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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forumshand-washing disposable diapers, rushing to potty train, using newspaper as prices jacked up
What if I run out? Cost of diapers and rush to potty train strain low-income parents
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It was also the first time in weeks that shed scraped together enough quarters for laundry, and her children were quickly running out of clean clothes. Recently, shed picked the princess decal off 4-year-old Beatrízs outgrown shorts and inked a spider over them for her 3-year-old, Máximo to entice him to wear his sisters hand-me-down. The success was short-lived. Since shed run out of diapers, nothing stayed dry very long.
They just opened a store right here they ran out of diapers like this, Juárez said with a snap, nodding to a market across from the laundry center. I went down here to MacArthur Park, they didnt have any. I went to Costco, they didnt have any. I went to Target, sold out. Im here with the kids, going store to store, and they didnt have any supplies.
In desperation, she began hand-washing dirty disposable diapers and hanging them to dry in the shower. At that point, she felt she had no choice.
On that day, I started potty training him, she said.
Toilet training is difficult under the best of circumstances. But the pandemic has put unprecedented pressure on poor parents like Juárez, who pay about as much to diaper a child as an average L.A. family spends on their electric bill about $80 a month. Here, as elsewhere, poverty extracts a premium, limiting where families can get supplies and their ability to buy in bulk, experts said. With store shelves stripped and more than half of Angelenos out of work, families like hers are scrambling to cut that cost.
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The smaller markets on the corner, theyre jacking the price of the Pampers up so you can only afford the six-pack instead of the 12-pack, said Alan-Michael Graves, national program director for the Good+Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing diapers in Los Angeles and New York. If you add cost plus availability, it makes it very challenging for parents to provide these diapers to their kids.
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A recent drive-through distribution event started at 7:30 a.m., half an hour ahead of schedule, because the line of cars was already looped around the block. By 10 a.m., most sizes had run out.
Theyre like gold to the families we serve, said Norah Weinstein of Baby2Baby, a local diaper bank that has partnered with the L.A. Unified School District to provide supplies to families in need. Parents in our program are emptying out diapers, hanging them to dry and putting them back on their babies. Theyre using newspaper as a substitute for diapers, theyre not eating so they can provide diapers and food for their children.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-04-25/coronavirus-diapers-scarce-parents
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,750 posts)Demovictory9
(32,324 posts)and watch a youtube tutorial probably
and the pail to store them in. washing in shared laundry facilities might make the washers and dryers stinky.
Crunchy Frog
(26,548 posts)They were super trendy when my twins were babies 11 years ago, and there were all kinds of fancy and conveniently designed ones available.
I'd be surprised if much has changed since then.
Looking at Google, it looks like they're still just as trendy with a huge variety available.
That's what I'd be looking at if I had a baby right now.
Demovictory9
(32,324 posts)PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,750 posts)I did cloth diapers when disposables has already almost completely taken over. People thought I was weird.
I actually went on a cross-country driving trip with my cloth diapers. It wasn't that hard.
Demovictory9
(32,324 posts)Tree-Hugger
(3,364 posts)They have been gaining in popularity for many years now. I clothed diapered both of my kids. There are so many different options for cloth diapers nowadays. There are large companies that make them as well as crafty moms. It's a big business. No more pins (though some do opt for them) and a lot of styles are "all in one." They go on and fasten just like a disposable.
marybourg
(12,540 posts)is that you were not allowed to use public or in building laundry facilities. You used diaper service or washed them by hand if you didnt have your own washing machine. Just my recollection. From where I lived. Nobody wanted to wash their clothes in a washer that had just washed poopy diapers.
EllieBC
(2,961 posts)But dont let any of the bootstrappers know.
Crunchy Frog
(26,548 posts)is probably a better option than washing and drying and reusing disposable diapers as the people in this article are doing. Even if it may not be ideal.
I did not know that in 1977, when I would take my son's Biz-soaked diapers downstairs to one of the apartment complex's laundry rooms, and to public laundromats. I didn't even occur to me. We were poor as church mice, there was no where else to wash them, and disposables were too expensive for everyday use.
marybourg
(12,540 posts)I guess you were justified in thinking it was OK. I think that was long after disposables became ubiquitous and few people were still laundering diapers, so the signs had disappeared.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)KentuckyWoman
(6,666 posts)I guess people get stuck in a way of thinking....
Steelrolled
(2,022 posts)Ms. Toad
(33,915 posts)We used disposables when we were traveling long enough that it would be impractical to haul them home with us. Disposables are a nice wy to toss money into the landfill.
You can buy high quality diapers for $31 for a dozen, have them delivered within a week and use them from birth through potty training. A few covers (or even plastic pants) and your good to go.
We only used disposables for the occasional travels. I had a great stash for both kids.
