This is kind of an odd question. When you're out shopping and you need to use the restroom, what are you supposed to do with your child? I know to take her into the stall with me. But then what? I can't really hold her and I seriously don't want to put her on the floor. Once I took one of her baby blankets in with us to put on the floor, but keeping her still on the blanket was a challenge. So am I missing something or does anyone have a suggestion? Any advice would be appreciated!
Thanks to all for the advice! Someone had told me once (I believe it was my mother) to just take my little umbrella stroller in with me when I go shopping - just keep it in the cart. Well, I would look at other people that had small children - around my daughter's age and no one else had a stroller. So I just figured that I was missing something. I have seen those little booster seats in restroom stalls, but when I saw it I was at a gas station in Perryville, MO. I haven't seen any in the stores I shop at, but I'm considering sending a request to the stores that I shop at to have them installed. So again, thanks for all the advice, and I guess I'll just start taking my little stroller with me.
With my son (who is 21 months) I use the handicapped stalls and keep him in the stroller. When he was younger, I shopped with him in a sling and just wore the sling as I used the bathroom. As his legs got longer, it got more awkward, and I switched to him in the stroller.
I do have to sing to him/do actions with him or he gets bored quickly (after 10 seconds), but it works.
What I did when my son outgrew the carrier baby seat (which was awesome cause you could set it on the floor) was I'd hold him why I got myself situated, and once I was sitting, I had him stand in front of my why I held his hands why I did my thing. Or I just took the shopping cart into the handicap stall, or the stroller if I had it. I know a lot of places now also have the family bathrooms that are large enough a shopping cart will fit in there as well thankfully!I also have an older son, so I'd make him sit by the cart outside my stall, or make him go w/me and lil brother into the handicap stall and have him help him stand up.... Some places (VERY few) have seats attached to the wall, like the changing station, but they are hard to come by, have only seen them a few time sadly enough, there should be more!!! LOL Good Luck!
I always left my child in the stroller and made quick use of the handicapped stalls that are larger and can accomodate. I've never had an instance where someone that was handicapped had to wait on me. If you are at the mall you can seek out the family restrooms which are bigger and can more easily accomodate you and stroller.
I have my kiddos with me all the time and yes it is hard to do but you manage I held mine on my lap get used to doing things with only one hand and yes it can be done.If for an older child whom can walk take them into the stall and have them stand or hold their hand till your finished then wash both of your hands afterward.Sahm of 2 and 1 more on the way
I just push the stoller into the handicap stall.
I always used a carrier like a ring sling, mei tai, or a wrap. You just have to watch that if you have long ties on your carrier you hold them when you sit down.
I leave my kiddo in the kart a lot of times and go in the really big stall.
Oh man, I feel for you, and remember those days all too well.
I wouldn't put mine on the floor either. I tried to avoid those situations if at all possible (go before I left, drive to a nearby friend or relative to use the potty if they were closer to my errands than my own home, etc.) but .... when I had no choice, I balanced her on one knee. It's not easy or fun, but it can be done.
When my boys were young, I always travelled with an umbrella stroller. That way, if I needed to go to the bathroom, I could put them in the stroller and take them into a handicapped stall with me. Hope this helps! K.
I just hold mine on my lap - or hold IT until I get home!
At 13 monthes I always took a stroller shopping and then tried to use the handicap stall so I could wheel them in with me! Hope this helps!
I don't have kids yet myself but by best friend has three (and I love them all BUNCHES!!) She never leaves the house with her kids especially now that there are three of them without a 'buddy'. It's usually either me or her mom but when she has to go by herself she just makes it a short trip and makes sure she potties before she leaves the house so there is no risk of a surprise while bargain hunting for baby clothes. Hope it helps.
This is a great question! I have a 5 month old and have already thought about that for the future. I really hope you get some good replies.
Are you using a stroller when you are out? I'm assuming you are - if so just wheel it into the bathroom and use the handicap stall - it has enough room for you to pull the stroller into it.
I know it is probably not the proper thing to do but I used the handicapped restroom. It has enough room to just roll the stroller in and leave the baby in the stroller. I would turn it to the side so that she would not be looking directly at me and that would give me more room as well.
Hope this helps!
I totally know what you mean! I had this epiphany when my daughter was about 7 months old. She could sit but not stand on her own yet and we were out running around. I was going to stop at Subway to get a drink and go to the bathroom when I realized I had no way to go with her! The stroller in a big restroom works, but not all of them are that accessible. I actually drove to a friend's house. I thought it would be better now that she's 13 mos and walking, but I imagine it will be harder to keep her still.
When my cart was empty, I took my son into the restroom in the cart. It will fit in the handicapable stall. If you have just a couple of things, you could set them just outside the door.
Always take a stroller and use the handicapped stall. If you're using a shopping cart, either take the shopping cart into the restroom with you (i usually do this)or throw a small umbrella stroller in the cart with you. If you forget the stroller, and you're at walmart or target (or somewhere similar) grab one of the strollers that are for sale and borrow it. :)
LOL!!! I'm sorry, J., but this was priceless! I found it all too funny b/c I've been in the same situation, poised over the toilet trying to balance the infant and still manage to pull my panties up without getting TP caught in them!
The best advice is what the others said...take the stroller or cart in the stall with you. Also, if it's close to the toilet, I've laid the baby on the changing table and kept one hand on her while I go. This only works in some restrooms, though b/c you don't want to leave the baby on one of those unsupervised. The next trick is washing your hands!
Good luck!
I usually used the hadicapped stall and had the stroller with me and just kept my son in there. Don't know if this helps or not.
I had one of those basic small strollers and just had that in the "box" with me.
A lot of public restrooms (especially in shopping facilities) have a seat for toddlers and babies in one of the stalls. This is much like a diaper changing thing that pulls down from the wall. Instead of laying the child on it, you just simply sit them on the seat and strap in. If the stores where you shop frequently don't have such options, talk to the store managers about getting some installed.
I was like the one mom on here that used the umbrella stroller everywhere and took her into the stall with me. I also would set the changing pad and something to occupy her on the floor and set her on it, just until I got situated and then held her if she thought she was going to crawl away or something. Or sometimes if I just talked to her it kept her occupied long enough for me to do my business.
Oh.......what we have got to do as mothers.
This probably is not the best answer, but if your daughter is in a stroller, just wheel her in the handicapped stall with you, if one is available.
I go into the handicap stall and bring the stroller.
I always try to use the handicapped restroom. U can usually fit a stroller or cart in them. Also some places like babys r us have little chairs you can strap baby into while using restroom. Norstrums 3rd floor has a great family restroom and nursing/baby changing area with a sink and couches and changing table in womens restroom.
Some women's and family restrooms now have a "seat" that you can strap a child in, it is usually in the handicap stall. It is hooked to the wall and looks quite handy. Those weren't around when my 6 year old was a baby, but I usually would try to leave him in the stroller and pull him into the handicap restroom with me. If I had him in the cart, I sometimes switched him to an empty cart, pulled it into the bathroom, and just wedged him into the handicap stall door. The door was open, but if it is an emergency you'll do it ;) I guess try to always go before you leave the house or at the beginning of the shopping trip when the cart is empty!
Hi J.,
I used to roll my kids right into the bathroom in the shopping cart. I left the door open and parked it right in front. Sometimes it is a tight fit but I figured any protective mother would understand. And if somebody was bothered by it, they never said so. Children are precious and if there is not one of those dirty little fold down seats in the stall to strap them into, what else is there?
L. C.
strollers and carts fit nicely (for the most part) in the handicapped stalls. it's more of a challenge when you have an active two-year-old who refuses to sit in a stroller...lol!
I don't have any advice beyond what people already suggested, but I just have to say that more places here need to get what I've seen at the mall in Columbia, Mo. In EVERY bathroom stall there in the women's restroom (not sure if they have them in the men's, too) they have these little fold-down seats that fold out from the wall and you can strap your child in there. Such a brilliant idea! I wish I would see those more places than just Columbia, especially since it would cause me to choose one mall/store over another, if they had those seats! Now that we know they have such a family-friendly mall, we ALWAYS stop at that mall in Columbia when we are driving to Omaha to visit my relatives.
I usually take the stroller in to the handicap stall. Or, if we are at a mall with Von Mar I use their family restroom. Or, I have held my littlest one if it's dire. I'd rather do that than have her crawling around.
If she cannot stand without touching anything then you cound keep her in her stroller and use the large handicapped stall. This is what I used to do.
Good luck!
P.S. I see many others used gave the same advice. :)
when possible use the handicap stall they are larger and take the stroller in with you. Make sure you try to empty before you leave the house and dont drink while out in a mall the bathrooms are so disgusting. The floors expectionaly...
I don't know what has been suggested yet, but when my two, who are a year apart, where that age, I took the stroller in with me. I would use the handicap stall and take the stroller in the stall with me. If I was at the grocery store or Walmart, Target, etc. I would go to the service area bathrooms and ask an employee at the counter to watch my girls. There was always a manager type person that would watch them in the buggy while I used the facilities. Hope this helps a little. Good luck and God Bless.
Do you use a stroller? If so, I always wait for the Handicap bathroom, you and the stroller fit. Otherwise, I thow modesty out the door and wedge the cart in the door way of the stall farthest from the outside door. My daughter is walking now, so when I don't have a stroller, or cart. I use a smaller stall and hold on her best I can while using the facilities.
Good Luck!
J.,
What I have done in the past is push the stroller into one of the handicap stalls with me. My stoller is one of the double sit and stands and it will go in most of them. That way you don't have to get them out. Hope this helps.
Some of the restrooms have been putting in a seat in the bigger ones. They are a seat that you strap them into while you go to the bathroom. I have seen them in the Wal-mart bathrooms and a couple restraunts.
If you have her in a stroller take the entire stoller into the handicapped stall.
Good Morning J., most of my shopping is at Wally World ( Wal-Mart) and most of them have a family restroom. I have had to take our 3 yr old gr son to potty while shopping and he has a 10 mo old brother. I leave them in the cart and take the cart in with me. Gives me a chance to weeeeeeeeeee also. It's a large room and carts fit ok.
I am a sort of people person and I have asked employees close by if they would mind watching the baby while I take the older in the restroom. In this wal-mart the restroom is by the lay a way / receiving department and there are several workers at the counter.
It's been so long since my son's were small I can't even remember what I did with them.....lol
Good Luck J.
K. Nana of 5
