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The topic of changing a baby's nappy is a surprisingly contentious one!
There seems to be two distinct schools of opinion here - one side supporting changing a baby's nappy wherever is needed because, let's face it, parenting is hard and stressful, and we can't avoid our baby needing changing. The other side, being very much adamant that a baby should be changed in the designated environment only, due to hygiene and out of consideration for others. Thankfully, the latter seems to be the more popular stance...
One Reddit poster has taken to the AITA (Am I The Asshole) board to ask if she's in the wrong for asking the parents of a baby to not change a poopy nappy in the middle of the plane using the pull-down tray, rather than on the changing table of the plane. Much to the anger of the couple, the flight crew then became involved!
Read the post below...
"I (28F) was on a flight for several hours today, seated behind a couple with a baby. I’m a really nauseous flyer, so I took a Dramamine ahead of time and did my best to get some sleep during the flight. This didn’t happen because of the baby’s crying, but oh well, I know flights are scary and stressful for infants and there was nothing anyone could do about that.
What got to me was the couple changing their baby’s extremely stinky #2 diaper right in the middle of their seats, using the mom’s food tray as a changing table. We were at the back of the plane right by the bathrooms, which I confirmed had baby changing tables when I had to go back there to throw up after the smell hit me. I didn’t say anything the first time, but the second time I heard them go into the diaper bag a couple hours later I asked if they could please go use the plane bathroom instead of exposing everyone on the plane to the smell.
The mom went off on me and said I had no idea how stressful it is to travel with an infant, which is true—I don’t have kids. The flight attendant at the back of the plane agreed with me and asked them to only use the bathrooms to change their baby, plus a few minutes later the pilot made an announcement that all diaper changing needed to be done in the bathrooms, after which both parents looked extremely annoyed.
AITA for asking them to stop changing their baby in the middle of the plane and inadvertently bringing it to the attention of the flight crew?"
Find the main thread here on Reddit.
What was the general consensus?
The poster was, unsurprisingly, voted NTA - Not The Asshole - with many readers who are parents themselves chiming in to express their support for the poster. The top rated comment expressed disgust at the prospect of changing a nappy on the tray table - "NTA. There are changing tables in the bathrooms. That's what they are for. Also, thank God the maintenance crews disinfect between flights. The thought of eating/drinking off a tray table used as a changing table makes me want to hurl."
One response to the top-rated comment pointed out that the cleaning crews often don't thoroughly disinfect the plane between flights, or only give the tray tables a cursory wipe-down, making matters even more grim. Our favourite comment, hands down, was; "NTA. Baby turds stink worse than regular ones. Exposing people in a closed metal tube thousands of feet in the air to that is criminal."
Our verdict...
We're fully in agreement with the readers of Reddit; the poster is absolutely NTA for being disgusted, as parents we appreciate how logistically challenging it can be to travel with children. Changing nappies in a tightly confined place is tricky and anxiety inducing, but there's no excuse to not get up and take a baby to the plane bathroom where there's appropriate facilities. Also, imagine if there had been sudden turbulence mid-poopy nappy change; not only is that extremely dangerous, but the mess would have been out of this world. At least baby changing tables tend to have straps to keep the little one safe, with no one expected to eat their in-flight meal off the surface. Eurgh!
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