# When the Diaper Pin reined supreme...



## Aunt Marg

After reading and responding to the topic - _Mom cries in viral video when she can't find diapers to buy_, I couldn't help but feel a topic on traditional cloth diapers was in order, and unlike so many parenting topics that exclude those without children, I've tailored this conversation as a generic one, where everyone, regardless of whether you have children or not, can voice their opinion and experience related to, so come on all you moms, grandmas, dads, and babysitters of the past, come share what you remember about the old days of cloth diapers, safety pins, and rubber pants.

Pin-pricks galore, the stinking diaper pails so strong with ammonia, the odour would burn at your nose and eyes when you lifted the lid to drop a diaper inside, and then there were the hot, greenhouse rubber pants. Those plasticy-rusting panties with stretchy elastics... off and on at every diaper-change, making for the cutest little balloon baby bottoms ever. When weather was hot and tiny little legs and feet were sweaty, trying to get all the piggy's in through the elasticized leg holes of rubber pants could prove to be a challenge at times, but all was remedied with a little dusting of baby powder applied to baby's feet, with a hint sprinkled inside the rubber pants for good measure.

Diapers on the line, diapers in the washing machine, diapers in the pail, diapers in the laundry basket waiting to be folded. When baby filled their pants, off to the bathroom we'd go with diapers in-hand, and assuming a safe position in relation to the toilet, and while holding onto diapers with an extra-firm grip, toilet flush lever was depressed, and poopy diapers were dunked up and down in the swirling toilet water until rinsed, followed by a quick hand-wring, and into the plastic diaper pail the didies would go.

My poor chapped hands, red and irritated around the clock. No amount of hand lotion cured the soreness, and then there were those unexpected moments, like when you'd open the dresser drawer to fetch a clean pair of rubber pants at change-time, only to realize that all of the rubber pants were in the diaper pail or hanging on the line.

Identifying a seasoned cloth diaper veteran was easy, for diaper pins were held between pursed lips when diapering, and when pants were changed, baby was off and running, and with a duck-like waddle, the result of bulky double diapers, all that could be heard was the unmistakable plastic beat of rubber pants rustling with baby's every step, and when baby got into something they knew better than to get into, a few light swats with the flat of ones hand on their rubber-panted bottom was all that was needed, for those rubber baby pants emitted the loudest plastic-popping sound ever, making the spanking sound far more serious than it was.

Ah, yes, those were the days.


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## Pappy

All thee of my kids wore cloth diapers. Disposables weren’t on the market yet. At least we were not filling up the landfill with dirty diapers.


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## jujube

I remember the early disposable diapers.  They were just flat things, no elastic at the legs, so they leaked like sieves and stuff rolled out.  They weren't very absorbent, either.    For emergencies and travel only.

The cloth diapers were good for some many other things, too.  Polishing, drying dishes, etc.

The great thing about cloth diapers were their size versatility.  You could fold them like an origami project to fit the smallest or largest baby.


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## Aunt Marg

Pappy said:


> All thee of my kids wore cloth diapers. Disposables weren’t on the market yet. At least we were not filling up the landfill with dirty diapers.


Disposable diapers had already been around for a good 20-25 years when my first was born, but having grown-up helping my mom with baby siblings and changing their cloth diapers, I opted to diaper my own children the same old-fashioned way. I always thought of it as being the better, more proper way.


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## Aunt Marg

jujube said:


> I remember the early disposable diapers.  They were just flat things, no elastic at the legs, so they leaked like sieves and stuff rolled out.  They weren't very absorbent, either.    For emergencies and travel only.
> 
> The cloth diapers were good for some many other things, too.  Polishing, drying dishes, etc.
> 
> The great thing about cloth diapers were their size versatility.  You could fold them like an origami project to fit the smallest or largest baby.


I don't remember the early, early disposable diapers, but do remember disposables from the 70's, where if you attempted to pop open a sticky tape to check the diaper, the tape would tear the waterproof plastic cover on the diaper, and when those tapes lost their stick, I remember pinning Pampers on like a cloth diaper to keep them fastened.

The disposables I remember had no elasticized gathers either, and I also remember them being really bulky.

