In a viral video, a TikToker shares a “hospital hack” for new parents to take full advantage of their hospital stay after giving birth.
“Take all of the diapers and wipes they give you & always ask for more of everything! Take it all! It’s yours!!!” the user @kolesmama wrote via text on the video.
The TikTok shows her taking the diapers from the cabinet and putting them into her diaper bag.
The video received over 2 million views, and several viewers urged others to take the supplies they’d been given as well. One user noted that they would be charged for the items anyway.
“Yep I work in a hospital- they’re going to bill you for it even if you leave it so TAKE THAT STUFF!” one user said.
“My nurse had to tell me three times it would be refilled when empty. I finally understood the assignment,” another said.
Some users said that nurses have to throw out the materials that are left, even if they haven’t been touched.
“If you don’t take them we have to throw them away even if they aren’t opened … at least at my hospital that’s what we are told to do,” one user said.
“They throw them if they are not used after giving them anyways so might as well,” another said.
While the TikToker encouraged viewers to ask the hospital for more diapers after taking the ones they’ve been given home, one user said their nurse was hesitant to give them extra.
“My nurse wanted to see the used diapers. I was like nope, get me a new nurse. (the lactation nurse hooked me up though!),” they said.
Several Canadian users claimed they received little to no materials from the hospital when giving birth.
“Me laughing in Canadian. you gotta bring your own everything,” one user said.
“And this is why my hospital only puts 2 diapers and no wipes in the room … and when we asked for more they told us we should’ve brought our own,” another said.
However, many American users insisted that they would rather have free healthcare, as the diapers and wipes are still added to their hospital bill.
“I’d prefer the free health care ! Lol,” the TikToker responded.
“They may be provided in the US but the cost is still added into the hospital bill we get after the baby is born,” one user said.
The Daily Dot reached out to user @kolesmama via email.
Source: https://www.dailydot.com/irl/hospital-hack-new-parents-diapers-tiktok/