Parents, do you remember your “17 diapers” moment? For those unfamiliar with the trend, it all started with a harried mom named Hannah who was too overwhelmed to pick up the dirty diapers around her home. She’d been taking care of her kids alone for the past 24 hours, and the soiled items had begun to accumulate. When she eventually collected them all, there were 17 total!
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Hannah shared this experience on social media, and it sparked a trend. Now, many other parents use “17 diapers” to refer to some of the most difficult moments they’ve faced while raising their kids. According to Parents, these hardships can range from neglecting self-care to major postpartum depression symptoms. The main point of this trend is to highlight the fact that parenting is really tough! Even though we’d all love to have everything under control 100% of the time, we really need to have grace for ourselves when we struggle to take care of both our kids and ourselves at once.
Lexi’s “17 diapers” story will have you in tears.
A mom named Lexi shared an excellent “17 diapers” moment that really gets at the heart of the trend. She not only demonstrated how difficult it is to be a mother sometimes, but also how even the smallest bit of support from others can help!
In her social media post, Lexi shared that her “17 diapers” moment took place at her son’s pediatrician visit. Her husband was deployed, so she was bearing the lion’s share of the responsibility by herself. Unsurprisingly, she hadn’t been getting much sleep! During the doctor’s appointment, the pediatrician decided it was time to step in, telling her, “Today, I’m your village.”
“He got me a warm blanket and a pillow, took my son, and turned off the lights in the exam room,” Lexi wrote in her video.
Because of the pediatrician’s kindness, this mom was finally able to get a couple of hours of uninterrupted sleep. She was so grateful to her son’s doctor for giving her some time to herself when she needed it most!
This is what “17 diapers” is all about.
When people like Hannah and Lexi share their “17 diapers” moments on social media, it helps to dispel the myth that parents have to be perfect all the time. Parents are only human, and humans make mistakes. They also have needs that often aren’t met when they’re pouring all their love and attention into their kids.
This trend is a great reminder not to judge other parents for not having immaculate homes or for breaking down under pressure. Let’s offer our support instead!
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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