Yes, that's what I loved about using old-fashioned cotton diapers, the versatility. Didn't matter how old of a child you were diapering, or what shape they were, those old-fashioned cotton-fold diapers always fit and worked from newborn, to toddler, and even beyond.

I still have a collection of leftover cotton diapers I use for cleaning windows and dusting. They're some 30 years old now and still going strong.


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## Pappy

1948: Johnson & Johnson introduces first mass-marketed disposable diaper in the U.S.

1961: Procter & Gamble unveils Pampers.

1970: American babies go through 350,000 tons of disposable diapers, making up 0.3% of U.S. municipal waste.

1980: American babies wear 1.93 million tons of disposables, 1.4% of municipal waste.

1981: Disposables start using super-absorbent polymers; size reduced 50%.

1984: Cabbage Patch Kids appear on the first “designer diaper.”

1990: Disposable diapers now constitute 1.6% of municipal waste. 7 in 10 Americans say they would support their ban.

1990-91: Dueling studies by Procter & Gamble and the National Association of Diaper Services assert the merits of disposables and cloth, respectively.

1999: Pampers-funded pediatrician T. Berry Brazelton tells parents not to rush toilet training.

2000: Diapers compose 2% of municipal waste.

2005: The ultimate low-impact trend for people without shag carpets: “elimination communication,” i.e. teaching your infant to go diaper free.

2006: American babies wear 3.6 million tons of disposables, constituting 2.1% of municipal waste.

2007: Julia Roberts touts flushable diapers, with one caveat: “If you don’t really break it all the way up, it doesn’t go all the way down.”

Added note: diapers disposed in 2007 will take until 2500 to biodegrade.

I was working in a grocery store in 1959 and I don’t remember these diapers. If we did, it hadn’t caught on yet.


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## Aunt Marg

Pappy said:


> 1948: Johnson & Johnson introduces first mass-marketed disposable diaper in the U.S.
> 
> 1961: Procter & Gamble unveils Pampers.
> 
> 1970: American babies go through 350,000 tons of disposable diapers, making up 0.3% of U.S. municipal waste.
> 
> 1980: American babies wear 1.93 million tons of disposables, 1.4% of municipal waste.
> 
> 1981: Disposables start using super-absorbent polymers; size reduced 50%.
> 
> 1984: Cabbage Patch Kids appear on the first “designer diaper.”
> 
> 1990: Disposable diapers now constitute 1.6% of municipal waste. 7 in 10 Americans say they would support their ban.
> 
> 1990-91: Dueling studies by Procter & Gamble and the National Association of Diaper Services assert the merits of disposables and cloth, respectively.
> 
> 1999: Pampers-funded pediatrician T. Berry Brazelton tells parents not to rush toilet training.
> 
> 2000: Diapers compose 2% of municipal waste.
> 
> 2005: The ultimate low-impact trend for people without shag carpets: “elimination communication,” i.e. teaching your infant to go diaper free.
> 
> 2006: American babies wear 3.6 million tons of disposables, constituting 2.1% of municipal waste.
> 
> 2007: Julia Roberts touts flushable diapers, with one caveat: “If you don’t really break it all the way up, it doesn’t go all the way down.”
> 
> Added note: diapers disposed in 2007 will take until 2500 to biodegrade.
> 
> I was working in a grocery store in 1959 and I don’t remember these diapers. If we did, it hadn’t caught on yet.


Reflecting on American babies in the 1980's, wearing 1.93 million tons of disposables, makes me cringe. I would never have guessed disposable diaper use to be so established by that time.

In the 1980's, where we reside, cloth diaper use was still huge... very, very popular. Our entire family (both immediate and extended) were cloth diaper users, and that was throughout the 80's and 90's.


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## Keesha

Oh you poor souls. We don’t have kids but I’ve babysat and changing diapers is so gross. I can understand mothers doing it . It’s their child after all but can’t wrap my head around why anyone would want to do that with aging people like in nursing homes but am glad they do. They must really like their job.  Such a compassionate soul I am.


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## Keesha

Pappy said:


> At least we were not filling up the landfill with dirty diapers.


Or dumped out at the side of the road. 
Charming people.


