What’s going on with the “17 Diapers Mom” TikTok drama?

“We just collect them in a bag at the end of the day and put them in the dumpster.”

The “mom of 17 diapers” refers to TikToker @nursehannahbh, whose vulnerable post about her home life as she struggles to keep up with the demands of motherhood went viral. Her video received a huge response from other mothers who spoke about their own toughest moments, dealing with postpartum depression, or simply feeling isolated in parenthood.

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What was the original “17 Diapers Mom” TikTok?

TikToker @nursehannahbh shared a video on TikTok on October 5, inviting her followers to join her in searching for dirty diapers scattered around her house. Hannah was obviously aware that this was a problem. In total she found 17 of them.

The diapers had accumulated over a very difficult 24 hours when her husband was out hunting and she was responsible for their toddler and three-week-old infant. In a follow-up video, she mentioned that she was also sick and was just in “survival mode.”

@nursehannahbh OMG really so disgusting #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 that she doesn’t have a diaper pail, so dirty diapers “just get thrown around my house, and at the end of the day we just collect them in a bag and put them in the dumpster.”

@nursehannahbh In response to @Becca are you mothers really saying you’ve never been sick and had multiple children?? #mom #momtok #postpartum #motherhood #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodunfiltered #newborn #newbornbaby #youngmom #momsoftiktok #husbandwife #toddler #toddlerlife #momof2 ♬ Original sound – Hannah 🤍

She also reassured viewers that this is not the norm, regardless of how it comes across in her first video.

What was the reaction to the “17 Diaper” video?

The original video has been viewed over six million times and has hundreds of thousands of comments. That’s not too surprising. Whenever a mother reveals too much about her struggles online, she comes under intense scrutiny, with many people expressing outrage at the number of diapers Hannah left in the house in a single day.

But there was even more feedback from other moms who had their “17 diapers” moment. If not literally, then at least they had a day (or several) where they were completely overwhelmed with child care and allowed something extremely disgusting, disturbing, or embarrassing to happen.

There were also several TikTok stitch responses from people who were worried about the postpartum period or could remember times when they were afraid to share something equally extreme.

@domesticblisters Just saw her two weeks after birth. The point remains. #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 suffering from PPD/PPA, please contact a professional. 🤍 #17diapers #motherhood #momlife #mama #postpartumjourney ♬ Original sound – Isabella 🤎☕️🍂

Hannah’s reaction to the 17 diaper controversy

In another response video, Hannah said the “negative, judgmental comments” and “countless shaming videos” didn’t compare to the warm response she received. She said the comments and stitched-together videos from other mothers who were in her situation made her feel like she was “not alone.”