Overall: Great space. Simple set up. Nappy change, feed, rest. Great for larger prams.
Good Points: Well sign posted throughout the centre. Easy to find. Push-button doors. Microwave for heating baby food. Sink and soap dispenser. Hand dryer. Separate bench for food prep. Separate change bench with it’s own sink. Two curtained feeding cubicles. Chairs in the feeding cubicles. Easy for large prams to enter the room and feeding cubicles.
Bad Points: Green emergency button, at toddler height. Hand dryer. No soap at the nappy change bench. Curtains for privacy in the feeding cubicles (not enough privacy; also falling down). No table in the feeding cubicles.
How exciting is it to find a parent room that is big enough for big prams?! We sure were excited to come across this parent room at St Clair Shopping Centre. While it’s not the most spectacular facility we’ve ever come across, it has the essentials and does it with ample room for larger prams – even doubles!
The parent room is well sign posted throughout the shopping centre. Just look for the signs and you’ll see where to go. That’s one stress removed from a trip to the shops.
Another great feature is the push-button sliding doors. This means you can get in and out of the parent room with no hassles juggling doors, children and prams. Just push the green button and you’re in! Leaving the room can be a bit tricky though. The exit button is to the right of the door, against the wall, as you are looking at the doors. To the left of the doors, is another green push-button. This one is the emergency button! This could be a bit confusing to kids who are use to pushing the green button to help mum – which one to use! – or to anyone who just goes for the green button and didn’t see the one on the right. So just watch out for it when you’re there. Use the one on the right.
Another feature families will love – two separate benches and sinks. One is for nappy changes, with a sink in the middle of it. The other has the microwave and soap, so it’s for food prep. The hand dryer is also next to the microwave. It’d be good to also see a soap dispenser or hand sanitiser at the nappy change bench.
There are two private feeding cubicles in this parent room. Both are big enough to fit a large pram, and each has a chair inside it. Privacy is provided by curtains, but some attention is needed as they’re falling off the hooks to keep them up. Unfortunately there isn’t a bench or table in either of these cubicles for parents to rest nappy bags, bottles etc. It would be good to see a little side table in each cubicle. It makes the job of looking after the needs of little ones a whole lot easier.
Overall, we’re really impressed with what we’ve found at St Clair. Not even all the parent rooms at Chatswood Chase have facilities this good. Well done, St Clair Shopping Centre.
