Need help from fellow Germ-o-phobes

[tjlovespooh]

Ok DH and I are bringing DS17mo to the world for the first time and I am becoming more and more anxious about how I am going to handle the diapering situation while out and about I have NEVER changed DS diaper in a public restroom and can't stand the thought of EVER doing so So, my question is ... How do you, my fellow germ-o-phobes, handle diapering your little one while at disney? Do you have any tricks to keeping wigglely tots from becoming germ-infested? What kind of changing pad should I invest in? Any specific type/style diaper bag that works best? Please help, I know I mustn't be the only freak who is paranoid about public restrooms, right
As a side note, I truly don't know what I'll do when it's time to think about DS using a public TOILET

 

[all4fun]

I feel your pain...

I'd recommend you use those disposable changing table covers. I've seen them at Target. That way you're not putting a dirty changing pad back in your diaper bag.

I always stocked up on those sanitary wipes and would wipe down the changing table before using it.

One good thing is most of the restrooms have stainless steel tables. Stainless steel is more sanitary than other surfaces, because it is less porous, if that makes you feel any better.

There is also a baby care center in each park - those changing tables are cleaned between each use and they provide thick paper liners to use as well. Use those when you can, but you probably won't want to trek back to the BCC every time you need to change a diaper.

hth!

 

[1rockinmamato2]

I am soooo right there with you and I'm very glad you asked this question! Even with a disposable diaper table cover, I could not be able to put my child on a public changing table.

Usually what I do when we're out somewhere is change them either back at the car or reclined back in the stroller after putting a disposable changing pad under them. I don't know how easy that's going to be though in our new double stroller or if I'll be able to find a secluded place in the park to do this or not.

I'm am a complete germaphobe and even posted a question on one of the other DIS boards the other day about whether or not the water for the rides is sanitized!

I'm trying to not let my anxiety over the kids catching something while we're at the park ruin my excitement though.

I share the same dread as you do too about potty training and public restrooms. Sorry I wasn't much help. Just wanted to let you know that you're not alone!

 

[Minnie824]

I'm not really a germophobe, but thought I'd give my input...when we took DD at 20 mos, I got really good at changing her in a diaper while she was standing, or at least sort of sitting. It was fun for her too, she put her hands down and her feet down, and I told her to lift her butt up and stay like that while i switched old/new diapers. Also, I would suggest trying pullups just for during the day at the parks. That way you could also have him just stand for changes.

 

[Trixie15]

What if you carried some of those disposable clorox wipes? Wipe down the changing table, line it with a disposable liner, cover that with a towel or blanket of your own that you keep with you (it only touches the liner, not the actual table) and lay your baby on the blanket/towel to change him/her?

ETA - I'm not a germophobe but thought I'd offer this suggestion. Honestly - I'll probably be more likely to change my own baby's diaper right in the stroller, that way I'm not having to take baby into the crowded bathrooms at all.

 

[mommytomy3]

I usually just recline the stroller and do it there.
I obsess over the germs from the wooden high chairs, so I bring my floppy seat for that!!

 

[boysmom5150]

Hi I'm boysmom5150 and I am a germophobe. Ok I've said it. They prob dont come more crazy than I. Ok here was my stategy for traveling with our 1 and 4 yo. Always changed baby in stroller in an out of the way location so not to gross out our annoy others. I just put disposable changing pad under him in stroller. They make travel size clorox wipes(get them in grocery store before you go) so I'm sure if you wiped changing table with that or sprayed with lysol spray then put down changing pad that would be ok. I would prob put one on the side/wall also so if baby hands when up it would touch pad and not grimy wall.
Also was VERY nervous about DS4 using public restroom. I picked up at a Babies R Us store travel size lysol spray and clorox anytime spray. And would spray down toilet before he went(even if he was just peeing as just in case he got too close to toilet) ,them i just wiped toilet with paper towels, lined the toilet with about a roll of tp and hoped for the best.THANK GOD WE ONLY HAD TO DO THAT ONCE, the rest of the time was just peepee. Whew!! I have to say that most of the restrooms were pretty clean. REMEMBER to ALWAYS use a paper towel or tp to CLOSE and LOCK door in bathroom stall and OPEN door as that where most of the germs are on door handles,locks and knobs not the actual toilet. Good luck and hope this may have helped.Your not out there alone
PS. Bring lots of purell hand sanitizer also!!Oh my I could go on and on and on.

 

[jodifla]

My goodness. Talk about overboard!

I just took DS into the restroom and changed him there. I had a changing pad, so he never touched anything in the restroom.

What exactly are you afraid of your children catching?

 

[Twingle]

LOL - germ-o-phobes unite! The only thing I wanted to mention is that if you can find it, use the Clorox anywhere spray before you use Lysol. There is a chemical in Lysol that lots of children are developing an allergy too (sorry, can't remember the name of it), and if they inhale the Lysol fumes they can get really sick. Clorox spray is safe to use on any surface, even ones that will be eaten off of. Lysol isn't.

Purell is great, we used it after we got off rides (in my husbands words "obsess about germs much, honey?"), but we would use wet-ones before we ate. I have an allergy to most all soaps used in dispensers in public toilets, so I always have wet-ones with me!

 

[1rockinmamato2]

What exactly are you afraid of your children catching?

E.coli, rotavirus, hand-foot-mouth disease, hepatitis A (although we have a vaccine for that now) - all of which are spread through fecal matter and some can be potentially life threatening.

I'd prefer to be cautious when diaper changing is concerned.

 

[Hannathy]

And just how do you sterilize the air? My Goodness!

You all know that studies show that the healthiest children by far are ones who have been exposed to germs.

 

[dsneygirl]

I agree you could just wipe down the changing area or go to the baby change station where they put paper down between each baby. I'm not a germaphobe and changed my DS all over WDW and never thought twice about it.

