Holy cow. I am just now getting back around. I guess I will tell my story on how and why I changed DD in McDonalds.
I was on a road trip with SIL to pick up 3 kids. The car was packed with all their luggage so changing in the car was out of the question. We stopped at the McDonalds, I thought cool I can run in and change DD real quick. Nope no changing station in a freaking McDonalds. So I whipped out her changing pad, laid it over 2 chairs I scooted together, changed her wet diaper and went on my way. No shame and no regret. I would do it again. Dont want me changing my kid in your dining area? Get a flipping changing station.
Forget the sanitary aspect of it, there are creepsters in world. You're exposing your baby's bits to the world when you change them in the wide open like that. Maybe I'm just super paranoid but that's something I think about.
Wouldn't this be worse when changing on a change station? Your baby is more exposed and they are usually the first thing when you walk into the bathroom so people see it straight away.
The only place in the car I could have changed her would have been my seat since all the others were taken and the cargo space was full of luggage.
1. The front seat doesn't provide enough room for my wiggly girl. 2. It wasn't my car so I didn't want to be a jerk. 3. So it's more sanitary for me to change her in my seat in the car where I am going to be eating my lunch?
I know it's not ideal changing in the dining area, but it was what I did. I have only done it the one time as since then I don't go any place that doesn't have a changing station. I don't make it a habit of doing this.
You were a jerk...BY CHANGING YOUR CHILD DIRTY ASS IN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE EAT. Seriously, what is wrong with you that you think this is ok? That's a general you, for all the disgusting people in this thread...
Forget the sanitary aspect of it, there are creepsters in world. You're exposing your baby's bits to the world when you change them in the wide open like that. Maybe I'm just super paranoid but that's something I think about.
Wouldn't this be worse when changing on a change station? Your baby is more exposed and they are usually the first thing when you walk into the bathroom so people see it straight away.
To save on space, many restaurants don't have counters anymore and have gone to pedestal sinks.
I really can't think of one restaurant I've been to in the last year that had a pedestal sink. Go to your car.
Most fast food restaurants that I have been it don't have counters they have pedestal sinks or those sinks that stick out from the wall (still no counter to change).
As I said before there was no one around me at all when I changed LO (on a changing pad) and then I disinfected everything with clorox wipes, so it was probably cleaner than when I got there.
and for those all grossed out by the bathroom floor guess what the changing table you fold out from the wall is probably not much cleaner. do you think that gets sanitized often? i doubt it.
If ever..... Yuck!!!
I wipe it down with a clorox wipe before laying a changing pad down and then putting LO on it. Then I try to keep him from touching it too much and make sure to wash his hands really well after. The floor is a much bigger space to try and clean, especially if they are trying to roll all over the place.
Not bumping on The Bump anymore
Great Support, Great Conversations, and more than just Cloth Diapering at our new home
Ditto to the disgusting and unsanitary comments about changing your child's diaper where other people dine or sit. It is so gross I can't believe this is even a discussion. Also, the bottom of the changing pad that you are using has also touched many a disgusting surface and is now in contact with the seat that I'm sitting on. Thanks for the germs and everything else you have passed along.
I have changed LO on the floor in public restrooms twice. Both times they were tiny restrooms and looked fairly clean. Second, we travel and don't often have a car around but I would absolutely change her outside or carry her somewhere that did have a changing station before I would ever consider changing her in an eating establishment (empty or not). It is disgusting and completely disrespectful to other patrons, and ridiculously selfish and lazy!
I am honestly amazed that people think it is OK to change a diaper on a restaurant table/booth. use your car, the floor of the bathroom, any place but where other are EATING. would you change a diaper on the table at Thanksgiving dinner?
and for those all grossed out by the bathroom floor guess what the changing table you fold out from the wall is probably not much cleaner. do you think that gets sanitized often? i doubt it.
Which is why this can not be an argument of how sanitary it is, which is what many of you are trying to make it.
An argument of respect of other diners, absolutely. The deciding factor is how much it bothers YOU. For me, it's really not that bothersome.
Also, you could argue that taking the baby out with a rank diaper passing by all other people eating would have had the same smelly effect. But whatevs
Diaper changes, just like using the toilet, is a private matter. would you pee in front of other diners? no, so why should we see your babys bottom or smell their poop?
