Nappy changing in public

[Andy008]

I went out last night for a pint, ended up having ten, and after 2 hours sleep got the train home. I left the station, and walked through a shopping centre en route to my house. As I entered the building, immediately in front of me sat on a bench was a woman changing her child's nappy. The extreme heat only concentrated the acrid smell of fresh poo as it hit the back of my nose. This, coupled with a splitting hangover, made me feel so incredibly nauseous I almost vomited there and then.

There must surely be some law against doing that?  

[Peter Pedant]

For Chrissakes Andie stop being so precious. Go out and buy a Labrador. He/she will spend its time bringing you filled or used nappies...

 

PP

[Andy008]

I don't do dogs.

[HAnn521]

Andy008: I don't live in the UK, but I will completely agree with you that baby-changing in public should not be allowed especially in high-traffic, very public areas like shopping centers, etc.!  (oh and in the U.S., a nappy is a diaper)

And while we're on that subject, can we also PLEASE outlaw mothers breast-feeding in public too?! I mean, for God's sake, find a place to that in private...

having a baby doesn't mean you can suddenly forget all about being discrete and considerate to those around you!

[hinge1967]

I'm just........gobsmacked!

[WaldoMcFroog]

Isn't it likely that if there were a better place to change a child's nappy than on a bench in a shopping centre, then the mother would have used it?

As for breast feeding, I can't believe anyone's bothered about it. If the mother's not worried about doing it, why should anyone else care?

[WaldoMcFroog]

Sorry - I misread your question.

You're quite right. There are laws about vomitting in public and you shouldn't do it.

[twiglet4frog]

breastfeeding should be allowed, i know a few mums that breastfeed and they are very discreet about it and if they are then u are very rarely sseing more than a small amount of flesh (far less than andy008 was enjoying from big brother probably!!)

As for nappies, well it isnt fair to leave a child in discomfort, it isnt like it can whip his own nappie off and sort it, however i agree that there would be facilities in a shopping centre to change it, and failing that most major public places have clean and tidy public loo's, so a bit of discretion is certainly not a lot to ask of people in public?

[Jooleebobs]

What is the problem with a bit of poo in a nappy? I have a 10 month old son and if I had to choose between making sure he was comfortable and upsetting somebody with a delicate nose who happened to be walking by I know which I would choose. When you are a parent your baby is your number one priority and you don't really give a stuff about other people who are offended by petty things like nappy changing and breastfeeding etc. Obviously a bench is not an ideal place to change babys bum but if there was no other option I wouldn't hesitate.

I don't like the amount of stinky people walking around with BO (even worse in the heat)Can we have a law against that as well!

[Dom Tuk]

IT seems to me that Americans are much more bothered by breast feeding in public than the Brits. I say his from the number of times (2) when my wife was told off by young teenagers (go get a room) when breastfeeding our son in a zoo and the railway station. I really dont care about such activities when it comes to children.

However i have a big issue with young couples kissing in public places. Andy008 next time you are tonguing that bird after a night out remember that it could be equally vomit inducing to passer bys.

[Ducati]

Father of a 20 month old, and yes, as someone has pointed out your child is numero uno....................however, I am against both nappy changing in public places and breastfeeding in public places.

 

If you are in an environment like a shopping centre, there are places to do both - whipping a nappy off on a bench is laziness - you are never far away from decent facilities in a shopping centre.

 

Your child is number one, but you should also try to have the common decency to consider other people. It strikes me that as soon as some people become parents they feel they are entitled to run roughshod over other peoples sensibilities.

 

Similarly with a child screaming in shops - some parents just let them get on with it without a thought for the other shoppers - if your child is screaming, remove him/her from the shop: again, common decency.

[Dom Tuk]

Ducati, as you are well aware, children specially boys have a tantrum phase between ages 3-5. They scream for no reason. What is a parent to do. You could use diversionary techniques but it doesnt always work. One proposed solution is to ignore the child. So some parents ignore the tantrum and hope for the best. Children also cry a lot after coming off a plane. The answer could be that their ears have not popped and hence the anguish. Maybe breastfeeding could be the option if the babys ears havent popped. I suggest that  would be more decent for others to ignore such cries than for the parents to cater to your sensitivities.

[Ducati]

I guess it just comes down to parenting styles - personally, I wouldn't dream of letting my child just scream in a shop, because I know how damn annoying it is: similarly I wouldn't dream of changing a nappy full of poo in a public place.

 

I think it is a manners thing and shows respect for other people. Just my opinion.

[newtron]

Lighten up Andy008.  It disrupted a whole 2 minutes of your life and the nauseousness you felt was mostly your fault any way because you drank 10 beers instead of one. 

[secretsquiz]

completely agree ducati - it simply comes down to laziness as well as manners and respect for others rather than a 'as long as i'm satisfied, i don't care about anyone else' attitude.

it's the same as the person at the bar who thinks he has a right to get served first simply because they shout loudest at the bar man, or the person who takes up two spaces in the car park, etc.

i certainly wouldn't want to see and smell someone changing nappies in public - it's laziness and a lack of respect for others.

[boobesque]

must say to all you pompous people who think there are facilities near, it isnt always the case! god some parents are so self righteous, if a child is screaming in a shop how do you know they dont have a mental illness, my son has cerebral palsy and he has the occasional tantrum in shops and he is six, do you recommend i shop? and if my child needs his nappy changed i would rather do it on a bench on his mat than in the filthy scummy toilets round where i shop!

Maybe if you had your own kids you would understand, we cant pussyfoot around people like you who have self inflicted hangovers.

[undercovers]

You think you had it bad - i was having a meal (admittidly a McD meal) and the women on the table next to me plonked her kid on the table and started changing it... I'M EATING was what i wanted to yell at her, but I just got very british and tutted as I moved away... now that was horrible, lazy and puke inducing.

[jno]

quite right, adult drunks should be prevented from interfering with the work of mothers of babes in arms. (It's always mothers, I imagine the father was out drinking a pint or 10.)

[elgroucho]

What is the world coming to when you can't go out for a right session and come home to a nappy changing free environment.

Seriously though, there is a time and a place for that kind of thing and to me the lobby of a building isn't it. If it was the only place available at the time then fair enough.

[boobesque]

undercovers, even i admit that that is sick and unhygenic!

then again so is maccy d's lol

[londondave]

Nappy changing and breast feeding in public should be illegal. turns my stomach! Infact anything to do ith babies turns my stomach, Esp when they start screeching in supermarkets *glad to be.....child free*