EllieBC
(2,961 posts)If you are lower income youre likely living in an apartment which means you dont have your own washer and dryer. You likely have a shared laundry facility or have to go to a laundromat.most of those places do NOT allow you to wash cloth diapers. Also, to wash them properly you need hot water and 2 rinse cycles. Guess they should just make sure they have extra change for that too?
cwydro
(51,308 posts)Somehow my mother traveled overseas (by ship) with me as a babe in arms.
No disposables.
EllieBC
(2,961 posts)My mom used cloth diapers too. However we lived in the suburbs. I did too, for my oldest, because I have a washer and dryer. And Im a SAHM so I had the time.
What Im saying is what do you want people to do who cant wash diapers in a laundromat? Or who dont have that extra time?
cwydro
(51,308 posts)Lucky to have one job.
Anyway, my point is that at a point in history (not so long ago) there were no disposable diapers. People coped.
My grandmother had 7 children between 1925 and 1935...oh no, she didnt have two jobs...she had 7 - as well as working a farm, feeding chickens, feeding children, tending cows. Oh and they didnt have a washer or dryer, nor a laundromat nearby, nor running water, nor inside plumbing.
Wow.
EllieBC
(2,961 posts)Do you have no empathy for people struggling to get by? Now you want them to buy cloth diapers and hand wash them? I guess they should just be happy because past generations did that. Past generations did lots of things. I guess we should just end all welfare too because they sure found a way to feed themselves. And education programs because they can just go get a job at the mill and be happy.
If you read the article it opens with a woman who scraped together cash to do laundry. Scraped together. So she should scrape together more to do diapers which require hot water wash and 2 rinses to maintain quality and to make sure they are properly cleaned?
Maybe AOC is right. Parts of the party are out of touch.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,283 posts)It may work for some.
What is the "left-correct" solution for unavailable disposables? What would be an "in-touch" option?
Ace Rothstein
(3,109 posts)Nothing else matters right now. It is scarier to me than the virus.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)Since you have not the faintest idea what anyone on this board may be doing to help those struggling during this crisis, youd be better off keeping your accusations to yourself.
Where did I say I wanted them to buy cloth diapers? Perhaps you missed a point or tow that others have made here: its better than washing disposable diapers, which is what the article spoke of.
Dear oh dear, I do hope your day improves.
Mossfern
(2,375 posts)In the long run cloth diapers are more economical.
Hand washing them is not terrible, and if possible they can be hung on a line in the sun to dry.
I am not out of touch. Anything can be used as a diaper pail and I assume she has access to water to soak the soiled diapers in a soap or borax solution until she washes them. There were poor people back in the day too and they manged to use cloth diapers.
I'm lucky to have grown up middle class, but I still washed cloth diapers and did not find it a horrifying chore. Even if I had no access to a washing machine, I would have washed them and hung them. To assume that people have no empathy is downright insulting.
You can buy cloth diapers for $14 for a ten pack at Target. I didn't look up the price for nylon panties to go over them, but honestly I think that's way more thrifty than cloth.
Have you washed diapers?
EllieBC
(2,961 posts)We used cloth with my first. It was a PITA. Hot water wash, 2 rinses. Like I said if you want to maintain quality and cleanliness you need to wash them properly. We had a washer and dryer so no need to use a laundromat that wouldnt let you wash them anyway.
I guess youre advocating that the poor should just live like noble poor and hand wash diapers instead of focusing on the fact that stores are over pricing them and not keeping them stocked?
Mossfern
(2,375 posts)was my pleasure. I'd say that in modern USA, those that chose to use cloth diapers do so not because of economic reasons, but for environmental and health reasons. Since when are "poor" people devoid of these values?
As someone who has worked with the poor professionally, I'm well aware of the issues they encounter in life. To assume that someone is too lazy to wash diapers because they have economic insecurities show bias on your part, not mine.
Crunchy Frog
(26,548 posts)is a better option than using disposable diapers and washing, drying and reusing them, also at home. There don't seem to be any perfect options in this situation, just better and worse ones.
KentuckyWoman
(6,666 posts)because she can't find any new ones. If someone is going to resort to that measure, then cloth diapers would be an improvement.
Celerity
(42,666 posts)forthemiddle
(1,373 posts)She can theoretically wash and hang cloth diapers.
Raine
(30,540 posts)like previous generations used, geesh!
spinbaby
(15,073 posts)Imagine you are a poor person with limited transportation living in one of those food-desert type places where supplies of any kind are hard to come by. Youre buying diapers a few at a time from the corner store because you cant afford to buy them in large quantities. How are you going to buy a few dozen cloth diapers? Do you have a couple of hundred extra to spend on them? Where will you buy them? Amazon? Do you have Internet? A credit card to pay for the transaction? A place to wash the diapers when you get them?
Lars39
(26,093 posts)Only 10 people at a time in the one in the OP. And it took her quite a while to scrape up the money to go that one time.
Response to spinbaby (Reply #20)
pinkstarburst This message was self-deleted by its author.
