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Are Diapers A Basic Need?
Leaving a baby in soiled diapers can quickly cause an ongoing rash.
How many diapers does your baby go through a day? On average, a baby will use between 8 and 10 diapers each day which can easily translate into $70-$100 per month. While the high cost may be an inconvenience for some moms, for others it’s impossible. Poor mothers who take advantage of the Women, Infants, Children (WIC) program and food stamps have to pay in cash for diapers and for many, it’s something they simply can’t do, especially young and single mothers.
The food stamp program only allows its users to buy food, no paper goods including diapers and baby wipes are covered by food stamps. For a single mother who works a minimum wage job, she will have to work two hours to afford one package of diapers. And that package will only last about two days.
Should government assistance programs be widened to include diapers and baby wipes?
According a report by NY1 News, many moms are resorting to inventive ways to prolong a diaper:
A recent study shows one in three mothers across the country have to cut back on regular household necessities to cover the cost of diapers. And a study from Huggies shows that in extreme cases, parents in diaper need resort to cleaning out and reusing diapers.
Katherine Snider, the executive director of Baby Buggy, a New York City-based charity for families in need says diapers top the list of their five most requested items. And even with large donations from companies like Huggies, they still can’t meet the demand.
It goes without saying that leaving a baby in a dirty diaper will impact the baby’s health. Two of the most common health problems resulting from not changing dirty diapers are diaper rash and fussy babies:
“They can’t tolerate a wet diaper for very long. Not only because they start crying and they’re uncomfortable, but definitely their skin is just more sensitive so they are more pronounced to getting rashes with just the littlest sort of moisture in the diaper,” said Dr. Jessica Sessions of the Ryan Community Health Center.
Advocates for poor and low-income families say that diapers are a need, not a luxury. I agree. While food stamps do not typically cover paper goods, why not deem diapers and baby wipes as specific accepted items? Or include the diapers and wipes as part of the WIC program items?
Many of us can’t imagine going through the day not being able to afford an extra diaper, but this is exactly what many poor moms do daily, particularly young and single mothers. One hundred dollars a week is a lot to a teen mom or a single mom who has other children and is earning a minimum wage check.
Of course, we need to raise the minimum wage as well, but in the meantime, wouldn’t providing free diapers be a small consolation? I’d have to argue that diapers are indeed a need. Babies have no control over their bodily functions and with mothers working so many long hours and going to school, cloth diapers just aren’t as functional. Even with cloth diapers, there is a start-up expense and an ongoing cleaning expense.
Would you support providing mothers on government assistance with diapers? What about wipes? Aren’t diapers and wipes a basic need for babies?
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31 Comments
Mistress_Scorpio commented on Apr 04 11 at 9:54 amI would definitely support subsidizing disposable diapers or even cloth diapers for low-income families. Maybe not free, but steeply discounted. But in the current political climate, I doubt this proposal will go anywhere.
Tracy Euler commented on Apr 04 11 at 10:24 amSure sounds fine, but lets also encourage people that can’t afford to have children to USE BIRTH CONTROL
amy commented on Apr 04 11 at 10:27 amDisposable diapers are not a need. This from a poor mom who has gratefully been on wic and food stamps, and also cloth diapered. Yes esp when you work cloth diapering is inconvienient and sometimes downright sucks, but it can be only $100-150 for start up and a laundry load twice a week.
Look at what giving out free formula (also something I myself accepted) has done to the breastfeeding rates of poor moms…they don’t bother since the formula is free anyway. It doesn’t encourage personall responsibility or selflessness.
Not saying we shouldn’t give out formula when necessary, just saying yes, being a poor single mom is not easy…why are we encouraging the lazy route?
Bean's Mom commented on Apr 04 11 at 10:35 amBirth control sounds good, but the same party who would most likely balk at the idea of subsidizing diapers is also the same party that would balk at the idea of promoting birth control.
amy commented on Apr 04 11 at 10:41 amAlso, I’m not sure where $70-100 a week is coming from…where I live, off -brand dipes for babies are 20 CENTS apiece, which is $15 a week TOPS. (Not that thats not still a burden when you are poor). And when they are 2 or 3 and diapers cost more, potty-train them for goodness sakes!
Mistress_Scorpio commented on Apr 04 11 at 10:50 amIts the same group trying to defund Planned Parenthood, as well. You know, the organization that provides low cost birth control.
