I have just arrived in Switzerland with my 2 month old and 21 month old. After some trips into Vevey I noticed there are no parenting rooms in the shopping centers.
I had trouble finding somewhere to feed and change my children, only being able to find 2 plastic fold down changing stations. 1 which is only acessible via stairs and the other too small to fit a pram into.
Can someone please let me know where they change their children whilst out and about, and how is a single parent able to use the bathroom with no where to put a pram?(in Australia we have pram friendly toilets).
I have also noticed I appear to be the only mother breastfeeding in public, is this not a norm in Switzerland?
Hello and welcome to Vevey!
You are right there are very few places to change a baby in Vevey, so far I have found - upstairs in Manora, decent changing mat - but you cant get a pram in...downstairs in Macdonalds - you can get a pram in there - again a fold down mat and finally in starbucks - in there it is in the corridor leading to the bathrooms.
So - not very child friendly at all - what I tend to do is go into the disabled toilet, with my own chnaging mat amd change the baby there - plenty of room for the pram and you can take your other child with you.
I was also quite suprised at the low level of breastfeeding as well - I have been here 3 years and have only seen 2 women feeding in public - mind you there might have been more and they are just very good at hiding it
You'll find you get very resourceful with a baby in Switzerland. Although, having also travelled in France, Spain and Italy with my son I can say Switzerland comes off pretty good for baby facilities.
In Italy they looked at me as if I'd asked "where can I disembowel my pet donkey?" when I asked "where are the changing facilities?"
Not many places have nappy changing areas but I have a good foldable changing mat which can be folded out in loads of places. I've also changed him flat in his pram so that's always an option, although perhaps not in a crowded restaurant if it's a real humdinger of a nappy!
Breastfeeding is positively encouraged here and I never received any negative feedback from feeding my son whilst out and about (I think most people were happy he'd just shut up wailing ).
EDIT: Parenting rooms - now that's a snappy new bit of terminology I've never heard before.
Thinking about it - when in Zurich I did see more Breastfeeding going on - but in Vaud it has been very limited and I have no idea why!
Ignore the fact thats others are not doing it and grab yourself a comfy chair, a glass of water and piece of cake and let your baby get his fill of milk.
When i was BF'ing I only managed it a few times in vevey - but there was never an issue - I found I got lots of smiles from the women
Oh when he's hungry I feed him! We usually sit up outside Manora and like you get lots of looks and smiles from females and males! I thought about using the disabled toilets however they seem to lock them here and I haven't really asked anyone about getting the key, maybe I'll have to look into this I think.
I'm just suprised that they don't really have anywhere which is easily accessible. You see quite a few prams around?? I'm sure I'll get used to it, I'm just used to my lovely, practical parenting rooms in Australia...
so far I havent found any that were locked - maybe thats because i always use the Mcdonalds ones (the lift from inside the cafe goes straight down - therefore avoiding the lifts inside the shopping centre)
I am at work during the day now (booo had to go back to work) otherwise would offer to meet for a cup of tea
How are you finding Vevey?
Besides from the whole 'where do I change the kids and go to the toilet myself?' thing I 'm really enjoying it here. I'm looking forward to meeting other Mums and finding some little play friends for my daughter. If you would like to meet up on a weekend some time just pm me, would be happy to meet you and share your experiences