the staff for somewhere to change her - they were useless, so I ended up crouched on the floor round the back (on the way into the stockroom). At least that way I was only offending the staff and not the customers!

Bad person I know

[mumof2222222222222222boys]

I was in Clarks last weekend having waited ages when 3 year old wanted a wee. Would they let me use their loos? No. Said "Health and Safety" and "the public loos are at the other end of the (very big) shopping centre." I was soo irritated. I sympathize, Hairy Toe.

[mum2oneloudbaby]

yanbu. my sil drives me mad as she just changes her 2 dcs anywhere. i had to politely ask her not to change them in my lounge , i have a perfectly good changing table or use the bathroom that's what they are there for.

[PinkTulips]

if my dd pooed her pants i'd expect to bring her to the bathroom to get her cleaned up so i do the same with my ds when he has a dirty nappy.

no harm getting them used to going to the bathrooms in public places anyway, helps ease the transition during potty training.

that said after 3.5 years of continuous nappying i've become so good at it i can change ds's (cloth) nappies while he's standing up with his pants pulled down around his ankles

dp would need somewhere to lie him down so if there were no changing area available or if it was disgusting he'd use a bench or the floor.

[hotCheeseBurns]

Some people's bathrooms are too small to change a nappy in.

[Seona1973]

I change my ds in the living room of mine, my sisters and my mums house. I have also changed in other peoples houses but always use a nappy bag and put it in the outside bin. I wouldnt put a pooey nappy in my own bin so certainly wouldnt put one in someone elses bin either. I took dd (4.11years) and ds(1.11years) for a pub dinner today and ds did a big poo. We had just got our drinks and were waiting on our food but I told someone at the bar that we were going to the toilet and carted all of us there - by the time we got back the food was there and they hadnt cleared the table thinking we had legged it. I always try to use changing facilities but have used a park bench or the grass when none have been available.