200,000 Diaper Donation from Huggies to the Atlanta Community Food Bank

Yesterday I went to visit the Atlanta Community Food Bank and shared with them in their extreme joy of receiving an amazing donation of 200,000 Huggies diapers.

It was wonderful to participate in such a great event, which will help parents in need of diapers across the state. I also really enjoyed touring the Atlanta Community Food Bank and learning more about the organization.





































The Diaper Need Across the Country from Huggies’ Every Little Bottom Study found the following stats:

• 1 in 3 American mothers struggle to provide diapers for their babies. These mothers have had to cut back on basics such as food, utilities like heat or electricity, or even child care in order to provide enough diapers.

• One-third of moms struggling with diaper need run out of clean diapers monthly or more often.

• Babies may be kept in wet, dirty diapers for extended periods of time or, in more extreme cases, made to wear used diapers which have been cleaned or dried out.

















• Babies in diaper need are more likely to show signs of irritation and discomfort, cry or suffer more from diaper rash when they cannot be changed than babies who are not living in diaper need.

• Nearly one in four mothers struggling with diaper need have missed work or school, stayed at home when they needed to go out, or kept their babies out of daycare because they did not have enough diapers.

• Forty-three percent of mothers struggling with diaper need say they need 14 or more extra diapers per week to feel they have enough.

The Huggies® Every Little Bottom Study was conducted amongst 1,513 mothers in the U.S. with babies in diapers ages 0-4 years old.

About the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB): Founded in 1979, the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) currently distributes nearly two million pounds of food and other donated grocery items each month to more than 700 nonprofit partner agencies in 38 counties in Metro Atlanta and North Georgia.





















More than 15,000 people volunteer each year at the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Individuals and groups up to 25 people (ages 8 and up) can sign up to volunteer.

For more information and to volunteer please visit: http://www.acfb.org

Dads Change Diapers Too!

I wrote an article not too long ago entitled, Dads: Tips on How You Can Help with Breastfeeding.  This was about my husband assisting with breastfeeding shortly after giving birth to our second son, Joshua.  I argued that new Moms don't have to be on the journey alone.  As a matter of fact, I'd be doggone if my husband refused to help me with breastfeeding!  In the article, I provided a list of ways for dads to help with the process:

DADS TO DO LIST:
1. Adjust the positioning of the pillow
2. Provide water and food
3. Adjust the lighting in the room
4. Burp the baby
5. Change the baby if needed after feeding
6. Swaddle the baby after feeding and changing
7. Clean / cook
8. Massage
9. Take a shift
10. Encourage with love

Some men don't feel like they can help with breastfeeding, or other aspects in raising children, but they really can.  One touchy subject is changing diapers.  I've witnessed dads running out of the room, and disappearing off the face of the earth to get away from a “smelly diaper.”  You'd think they were allergic to diapers!  Witnessing this frustrates me to no end.

My husband and I made a pact that we're in this for the long haul, so both of us prepared to "roll up our sleeves" and commit to the most important job of our lives: raising our children.  This includes the good, the bad, and the stinky.

It's important that we as new moms break the gender stereotypical roles that only women can cook, clean, and take care of our children.  Don't take the excuse from men that prefer these stereotypical roles.  This is 2011.  Grab a wipe, butt paste, and change a diaper!