January commented on Apr 04 11 at 11:03 amI’m still trying to figure out how diapers can cost $70-100 a week though. We have almost exclusively used either LUVS or the Target brand and pay less than a $100 a MONTH. (A box of 108 diapers costs us $21 and changing him on average 9x a day would mean that a box would last 12 days. We’ll say three boxes a month just in case and I end up only spending $63). A quick search of Target (which is where I do most of my shopping) shows that a box of Huggies with 120 diapers is still only $37. Going with 9 changes a day that would last a little bit more than 13 days (so almost 2 weeks).
With those prices I would need to have 4 kids in diapers to spend between $70-100 a week on the diapers.That being said I would still support a subsidy for low-income families. Taking some of the stress away could go a long way to benefit the family. (I know when I am less stressed I am more patient with the kid)
Danielle commented on Apr 04 11 at 11:24 amActually, in many developing countries, babies don’t wear diapers at all, and guess what? They’re potty-trained much earlier!
Danielle Sullivan commented on Apr 04 11 at 12:51 pmThe “once a week” is an error- thank you for pointing that out. I meant to write $70-$100 a month (which I will change). Yet an extra $100 a month is a lot for moms who are struggling financially. It’s more than a full day’s pay for moms earning minimum wage. I don’t think it provides a “lazy route” at all. If the basic necessities like milk, eggs and cheese are offered why not help ensure that babies are not sitting in soiled diapers just because mom can’t afford them?
Bunnytwenty commented on Apr 04 11 at 12:58 pmI take issue with the word “lazy” in this context, period. Ugh.
andrea commented on Apr 04 11 at 1:03 pmAbsurd. Why don’t we just give poor moms a free house, clothes, food, heat, car, gas money and hell, why not movie passes and a free babysitter once a month? Don’t have children if you can’t afford them! Adoption is hard, I understand. But being raised in a family too poor to afford diapers sucks so much more. Being poor AND being able to give your children the basics is absolutely fine, but poor people who are so poor they cannot afford basic necessities should not have children. Period.
Bunnytwenty commented on Apr 04 11 at 1:50 pmAnd what would you suggest they do with the children they already have, Andrea? Stuff them back up there or something? Put them in the overburdened foster system? Your perfect kids are going to have to share the world with these poor children, so maybe you’d better show a little compassion, if only for selfish reasons (kids who are well-fed, cared for, and educated are less likely to rob or shoot your perfect angels when they grow up).
Bec commented on Apr 04 11 at 1:56 pmOh, Andrea, seems to me like your screeds are pretty much tempting fate these days. Keep your fingers crossed that nothing terrible befalls your family, honey. Or has it never occurred to you that some people’s circumstances change? Not everyone below the poverty line started their life there; don’t be so judgey and naive.
K Annie commented on Apr 04 11 at 7:07 pmI would more than support WIC including diapers in their coverage. I can’t think of anything-other than food-that an infant or baby needs more. Also, I wanted to point out that babies who are regularly changed with fresh diapers are also less likely to be abused by their parents. Chicken or the egg, yes. But crying babies are more likely to be hit or neglected–and rashy, wet babies are more likely to cry. So…we are talking about much more than just diapers. And to those of you (classist, racist) posters looking to punish infants and children for their parents poverty, let me say: come off it. Not having a baby is only a solution if you Don’t Already Have A Baby- and we are not talking about giving free diapers to just any ol’ body, but mothers IN need. As a girl I remember my mother and me being approached by a man asking us for money for diapers. And I will never forget what my mother told me. She said, sometimes that’s a hustle. But that there is nothing worse than not having enough money to give your child basic care. She asked the man what size diapers he needed (he knew) and we went out and bought them. I wish our government could do that for every person that needed to beg for diapers. Diapers are a basic need. All children-even poor ones- have the right to fresh bottoms.
lam commented on Apr 04 11 at 7:16 pmOh Andrea. Where to begin? The more I read your posts, the more I am sickened by the world you would have us all living in. One could make a very good argument that a well stocked but heartless home is worse than a loving impoverished one. I hope that you eventually gain the wisdom that a compassionate perspective brings. No amount of sarcasm and flippant remarks can conceal the fact that your heart, and your experience, must be very, very small.
Bec is right, plenty of people start out ok and end up needing help. I am happy to pay taxes to support programs that assist women and families and children in need.
Amy commented on Apr 04 11 at 9:27 pmI am honestly surprised that diapers aren’t covered.