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## Aunt Marg

Keesha said:


> Oh you poor souls. We don’t have kids but I’ve babysat and *changing diapers is so gross*. I can understand mothers doing it . It’s their child after all but can’t wrap my head around why anyone would want to do that with aging people like in nursing homes but am glad they do. They must really like their job.  Such a compassionate soul I am.


That it is. 

My oldest daughter was around age 8, when I taught her how to change her baby brother. She used to bug me constantly over wanting to learn how to change the baby's diapers.


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## Aunt Marg

Keesha said:


> Or dumped out at the side of the road.
> Charming people.


I see red when I see that! Absolutely no reason whatsoever for such.


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## Ruth n Jersey

I remember the cloth diapers as well. We only used the disposable ones on my second child when we traveled, for some reason I took a photo of the hubby in 1976 hanging the cloth ones up to dry in our garage. I guess we  didn't have a dryer at that time. He doesn't look to happy.


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## Aunt Marg

Ruth n Jersey said:


> I remember the cloth diapers as well. We only used the disposable ones on my second child when we traveled, for some reason I took a photo of the hubby in 1976 hanging the cloth ones up to dry in our garage. I guess we  didn't have a dryer at that time. He doesn't look to happy. View attachment 100390


Oh, Ruth, what a great tid-bit of history in that picture! LOL!

I could never get my husband onboard with diapers... not changing, not washing, nothing. He is and was just so old-school, he wanted no part of it. 

As for hanging diapers to dry, I line-dried diapers, too, and when the weather was cold, wet, or made line-drying out of season, I used my wooden drying rack for drying diapers. Out of the way and standing in the back porch, I could hang 2-3 days worth of laundered diapers on the rack, and with the sidewall heaters on in the porch, diapers were dry and ready for use in a few hours time.

Something so nostalgic about diapers hanging on a line drying.


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## RadishRose

I remember dragging diaper pins through my hair to make the tip slide through the cloth more easily.


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## Aunt Marg

Keesha said:


> We don’t have kids but I’ve babysat and changing diapers is so gross.


Was it regular, ordinary, old-fashioned cloth diapers when you babysat?


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## Aunt Marg

RadishRose said:


> I remember dragging diaper pins through my hair to make the tip slide through the cloth easier.


OMG, yes, worked so well, especially when fastening bulky nighttime double diapers.


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## Aunt Marg

I remember helping my mom wash baby siblings diapers in her old wringer washing machine, and popping a few pairs of rubber pants doing so. Rubber pants had to go through the rollers bottom or crotch first, because if you put the pants through the rollers waistband first, the rollers would squeeze the water towards the seat and crotch area of the rubber pants and the pants would pop! Boy, did they ever make a loud bang!


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## Keesha

Marg said:


> Was it regular, ordinary, old-fashioned cloth diapers when you babysat?


They have big huge pins and had to be washed so I’m guessing yes but I didn’t wash them. I just held my nose while i stuffed them  in a container. Then I used the disposable ones too. You mothers deserve gold medals I tell ya.


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## Pecos

I will just comment that: Real Men know how to change diapers and do it when needed. It wasn't a task that I enjoyed, but I have sure changed a lot of them.

The topic is covered in "The Real Man's Handbook" by Larry Winget and Chris Widman.

Real Men also get a grip on their own demons, at least to the extent that they don't harm other people physically or emotionally.


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## Aunt Marg

And how about the unsightly pinkish/purple stains that would happen around the elastic leg holes of rubber pants and on the seat, after a bout of diarrhea made it's rounds?


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## Aunt Marg

Keesha said:


> They have big huge pins and had to be washed so I’m guessing yes but I didn’t wash them. I just held my nose while i stuffed them  in a container. Then I used the disposable ones too. You mothers deserve gold medals I tell ya.


You're a sweetie!


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## Keesha

Pecos said:


> I will just comment that: Real Men know how to change diapers and do it when needed. It wasn't a task that I enjoyed, but I have sure changed a lot of them.
> 
> The topic is covered in "The Real Man's Handbook" by Larry Winget and Chris Widman.
> 
> Real Men also get a grip on their own demons, at least to the extent that they don't harm other people physically or emotionally.


