Saturday, Oct 24, 2009

Gulf News

Dubai You are loaded with shopping bags, happily headed towards the last store with a giant red sale sign on, when your baby decides to cry in her loudest, shriekiest voice — she wants a nappy change and she wants it now.

Earlier, maternal instincts would have overpowered all else, forcing mothers to abandon shopping plans to rush to the baby-changing room. However, malls have begun to understand the pain of the shopaholic in women and have come up with another option — male baby-changing rooms. It's time for husbands to step in.

The idea of baby-changing rooms for fathers seem to be piquing the interest of mall managers, with Mirdiff City Centre, planned to open in early 2010, being one of the malls in the UAE to provide such a facility.

And UAE dads couldn't have been happier.

"I don't see why it should only be women doing the nappy-changing," said John Savage, father of one-year-old Layla Savage.

"When I was in Europe, my wife and I changed Layla's nappies together. It is always easier to have someone with you, as babies start to move around a lot as they grow older."

For someone who likes to spend time with his daughter even if his wife is too busy to accompany them, male baby-changing rooms are the perfect solution for Savage. Earlier he had to make do with whatever little facilities available in a male restroom. However, the 36-year-old business teacher has witnessed a significant social shift in terms of attitudes towards childcare in the 10 years he has lived in the UAE. "I am very happy to see quite a few fathers, Emiratis as well as expatriates, walking around malls with their babies. They play with the children and feed them, too. Male baby-changing rooms are definitely a good idea." His wife, Rachel, also felt that it was about time such facilities were provided for men.

"We've generally found it very easy to split tasks between us. We both have a full-time job and it is quite difficult to manage your personal life if tasks are not split," the 31-year-old interior designer said.

She added that the varied nationalities pouring into the UAE helped bring a much-needed change in people's perspectives. "People are bringing certain elements of their culture to the UAE, making it more globalised."

However, there may be others who would still consider nappy-changing a woman's territory. Ajit Nair, a 41-year-old civil engineer, said: "Fathers should be involved in bringing up a child, but I don't think such a facility would be much used by men. However, if it is absolutely necessary, fathers can always step in and help."

Syed Suhail, a 31-year-old Sharjah resident, disagreed. A father of three children, Suhail has helped his wife in their 10 years of marriage, and that includes changing their children's diapers. "I think it is about time men realised that they have to make a contribution in bringing a child into the world. Things are changing and the world is becoming increasingly competitive. If both the husband and wife are working, they need to divide the tasks at home. I have changed the nappies of all my three children, and I think I am quite good at it."

Suhail's wife, Fatima Haider Rizvi agreed.

"We were at a mall once and my eldest daughter, then more than a year old, needed a nappy change. I couldn't move around easily as I was expecting my second child. My husband had to use the men's restroom and change her diapers while holding her on his thigh."

By Huda Tabrez, Community Web Editor

Gulf News 2009. All rights reserved.