The thing that really amazes me is how flipping LAZY some of you are. there are other places to change the diaper which do NOT interfere with others dining experience.
I am honestly amazed that people think it is OK to change a diaper on a restaurant table/booth. use your car, the floor of the bathroom, any place but where other are EATING. would you change a diaper on the table at Thanksgiving dinner?
and for those all grossed out by the bathroom floor guess what the changing table you fold out from the wall is probably not much cleaner. do you think that gets sanitized often? i doubt it.
Which is why this can not be an argument of how sanitary it is, which is what many of you are trying to make it.
An argument of respect of other diners, absolutely. The deciding factor is how much it bothers YOU. For me, it's really not that bothersome.
Also, you could argue that taking the baby out with a rank diaper passing by all other people eating would have had the same smelly effect. But whatevs
Diaper changes, just like using the toilet, is a private matter. would you pee in front of other diners? no, so why should we see your babys bottom or smell their poop?
The thing that really amazes me is how flipping LAZY some of you are. there are other places to change the diaper which do NOT interfere with others dining experience.
Yup. Maybe you should go back and read the rest of my responses, since Ive already made that point.
But seriously what if it's 30 below outside, and you didn't drive, and there isn't a changing table or counter, changing my baby on the bathroom floor isn't an options for me. I'm making excuses for people that might have to do it, because to me, there are legitimate excuses.
Sit on the toilet seat and change baby on your lap. Problem solved
I don't understand why people think it's okay to ever risk spreading fecal matter in the air where people are eating. Fine, be angry at the restaurant and take it up with the establishment, but don't put other patrons at risk because you are feeling inconvenienced. I'm sorry but from a public health and sanitation perspective there is no way that the needs of your 1 who you do not want to change on the floor (on a mat or blanket of course) or car outweigh the public health risk of feces flying through the air where food is being consumed. I'm usually a fairly liberal when it comes to microbiology, but it's absolutely not fair to put other unsuspecting people at risk and expose them to crap (literally).
5 cycles of "TTC" - 3 intentional, 2 not so intentional. 5 BFPs. My rainbow arrived 10/15/14. TFMC 08.02.13 at 19+ weeks. Everyday I grieve for my little Olive.
I have literally sat on a toilet and changed my kid in my lap with a blanket because I forgot to get the changing pad out of the dryer before I left and we had walked to a restaurant on vacation so no car option. It was MY fault that I forgot the changing pad and I would never ever even think of being so rude as to change the diaper out in the dining room where others are eating. That's just filthy. You find something, anything else to do besides change the diaper in the booth. How rank.
I'm joining this party late and I have changed my kids in the car, in the grass, on the beach, and on the bathroom floor more times that I care for, but NEVER EVER in a dining room. Freakin' gross!
A while ago there was a complaint letter in my local paper about how some parents were changing there kids diapers on the nice couches in the centre of the mall. I was horrified especially since there were public washrooms with changing tables not 25 feet away. I just could not believe how lazy people could be. Now I don't drive and it cxan get cold here and any of the list of excuses but I have never considered changing my childs diaper where people eat. Also when I am with my children I generally am not going to places that don't have change tables.
If the person in a booth next to me was changing a poop diaper, I would be pissed and would say something. I don't leave my house, spend hard earned money on food, to have it ruined by your child's rank diaper. Our front seat isn't that big either, but I have absolutely squeezed Amelia on it to change her. I have also put a blanket in the floor of my car and that works better. So many options, other than the booth.
My loling at not wanting to be rude by using a friend's car, but it's not being rude to open your kids diaper in front of them while they eat. Class act, I tell ya.
BFP #1 July 4, 2011 Baby girl born Feb 22, 2012!!
BFP #2 December 17, 2012 MMC January 24, 2013
BFP #3 April 7, 2013 Baby girl born December 11, 2013!!
Amelia has Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. She has had 3 open heart surgeries, 1 g-tube surgery, and one tracheostomy. She is the strongest, most precious little fighter.
You can follow her at. Www.ameliafaithsheart.blogspot.com
Way late to the party, but changing a baby where people eat is gross. There are things like portable and/or disposable changing pads and Lysol wipes for situations where you don't have a dedicated changing surface. If the floor is gross, use some Lysol wipes to make it a little more sanitary. If you don't have Lysol wipes and a portable/disposable changing pad, then I'm not sure what difference a changing table would make, because a changing table in a public restroom is probably just as filthy as the floor. If I'm out in public with LO and have him in a stroller, I prefer bringing the stroller into the bathroom, reclining the seat, and changing him in that over a public changing table.
