The Dirty Diaper Dilemma
By Guest Blogger Shannon Ford
Let’s face it: Most of us will have dirty diapers to change at least until age two. In the summer months, it doesn’t pose as much of a problem for me when we are out and about. If a diaper change is necessary, I don’t hesitate to change my son in the back seat or back of my SUV. However, this is not an option for me when it is cold and/or pouring rain. I don’t want to stand in the rain, and I’m certainly not going to expose my child’s legs and bum to the frigid temperatures.
It is impossible to change him in the car without a door or the back open. (Believe me, I have tried to imagine the possibility.) Just a few weeks ago, I was with my mom in a very well-known wireless phone store to help her with a new purchase. My mom is not very tech-savvy and wants the easiest and cheapest phone possible. Absolutely no bells and whistles so this should take very little time, right? This was when it was so cold and snowy out…Our wait time was approximately two minutes as we entered the door. We selected the phone in less than five minutes. So, it should take no longer than ten minutes to have everything set up…or so the sales clerk told us.
Thirty minutes later, and the store’s computers were still down. My son was stinking up the entire store, so I asked for the nearest restroom. Ick. It was certainly not spotless and NO changing table. So, what can I do? I remove my lovely, clean pea coat to place on the gross bathroom floor. As my mom exclaims “You are not going to put that on the floor, are you?? “ I think “I’m certainly not going to put my baby on the floor.”
So my son is nestled in the inside of my clean coat as I change his poopy diaper. I did not even wear my coat out to the car; it was going straight to the cleaners! This is not the first time this has happened to my mommy friends or me. It is most frustrating when you have gone out to eat and head back to the restroom to find no changing table. Sometimes I wish I had the courage to march back around and change the diaper in the booth or on the table!
I am certainly not the first, and unfortunately will not be the last to have this problem. In fact, a mom started a website to help locate changing tables for moms and dads. Take a look at www.changingtablelocator.com.
Just what I needed – one more reason to hope for warmer weather!
