How Did Baby Changing Stations Transform Family Life in the 1980s?

These days, most moms and dads don't think twice about leaving the house to go to a restaurant or shopping mall with their small children in tow. Of course, getting out the door without forgetting anything is its own challenge, but once you're out in public, you'll most likely have access to baby changing facilities – at least in women's restrooms (though this is changing). But just a few decades ago, baby changing stations were far less common, making it more difficult for parents to go places with their children.

In fact, the commercial changing table as we know it only came onto the market in 1986. The Koala Bear Kare Baby Changing Station was created by four Minneapolis businessmen who recognized a need for such a product. With far more women working outside the home and also wanting to spend time with their children, there was more demand for bringing children along to run errands, go shopping, and enjoy social activities. Yet the lack of places to change an infant or toddler – other than the cramped backseat of a car or a dirty restroom floor – was a major drawback that made it difficult for mothers to spend much time outside the home.

And although it has taken quite a few years, the landscape of baby changing facilities is finally becoming more in tune with gender equality, as more and more fathers take on a central role in childrearing duties. In 2016, the federal Bathroom Accessible in Every Situation Act was passed, requiring changing stations in both men's and women's restrooms in federal buildings that are accessible to the public. Many states have gone even further, requiring new or newly renovated buildings to include baby changing stations in both men's and women's restrooms, allowing fathers and other male caregivers to take on a more active role in baby care.

Time for a change: