Changing your kids diaper at restaurant table?

MrsG1019 · August 2014

Just saw this news story & wanted to see what everyone else's thoughts are:

https://m.today.com/parents/mom-complains-after-restaurant-kicks-her-out-changing-diaper-table-1D80053934

MollMoll4 · August 2014

I don't have kids yet so who knows what I would really do in that situation. That being said, I think it's gross to do it at the table. If you have a changing pad, why not use the bathroom counter or the back of your car? It sounds like this lady just wasn't happy with the service in general.

MrsG1019 · August 2014

Yea I'm a FTM as well.... I guess the bathroom didn't have a changing table and she also has a 8 & 11 year old with her(I believe those were the age's) .. So she didn't want to take all 3 kids to the car. That's a health issue for me... Changing a poppy diaper at the dining table of a public restaurant is wrong on so many levels. Just from a common courtesy standpoint if nothing else.

Lilwatz · August 2014

My husband gets mad when people change diapers ANYWHERE except a bathroom/changing table. I told him he will get over that FAST when we have our little one. It's happening on the living room floor or couch if need be. Having said that, a place where we eat food? Nope. I don't think so. (But I'm a FTM...)

KMW08 · August 2014

I wonder if the woman even checked out the bathroom. Although there might not have been a changing station, the sink might have had enough counter space for a diaper change.

I agree with MollMoll that the lady wasn't happy with the service. I think she did this out of spite, especially since in the article it states she would have went to the car, if she would have had better service.

Dana633 · August 2014

I'm a STM and I would never change my child at a dinner table or around any food for that matter. And don't even recall ever changing DS in the open public. If there wasn't a bathroom available, I found a spot to hide with him. Now there were many occasions where I changed him in the back seat of the car.

absolutelymaybe · August 2014

Not only am I going to be a FTM, I've never changed a diaper before (or been present when one is changed), so I don't feel like I have any experience to give a good opinion.

It does seem like it would be a health issue, though. I'll admit, I would definitely side eye it if I saw someone doing that. Maybe my opinion will change, but right now that's where I'm at.

MrsG1019 · August 2014

kyliedaniellexx said:
No, I would never. Take the baby to the washroom and change them on the counter or go to your car. Not wanting to inconvenience yourself taking all 3 kids isnt a good enough excuse for me... sorry. It's common curtosey and respect for the health code. The waitress cleaning your table once you leave shouldn't have to sanitize the furniture.

It sounds like she was pissed off and wanted to make a scene, IMO. Or get her 10 minutes of fame when the restaurant did what she knew it would do.

This was my thought.

ccam · August 2014

Nope, I would definitely never do that. I've had to change DS in some awkward situations, but I'd never change him at a table which people eat at or are eating around me - that's gross and unsanitary. But it seems clear that she was doing it to get back at the waitress/staff for being rude.

There has to be some surface in the bathroom or I'd go to the car. And the fact that she has 2 other kids - so?? They are 8 and 11, not toddlers who might run off on her. Either way, it doesn't matter.

clumsyatheart · August 2014

The older kids could sit in a restaurant by themselves for a few minutes. Or actually, considering the mom of a latchkey kid was sent to prison for letting her kid go to a park, uh. Yeah awkward situation. Some sanctimommy would probably call the cops.

I would never change a baby near food or near where people sit or eat. That is just a health hazard. Esp since you don't know when the employees last wiped down the seats, etc!! Plus it's a matter of thinking about other people and the fact that they can smell the diaper while eating. I get doing it if there isn't a table or counter in the bathroom, but i'd rather change them outside or something on a changing pad in the grass. The table is a bit much

you are also teaching your kid that they are super special, and that it's okay to be gross around food.

