It’s a cliche that babies go through a lot of diapers, and for good reason.
So many diaper changes
Eric and I had been through the ’round the clock diaper duty with Peeper, but somehow we had forgotten by the time Kiwi was born. It seemed as if just when we changed Kiwi, she’d wail, letting us know she was wet again.
Before long, we’d run out of those impossibly tiny newborn diapers (the one size I hadn’t stocked up on). So off the grandparents went to the grocery store—and came back with a package each of the leading brand. (Eric’s dad didn’t know which I preferred so he hedged his bets.)
Diaper donations help families
Unfortunately, for too many families, the constant diaper changes aren’t just an amusing, if exasperating, rite of passage into parenthood. Diapers are crazy expensive and aren’t covered in assistance programs like WIC or food stamps, so moms and dads may have to make do with fewer than their little ones need.
In fact, a staggering 5.3 million children don’t have enough diapers—putting them at higher risk for infection and rash as their parents wait longer between changes and even dry out used diapers for reuse, I learned from the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). What’s more, the lack of disposable diapers sometimes keeps kids out of day care—and parents out of work.
AWHONN is partnering with Kimberly Clark and the National Diaper Bank Network to provide free diapers to the one in three families who struggle to buy enough diapers in the Wipe Out Diaper Need campaign, which runs this week.. If you have extras that your littles have outgrown, you can donate to food banks, assistance programs or a diaper bank (find one nearby here). You can also donate here (that’s what I did; $1 buys six diapers that go directly to families).
When I change Peeper and Kiwi’s diapers lately, I think about all those moms and dads who need to wait a little longer before changing their babies so they don’t run out completely. Instead of bemoaning another wet nappy or even a blowout, I’m grateful that we have enough.
This post was not sponsored or solicited. I found out about the campaign and chose to write about it because many people, like me, didn’t know about the problem of diaper need.
FYI, this post appears to be truncated!
This is a great cause. I’ve donated diapers to NW Children’s Outreach and am hoping to organize a drive this year for either my church and/or my daugher’s school
I’ve heard diapers are one of the most-needed items at food shelters; that’s great you’re donating them through other avenues too!
So nice to hear that there is an organization committed to helping families tackle such an expensive and necessary expense for small children.
Me too! I hadn’t known about the National Diaper Bank until recently. Thank goodness they can help with this need!
What a great cause, thanks for spotlighting it.
Cool organization.
Thanks for bringing attention to this need. We hear so much about how many kids go hungry in the NW, but we never hear about their need for diapers. I’ll be sharing this to spread the word. 🙂
That’s a great point, Monica. Diapers are a necessity for young kids, too.
Thank you for sharing info on the National Diaper Bank! SUCH a great cause. I don’t think people realize that they can donate for this!
I hadn’t thought about it much, either, and I still have kiddos in diapers. It’s just not on many people’s radar.
Recent events in our lives have caused me to spend a lot of time thinking about the bounty my family enjoys. We are not rich, by US standards, but we have a home of our own, clean water, clothes to wear, and food on the table. My kiddos are long past diapers, so diapers are something that fell off my radar. Thanks so much for sharing about the National Diaper Bank, and reminding those of us with a computer and easy internet access of another of our many blessings.
Me too, Renee. I find myself donating a lot to different causes for precisely the same reason in the last few weeks. We just have so much, and too many people around the world make do without their basic needs met.
Thank you for sharing this!
Thank you for sharing this!
For many years the Parents have been using diapers for their newly born babies. Usually, a newly born baby needs 8 diapers every day (24 hours). You will have to feed your baby after every 3 hours continuously. A newborn sleeps most of the time every day. During feeding, if the baby feels wet for pee. The baby can stop taking feed. Which is not good for baby health. Same as, sleep of the baby should be completed without disturbance. These two things are the very important for a newly born baby. By using Diapers, we can ensure these two matter for our loving baby.