I will say that there's no way I'd be able to change LO on my lap...maybe if he was sitting up? No way could I lay him on my lap--I have short legs and a very long and wiggly LO.
While it's a sucky situation, I agree that I would never change a poo diaper at a table around other people who are eating. No one wants to smell that, plus the sanitary issues. I could see changing a quick pee diaper maybe, but if that were the case I would've just done it in the car before we went in.
Also I would NEVER change my baby on the bathroom floor. That is just as fucking gross to me & I can't believe people actually do that.
Seriously?!? You lay something down!! If I had no other options yes, my kid would be on the floor, on her changing pad...
There would always be some other option I would choose. The car, even the grass, but the bathroom floor?? Hell no. My baby is wiggly & I'm not about to risk that nastiness.
I hardly post anymore and i know this thread is pretty old news but just wanted to agree that changing the baby on the bathroom floor is beyond disgusting. Put down the blanket and changing pad sure, that doesnt make me feel better though. Also, for me personally it wouldnt be an option due to both bad knees and a bad back...i wouldnt make it up off the floor lol.
Cant say exactly what id do if i didnt have a car because i would never be in that situation. I always use the car for changes even if there is a changing table though...its what i prefer.
Also I would NEVER change my baby on the bathroom floor. That is just as fucking gross to me & I can't believe people actually do that.
Seriously?!? You lay something down!! If I had no other options yes, my kid would be on the floor, on her changing pad...
There would always be some other option I would choose. The car, even the grass, but the bathroom floor?? Hell no. My baby is wiggly & I'm not about to risk that nastiness.
And if you are at a restaurant in the city with no car, no changing table in the bathroom and only a pedestal sink wtf are you supposed to do?
Honestly I wouldn't be in that situation, I always drive. But if so then maybe the stroller? I'd probably attempt the lap change before doing that, I don't know. Hey I mean, people do what they gotta do & I get it if you were in a situation where you felt like you had no option, it's just that doesn't make it any less gross.
First, @Skylight21 , are you smoking drugs again? Because you're making absolutely no goddamn sense in this thread.
Second, some of you are absolutely disgusting. How could anyone even defend a person changing a shitty diaper in the middle of a restaurant, much less actually do it.
/shiver.
Seriously, I am not shocked one bit by the people who said they would change shit diapers in the dining room...of course I'm pretty sure we don't eat at the same places, thank god. Y'all are fucking gross.
Re: Diaper Change in Restaurant Booth
Way to be tacky as shit. Congrats.
No but I'm a farm girl so I spend a lot of time in one
Shoe meet foot.
Completely
Most fast food restaurants that I have been it don't have counters they have pedestal sinks or those sinks that stick out from the wall (still no counter to change).
As I said before there was no one around me at all when I changed LO (on a changing pad) and then I disinfected everything with clorox wipes, so it was probably cleaner than when I got there.
If ever..... Yuck!!! I wipe it down with a clorox wipe before laying a changing pad down and then putting LO on it. Then I try to keep him from touching it too much and make sure to wash his hands really well after. The floor is a much bigger space to try and clean, especially if they are trying to roll all over the place.Not bumping on The Bump anymore
Great Support, Great Conversations, and more than just Cloth Diapering at our new home
Shucks, thanks. What I strive for
Yup. Maybe you should go back and read the rest of my responses, since Ive already made that point.
Sit on the toilet seat and change baby on your lap. Problem solved
TFMC 08.02.13 at 19+ weeks. Everyday I grieve for my little Olive.
/sarcasm
Please PLEASE catch that this is a joke!
My loling at not wanting to be rude by using a friend's car, but it's not being rude to open your kids diaper in front of them while they eat. Class act, I tell ya.
I will say that there's no way I'd be able to change LO on my lap...maybe if he was sitting up? No way could I lay him on my lap--I have short legs and a very long and wiggly LO.
BFP #2 EDD 10/2015
Cant say exactly what id do if i didnt have a car because i would never be in that situation. I always use the car for changes even if there is a changing table though...its what i prefer.