Good man. That was going to be my next question . 
How many men actually helped change the diapers? Back then there didn’t seem to be as many hands on fathers as there is today but then again , most women stayed home.


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## Aunt Marg

Pecos said:


> I will just comment that: Real Men know how to change diapers and do it when needed. It wasn't a task that I enjoyed, but I have sure changed a lot of them.
> 
> The topic is covered in "The Real Man's Handbook" by Larry Winget and Chris Widman.
> 
> Real Men also get a grip on their own demons, at least to the extent that they don't harm other people physically or emotionally.


I still feel blessed, as dear husband made up for his shortfalls in so many other ways.


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## Keesha

Ruth n Jersey said:


> I remember the cloth diapers as well. We only used the disposable ones on my second child when we traveled, for some reason I took a photo of the hubby in 1976 hanging the cloth ones up to dry in our garage. I guess we  didn't have a dryer at that time. He doesn't look to happy. View attachment 100390


Did you ever use it as blackmail? lol


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## Aunt Marg

Keesha said:


> Good man. That was going to be my next question .
> How many men actually helped change the diapers? Back then there didn’t seem to be as many hands on fathers as there is today but then again , most women stayed home.


Well said, Keesha! Stay-at-home moms was so big back in the day.


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## Aunt Marg

Forgot about the red elastic rings that formed on the tops of kids legs from the rubber pants.

My kids wore red elastic rings for the entire time they were in diapers.


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## Ruth n Jersey

Keesha said:


> Good man. That was going to be my next question .
> How many men actually helped change the diapers? Back then there didn’t seem to be as many hands on fathers as there is today but then again , most women stayed home.


My hubby helped quite a bit. He changed diapers, and got up during the night occasionally to let me sleep and still went to work. I don't think he washed them out but did hang them after they were laundered. 
I only went back to work part time after both kids were in school and had a very flexible job so I was always home for them when needed.


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## JaniceM

O.K., I'll admit I've never even seen a cloth diaper!


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## Keesha

Ruth n Jersey said:


> My hubby helped quite a bit. He changed diapers, and got up during the night occasionally to let me sleep and still went to work. I don't think he washed them out but did hang them after they were laundered.
> I only went back to work part time after both kids were in school and had a very flexible job so I was always home for them when needed.


I think for that day and age , he did pretty good. From what I’ve heard, most men left caring for the children, women’s work.


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## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> O.K., I'll admit I've never even seen a cloth diaper!


Oh my word. 

If I knew how to post a picture on here, I'd post a picture for you. Will have to learn how to do it.


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## JaniceM

Marg said:


> Oh my word.
> 
> If I knew how to post a picture on here, I'd post a picture for you. Will have to learn how to do it.



Oh, I've seen babies in pictures, I just meant I've never seen a cloth diaper in person.


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## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> Oh, I've seen babies in pictures, I just meant I've never seen a cloth diaper in person.


Ah, okay, I'm with you now. 

Having grown up with baby siblings in the home, I was introduced to cloth diapers at an early age.


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## Keesha

Marg said:


> Forgot about the red elastic rings that formed on the tops of kids legs from the rubber pants.
> 
> My kids wore red elastic rings for the entire time they were in diapers.


And didn’t kids often get diaper rash from the cloth material?
My neighbours mom still washed diapers using one of those old washing machines that had the rollers that squeezed out the excess water. Then she hung everything up either out on the line or down the basement. It looked like brutal work. My life was a breeze in comparison.


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## Aunt Marg

Keesha said:


> And didn’t kids often get diaper rash from the cloth material?
> My neighbours mom still washed diapers using one of those old washing machines that had the rollers that squeezed out the excess water. Then she hung everything up either out on the line or down the basement. It looked like brutal work. My life was a breeze in comparison.


Oh yes, diaper rash definitely happened, but with the old cloth diapers, babies were checked and changed more frequently compared to disposables, so although my kids got an occasional diaper rash every now and then, it wasn't from the diapers so much as it was from those hot rubber pants that held in moisture and heat.


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## Keesha

Marg said:


> Oh yes, diaper rash definitely happened, but with the old cloth diapers, babies were checked and changed more frequently compared to disposables, so although my kids got an occasional diaper rash every now and then, it wasn't from the diapers so much as it was from the rubber pants.


