Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Parent Rooms

One of the perks of becoming a parent is the ability to use the exclusive facility of the Parent Room (A.K.A Baby Change Rooms). To the uninitiated, Parent Rooms are purpose built toilet facilities catered especially for families. This may include (but is not limited to) a Microwave, Change Tables, Private Nursing Rooms, Older kids Play area, large sinks (for washing up a particularly messy poo*) and even a extra large toilet cubicle which may comfortable fit a family of 5 if necessary.

*Yes I said it! One gets very comfortable talking about Poo when one becomes a parent.


Unlike normal toilets, Parents Rooms are usually cleaner, dry, carpeted and less crowded. This is a major plus when you you get to walk past the queue snaking out from the Ladies toilets and try not to look too smug. And best of all no partner pacing in the corridor greeting you with a "What took you so long?" The whole family can go to the loo together #bondingmoment :-P

However not all parenting rooms are created equal. We've been to some which are simply disabled toilets with a koala care change table fitted against a wall (I'm looking at you Melbourne Airport! If I didn't have the benefit of the Qantas Club to care for my child in comfort you'd be getting yet another angry letter from me).

On the other end of the scale, some of the best parents rooms I've been to have been in suburban shopping centers. You can tell that some serious thought has been put into the design. The Main areas are brightly lit so you can see what you're looking for while digging through your nappy bag, no doubt whilst trying to hold onto a wriggling child in the other arm. While the feeding areas are softly lit and furnished with comfortable chairs and privacy curtains.

A few also have soft music piped through and areas for the older kids to play and watch Television. One of the bigger rooms Parents Rooms in one shopping center had a carpeted play area with child gates and continuous kids programming (Wiggles, Play School, Bananas in PJs, etc) played so the older kids can sit quietly while mum tends to the baby.


Most have comfortable seating available for partners. And one place even had a separate waiting area in the Parents room with comfortable chairs and a big screen TV showing the sports channel so that the oldest kid, I mean Daddy, can sit quietly while mum tends to the baby.

As parents, we probably take the quality of parent rooms quite seriously. I've even found a blog where someone has rated all the parents rooms they've ever been in http://wordpress.parentrooms.com.au/ This may be useful to all of you in the Sydney NSW area.

Not sure about you other parents out there but I can say that for our family, the known quality of the parents rooms plays a pretty significant part in our decision of where to go and shop. Places with great parent room facilities have received our repeated patronage more so than places where we know the rooms are below average. 

I did want to take a few pictures of some of my favorite rooms around my area, but only got a couple above. Felt weird taking photos when there were other people in the room so I didn't do it. Also, the good ones always have one or 2 families in there. 

For my part I can add that if you're ever in the area, the Parents Rooms at Chadstone Shopping Center and Springvale Homemaker Center, both in Victoria have some excellent facilities complete with little kids and big kids daddy entertainment area.

In Singapore, the best one I've been to is ION in Orchard Road. They even had a filtered water dispenser there for mummies who need to re-hydrate after nursing...SO impressed.

I've also found that IKEAs around the world, not only have the same store design but also similar baby room designs and are generally quite comfortable.   

Have you come across a notable parents room/baby room? What feature made it stand out? Let me know in comments so I that we can stop by if we're ever in the area. 

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