Baby Changing Facilities in Ireland?

climaxer

Just wondering what other parents think about the above. Personally my overalll mark would be 7 out of 10.

All the major supermarkets/shopping malls have one here in Waterford but only one so sometimes you can be waiting a long time especially if its busy.

A lot of them stink - I know dirty nappies! - but its because the bins are overflowing with them so they should be emptied regularly which is not done in a lot of places.

Another thing I think isn't really fair is that disabled people have to share with the baby changing units especially in big hotels and shopping centres. Is one unit enough between them?

Would be interested in any opinions or experience be good or bad - wheres the worst place you've had to change your babies nappy and where would you consider the best place.

The best place for me was in a large supermarket chain T€scó which had the disabled toilets separate and the baby changing unit was nice and big and clean and pong free. There were also two cubicles provided for breast feeding mothers and even a bottle warmer. What more could you ask for!?

Worst place is an Irish owned food chain which don't have baby changing facilities at all. I had to change my son on my lap in the toilet. The same restaurant has plenty of seating upstairs and downstairs and regularly hosts kids birthdays - bloody disgraceful.

ArthurDent

Two kids 5 1/2 and 3 1/2 so have been using these facilities for a while

mostly disgusting, bins rarely empty and stinking, or a grotty changing mat that I wouldn't change a dog on. Particularly bad imo Toilets in liffey Valley (except Marks and Spencer - excellent)

St Stephens green (except Mothercare - used to be good)

However my particular pet hate was the combined changing and nursing rooms WTF! Would you eat in a toilet? :eek:

K2

I think the facilities are poor countrywide apart from the odd exceptions such as Tescos. Enouraging feeding in the same area as nappy changing shows the level of thought given to it!

Gillo

The Stephens Green center is good, I've also found Jervis Street to be fairly good.

On a slightly different note, I've often found myself caught short in town myself by myself withi my daughter (you know what I mean), what I used to when she was young was to use a disabled toilet and leave here strapped in the buggy facing away from me. This used to work well until some guy in Stephen Green center couldn't figure out why I wouldn't leave my 1 1/2 yodaughter outside by herself in a crowded shopping center.

what do other people do??

climaxer

gillo wrote:

The Stephens Green center is good, I've also found Jervis Street to be fairly good.

On a slightly different note, I've often found myself caught short in town myself by myself withi my daughter (you know what I mean), what I used to when she was young was to use a disabled toilet and leave here strapped in the buggy facing away from me. This used to work well until some guy in Stephen Green center couldn't figure out why I wouldn't leave my 1 1/2 yodaughter outside by herself in a crowded shopping center.

what do other people do??

You are right gillo - I wouldn't leave my kids outside either. Strangly I've never been in the situation - always someone with me. Guess you should be allowed to use the disabled toilet/baby changing units if you need to use the toilet yourself and are on you're own with a baby in a buggy. Suppose the only other alternative is to take the child out and fold the buggy and bring it into the toilet with you!