No diaper change station in a public bathroom?? This applies to moms AND dads!!?

Question

Recently I ate dinner at a very upscale restaurant. During dinner my child needed a diaper change. I went to the ladies restroom, and there was no place for me to change the diaper! I was forced to either A. place my son on the bathroom floor (which I wasn't going to do), or B. try and hold a wiggling 8 month old in my arms, wipe him, put a clean diaper on, then redress him (which I ended up doing). Now I don't know about you, but this was unacceptable in my opinion, and I won't eat at this restaurant again. (I did email them when I got home and complain as they were very busy and I didn't want to cause a scene in public)

I was just wondering- has this happened to you? Why don't we get together a list of places that DO NOT have diaper change stations (or some adequate and sanitary place for diaper changes) so that we know which places to avoid? It might be nice to know ahead of time which restaurants aren't "baby diaper change" friendly...

Some of you are misreading the question. I don't think that restraunts should have to cater to people with infants. I'm asking for places to avoid so that I don't have this situation happen again.

One last thing- I had never been to this particular restaurant before. Had I known what I know now, I would have avoided going there in the first place.

Answer 1

I haven't run into anything like that yet. But I could understand your frustration. However I don't feel that every place should have them because I would deal with it at the moment and your right maybe not go there again. I always have a changing pad to lay him on. And we even use the changing pads with the baby changing stations because they are usually gross. It has nothing to do with changing your babies diaper before you leave, because obviously everybody does that, but we can't stop them if they have to poop or pee frequently for that matter. And by no means my son would never sit in poop.

I would have put him on the floor wih the changing pad, that's just me. And also why get a baby sitter just so you can go to a restuarant? Some of these people on here are just ridiculous. We are only doing what we are supposed to do: being a parent!

Answer 2

I had this happen to me at a restaurant in Downtown DISNEY - of all places!!! (Disneyland - Anaheim, Ca.) I was so shocked that a DISNEYLAND affiliated restaurant wouldn't have a changing table - I had to leave the restaurant and go 5 or 6 stores down the way to the Lego Store building to use the restroom with a changing table. This wasn't an upscale restaurant, nor a 'family' restaurant - it was just a 'middle of the road' type of place.

I complained to the hostess at the time - who looked about 14 (lol) and is probably clueless... thanks for reminding me about this issue - I will send a complaint letter to the restaurant right now!!

I ha vent been back to the restaurant since and I probably wont go back either - after all, one of the reasons I go out to dinner is for the convenience of being served and not having to cook myself... I think having a changing table is a convenience too!

Answer 3

You know what? the same thing happened to me last week, I went to get my car serviced at a Volvo dealership and my 5 month old needed a diaper changed, I went to the bathroom which was very roomy and nice but did not have a baby diaper change station, however they did have a very nice and large sink area so what I did is I got my padded blanket put it on the counter next to the sink and changed my baby there with no problem, well my baby is still long enough to fit there I was wondering what if he had been older? he would have not fit there for sure. I did e-mail the place and as expected I have had no answer to that yet. I do feel like you have a great point and I wouldn't know what else to do but contact the place and complain about it, which we have done, but if we encourage people to do this everytime they run into a situation like this maybe we will make some progress and have a changing station in all bathrooms!

Answer 4

I think that the mothers nowadays are so very fortunate that ANY PLACE has a diaper change station, that it's hard for me to sympathize with you if you actually have to do it "the old fashioned way"!! When my children were little (they are 24 and 20 now) a diaper change station hadn't even been heard of! What you described having to do in the rest room was what I had to do every time I changed them away from home! Today's mothers don't even realize how good they have it!! Helpful hint: It's easier to do if you sit down and change the baby in you lap!

Answer 5

I understand what you mean. I have gone into several restrooms and there have been no changing tables. I carry my own changing pad, but it hardly does me any good when there is no where to change her! And I will not out of respect of others change her on the sink counter. I would be kind of grossed out if I went to wash my hands and a woman was changing a poopie diaper right next to me at the sink. It's not very sanitary.

What I usually wind up going is going out to my car or sitting down and changing her in my lap.

Answer 6

People have been having babies long before diaper stations were invented. With enough preparations and creativity, (a sink?) it can be accmoplished without harming the baby.

Also, why are you taking a baby to an upscale restaurant? Do you have any respect to the establishment or the fellow patrons? Although you seem to have you have the every right to take your baby to the location, it is neither appropriate for the occasion. (you have the right, but many well mannered people will do not this)

Also, instead of resorting to a campain of complaints to everything that does not suit you completely, why not prepare yourself for such occasions? Surely, it is not reasonable for a business to be ready and 100% compliant to every possible needs of everybody, including someone who will bring babies to the upscale restaurant. (which is usually rare)

Answer 7

i know how you feel. recently, i took my 14 month old to our neighborhood swimming pool - for the 1st time ever. in the rules it states that diaper wearing babies must wear a swim diaper (which they provide for $1.00)- a reasonable and totally understandable request. then is states that the baby MUST be changed ONLY in the seclusion of the restroom and not outside within public view - yet another reasonable and totally understandable request. however, once entering the restroom i found there was no place to change him. and i really mean NO PLACE. there was only a pedestal sink, a dirty, wet floor (which i wouldn't have used regardless of cleanliness) and of course no baby changing station. we live in the neighborhood and walked to the pool, so i couldn't change him in the car. and this was our neighborhood pool where there are TONS of babies !! what were they thinking ?????????????????????

Answer 8

I often change my baby in the trunk. It's hard on my back, but I prefer the back strain to some public restroom changing tables. Eww.

Along the same lines, why doesn't Chipotle have changing tables? I love that place.

Answer 9

that is ridiculas, I would have placed him on the counter by the sinks if there was room. I hate it when placed dont have changing stations. Or when they dont have them in the mens restroom, Is there somthing against a man taking baby in and changing them, I hate it cause I always have to go and change our baby. The only place that I have ran into with none was a race track. Other then that If i find any ill let ya know!!

Answer 10

I am sorry to be rude, but there are a lot bigger fish to fry. The world has come along way to support families but it does not need to cater to them all the time. I guess changing tables are nice but if there not there life goes on and as a parent you adjust. I think you made the right choice, if the restaurant or any business doesn't meet your needs don't go there!