Silly question alert... So I'm out with sprog and I need the loo. How?

[Sarahjct]

About to be a first time mum here and instead of fretting about the impending ordeal I'm about to go through, I thought I'd contemplate silly stuff instead.

Supposing I take LO out to the shops - not out of the realms of possibility as I'll be kicking around the house all day. I'm in the shopping centre and I need a wee. How do I go about it?

My travel system is the size of a tank so wouldn't fit in a cubicle, disabled loos all seem to have swipe card locks to stop people like me using them (). Do I take LO in with me and do it one-handed, do I leave the door open and use humungus buggy to block me from view? Or do I leave buggy and child outside to be nicked?

This stuff keeps me up at night...

i would leave buggy outside door, take in shopping if valuable. if baby is in car seat on pushchair bring baby in in car seat. if not just hold it!

dont leave your baby, i wouldnt anyway.

I used to leave the door slightly ajar and park the buggy right by it so I could still see the wheels

I always manage to find an unlocked disabled one or just ask for the key, no-one has said no so far. Or just go to somewhere like mothercare, john lewis, debenhams, they ususally have mother and baby rooms for changing nappies and the loo!

I used to (and still do - although I have the advantage of older children now to stand guard) park the buggy RIGHT next to the door so I could see the wheels......admit I used to leave DS1 in there (and DS2, and DS3.......) and shut it.

Message withdrawn

Sympathise completely, these are the things that occupied me first time round (just about to have ds2 and ds1 has survived to 2 so hope that helps).
Disabled toilet definitely first point of call so you can get you and buggy in there - just ask if locked etc, I've never had any objections.
Some places have special baby changing/feeding rooms that have loos in.
Otherwise, hoik baby out and leave buggy outside and yes you will become very accomplished at doing lots of things one-handed!
Best solution however is to acquire some other baby friends who can accompany you on shopping/cake-eating trips and watch baby for you while you pee in peace. There are lots of them out there, head to a local group or look on the meet-up section on here, take a big breath and introduce yourslef - makes mat leave much more fun/bearable!
Good luck

spend you maternity leave scouting out likely large toilets/disabled ones without keys. You will find in general that most places put their changing stations in the disabled loos - so if necessary you can sort you both out at the same time Don't forget to check out the library, any town centre cinemas or tourist attractions that might suit!

lol - Northern - you've never been to my town - none of the above apply for us

Thanks, i knew this had to be important stuff!

So I need a fact finding mission it sounds like. Didn't think of places lIke JL and Mothercare. Who'd have thought that toilets would become such an issue and I'm not even thinking ahead to the horrors of finding a loo quickly when your LO is holding their wee in their newly un-nappied bottom by hand!

I remember pushing my tiny dd into the public loos and then standing looking at all the cubicle doors thinking "aah. how do I do this?". On that occasion a nice mum with her small children offered to guard the pram and I accepted. She looked like she had her hands too full to contemplate stealing my baby!

But yes, John Lewis, Mothercare, M&S are all good bets. My local shopping centre has a "parent & child" loo - its got a toddler-sized toilet next to the adult one! And room for a pram.

If you have a fold-up nappy mat in your bag you can put the baby on it on the floor in the cubicle. You might want to disinfect the underside of the mat later though...

well then IceQueen you must go to the council offices and demand they provide you with some leisure facilities and more shops asap - oh and whilst you're there - ask to use the loo!

Mothercare usually have a big loo

most major shopping centres (and supermarkets) have a mother and baby room which generally has a toilet. You can wheel the pram right in, lock the door and go for your life.

Don't know what the MN rules say about using a disabled toilet in these circumstances, but I see no problem with it.

The other alternative is if there is another mum in the toilet queue, to ask her to keep an eye on baby in pram whilst you go. We have all been there so probably she would be more than happy to oblige.

Quite often disabled toilets have bells near them so you can call someone to open it. I have done this often and never had a problem.

I just park the buggy outside the cubical and leave the door open.

Worst case scenario: someone sees me having a wee .

Or you could get one of these and go in the gents. . The place would clear pretty quickly once you'd parked your pram next to the urinals, I'm sure.

If you're going to do a broccoli, pick the cubicle furthest from the door - people will probably see the pram and realise what is going on and just not venture that far

Tis probably impossible to walk past an open cubicle without looking (even though you know you really, really don't want to)

I just park the pushchair in front of the door and leave the door open if it won't fit in the cubicle. Figure everyone in there is female so has the same bits, and how much can you really see? Never had a lot in the way of inhibitions anyway but having a baby got rid of any left!

I'm with BroccoliSpears: after the indignity of giving birth I wasn't too worried about someone catching me having a quick wee

Always left the door open and peed very fast

& RBH!!

I worried about this with my twins! I got to know local shopping places etc and worked out where there was a disabled loo where I could get the buggy in..you'll be suprised at all the loo's hiding away that you wouldn't have spotted pre baby! Other mums should be able to point you in the right direction as well..

Our local Mothercare had a big cubicle you could fit the buggy into..do you have a Mothercare?

LOL you're all so inventive!

I was only joking about using the buggy to block the door but it seems to be quite a sensible suggestion...!