Tara Lindis commented on Apr 04 11 at 9:27 pmYes, WIC should include diapers and wipes as well as lactation support (breastfed babies have stronger immune systems and low income babies need all the help they can get – and less time at the doctor would save us all money) – and I’d even be for supporting cloth diaper start up costs (my son was in cloth diapers before we moved international – no, when you’re busy it may not be as convenient as disposable but it’s not impossible) – babies in cloth diapers generally toilet train by 2 – far earlier than disposable diapered babies. We were in Bali (with my son 17-23 months) where, because expats are the only ones who use them, disposable diapers were ridiculously expensive and terrible (think Glad trash bag with Scotch tape). My son, because of this and the heat, went naked a lot and we spent a lot of time talking to him about the waste of diapers and the expense. He was toilet trained at 22 months. We’re not low income, but we have far better things to spend the money on (education? Pre-school in NY?).
Low income mothers need all the help they can get, and I don’t think this makes them lazy, but at the same time, that the average American child is toilet trained at 3 1/2 is a bizarre trend that doesn’t make much sense at all (unless you’re a disposable diaper company that encouraged this trend in the first place).
Liz commented on Apr 05 11 at 4:34 pmWIC is a nutrition program. Food stamps are for food. It doesn’t make sense to include diapers or anything else non-food related as part of these programs. If you want to provide diapers to poor people you should propose another program separate from these programs. These programs are set up to provide those things that are absolutely necessary to survive. As someone else previously mentioned disposable diapers are not a need. I also don’t think it’s selfish or evil to expect people to care for their own children. You cannot possibly expect the American public to foot the bill for everyone else’s kids. That’s just not the kind of society we live in. I grew up very poor and somehow we managed to get by without using government subsidies even though we certainly qualified. I’m glad that these few federal programs are out there to help people but there’s a limit. I don’t begrudge people who are luckier than me or work harder than me or have more than I have. I don’t expect them to share the wealth. On the other hand, there ARE plenty of charitable people out there and frankly, when misfortune has struck my family has alway received more help from local sources (churches, community centers, schools) than from federal programs. Just my two cents.
Brandy commented on Apr 05 11 at 10:20 pmYes, WIC and food stamps are respectively for nutrition and foodstuffs, where does this food go once it’s digested? Oh, yeah…a diaper. I honestly believe that there should be a ration of some sorts (a few sets of cloth or vouchers for disposables) available to those that need it. I just had a similar conversation a few days ago where I mentioned that even if I suddenly became a wealthy business owner (I’d settle for comfortable!), I would have NO PROBLEM paying more in taxes so that other’s basic needs were met. But I’m one of those people that gets upset that I can’t give money to every homeless person I see. My $.02.
ChiMommy commented on Apr 05 11 at 11:07 pmI have a problem with food stamps buying junk food and non nutritional food but, diapers should be allowed. The best diaper deals are on amazon.com (that I’ve found) and I’m guessing most food stamp people don’t have high speed internet or computers in their homes (and don’t realize they could go to the library to use the computer). I pay $28 for 104 huggies little movers, size 5, for my toddler; $35 if I splurge for the premium Huggies Pure and Natural. I think you can get the basic Huggies for $22 for 104. I change my son 4-5 times a day not 8; as they get older they hold it longer. I use to change him more when he was younger but, you get more per pack in the smaller sizes. $70 – $100 per week does not add up. pull-ups are crap and should not be allowed – they are not effective in potty training.
Mary Beth commented on Apr 06 11 at 10:23 amI am usually very liberal when it comes to providing moms and babies everything they n eed. But diapers are SOOO expensive that this would be a huge cost for the government. I’d be interested in alternative approaches… like not taxing diapers or giving a much larger-than-now tax credit to low income families with babies.
j'aime commented on Apr 06 11 at 10:42 amI just need to share this blog post from Cotton Babies owner Jenn Labit: http://clothdiapers.blogspot.com/2011/04/almost-free-diapers-how-to-diaper-your.html
It’s so relevant – cloth makes much more sense, and teaching moms to diaper their babies with what they have on hand is a great idea. It also gave rise to a growing community project called A Diaper A Day to Give Away, where this amazing woman is creating and putting together packages of cloth diapers for her local Morningstar pregnancy centers to help educate and “arm” low-income mothers for low-cost diapering. Check it out! More teaching and empowerment, less subsidizing. https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-diaper-a-day-to-give-away/210005095692120?ref=ts
Rosana commented on Apr 06 11 at 11:17 amNo, I don’t think that diapers should be bought with food stamps.