Oh ok. I just remember zinc ointment was used. 
That’s about all I knew. Lol


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## Aunt Marg

Keesha said:


> Oh ok. I just remember zinc ointment was used.
> That’s about all I knew. Lol


OMG, you have a great memory! Yes, zinc-oxide!

Sometimes I'd let my kids go sans rubber pants for a little while through the day to help expose their irritated bottoms to a little fresh-air.


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## JaniceM

My kids rarely had diaper rash, but the youngest's doctor said it was important to have a remedy on-hand just in case-  it was some greasy stuff that was actually called "Baby Glop."


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## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> My kids rarely had diaper rash, but the youngest's doctor said it was important to have a remedy on-hand just in case-  it was some greasy stuff that was actually called "Baby Glop."


I used to use a homemade recipe every now and then, where I lightly browned a little flour in a pan or used regular cornstarch. Just like baby powder, a light dusting of the flour or cornstarch worked wonders.

My go-to ointments for diaper rash were Diaparene and Desitin.


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## Ruth n Jersey

I remember Desitin and using cornstarch as well.  My kids didn't get diaper rash very often.  They usually got it after a bout of diarrhea or anytime their stomach was upset.
I wish we had baby wipes back then. My daughter used them for her kids and it was such a breeze changing them.


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## Keesha

Marg said:


> I used to use a homemade recipe every now and then, where I lightly browned a little flour in a pan or used regular cornstarch. Just like baby powder, a light dusting of the flour or cornstarch worked wonders.
> 
> My go-to ointments for diaper rash were Diaparene and Desitin.


The ointment I remember came in a round tin container that had foil wrap which was peeled off and a blue label. It was a definitely zinc oxide ointment


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## Aunt Marg

Ruth n Jersey said:


> I remember Desitin and using cornstarch as well.  My kids didn't get diaper rash very often.  They usually got it after a bout of diarrhea or anytime their stomach was upset.
> I wish we had baby wipes back then. My daughter used them for her kids and it was such a breeze changing them.


Mine neither, but you're right, diarrhea never failed to bring on the diaper rash, and it didn't matter how diligent I was about changing my kids. I'd go through two diapers and a pair of rubber pants every change, and it was nothing to change the diapers 12-15 times a day.

I used 100% baby washcloths when cleaning my kids. 

Ruth. Did your daughter use cloth diapers on her kids?


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## Aunt Marg

Keesha said:


> The ointment I remember came in a round tin container that had foil wrap which was peeled off and a blue label. It was a definitely zinc oxide ointment


Penaten? I remember using Penaten when I used to babysit, and it came in a blue tin. What I remember about Penaten was how thick and greasy it was.


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## JaniceM

For the ladies who used cloth diapers:  
with only one baby in diapers at a time, my mother said she used to wash *3 dozen* diapers each day by hand. Is this accurate- or is it more like "I walked 10 miles to school, uphill, through 8 feet of snow, to get to school"?


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## Ruth n Jersey

Marg my grand kids are 9 and 11 and my daughter had every modern convenience known to man. Even some sort of battery operated diaper contraption that automatically bagged and sealed the dirty diapers. She wouldn't know a cloth diaper if one hit her in the head. lol


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## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> For the ladies who used cloth diapers:
> with only one baby in diapers at a time, my mother said she used to wash *3 dozen* diapers each day by hand. Is this accurate- or is it more like "I walked 10 miles to school, uphill, through 8 feet of snow, to get to school"?


It's certainly not out of the question, Janice. 

When I had two in diapers, I used two diapers at a time when diapering (called double diapering), so that's an automatic 4 diapers between each child wearing them, add in 6-8 diaper changes per day (more depending on the age or ages of the children), and that equates to an easy 32 diapers per day, so your mom isn't off on her number.


