Public Diaper Changes, What Are the Guidelines?

[tink too]

what about an airplane without a baby changing table?? I used an empty row in the back of the plane. What would I do if there was not an empty row??

Personally, I took my DD to the bathroom and even when there was a changing table in there, I didn't always use it. I would sit on the toilet (I put the lid down first of course! ) and lay my my DD across my knee after putting down her changing pad. I changed her diaper at lightning speed, then disposed of it in the bin provided.

I agree about the bathroom on a plane, even if there is no table. But it seems like there ought to be some aviation rule that any plane flying to Orlando is required to have a changing table!

I can't imagine taking the 9 hour flight to Orlando from the UK only to discover the only place to change your baby would be at your seat!

When DD was 13 months old, I changed her CLOTHING only outside the CS place at the American Adventure in Epcot. She had just eaten a piece of choc chip cookie and was covered in crumbs. As I was packing up the dirty clothes, a male CM approached me and advised me that I could have been fined under Florida law for changing a diaper in public. He said that public diaper changing was maybe acceptable "in my country" but it was not in the US and that it was considered as child endangerment. I think he said the fine was approx. $1000 and possibly some jail time too.

 

[bavaria]

I can't imagine taking the 9 hour flight to Orlando from the UK only to discover the only place to change your baby would be at your seat!

The seat is NOT the place to do a diaper change. People are sitting in those seats, and others may be eating around you. It is the same as using a restaurant seat to change a diaper.

Again, FAs will intervene - I see that many times on Lufthansa (as well as pretty much every other airline I fly weekly) and thankfully people can speak their minds a little bit more in Germany if required. They certainly set the parents straight as to inappropriate behaviour.

Some models of aircraft do not have a changing table. If you need to do a change, ask the FA for advice, use the toilet seat, or use a change pad on the floor by the lav.

 

[J3nn78]

I am not ashamed to say that I will change mine in public and could care less what others think about it or of me. We are discreet, but we use the stroller. I am a germophobe and have never and will never change my kids on a public bathroom changing table. Ick. I would never dream of doing it on a park bench, bus, or restaurant booth. That is disgusting.

I also would NEVER change my child on a toilet seat lid. Ewww. When we had to change on our flight, I laid DS across my lap and DH helped my do a quick change.

 

[PrincessBelle94]

I am not ashamed to say that I will change mine in public and could care less what others think about it or of me. We are discreet, but we use the stroller. I am a germophobe and have never and will never change my kids on a public bathroom changing table. Ick. I would never dream of doing it on a park bench, bus, or restaurant booth. That is disgusting.

I also would NEVER change my child on a toilet seat lid. Ewww. When we had to change on our flight, I laid DS across my lap and DH helped my do a quick change.

See, this, I don't have a problem with. Use your stroller all you want, I won't be sitting on it/eating off of it.

 

[summermac]

I just don't change my kids at WDW.

 

[Suellen]

Never, never, never on a monorail, train or bus. We would just wait until we get someplace that we can change her. We haven't been faced with the in line thing as we usually try not to wait in lines much with the kids. I would imagine if that happened DH would take her out and change her. Although at this age we are pretty well aware of when it is coming now.

I would say though ~ If you want to do it discreetly in your stroller then fine ~ but why not stroll it into the bathroom if there is one available.

 

[pickles]

I would never poop in line, on the monerail or in a bus so why in the world would I (or ANY"ONE) think its acceptable to change a diaper in a pubic place.

.

That is my opinion too!. It never crossed my mind when my fellow was a baby to change his diaper anywhere but a bathroom or maybe my car as the one person suggested.
Why someone else thinks it is ok to poop(change diapers) in the middle of a restaurant is beyond me

 

[PEANUT1]

Thankfully most FAs would have put a stop to that behaviour and I often see them doing so. Changing a diaper on an airline seat is not appropriate as the waste material could leak onto the seat. Other posters have given steps as how to change using the closed toilet lid. In past other posters have suggested a changing pad on the floor by the lav.

Or ask the FA - they will make appropriate suggestions for you.

my 1 1/2 year old daughter would not have fit to be changed on a toilet seat...would you prefer I put her on the floor?? seriously people, give me a break. Actually it was the flight attendants idea to change her on the seat...and of course I had a changing pad.

 

[waltskids]

I would never, ever change my child in any public place (bus, monorail, airplane seat, park bench, waterpark, by the pool, etc., etc.) We always use the bathroom when we are out, except for the few times we have changed DS in our own car (no one was around us at the time). We have flown numerous times with DS and we have always used the bathroom when he needed to be changed. I cannot imagine people actually doing that in front of others.

 

[tnmomof4]

I flew a lot with my kids as babies...I always have flown Southwest. I can remember being told at least half a dozen times that I could not change my babies on the seat. (not that I was even attempting to, I guess I was offered this info as a mom walking on a plane with twins)

When the FA told me to change my baby's diaper on top of the toilet, I was very, very thankful I had disinfecting wipes in my diaper bag. I used them to clean the area, then used my disposable diaper pads.

