The “17 diapers mom” refers to TikToker @nursehannahbh whose vulnerable post about her life at home struggling to keep up with the demands of motherhood went viral. Her video generated a huge response from other moms discussing their own most difficult moments, dealing with postpartum depression, or simply feeling isolated in parenthood.
What was the original “17 Diapers Mom” TikTok?
TikToker @nursehannahbh shared a video on TikTok on October 5 in which she invited her followers to join her on her search for dirty diapers scattered around her house. Clearly, Hannah was aware this was an issue. In all, she found 17 of them.
The diapers had accumulated over a very difficult 24 hours when her husband was out hunting and she was in charge of her toddler and three-week-old infant. In a follow-up video, she mentioned she was also sick and simply in “survival mode.”
@nursehannahbh OMG seriously so gross #mom #momtok #pregnant #pregnancy #pregnantlife #baby #birth #labor #babvannouncement #momlife #youngmom #momtiktok #toddler #momof2 #motherhood #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodunfiltered ♬ original sound – Hannah 🤍
In the original search video, she explains she does not have a diaper pail, so dirty diapers “kind of just get thrown around my house, and we just collect them in a bag at the end of the day and take them out to the dumpster.”
@nursehannahbh Replying to @Becca you moms are really saying youve never been ILL ill with multiple kids?? #mom #momtok #postpartum #motherhood #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodunfiltered #newborn #newbornbaby #youngmom #momsoftiktok #husbandwife #toddler #toddlerlife #momof2 ♬ original sound – Hannah 🤍
She also assured viewers that this is not the norm, despite the way it comes across in her initial video.
What was the response to the ’17 Diaper’ video?
The original video has been watched over six million times and has hundreds of thousands of comments. This isn’t too surprising. Whenever a mom shares too much about her struggles online, she is subjected to intense scrutiny, and many people voiced disgust over the number of diapers Hannah left around the house over a single day.
But there were even more responses from other mothers who have experienced their “17 diaper” moment. If not literally, then they at least had a day (or many) when they were completely overwhelmed by childcare and allowed something extremely gross, upsetting, or embarrassing to happen.
There were also several TikTok stitch responses from people worried about postpartum or who could remember times when they were afraid to share something just as extreme.
@domesticblisters Just saw she two weeks postpartum. Point still stands. #strugglecare #postpartum #greenscreen ♬ original sound – Kc Davis
@ispywithmylittlee14 #17diapers #mothers #lonely #isolation #sore #womensupportingwomen ♬ original sound – spotify.lyrics
@justisabellaj if you feel like you are experiencing PPD/PPA, please seek help from a professional. 🤍 #17diapers #motherhood #momlife #mama #postpartumjourney ♬ original sound – Isabella 🤎☕️🍂
Hannah’s reaction to the 17 diaper controversy
In yet another response video, Hannah said that the “negative judgmental comments” and “countless shaming videos” could not compare to the warm response she received. She said that the comments and stitched videos from other moms who have been in her situation made her feel like she is “not alone.”
