Parent power...

[jenjen99]

Hi all,
I'm a first time mum.

I'm really disappointed at how a lot of things are designed (badly) for parents! We're a fairly large market sector and I think with a little effort we can change things. I was just wondering if anyone agrees, if anyone's tried to make changes, if anyone has other issues.

Just an example from today...
Woke up. Did usual routine. It's cold. Want at least a vest and baby grow for the baby. Hats, blankets etc to follow. But why not build vests into baby grow? All our baby grows have inbuilt mittens and socks but why are they ever sold without? Socks fall off. Mittens are handy for scratchy babies and can't be too expensive to sew into every baby grow.

Aldi shop....not enough parent parking spaces. I don't really take the baby out after dark. Could there be extra allocated parent spaces 9-5 maybe? Parent spaces are no where near baby trollies. Why? It's raining. Baby trollies are overflowing into car park, getting wet. I've clocked this so park close to trollies (non parent space). Dry one, move it under cover, leave handbag and bags in trolley. Go back for baby. Using eyes in the back of my head to keep eye on trolley. Then realise all trolleys are over flowing from the canopy to the car park. Have to push my dry baby trolley out into rain. Into the car park. Back towards the store, where there's a curb that cant be avoided as path is blocked by trolleys! Shop completed. But my goodness it felt like hard work! Was this just a bad day or is this a common thing?

Vests - what happens when they need just a vest or just a baby grow or when they poo on the vest?

Second baby is 5 months old and I’ve never used the inbuilt mittens,

What works for one parents is not for all parents but yes some things are badly designed for parents? People with disabilities and older people.

Parent parking is about the extra space to get children in and out not closeness to shop. How would you make that happen? I find supermarkets are busier during the day not night.

Yeah it’s a bit of an eye opener isn’t it!

I suppose you could buy some baby grows with in built vests although some houses are so warm many babies are just in their vests so it might just be a seasonal thing.

Child car parking spaces are a contentious subject on here

Regarding baby trollies - I notices lots of parents leave their baby trolly by the car as they don’t want to leave the baby in the car and push the trolly all the way back to bay where it’s covered.

Our baby is 11 months. Until he was old enough to sit in a normal trolley I never took him shopping on my own, and even then have only taken him a few times. Unless it is just a few bits that I can put in the bottom of the pushchair. It is a pain and a juggle to manage a soggy trolley and a baby. We signed up for tesco delivery saver and then got into the habit of online shopping.
Parent and child spaces infuriate me, there’s always loads of disabled ones empty and then all the parent and child are full!! I think it’d be a good idea to have a system similar to the maternity prescription excemption where you’re given a parent and child badge until your little one is 7 (or other appropriate age).

Since becoming a mum I have really started to appreciate drive throughs! Wish we had more of them like America!

Vests- the amount of times DS might have been sick on just the baby grow or shat on just the vest meant it was much better for me to have these separate. Also, I used vests under other clothes (not just baby grows).

Carpark- that's one example.... My local shops have pretty good car park layouts so not a problem for me.

See the problem is, we all experience many annoying things in real life as new parents, but you're hands are that full that once your child gets older and you finally have time to campaign for things, you've usually forgotten half the annoying stuff or moved onto different annoying stuff.

I definitely think that some things sold for parents were emphatically not designed by them.

Trying to unclip a maxi Cosi car seat from pram wheels anyone?

Actual buttons on any clothing for under 2s?

Although whoever invented/popularised baby sleeping bags is a blooming genius.

Some interesting points. Bianca especially- yeah I completely understand waiting for a more convenient time but it's now when we have the power. It's now we can say we'd rather shop in sainsburys because of the better parking spaces. I was ideally hoping for a consensus that I could take further but I'm not sure my views are universal. Let's see. If not, I'll just contact my local aldi!