Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Huggies® and Sam’s Club. All opinions are my own.
How to throw a diaper drive, and why you should!
In so many ways, having a second (or a third or a fifth, etc.) child is just as exciting as your first. You still wonder what they will look like, what kind of personality they will have, and how your life will change with the addition of a new family member. At the same time, many second-time parents are already well stocked on baby basics like gear and clothing.
There is every reason to celebrate, but having a traditional baby shower can sometimes feel like over-kill, especially if both pregnancies were fairly close together. Alternative baby showers, like diaper drives, cooking parties, or blessing ways, are wonderful ways to applaud the new baby while providing something extra worthwhile to either the expecting mama or her community.
I teamed up with Sam’s Club and Huggies® to share what inspired me to throw a diaper drive instead of a baby shower to celebrate baby number two. I’ve also included some ideas and resources to show you how to throw a diaper drive yourself!
Why Throw a Diaper Drive?
Did you know that many families don’t have the resources to provide their babies with clean diapers and wipes on a regular basis? This situation is called diaper need, and it is experienced by roughly 25% of families in my own central Texas community. The Austin Diaper Bank helps to address diaper need by distributing over 700,000 diapers and wipes to local families. Diaper banks, like this one, exist all across the nation. You can find a diaper bank near you at nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org.
A diaper drive is perfect for a family like mine, who primarily uses cloth diapers. While cloth diapers are a great fit for our family, many of the folks experiencing diaper need don’t have enough access to laundry facilities to make cloth diapering work. Many daycare providers also require disposable diapers to be provided by working parents. Since we have pretty much everything we need to care for the baby we are expecting, I love the idea of celebrating my own child’s birth by helping out other families in my community who may not be as fortunate.
How Throw a Diaper Drive
- Start by locating the diaper bank closest to you. Diaper banks are often low on specific sizes or types of diapers so it can be helpful to reach out to your local bank and ask them which sizes, if any, your drive should focus on collecting.
- Pick a date and place for your diaper drive party. Like any shower, this can be as fancy or as casual as you like. For me, I prefer hosting parties in my home or at a local park. These options tend to be much less expensive than hosting a party at a restaurant or catered venue.
- Send out invitations. Again, this can be as formal or casual as you like. Pick out pretty paper invitations or just send out a blast on social media! Just make sure you let your guests know what to bring and why it’s so important. The National Diaper Network provides a bunch of free tools that can help!
- Stock up on donations. I like to start the party off with one or two big bundles of Huggies®. Huggies® is a trusted brand at hospitals so I know I’m sharing something that new parents will feel confident in using with their kids. And the bundles offered at Sam’s Club allow me to buy up to a whole month’s supply of diapers in one shot!
- Plan your menu. This is the fun part! Deck out a buffet with snacks, appetizers, and finger foods. Some of my favorite shower foods include mini sandwiches, chips and dips, sushi, and bite sized toasts.
- Plan your drinks. I love having a festive cocktail at every (adult) party I host in addition to the usual soft drinks, beer, and wine. Some fun ideas include a big batch of sangria, a make your own mimosa bar, or even creative jello shots!
- Don’t forget dessert! A playful dessert, like cake, cupcakes, or even ice cream sundaes are often the centerpiece of a baby shower. Have fun with it, and pick a flavor that mama loves best.
- Party games. Besides the classic baby shower games, you can make the drive a big part of the fun. Offer a special prize for the guest who brings the most diapers, and set up a display to show how many you’ve collected all together.
- Arrange for diaper donation. After the party is over you should be left with a small mountain of diapers and wipes. Make sure to have some help handy for getting all of that booty to your local diaper bank. Some banks may have collection bins available while others may require you to deliver at a specific date and time.
Stocking Up for Your Diaper Drive
Sam’s Club is a great place to stock up on diapers, either for your own family or for your diaper drive. Sam’s Club offers Huggies® Diapers in huge bundles – making them more affordable and allowing you to score more diapers for your dollar. I love being able to buy an entire month’s supply of Huggies® in one box. It makes the impact of my donation feel real – like I’m connected to the family who will benefit from our gift.
In fact, a bundle box of Huggies® Diapers at Sam’s Club costs about the same, or less, than a typical baby shower gift, so you may even want to spring for a second or third box! Sam’s Club makes it easy for you to get the exact selection of Huggies you need; if you shop online for 3 & 6-month diaper bundles, you can select the sizes you need.
The 12-month diaper bundles come with pre-selected sizes for your babies’ age and activity, and Sam’s Club has you covered if your baby outgrows or doesn’t need that size—simply return the unopened box and they’ll swap it out for the size you need! An added bonus to purchasing your Huggies® at Sam’s Club is the rewards! You can upload your receipt to HuggiesRewards.com to gain access to special offers.
Looking for more fun baby shower ideas? Check out my posts for Heather & Nautical Baby Shower, Scissorina’s Woodland Themed Baby Shower, and My Travel Themed Baby Shower.
This post is sponsored by Huggies® and Sam’s Club. All opinions are my own.