By Elly Yu for LAist
Originally published on May 11, 2026
Topline:
Starting next month, families in California will get hundreds of free diapers for their newborns in a new state initiative.
What’s new: The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit, to send 400 free diapers home with families when they’re discharged from the hospital. Any baby born in a participating hospital would be eligible, regardless of income.
Which hospitals? State officials say the program will be first prioritized in hospitals that serve a large number of Medi-Cal patients, but said there isn’t a current list of participating hospitals. A spokesperson for the state’s Department of Health Care Access and Information said once hospitals begin to opt-in, a list will be available on Baby2Baby’s website.
Why now: Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said the program is aimed at easing the financial strain of raising a family. Newborns can need up to 12 diapers a day — and families spend about $1,000 on diapers in the first year of a baby’s life, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
