Research: Diaper Insecurity Harms Maternal Mental Health in the Postpartum Period

Mothers who struggle to afford diapers for their children experience more stress, feelings of being alone, and worries about their future.

NEW HAVEN, CT, UNITED STATES, May 7, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Mothers who struggle to afford diapers for their children experience more stress, feelings of being alone, and worries about their future, according to research released today by the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week (May 5-11).

Those findings come from a national survey, The NDBN Diaper Check 2024, where more than a thousand people were asked about diaper insecurity and its wide-ranging effects on their families. Today NDBN is releasing a factsheet analyzing the study’s data on mothers and psychosocial issues. The NDBN Diaper Check 2024 found that nearly 1 in 2 young U.S. families struggles to afford diapers. Mental health conditions are the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth, affecting 1 in 5 during the perinatal period.

More striking data on maternal mental health from The NDBN Diaper Check 2024:

• 79% of mothers with diaper insecurity feel stressed or anxious when they are unable to afford enough diapers for their children.

• 61% of mothers with diaper insecurity feel that their self-esteem is directly tied to their ability to provide financially for their children.

• 75% of mothers with diaper insecurity feel helpless when they cannot afford enough diapers for their children.

• 71% of mothers with diaper insecurity, compared to 31% of mothers who do not struggle to afford diapers, worry about what the future holds for their family six months from now.

The bright spot in the findings is that moms report that the work diaper banks do makes a difference. The majority of mothers, 68% of mothers without diaper insecurity and 74% of mothers with diaper insecurity, said that receiving 50 free diapers per month per child from a local diaper bank would be helpful for their families.

The research shows a considerable amount of distress even in mothers who do not report diaper insecurity, said NDBN Director of Research and Statistics Kelley E.C. Massengale. “That was the single most surprising finding to me,” she said. “It makes me wonder what other kinds of sacrifices are being made at home. This stress is almost universal.”

Less than a year ago, then-U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an advisory on the mental health and well-being of parents.

A vital resource, launched three years on Mother’s Day, is the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline which provides free, confidential mental health support. Pregnant women, moms, and new parents can call or text any time, every day at 1-833-TLC-MAMA.

“It goes without saying that parenting is the world’s most important and sometimes the world’s most stressful job,” said NDBN CEO Joanne Samuel Goldblum. “There is a long list of pro-family policies that can help with that. Our research has shown time and again that providing vulnerable families with diapers will keep babies healthier, improve maternal mental health, and promote success in the workplace.”

About National Diaper Bank Network

The National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) leads a nationwide movement dedicated to helping individuals, children and families access the basic necessities they require to thrive and reach their full potential…including clean, dry diapers, period supplies, and other basic needs. Launched in 2011 with the support of founding sponsor Huggies^®, NDBN is dedicated to creating awareness, providing assistance, and building community to #EndDiaperNeed in the U.S. Its active membership includes more than 320 basic needs banks serving local communities in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. More information on NDBN and diaper insecurity is available at nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org, and on Instagram (@DiaperNetwork), X, formerly Twitter (@DiaperNetwork), Facebook (facebook.com/NationalDiaperBankNetwork), and Bluesky (@diapernetwork.bsky.social).

Troy Moore
National Diaper Bank Network
troy@diaperbanknetwork.org
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