When I was done, she did tell me I could have used the area in front of the bathroom on the floor. I guess I would have done the same thing, wipe the floor first, then use my disposable diaper pads. If my babies had been older, I probably would have had to used the floor. I would have had no choice.

I agree with others that most change tables anywhere can be dirty, even at Disney, that is why I always used the disinfecting wipes and disposable change pads on any change table.

 

[waltskids]

I flew a lot with my kids as babies...I always have flown Southwest. I can remember being told at least half a dozen times that I could not change my babies on the seat. (not that I was even attempting to, I guess I was offered this info as a mom walking on a plane with twins)

When the FA told me to change my baby's diaper on top of the toilet, I was very, very thankful I had disinfecting wipes in my diaper bag. I used them to clean the area, then used my disposible diaper pads.

When I was done, she did tell me I could have used the area in front of the bathroom on the floor. I guess I would have done the same thing, wipe the floor first, then use my disposable diaper pads. If my babies had been older, I probably would have had to used the floor. I would have had no choice.

I agree with others that most change tables anywhere can be dirty, even at Disney, that is why I always used the disinfecting wipes and disposable change pads on any change table.

I agree with this as well. We always use the disposable changing pads so that they can be thrown away after each use. I don't want to carry around a changing pad that has been on any changing table.

 

[PlainJane]

In a place with as many bathrooms as Disney World, it is never OK to change a child out in public. It's different when you're somewhere that you don't have a lot of options, like the beach.

 

[tnmomof4]

In a place with as many bathrooms as Disney World, it is never OK to change a child out in public. It's different when you're somewhere that you don't have a lot of options, like the beach.

This is so true.

Like I said before, there is a lady who has done so much work to list all the bathrooms in Disney, their locations, and also pictures.

I have taken her list with me, and it has really helped me so many times. I used it when my kids were babies, and now with boys ages 12, 10, 5 & 5, I always need to know where the closest bathrooms are!!

I don't know if I can list her website. ( I guess I will try and see if it works)

http://www.cassworld.ca/photosbathrooms.htm

It is really a great thing she has done!!

 

[chipper10]

I admit it -- I've done it once. We were seated in the VIP viewing area for the Halloween parade and DS (21 months at the time) decided to #2. DH was up getting ready to take DS to the nearest bathroom, but the CM told him that if he left now, he would not be able to come back in. The parade was just a minute or two from starting and they had already closed off the bridge. Luckily, we were seated next to an older couple. The lady suggested we change DS right there. I really would not have done it if she didn't say it was okay. I really did not want DH and DS to miss the parade, especially since we had the VIP seating (I hurt my ankle and dropped DS on his head earlier in the day near the Jungle Cruise, the CMs and paramedics were great and gave us the seating for the party).
Would I change DS in public under normal circumstances? No way. But sometimes you have to.

 

[Eeyore's Buddy]

In a place with as many bathrooms as Disney World, it is never OK to change a child out in public. It's different when you're somewhere that you don't have a lot of options, like the beach.

PERFECTLY SAID !!

No one wants or should be exposed to ANY diaper changes in public! Take the time to find a restroom.

EB

 

[MelissathePooh]

On a normal basis - never in public, but I have to say that on one occasion we did change dd on the bus. Had just boarded and would have been long way to MK. DD had an explosion - everything had to be changed. All the adults huddled to provide privacy and we were already in the back of the bus. Luckily it wasn't crowded at all. I hated it, but we really didn't have an option. If we hadn't changed her there it would have been much less contained. As a general rule you find the bathroom, but sometimes you have to go with what you've got.

 

[bytheblood]

There are changing tables in the restrooms for this reason. A child should be taken to the restroom and changed - end of story.

 

[maxiesmom]

my 1 1/2 year old daughter would not have fit to be changed on a toilet seat...would you prefer I put her on the floor?? seriously people, give me a break. Actually it was the flight attendants idea to change her on the seat...and of course I had a changing pad.

No, you shouldn't put you child on the dirty floor. You should put your changing pad on the floor, then your daughter on it, if she doesn't fit on the toilet lid. It is the only polite thing to do. Nobody needs to be exposed to someone changing their child's diaper. Especially not in a confined space like an airplane. I can't understand how it would ever seem appropriate to just do it at your seat, right next to the other travelers,

 

[donnier]

Or perhaps, the airlines could establish a "no flying until potty trained" rule. That would solve the problem as well. Or, they could outfit a few plans with family style restrooms and charge a premium to fly on that plane (required if not potty trained).

 

[maxiesmom]

Or perhaps, the airlines could establish a "no flying until potty trained" rule. That would solve the problem as well. Or, they could outfit a few plans with family style restrooms and charge a premium to fly on that plane (required if not potty trained).

Or how about just expecting parents to realize that no one else wants to see(or smell) when you change your child's dirty diaper?