Kellie commented on Apr 06 11 at 12:30 pmHonestly I don’t think we should also provide diapers. I’ve known a lot of people who made more than they claimed to make in order to get help they didn’t need. My mother was 2 months from dying of cancer and was DENIED basic food stamps because of those same people abusing the system. During pregnancy I received help with WIC and food stamps but when my circumstances changed and I no longer needed the help I stopped the services. Many people don’t and use the extra to support drug habits among other things. I wasn’t above using cloth diapers when left without other options and my babies were healthy. You have to wash clothes anyway so why make others pay for a NON ESSENTIAL item. My mother died without help because of the abuse of this system and that’s something I have to pray about daily to forgive, even after 5 years. It’s unacceptable, period.
Patricia commented on Apr 08 11 at 2:46 pmCloth diapers sound like a good solution but remember that a lot of daycare centers require you to bring your own supply of disposable diapers with you for the day. I have seen a woman buy Red Bull and cigarettes at a convenience store using her Link card (which I had thought was impossible but apparently not) so I have to say I would much rather have the program provide diapers than supporting some woman’s nicotine habit. If you want to help women who need diapers you can donate boxes to local food banks and churches. Huggies has a program called Every Little Bottom where you can get more information on how you can help http://www.huggies.com/en-US/promotions/everylittlebottom
Heather commented on Apr 13 11 at 7:53 pmI think it makes sense to provide diapers to mothers who already receive food stamps and/or WIC. They ARE a necessity.
Lissa commented on Sep 28 11 at 2:03 amI would definitely support this. Andrea I had a great well paying job while I was preggo. Due to the ressession I was laid off. Happened to be the day I gave birth to my 28 week preemie. My husband’s job never did pay much but it was a nice small supplement. We exhausted our savings while she was in the hospital. We are on WIC now for food and I’m drawing unemployment which pays rent and bills, but not much else. I have worked since I was 16, I love being a mother and would not change it for anything. I don’t care if I “can’t afford” her. She is loved and that’s all that matters to me. I was adopted myself and they may have not had much money but I wasn’t hurt or abused so I was happy being “poor”. I am a fully breastfeeding mom now. Because she was so tiny she was supplemented with formula. Not anymore, she’s 6 mo old now and thriving. I think people deserve to love and be loved by a child, regardless of socio-economic status. Just my opinion….
Danielle Sullivan commented on Sep 28 11 at 4:12 pm@Lissa Well said.
Chloe commented on Sep 28 11 at 7:08 pmAs a taxpayer I’d be fine with subsidizing diapers for needy families, whether cloth or disposable. Cloth is a great option and one I plan to try with my next baby. But we have our own washer & dryer, unlike many families on public assistance. Even many affluent city-dwellers share a laundry room with neighbors or go to a laundromat. I spent 10 years living in a very nice condo building and shared a coin-op laundry room with the other 14 households on my floor. Would you like to pay to use a washing machine after somebody washed their baby’s soiled pre-folds in it? I wouldn’t!
Sweetpea commented on Oct 27 11 at 2:50 pmits not the babies’ faults they were born into poor families. If this was to be held back to punish “lazy, inept” (wow those words piss me off) all it really does is hurt the babies.
And not everyone who uses WIC and FS is lazy. Sometimes things happen. Divorce. Illness. Death. Loss of a job. It happens and we can’t judge. (After my divorce I ended up on foodstamps, and I’m almost to the point where I don’t need it. But I sure am glad I had it when I was struggling to support my two kids, both of who were in diapers, btw)
Randa commented on Feb 04 12 at 6:25 pmI’ve read so much ignorance in here…
YES there should be more help for babies all around! I don’t know about where you all live..but here in Maine there is the TANF/ASPIRE program that gives a cash benefit to mothers/households in need of more than just foodstamps. They expect something in return though..you do have to have a highschool diploma and if you don’t you have to be going to school to get it and reporting your hours. OR you have to be in their job training program OR have a job but it has to pay you less than $400 a month. So, this theory people seem to have that people on state help are just lazy is incredibly ridiculous.
Now, to me this does about what you’d want this program to do. Kind of. It supplies enough money to meet all these basic needs. The mom is trusted to buy what her baby needs. I think a program like WIC where you’d get a check for diapers would be an excellent program. I also think if played right, they could get a lot of funding help from the select companies they choose to use.
And let me say one thing about the “cheap diapers” they’re usually horrid and fill up so much more quickly they result in needing more diapers. For me, there was no point. I go for cheaper wipes and better diapers. Couponing and diapers for me go hand in hand!
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