We know that public bathrooms can be pretty dirty, but for the most part, parents aren’t too fussed about rushing in to use a baby diaper changing station.
After all, for the most part, they’re clean enough to use most of the time once they’re given a wipe down or a changing blanket is laid over it!
Mothers are just grateful to have a place to change their little one, and fathers are extra grateful if they’re lucky enough to be in a bathroom that has a station for them!
But Jessica Wayman, who is 24 years old, has revealed another potential reason for parents to check changing stations before using them.
This mother states that the main reason you should be extra careful when using public changing tables doesn’t have anything to do with waste material, dirt, or anything toilet-related germs.
Instead, it’s all about drugs.
Jessica, who lives in Indiana, shared her advice on a Facebook post that has now gone viral with over 117,000 shares.
In it, she talks about the black marks you may sometimes see on a baby changing table.
She says they aren’t dirt, nor are they scuff marks – they’re burns.
But why would a changing table get burned?
According to Jessica, it’s because drug addicts place burnt spoons on the tables and use them to shoot drugs.
Jessica then tells parents that this is why it’s so necessary to use blankets or wipe down these tables with disinfectant wipes.
You can’t know for sure what drugs have been used, whether meth, heroin, or something else, and you also can’t guarantee that they aren’t some form of bodily waste material, either.
These hazardous substances can all endanger a baby’s health, and in her opinion, someone who doesn’t care about their own health isn’t going to bother caring about a stranger’s children.
Even though she does say that blankets laid down on a table can work, Jessica argues that it’s still not the safest way.
The blanket could come into contact with some of the substances, causing them to stick.
A baby might then grasp a blanket and put it in their mouth, or get something on their hands that could make its way into their system later.
She cautions that Fentanyl, a commonly used item that may be on these stations, can kill a grown-up in small doses, so it’s especially dangerous for young ones.
Of course, since her post’s virality, a few people have spoken out against Jessica’s opinions.
Many people claim she is simply fear-mongering, or spreading falsehoods to get a bigger share rate online.
But Jessica, as someone who has a history of drug use, pushes back.
She states that, especially in handicapped stalls and single person bathrooms, addicts truly do use these tables to crush drugs, bust drugs, and shoot drugs.
Jessica’s aim in spreading this message was simply to spread the word so other parents are aware of it.
At the end of the day, her message is a simple one: wipe down baby changing tables and be careful.