PSA for hosts and guests. Please be considerate

Flower Girl

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 8:39 pm

I change my babies on the rug of the bathroom floor. Those of us young enough with babies can get down on the floor to change them.

amother wrote:

Pretty much agree with you across the board, but question on this one....
I no longer have babies, so no changing table around. Don't love babies being changed on my expensive sofa, but where SHOULD I tell someone to change their baby? Is a bed any better? I keep a small towel around just in case parents don't have the sense to lay something under their baby. But if you have a better place/ idea..... I'd love to hear it.

amother

Smokey

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 8:44 pm

Nope. Not always are women who have young babies as agile or as obviously young as you are. I aint getting down on the floor bec I'm going to have a pretty dang hard time getting up. and I've got the baby. go believe.

Simple1

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 8:46 pm

eema of 3 wrote:

I'd much rather you change a baby on my couch than on one of my beds.

Why? The sheets will be changed. I was talking about the guest's bed.

amother

Mustard

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 8:50 pm

amother wrote:

And please tell your kids not to dig up the plants.

I agree--it's annoying when kids do that and the dirt gets everywhere.
I have 1 year old twin boys and when people invite us for a weekend or a meal I'm always upset when they leave potted pants on the floor or delicate China on bottom shelves. I spend the entire meal running after them, rearranging hosts' furniture, and barely getting to eat because my kids are too young to realize they're doing something wrong every time they touch something that looks interesting. So to the hosts, I would say either be relaxed about your belongings or put things where babies can't reach them!

gp2.0

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 8:57 pm

Flower Girl wrote:

I change my babies on the rug of the bathroom floor. Those of us young enough with babies can get down on the floor to change them.

Good for you, but if anyone requires me to change my baby's pamper on the floor, I won't be visiting them again anytime soon.

I kept a cushioned waterproof washable mat in my diaper bag for changing babies on the go. It came in handy on those hard plastic public changing tables too.

Dandelion1

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 9:17 pm

Flower Girl wrote:

I change my babies on the rug of the bathroom floor. Those of us young enough with babies can get down on the floor to change them.

Yeah, no way am I laying my baby down on someone's nasty bathroom rug. I'd rather feed my baby food that was served with someone else's fork after they licked their fingers.

Seriously, in all this frantic, imho slightly neurotic quest for germlessness, we should lay our babies down on disgusting bathroom rugs so as to avoid the couch or bed??

amother

Beige

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 9:38 pm

Flower Girl wrote:

I change my babies on the rug of the bathroom floor. Those of us young enough with babies can get down on the floor to change them.

Probably a bad idea to lay your baby on a rug that is often damp and then stepped on by shoes who tracked who knows what in from the street. Sounds nasty.

Ema of 5

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 10:36 pm

Raisin wrote:

I make sure to put serving spoons in all dishes. If for some reason a bowl of hummus does not have a spoon in, guests will take a dirty fork from their plate, and use it to serve it.

Obviously solid food like chicken its not such an issue. But I am concerned about allergens, I wouldn't want to serve allergic guests food that I can not guarantee is free of gluten or nuts or whatever because someone used the same utensil to cut challa and take chummus.

For changing babies a kids bed is ideal with a towel underneath.

I'm with you in the food. Disagree about the beds. Even with a towel. And who said I want people in my kids rooms? It's easier now, because all my bedrooms are on the second floor. But honestly, change on the couch with a towel, or without a towel. I change my baby on the couch, on the floor, on the landing of the steps....I wouldn't send my guests into a bedroom.

Ema of 5

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 10:37 pm

Simple1 wrote:

Why? The sheets will be changed. I was talking about the guest's bed.

What if they are just over for a meal? We frequently have company with small kids for meals, less so for sleeping.

MagentaYenta

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 10:54 pm

Oh and if you do have to change a diapers while a guest, please ask how your hostess would prefer you to dispose of it, inside or outside trash.

Ema of 5

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 11:05 pm

MagentaYenta wrote:

Oh and if you do have to change a diapers while a guest, please ask how your hostess would prefer you to dispose of it, inside or outside trash.

Definitely!!! I happen to have a baby right now so I have them anyway, but even when I didn't, I bought scented disposable bags that I would keep with my wipes or tissues.

amother

Jetblack

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 11:08 pm

I thought it was common sense that everyone brought along a changing mat and you just do it on the floor somewhere away from where everyone is eating. I always did this, my friends always did this. Do people really not travel with a changing mat when they have a baby?!?

Ema of 5

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 11:30 pm

amother wrote:

Not everyone is able to get up and down so easily.

Simple1

Sun, Oct 30 2016, 11:32 pm

eema of 3 wrote:

What if they are just over for a meal? We frequently have company with small kids for meals, less so for sleeping.

Woops, you're right. Was thinking of sleepover guests which is more common with babies in areas without an eruv.

Chayalle

Mon, Oct 31 2016, 10:07 am

Raisin wrote:

For changing babies a kids bed is ideal with a towel underneath.

Glad it's ideal for your kids.

My kids won't sleep in their bed if a guest changed their baby on it, towel or not. I have had to change their linen on a Shabbos or Yom Tov because of this.

Change your baby over a towel or changing pad on the floor, please, when you are in my house.

And please don't take food into the bedrooms.

Thank you.

Mon, Oct 31 2016, 10:26 am

gp2.0 wrote:

Apparently the best way to change a baby's pamper is to ask the host where they prefer the baby be changed...seems like everyone has different preferences.

Agreed.

(And not on my sofa!)

gp2.0

Mon, Oct 31 2016, 11:26 am

I used to visit someone who would change her baby's pampers on the kitchen counter. 😳 I stopped visiting.

I still think it's unreasonable to expect guests to change their baby's pamper on the floor. If you have no acceptable surface in your home for changing a baby's pamper, get some kind of folding changing table or something. Designate some kind of surface for this purpose.

Ema of 5

Mon, Oct 31 2016, 1:26 pm

I don't think it's fair to expect anyone to sit on the floor while changing a diaper. Yea, for many it's not an issue, but for many it's very hard. After one of my babies, it was very hard for me for almost a year!! If you don't want people to change diapers on your couch, then I think it's only fair to provide an alternative. Perhaps get a small changing table for the living room or to put in a bedroom. My diaper bag comes with a changing pad, but that doesn't help me if I don't have a decent place to put it.