As a breastfeeding mom of a toddler — and with another child on the way — Gabrielle knows how vital it is to get the right nutrients, with her health serving both her children in different capacities.

But the 21-year-old mother is worried about what the coming weeks will look like for her family as the second-longest government shutdown in U.S. history threatens their access to a critical food assistance program .

Gabrielle, who asked CNN to use only her first name due to the perceived stigma around needing assistance, is one of the 42 million Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the formal name for food stamps. But with SNAP benefits set to halt next month, Gabrielle finds herself stretching her family's limited finances in order to fill her re

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