 

[1rockinmamato2]

And just how do you sterilize the air? My Goodness!

We don't. We just take a big deep breath before going into crowded areas and hold it until we leave.

And FWIW, DS isn't healthier by being exposed to RSV from my husband's cold when he was four months old. He now struggles with reactive airways and asthma because of what the RSV did to his lungs. So, the whole "the more they're exposed to makes them healthier" argument just doesn't fly with me.

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

I also changed DS right in his stroller. I would wait until the handicap stall was available, or the family restroom so I could take his stroller in there, I wouldn't change him in public (for example while sitting at a bench). I changed him standing up, once he got older. Our next trip will be our first potty trained trip and I am a little anxious about that, since we haven't gotten the standing part yet.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Changing pads were too thin & small to keep my kids from touching anything so I used disposable bed pads instead. I used to buy them at Walmart for around $10 but since they weren't on the website I'm including a link that shows what they are even though I never paid that much for them.
http://www.nursinghomeapparel.com/shop/Disposable_Bed_Pads.html

When DS would use a public toilet I just sprayed seats with Clorox mini spray bottles, then covered the seats with tissue and had him stand on the seat & aim down while I held him still.

When the kids HAD to sit I used to spray everything with Clorox spray, wipe the seat with hand tissue & then cover it with a seat cover.

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

I was worrried about having to change my 8 month old when we took him to WDW. But I brought my changing pad and plenty of wipes. I would also line the changing table area with paper towels.

When we drove to WDW in October my 4yo was potty trained for the first time on a 18 hr road trip. I packed a little bag to bring to the rest stops with me. I had toddler wipes, Lysol Wipes and Lysol Disinfecting spray.I sprayed the seat each potty stop and then wiped it clean. I would then give the bag to my DH if my 8 yo DS needed it. It worked well and we had a fresh smelling stall each time!

 

[bzzymom]

I am a nurse and consider myself to be careful when diapering my child. I have a pad that came with a diaper bag. I put that down, then my DD on it. Then, after done, I wipe the pad down and wash both our hands. I bring the children's hand wipe things and use them a lot. Especially after DD has been on playground equipment.

 

[4lilpoohs]

Our next trip will be our first potty trained trip and I am a little anxious about that, since we haven't gotten the standing part yet.

Boys are easy out in public when they are little. Just hold them up other the toliet like they are flying. Then they don't touch anything. We call it the "superbaby pee". Hold him flat with one arm holding his chest and arms and the other arm holds his legs. Very easy and a good arm workout

 

[Tiger926]

And just how do you sterilize the air? My Goodness!

You all know that studies show that the healthiest children by far are ones who have been exposed to germs.

It really bothers me when people join threads when they have no intention of answering the OP's questions. I am so tired of people telling us who need to watch out for germs that there is something wrong with us or that we are doing our kids a disservice. My 22 month old daughter was made extremely ill while in WDW 2 years ago (Rotavirus, Strep Throat) by more than likely your children whom you let roam around the parks leaving their germs everywhere! We had full body pysicals (blood work, etc.) 3 days before going to WDW. Result: perfect health. Within 3 days of arriving, my daughter was extremely and I mean extremely ill). Based on incubation period and tests that the pediatric specialists ran while we were in Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital for 2 days, they absolutely knew it was from a germ infested kid at WDW. You don't want me to tell you what the pediatric specialists told us about all of the nasty germs that are at WDW - they themselves said that the amount of people who bring sick kids there is inexcusable, as well as people like yourself who believe that germs are good, so they don't clean up after their kids' bodily fluids which in turn infects someone else. It really makes their job difficult as some children (like my daughter) get very ill - long way from home and it's very scary, let me tell you! We are beyond vigilant, but again, we can't stop people from coughing their nasty germs on us all of the time - and based on this logic, I guess you think it's ok for your kids to make my kids sick?

Sorry, but the OP asked for info from people who are worried about germs - if you aren't, then don't post otherwise. Your response is not only insulting, but it just plain rude - think about those of us with weak immune systems, or those of us with babies/children with asthma, etc. (like my daughter) - getting sick is not good for us, so keep your germs to yourself, thank you!

OP - I would highly recommend the baby care centers in each park, as mentioned, as they are very regularly sanitized. We are DVC members who spend several weeks per year in the parks, and the cleanliness and sanitary conditions of WDW bathrooms has been rapidly declining in years - I have never felt safe (the pediatric specialists assured us that so many dangerously serious germs are spread on change tables) using the regular change tables, but if you must, disinfect table, use a disposal change pad, wipe down your wipes container and diaper bag if you place it on the table, and then sanitize your baby's hands as well as your own in case he/she touches anything while you are changing.

Good luck - our DD is going to be 4 at end of May, and we still use Baby Care Centers despite the fact that she has been potty trained since age 2, and we will continue to use them for a long time to come as they are more clean and easy to use then the regular park bathrooms.

Have a wonderful and healthy vacation, Tiger

 

[Hannathy]

First of all My kids don't leave bodily fluids all over because they use the toilet the way it was designed to be used. It is the hoverers that leave messes.
Second it wasn't my kids because they have never had strep,an extremely commonly occurring everywhere germ by the way. and Third possibly if your DD had been exposed to a few germs her body would have learned how to fight off germs and not gotten so ill. My DS who has had his diaper changed in so many public places I can't recall them all, has never even been on an antibiotic and he is 8 1/2.

And lastly it is all of our business because of the germaphobes killing all the good bacteria and germs and allowing the bad germs to learn how to mutate, we are rapidly breeding SUPER germs that will be near impossible to kill and that will effect my children and all children. So I do feel you are doing your child and mine a dis-service. Ever hear off MRSA? we used to be able to kill it.