As a mom, I don’t think much about putting diapers into my online shopping cart; with a baby and a toddler, it’s become a regular habit. And if you’re like me, you do the same. Buying what your children need to stay clean, dry and healthy is just what parents do—right?
But what if you couldn’t afford all of the diapers your child needs? Would you dry out and reuse diapers? Would you leave a diaper on your child a little longer? You may be surprised to learn that that’s exactly what many low-income families do to make a box of diapers go further than they’re designed to.
But reusing or leaving dirty diapers on a baby or toddler for too long has health consequences including risking diaper rash so severe it can lead to infection and perhaps even hospitalization just so baby can receive the care they need to heal.
This is an all-too-common reality for 1 in 3 families in the US, particularly low income families. And moms in this situation are more stressed about not having enough diapers than having secure housing or enough food, according to research in Pediatrics.
Right now, 5.3 million children don’t have all of the diapers they need, which means they may not be able to attend childcare or preschool. And there are no federal safety nets like WIC or SNAP to buy diapers. But you can help.
Closing the Diaper Gap
When my two little ones were born, I was so grateful for the incredible care I received from my nurses. So when I learned that every day mother/baby nurses in hospitals throughout the country collect and provide diapers to families struggling with diaper need, I knew I had to get involved with their efforts to close the diaper gap.
You can help too—through the national nurse-led Healthy Mom&Baby Diaper Drive you can diaper a baby for a week, two weeks or even a month for as little as $10 to $40. With support from Huggies® and the non-profit National Diaper Bank Network, you can donate online through the Healthy Mom&Baby Diaper Drive to provide diapers to families in need in your community and throughout the country:
- $10 donation diapers a baby for a week
- $20 donation diapers a baby for 2 weeks
- $40 donation diapers a baby for a month
At this time of year, when we’re were happy to gather with family and friends and share what we’re so thankful for, join me online for the few moments it will take to get diapers to a baby in need. Ask your friends and family members to join in too—who can donate the most diapers? Make it a challenge to overcome the challenges so many of our tiniest, most vulnerable children and their families face each day.
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