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If you are a parent or guardian, I would hazard a guess that you can recall at least one occasion when you opened the nappy bag or cupboard to find there were none.
Maybe you were getting ready to head out for the day, or worst-case scenario—you were in the middle of a nappy change.
I have experienced the latter at a shopping centre, and just writing about it brings back that same sense of dread I felt at the time. Luckily, I was near a supermarket and could risk a short walk with my little one wrapped in a T-shirt to buy nappies. I didn’t think twice about the price tag – I grabbed the first packet in their size, tapped my card and raced back to the bathrooms.
However, I am acutely aware that I was in a position of privilege to be able to do that.
The stress I felt at the time, was not the type of “nappy stress” that The Nappy Collective is seeking to address.
As parents and caregivers, we try to do the best by those in our care. We put their needs first, even if it means ours go unmet. I can’t imagine being in a position where I must choose between feeding myself or buying nappies for my child.
This is one of the many reasons I signed up to volunteer with The Nappy Collective, Australia’s only not-for-profit solely focused on collecting and redistributing nappies to families in need through Community Partners, like Roundabout Canberra and Karinya House for Mothers and Babies.
Families facing financial hardship, experiencing or at risk of homelessness, escaping domestic violence, seeking asylum, or those impacted by natural disasters are all at risk of nappy stress. Nappy stress has physical and mental health implications for both the child and the caregiver.
Until 21 May, The Nappy Collective is running its tenth annual Mother’s Day Collection Drive. In Canberra alone, we have a huge donation target of 60,600 nappies, with the most-needed sizes being newborn, five, six, and pull-ups.
To meet this target, we are calling on the community to sign up as volunteers or Collection Points, donate new or spare nappies, or donate funds that can then be used to help us deliver nappies year-round to those in need.