Some here are exhibiting a whole lot of privilege.
Crunchy Frog
(26,548 posts)Nature Man
(869 posts)It's like people can't see their bootstraps for the lack of boots anymore! What are they thinking!
Other examples:
1. Don't have reliable transportation? BUY A NEW DAMN CAR!
2. No money? START A BUSINESS!
3. Hungry? STOP BEING LAZY!
/sarcasm
cwydro
(51,308 posts)I guess those flinging accusations around think it better for people to diaper their little ones in newspaper.
Go figure.
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,147 posts)demmiblue
(36,751 posts)crickets
(25,896 posts)My heart goes out to any mother trying to deal with all of the exhausting and expensive issues involved with child raising. Put a pandemic and a diaper shortage on top of that, and I just feel so helpless not being able to do something to help all of the women trying their best to deal with a literal shitstorm.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)Call your county/city/churches/homeless centers.
They all need volunteers and donations. If you dont want to be out and about, you can make phone calls.
No need to feel helpless, theres plenty to do to help - I assure you.
crickets
(25,896 posts)I am already donating to the food bank, but I will give them a call tomorrow about trying to do more. Thanks again, cwydro.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)Also delivering canned and frozen foods.
Sometimes its as simple as just watching your neighbors (not to inform on their lack of social distancing lol), but to see if they need anything.
Believe me, I sunk into a kind of helplessness at first too. This whole mess is so disheartening, but it does help to reach out to others I think.
Now, if I could get a kick in the rear to clean my house...
crickets
(25,896 posts)Yay, I am not alone!
HarlanPepper
(2,042 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)Dial H For Hero
(2,971 posts)that as someone who is and will remain childless that my part of my reaction to reading the story was relief at never having been in such a situation.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)My first reaction was a wrenching sympathy.
Rae
(84 posts)They're filled with powdered gel to absorb the moisture. Wouldn't they just turn into big gelatinous blobs?
Regardless, this is incredibly sad. My niece has a newborn and finding diapers that are affordable is a real struggle right now.
marble falls
(56,359 posts)Rae
(84 posts)I was just questioning whether or not the disposables could be washed like the article stated.
gopiscrap
(23,674 posts)This site looks like a wonderful source of information for the liberal minded. And so active!
gopiscrap
(23,674 posts)hope you have a good time here!!!
I think that had to be an exaggeration.
When put in a real deal of water, the do indeed turn into gelatinous blobs - as you said.
Rae
(84 posts)In regular diapers. What are their parents thinking??
fishwax
(29,146 posts)what a mess, with thousands of tiny gelatinous beads turning into thousands of still-small-but-notably-bigger-and-now-loose-and-spread-out-in-the-washing-machine, water-soaked gelatinous pellets.
😂
Crunchy Frog
(26,548 posts)my early days of motherhood.
Yes, disposables are filled with tiny, clear, super-absorbent crystals. If you run a diaper under water, it will blow up like a water balloon, and it will take practically forever to dry.
How do I know this? I tried it once during my first weeks with my twins. Not to try to reuse the diaper, but to make a compress for myself. I was getting these extremely painful plugged ducts, and I thought it might help. Sorry for the TMI.
I'd forgotten about that until just now. No way you could use that on a baby after running it under water.
Sorry about your niece. Have you tried looking for cloth ones online? There are some really nice ones that are not real expensive. Maybe you could get her some, just to have as an emergency backup.
Welcome to DU BTW.
phylny
(8,353 posts)but I was a SAHM, we had a washer and dryer in our home, and I actually had a clothesline outside to dry them (and sunshine was a great final disinfectant). Also, the poop got dumped into the toilet where it belongs, not packaged in a disposable diaper to the landfill. We did use disposables for traveling and for overnight, when they got older.
One plus was that our daughters were all toilet trained by two years of age. They "felt" wet. No "big kid" pull-ups for us.
This won't help people now, but I intend to buy everything my daughters might need in terms of cloth diapers that they can have on hand just in case if they have children.
CTyankee
(63,771 posts)diapers were only on the horizon. I lived in NYC and I "washed" them first by flushing the toilet and holding the diaper on tight. Then into the diaper pail with its water with some sort of "solution" in it. Then off it went on pickup day and whisked back to us the next day or so all clean, dry and folded.
I was young and strong so it didn't bother me much.
LeftInTX
(24,560 posts)He always had a rash..and they never stayed up when he started walking. Also around this time, when he peed, he peed more at once and it came out the sides, so I would have to change his clothes.
Fortunately, there was a new generic brand at the store, so they weren't too expensive. They weren't the absorbent type, (basically they were like chux - dog training pads) but they were better than cloth. At least they stayed up and they didn't leak as badly as cloth!!!
LeftInTX
(24,560 posts)Not ideal, but that is what basically what our son's cheap disposable diapers were. (1987)