Having no paid maternity leave from my waitressing job threw my husband and I into financial chaos. It was so stressful - on top of having a newborn, not even knowing how we were going to make what little savings we had last, having to stress about buying diapers and basic survival items. We had tried to save as much as we could before I stopped working but what should have been a very joyful time with a learning curve of new parenthood, was a very desperate time financially.