“I have a job to do as a parent, and that’s make sure my children have what they need.”
Natasha Rivera-LaButhie, mom to Liana, Hailey & Angel
Natasha Rivera-LaButhie was overjoyed to learn she was expecting—then her doctor delivered the news that she was actually pregnant with triplets. “We were prepared for one child,” she says, “but finding out it was multiples? Say what? Needless to say, my husband and I knew there would be a lot more costs coming our way.” Additionally, Natasha did not qualify for her employer’s medical benefits as a new hire; she received state medical insurance instead.
Before entering her 3rd trimester, Natasha lost one of the babies and began having medical complications, becoming hospitalized for 75 days before giving birth. A hospital resource staff person encouraged Natasha to sign up for the diaper bank. Though she was initially hesitant about asking for help, bills were piling up. The twins’ daycare also required a full day’s supply of diapers, and she would have to leave work to bring more if they ran out. “I threw my pride out the window and signed up,” Natasha says. “It helps me to be a better parent. I have more time to tend to my kids’ needs, and I know they’re being taken care of.”
Natasha’s local organization supported her with more than just diapers: “It was actually a church. I remember coming in there sometimes, feeling tired of my job, my bills… I felt like a bad parent because I couldn’t afford these basic necessities for my kids,” she says. “But people there didn’t judge me; they would welcome me with a smile and offer to pray for me and my family—it really meant a lot to have their encouragement and support.”
These days, Natasha enjoys quality time playing outside and reading books with her family and working with the New Haven MOMS Partnership. “Sometimes I meet women who don’t want to ask for help,” she says. “To those moms I say, ‘Why would you not take advantage of a service that solely exists to help you take care of your family?’”
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