ETA: the most irritating thing about that article is the selfishness of the mother. We live in this OMG I AM SO SPESHUL age and it's ridiculous. Yes, you are a stressed mom. Yes, you have to deal with piss and shit. No, that does not mean anyone outside of your family should have to deal with seeing or smelling your kid's piss or shit. Just reminds me of the family of this poor kid who was in my 4s class when i was a preschool teacher. They refused to potty train him, poor dude was FOUR, and we had to change his diapers when we chose the four group so we um...wouldn't have to (ngl that was my reasoning). Totally ridiculous. Think about other people. /rant over.

carafern · August 2014

I didn't read the article but I guess my ignorant FTM brain wonders why she couldn't have waited? Are diaper changes supposed to happen immediately? Was it a poop explosion?

clumsyatheart · August 2014

What about taking your kid into a stall and changing them standing up, depending on age and such? Maybe a good substitute for the FREAKING RESTAURANT TABLE. Ever heard of e coli?!?! Anyone who would change their kid on a table in a restaurant deserves a citation from the health dept imho.

It's like that people of wal-mart story where they wouldn't return this ahole's open bag of chips, so he pulled his pants down, took a crap in the bag, and threw it at the cashier. If the staff is rude, DONT TIP. Shit does not have to be brought into the situation.

MrsDL · August 2014

No - it's not sanitary and disgusting. Yep it would be nice that all public restrooms have changing tables, but they don't. To me it doesn't matter whether people can see or not, let's face it, a stinky diaper is a stinky diaper - why ruin everyone else's dining experience with that?

With DS, we ran into this situation on occasion - that's what the changing pad that comes with diaper bags is for (and you'd want to have one handy for the changing tables in public restrooms anyway because they are germ-infested nightmares to begin with - I want to vomit when I see women changing babies on those things with no bad or blanket) - go to the restroom and change the baby on the floor. The other kids can come with and wait.

phdprocrastinator · August 2014

I have my fingers crossed that a bill in CA that would require all restaurants to put in changing stations in BOTH women's and men's bathrooms passes. It's pretty ridiculous some of the restaurants we've been to - places that totally cater to families - that don't have changing stations.

I'll cop to changing a pee pee diaper on a seat in a fast food place during a road trip. The car was packed, there was no changing station, and the bathroom was disgusting. We were really discrete and it was super quick. Poopy would have been very awkward.

missnacholover · August 2014

FTM here...

I don't shit where I eat. Therefore, I will not be changing my baby's diaper at our dining table at home or in a restaurant.

meeshybee · August 2014

runnershan said:

I've actually seen this happen in person and it was disgusting. More so because of the smell. I'm a FTM too so I know I don't know what it's like to be in this situation but I just feel like it's common sense to not change a dirty diaper around other people who are eating. In the case I witnessed the smell was so bad because the parents left the diaper on the table while they finished eating and then left it there for the waitress to clean up after they left. I was mortified for the poor girl.

Wow. No. This is not okay.

Yeah, it sounds like the Mom was trying to get back at the restaurant. If I was that dissatisfied, I would have just left.

venussapphire · August 2014

No not acceptable. Mind you, you never know the situation. I normally would just change DD in my car if we were out. Not everywhere has an area to change your baby or it might not be clean. When she was 8 months we were on a 4 hour flight and they don't have changing tables or any counter space to change diapers in the airplane. WTF is that? So I had to change her on some empty seats. Lame.

jmichlik · August 2014

Yeah this is just not okay. Randomly enough my sister just went to a wedding (a backyard BBQ) and had someone changing their kid at one of the picnic tables while people were sitting there eating dinner. The wedding had actually been a tack-fest overall so she said sadly that seemed almost normal in a sense, but still not okay.

moonladymae · August 2014

I wouldn't change my child's diaper at the table. This does bring up the issue in my small town, there are a lot of Mom's and Dad's that walk to a restaurant around here since everything is so close and sometimes without a stroller. This has been a big issue for dads at one of our local establishments because the restauant doesn't provide a changing table in the men's room! I believe ALL restaurants should provide a changing table in both the Men's and Women's room or provide a single family bathroom with a changing table.

dr_pr · August 2014

STM, and no way do I change diapers at the table. I've changed DD on the floor of a Subway that didn't have a changing table before, and frequently in the car before putting her in her seat. Like @MrsDL said--that's why diaper bags come with changing pads (and why those pads are washable). That's just disgusting. I do hope that CA bill gets passed, @phdprocrastinator, if only to keep my H from getting out of diaper changes in public because men's rooms hardly ever have changing tables!

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