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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask my local mothercare if they could give me a nappy for my soiled dd ?

159 replies

Lilyloo · 28/03/2009 21:23

Basically i got caught out without enough nappies today.
Teething etc lot's of soiled nappys.
I ask at the till if they can provide a nappy and am told no!
I didn't have the £8.99 for a 24 pack but was a bit surprised tbh.

OP posts:
2shoes · 28/03/2009 21:24

yabu(although I understand) they are a business

Disenchanted3 · 28/03/2009 21:24

They have nappy machines in the Loos. £1 each.

I wouldn't have asked!

rubyslippers · 28/03/2009 21:25

can you imagine how many nappies they would give away?

i can understand your frustration though

scrooged · 28/03/2009 21:25

Boots used to do this but I expect people took the piss. I'm not surprised they don't to be honest. Was there another parent who could have given you one?

RealityIsMyOnlyDelusion · 28/03/2009 21:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Wilts · 28/03/2009 21:27

When I worked in Mothercare we always kept a stash of nappies in the cleaning cupboard to give to customers if needed.

We couldn't leave them in the changing room or they would have all been pinched

saadia · 28/03/2009 21:28

I think YABU, as 2shoes said, they are a business and I guess their logic would be that if someone was out shopping they would have funds to buy nappies.

Original poster
Lilyloo · 28/03/2009 21:28

There wasn't a nappy machine.
I ended up sitting her on paper towels to travel home in.
Do you really think they would use a lot of nappys ?? (I have 3 dc and have only ever been caught short a couple of times)

OP posts:
differentID · 28/03/2009 21:28

why should a business have to write off over 5/6 packs of nappies a week because some people forget to bring enough with them?
Not to be hostile, but that's over £50 a week, per week. That's likely to be 1/2 of one memeber of staff's wages(part time staff)!

katiepotatie · 28/03/2009 21:29

I would have asked another mother if they had a spare one. Or they usually have a vending machine with them in. What I am more shocked at is £8.99 for nappies! Were the gold plated?, 24 cost a fiver in the supermarket.

RobynLou · 28/03/2009 21:31

in our local boots they have them in the baby change, in our tescos they have a whole variety to choose from.
wouldn't impact much on them as a HUGE company and would be v good pr imo.
yanbu

Original poster
Lilyloo · 28/03/2009 21:33

Different but surely they wouldn't go through 5/6 packs ?
I agree they should be in cleaning cupboard / behind counter etc

Yes £8.99 was the cheapest pack and they were all pampers too !

OP posts:
FAQinglovely · 28/03/2009 21:33

our local boots doesn't even have a baby changing place now let alone any free nappies.

differentID · 28/03/2009 21:35

yep- you'd better beleive it. #one customer asking in hearing of other customers gets given one. Another customer asks and gives same reason, needs different size nappy etc, etc.

ravenAK · 28/03/2009 21:35

I usually use washables but agree it's a PITA to be caught without a change if you're out shopping.

You'd think someone might market a range of individual emergency nappies for 50p, to be stocked by shops like mothercare which cater exclusively for shell-shocked new parents...

shinyshoes · 28/03/2009 21:36

YANBU, I admire your guts for asking. I couldn't have done that. Some places have them some don't. I would have given you a nappy had I have been there

I think places like Mothercare should have a machine where you can get a nappy and a packet of wipes with maybe 3 in the pack for a £1.00

Original poster
Lilyloo · 28/03/2009 21:37

Raven she number 3!!
The emergency nappy machine sounds like a good one!

OP posts:
tryingtobemarypoppins · 28/03/2009 21:38

YUNBU these things happen. Mums should look after one another in these situations!

ScottishMummy · 28/03/2009 21:39

your baby your responsibility to have enough nappies.not the shop

EnterStageLeft · 28/03/2009 21:40

Basically i got caught out without enough food today.
Life etc lot ' s of empty tummies.
I ask at the till if they can provide a snack and am told no!
I didn't have the £1.99 for a sandwich but was a bit surprised tbh.

ffs

Original poster
Lilyloo · 28/03/2009 21:41

Scottishmummy i am not for one second saying my baby is the responsobility of anyone but me , however 4 nappy changes in a short shopping trip is slightly beyond the norm for us so i was caught unaware!!

OP posts:
theyoungvisiter · 28/03/2009 21:41

I don't think you were being unreasonable at all to ask.

But equally I don't think they were being unreasonable to not offer you one.

If the till person didn't have authorisation to break a pack she might have had the whole cost deducted from her wages.

Plus then, where does it end? Free wipes? Free formula? Free newspaper and coffee in the feeding room?

I was accosted the other day by a woman in Brent Cross saying "is your child a size 4? He looks like a size 4!" It took me a few minutes to realise she meant size 4 nappies, but yes he was and I was happy to give her one, I felt I might be storing up a bit of karma for some future emergency...

expatinscotland · 28/03/2009 21:42

YABU.

It's a shop that sells things, not gives them away.

I've never seen a Mothercare out on its own.

There's always other retailers like Boots and supermarkets nearby where you can buy cheaper nappies.

FAQinglovely · 28/03/2009 21:43

expat - I know of 2 Mothercares in my "local" (ie 20 miles radius) area that are out on their own. Well with no other shops that sell nappies nearby anyhow.

Original poster
Lilyloo · 28/03/2009 21:45

Expat it was on a retail park with a halfords and an electrical place and a next and food type places.

OP posts: