6 Places in Malaysia that don’t have but should have emergency buttons for mums!

Landing in crisis situations, whether big or small, is part of parenthood. There are times when parents (especially mums!) end up in a tricky situation and would give anything to be able to press an emergency button for quick help.

Mums, you’d have to agree with us that the following places could really benefit from an emergency button for parents!

1. Public toilets

There’s nothing as scary as hearing the following words from your potty-trained toddler when out shopping or running errands: “Mummy, I want to pee!” (even worse is when poop is involved!). Perhaps equally frightening is when you need to use a public toilet, but you have a cranky baby AND a toddler in tow.

The main problem here involves hygiene and we don’t need to elaborate why. But there’s also the issue of the toilet not being familiar (“Mummy, I don’t LIKE this toilet!”) and therefore, a potentially very messy situation to deal with.

So, quite naturally, when such situations crop up when you are out, you panic. Where can you place your baby while you use the toilet? How can you convince your toddler that if he doesn’t go NOW, he will poop his pants? Will your child get an infection if she sits on the toilet seat?

Wouldn’t it be amazing if there were panic buttons in public toilets that could miraculously conjure up sanitiser, TV on the wall (to distract your tot!) or even a baby holder to pop bub in while you pee in peace?

We can only keep wishing! But you can always be well-prepared for such situations, mums.

Tips that will save you

• First and foremost, get your tot into the habit of using the washroom just before you leave the house. If you are in a baby-friendly mall or other location, use the toilet there before you head to your next destination.
• When going on long trips with your little one, make sure you include their usual toilet seat or potty in the baby essentials checklist. Toddlers who are recently potty trained may be more comfortable using their regular potty or toilet seat.
• For older kids, you can carry enough disposable toilet seats.
• In case of babies, you can add your own changing mat to the diaper bag essentials.
• Get comfortable with babywearing so that you can use the washroom while still wearing the baby.

In any case, never leave your little one unattended or send them alone to use a public toilet even if they are all grown up.

2. Your mum-in-law’s house

Having unannounced guests is always tricky when you are a mum. But when it comes to your spouse’s parents, it’s probably rare that they warn you of an impending visit. After all, they are the grandparents of your little one and can visit their grandkid whenever they like, right?

But the panic sets in when they arrive and your house is in a mess! Your living room looks like a hurricane hit it, with toys and food scattered everywhere.

What’s even worse is that you look like the same hurricane hit you too – your hair is in a mess and you are still in your PJs. You know you’re in for a good dose of judgement from the MIL.

Where’s an emergency button when you need it?

Tips that will save you

• First of all, breathe. Nothing is as bad as it seems unless you make it out to be so!
• Maintain a good dialogue with your in-laws so that they know yours and your tot’s schedule and avoid times when it may be overwhelming for you.
• Don’t postpone cleaning as much as possible. Get your little one into the habit of cleaning his or her own mess. So, whenever you have someone unannounced, you can ask your child to help you clean it up to speed up the process.
• Always have some ready-to-serve snacks and drinks in your kitchen.
• Let them spend some quality time with their grandchild while you get some much needed me-time!

3. The fridge in your house

Mums deserve special treats from time to time (read wine and chocolate – lots of it). Many of us often store these little treats in, you guessed it, the fridge.

Unfortunately, like your favourite towel or body lotion, these special tidbits are almost always spotted and consumed by a. your children, b. your husband.

If only fridges also came equipped with a special emergency button that would (silently this time) inform you when your treats were in danger of being discovered, or eaten!

But because they don’t. Not to worry, just remember the following.

Tips that will save you

• Be sneaky. Hide your chocolate in the vegetable bin!
• Be even sneakier. Don’t hide your wine in the fridge. Store it in a padlocked safe!
• Stock the fridge with healthy snacks your kids (and husband) like. Distraction in the main thought process here.
• Never leave visible clues of your mummy snacks, be it a smear of chocolate on the fridge handle, or a wrapper carelessly left on the kitchen counter.

4. Hawker stall waiting line

Eating at hawker stalls with your kid can be a pain sometimes. Yes, the food is delicious and cheap.

But managing your ‘hangry’ little one while standing in a long queue to buy your food, then juggling him and hot soup as you head to your table is daunting.

Don’t you wish you had an emergency button to miraculously clear the queue, get a feeding chair and save you and your tot the best table?

Remember mum, there’s respite even in this situation.

Tips that will save you

• Feed your little one before leaving the house.
• Keep some snacks for them in your baby bag.
• Make sure you carry their favourite toy to keep them engaged.
• Keep an eye on them if they are in a mood to play. Don’t allow them to stray far from you or get in the way of people there.

5. Your office

What is the most crucial facility that a working, breastfeeding mum wants in her office? A comfortable pumping room where she can peacefully express enough breastmilk for her little one without being disturbed. When your office doesn’t have one, you know you are going to be looking for the emergency button that doesn’t exist in the first place.

So, what do you do with a situation such as this? Panicking is not an option.

Tips that will save you

• A pumping room for lactating mothers is an important facility that every office must provide. So, start with consulting your office management and request them to consider your needs.
• In the meanwhile, ensure that they make available a meeting room or another comfortable space where you are not disturbed when you pump your milk. And no, the toilet is never an option.
• Use nursing pads to avoid awkward situations if you don’t get a chance to pump. Sensitise your office management towards such problems when you are pregnant.

6. Restaurants

Enjoying a romantic dinner with your spouse at a favourite restaurant can turn into a big fiasco if your toddler is cranky and has nothing to do. Most restaurants have interesting stuff for kids that keeps them busy. But what about times when they don’t have even a simple colouring book? Or worse even, they have no kids’ menu?

Time to press the panic button? Not at all. You can be well prepared for this.

Tips that will save you

• Bring your child’s favourite things with you
• Ensure that you have a variety of things to keep your little one engaged for a longer time. Toddlers may lose interest in things soon.
• Stock up their favourite foods as well. In case the restaurant cannot make anything for your child, you have yourself covered.
• If worse comes to worst, just request the restaurant to provide you with warm milk or fruits for your child.

Mums, here’s one place where you ARE provided with an emergency button and rightly so.

You’ll never find yourself wishing for an emergency button when you ride with Uber, because there actually is one! That’s right — Uber comes with an in-app Emergency Button. So, should the need ever arise, you can quickly contact local authorities with just the touch of a button. Take a look at how Uber lets you get anywhere without a care!

Other than the emergency button, here are some other features of the Uber App that make your ride comfortable and easy:

1. Automatically detects your location
2. Shares driver information so that you can match it before starting the ride
3. Driver’s identity matched via selfies that they have to click and upload
4. Displays the route in real time and guides the driver
5. You can share your trip status with your loved ones
6. You and your driver both can rate the experience

Riding with Uber can be a great experience with all these features. Know more about it here.