Fathers & toilet/changing facilities

In the UK we have 3 sets of toilets usually mens, womens and disabled. =
Some places, like here in Nottingham, the shopping centres (malls) have =
''parent and baby'' rooms. I know in Nottingham's Broadmarsh shopping =
centre we have a separate room with toilet cubicle, changing facilities =
and even a rocking chair for breastfeeding mothers to feed in comfort =
and McDonalds have changing baby facilities in the disabled toilet.

I take a portable changing mat with me and if I can't find toilets to =
use I find a bench or seat, I've never seen it a problem changing =
babies. my hubbie is the same, he'll look for parent and baby unit or =
disabled toilets and then improvise where necessary.


"Nikki" wrote in message =
...
Kazh wrote:
Ask him to use the disabled toilet if there are no facilities in the
men's.

Second time I've seen this suggestion :-) I'm assuming that there are
places that have separate bathrooms that are accessible? I've never =
seen
that. We have accessible stalls within the men's bathroom and also =
within
the women's bathroom. A person with a wheelchair would still have to =
use
the same gender specific bathroom.

--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (5) and Luke (3)

On Fri, 4 Jun 2004 17:56:27 +0000 (UTC), Jacqui
wrote:

Certainly in the UK it's common to have three sets: men, women,
disabled. The gender-specific ones are usually way too small to get
a wheelchair (or a pushchair) into. It's not like there's usually a
queue for the disabled toilet, so no big problem with anyone
(qualified) using it.

Same in Australia. In fact in places like McDonalds the disabled
toilets are often the only places you will get a change table because
there is only enough room to put one in the disabled toilet.

--
Cheryl
Mum to Shrimp (11 Mar 99), Thud (4 Oct 00)
and Mischief (30 Jul 02)

My feelings exactly, I usually have 3 kids out with me 3, 21/2 & 9 =
months (I'm a childminder), and I ALWAYS use toilet I can get the =
pushchair in. If hubbie is out with me then it's different but I'm =
solely responsible for those children whilst we are out so they stay =
with me at ALL times.

"Jacqui" wrote in message =
. 7...
Nikki wibbled
Kazh wrote:


Certainly in the UK it's common to have three sets: men, women,=20
disabled. The gender-specific ones are usually way too small to get=20
a wheelchair (or a pushchair) into. It's not like there's usually a=20
queue for the disabled toilet, so no big problem with anyone=20
(qualified) using it. I use them when I need to - partially because=20
of the rails which I find handy when my back is playing up,=20
partially because I can get the pushchair in there with me. I have=20
not used a regular public toilet in 10 months if I'm out with T on=20
my own (obviously if there's someone with me they watch the baby=20
while I go), I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving him or the=20
pushchair in the public part in most places.

Jac

Seems to be different in the US to that of here in the UK.

My only advice is put the babies needs first. If you have to, carry a =
portable or disposable changing mat with you and change baby where ever =
you can. I've changed babies on seat, on grass in the park, in the back =
seat of the car but the best pace when out and about is in the =
pushchair.

"Nikki" wrote in message =
...
Jacqui wrote:

Certainly in the UK it's common to have three sets: men, women,
disabled. The gender-specific ones are usually way too small to get
a wheelchair (or a pushchair) into. It's not like there's usually a
queue for the disabled toilet, so no big problem with anyone
(qualified) using it.

I'm in the US. I'm not sure if it is the same all over or not. The
bathrooms are generally large and have several stalls per bathroom, one =
of
the stalls is extra big and has rails and occasionally a higher toilet. =
You
can use those to of course and I think most people with strollers or =
kids do
if they are open. The stalls are separated by metal partitions. The
regular stalls are small.

In small places, like small gas stations, there is just one toilet
bathrooms, usually large enough to be accessable so there are still only
two.

--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (5) and Luke (3)

Thanks for all the advice :-)
I never thought about places like the car, the stroller etc - I guess you
just change a baby wherever you can. My mother always took my younger
brother into the womens' toilets, but always gave me the impression that
partly the reason she did this was because mens' toilets were unclean places
where unsavoury characters hung out and urinated on the floor! I guess it's
a misconception I carry from my childhood, since of course I've never been
into a mens' toilet myself.
DH assures me he's never seen a changing station in a mens' toilet though,
so I guess here in NZ we're behind the times. Maybe a bit of letter-writing
would do the trick there. We do have some unisex disabled toilets though, so
I'll get him to check those out.

"Amy" wrote in message
...
DH came up with a really good question the other day. As someone who will
no
doubt be a hands-on Dad, what is he supposed to do if he is in a public
place by himself and our daughter needs to go to the toilet? Entrust her
to
some strange woman? Take her into a grotty mens' loo?
Changing is an issue in itself. I can't think of any unisex baby changing
facilities in town. We have a womens' rest room, which has toilet
facilities
for women with a large room at the front suitable for changing or feeding
a
baby, but only toilets for men and there is a bold sign in front of the
restrooms stating that the facilities are for women/children only and
mens'
toilets are around the side. This seems profoundly sexist and unfair to me
:-/
I'm tempted to write to our council about the problem. I know they need to
ensure that a restroom for children is free of paedophiles etc, but why
ban
a father with his children? What do the solo Dads out there do?