Diaper Need, Stress, and Baby Health—What the Research Shows

“Diaper need” is the lack of enough clean diapers to keep a baby healthy and dry. It’s not fringe—46% of U.S. families with children under four reported diaper insecurity in 2024, essentially 1 in 2 families struggling month to month. In Maryland, there are 207,456 children under age 3. Of these, 17% live under 100% of the federal poverty level. Additionally, 29% live under 200%. These are the families most at risk for diaper need.

Peer-reviewed research in Pediatrics first quantified diaper need and connected it to maternal stress and hardship in low-income urban families. When caregivers can’t keep infants clean and dry, stress rises—and so do risks for rashes and clinic visits.

Newer national data confirm the scale of the problem—46% of families with young children experience diaper insecurity. Evidence-based interventions are straightforward: stable supplies reduce stress, protect skin, and support routine well-child care. Your donations make that stability possible.

Join Blessed Provisions Diaper & Toiletry Bank, a provider of diaper and hygiene essentials to social agencies and schools in Frederick County, Maryland. They will be hosting their 1st Annual Frederick Diaper Drive on September 20, 2025, from 1:00 pm-3:00 pm at C. Burr Artz Public Library – Trust Conference Room, located at 101 E. Patrick St., Frederick, MD 21701.

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