Screaming tears of discomfort echo through your hallway. Your baby’s crying because they are sitting in their own mess. You wipe them down, but their bottom is bright red, blistered, sore, raw, the rash has spread from front to back, thigh to thigh. Will it ever go away?

You can see them wincing in pain. Your heart is breaking. You powder them again, but you know it will not do much to ease the pain, they will make again once they eat, and you are tightly rationing diapers. If they wet themselves again tonight you do not have a diaper to change them into. You have one package to last you all week. It is Tuesday and 10 diapers remain. You will not have the money for more until Friday’s pay check clears. How did this happen? How could you not be able to change your baby?

When you found out you were pregnant you were filled with so much love and happiness. You have always imagined having a family. You have dreamed your whole life of all you will do for your child. All they will have. No matter what, you will give them the world. How could the world not include clean diapers?

Your partner and you work 4 jobs between you. The money coming in leaves before it hits your account. It seems impossible to keep up. Rent is expensive, even though you are getting help from a government program. Food stamps and WIC help with the necessities, it’s a modest table but everyone is full.

Even though you are working 16 hours a day your baby is lucky enough to have been granted a scholarship to a nursery school. But, they can’t go.

Why?

The preschool requires that you provide disposable diapers for your child. And…You can’t. EBT, WIC none of these programs provide money towards the purchase of diapers. Now what? If you have to stay home and you don’t got to work you will lose everything.

How could diapers be such an obstacle?

Sure, you could try using cloth diapers, but, it is illegal for you to wash them in your building’s machines, and the cost of a diaper cleaning service is more than the cost of disposables.

Besides, the school won’t accept them, so what is the point.

Where can you turn?

This is the plight of 1 in 3 families in our country today. Be the CHANGE so many families need and donate to your local diaper bank. You can begin today by supporting Northeast Doulas Efforts with our 501c3 No Child Wet Behind visit our Amazon Wishlist and help the families in need in our community.