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## Ruth n Jersey

JaniceM said:


> For the ladies who used cloth diapers:
> with only one baby in diapers at a time, my mother said she used to wash *3 dozen* diapers each day by hand. Is this accurate- or is it more like "I walked 10 miles to school, uphill, through 8 feet of snow, to get to school"?


janice I think that was a bit of an exaggeration,either that, or I had some pretty dirty, smelly kids running around. lol


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## JaniceM

Ruth n Jersey said:


> Marg my grand kids are 9 and 11 and my daughter had every modern convenience known to man. Even some sort of battery operated diaper contraption that automatically bagged and sealed the dirty diapers. She wouldn't know a cloth diaper if one hit her in the head. lol



When one of my kids was little, I had an idea- and wondered if anyone else ever thought of it:  disposable diapers with a little gadget that works similar to those old-fashioned mood rings, so the Mom could easily see if the diaper needed to be changed without taking it off.


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## Aunt Marg

Ruth n Jersey said:


> Marg my grand kids are 9 and 11 and my daughter had every modern convenience known to man. Even some sort of battery operated diaper contraption that automatically bagged and sealed the dirty diapers. She wouldn't know a cloth diaper if one hit her in the head. lol


ROFLMAO! Thanks for the laugh, Ruth! 

Times sure have changed, haven't they?

When I was expecting with my first, I had a crib that was handed-down to me, a few bottles (glass and plastic), 3 dozen cloth diapers, a half dozen pairs of rubber pants, a few diaper pins (also handed-down to me), an old plastic diaper pail (also second-hand from family), a few soothers, a few t-shirts, some socks, and a few baby sleepers. No fancy-schmancy anything.


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## JaniceM

Marg said:


> ROFLMAO! Thanks for the laugh, Ruth!
> 
> Times sure have changed, haven't they?
> 
> When I was expecting with my first, I had a crib that was handed-down to me, a few bottles (glass and plastic), 3 dozen cloth diapers, a half dozen pairs of rubber pants, a few diaper pins (also handed-down to me), an old plastic diaper pail (also second-hand from family), a few soothers, a few t-shirts, some socks, and a few baby sleepers. No fancy-schmancy anything.



What's a soother??


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## Aunt Marg

Ruth n Jersey said:


> janice I think that was a bit of an exaggeration,either that, or I had some pretty dirty, smelly kids running around. lol


Did you not double diaper, Ruth?


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## Keesha

Marg said:


> Penaten? I remember using Penaten when I used to babysit, and it came in a blue tin. What I remember about Penaten was how thick and greasy it was.


That’s it.


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## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> When one of my kids was little, I had an idea- and wondered if anyone else ever thought of it:  disposable diapers with a little gadget that works similar to those old-fashioned mood rings, so the Mom could easily see if the diaper needed to be changed without taking it off.


OMG, you are a hoot, Janice! LMAO!


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## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> What's a soother??


LOL! A pacifier. 

Crazy what everyone calls them, I've hear them called everything from binkies, to pacifiers, to suckies, to soothers.


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## JaniceM

Marg said:


> OMG, you are a hoot, Janice! LMAO!



Well, I don't know if the products have changed in recent decades, but the way they were then the tape would often tear the diaper, and couldn't always be reattached if the diaper didn't need to be changed.  So I thought it'd be a useful addition.


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## JaniceM

Marg said:


> LOL! A pacifier.
> 
> Crazy what everyone calls them, I've hear them called everything from binkies, to pacifiers, to suckies, to soothers.



Oh.  Around 2 decades ago I knew a young couple with a 2-year-old child, and the child always had one.  Was the first time I'd ever seen a pacifier.  These days it seems almost every baby or young child has one.


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## Keesha

Ruth n Jersey said:


> Marg my grand kids are 9 and 11 and my daughter had every modern convenience known to man. Even some sort of battery operated diaper contraption that automatically bagged and sealed the dirty diapers. She wouldn't know a cloth diaper if one hit her in the head. lol


Haha. Actually those diaper containers were great. 
The women I baby sat had one of these and they were great. Total miraculous contraptions. 
New age moms had it pretty good comparatively speaking.


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## Keesha

JaniceM said:


> What's a soother??


A pacifier. 
Edit. You ladies are too fast for me. I can’t keep up. Lol


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## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> Well, I don't know if the products have changed in recent decades, but the way they were then the tape would often tear the diaper, and couldn't always be reattached if the diaper didn't need to be changed.  So I thought it'd be a useful addition.


I totally remember! I remember pinning an occasional disposable diaper when I used to babysit, because the sticky tapes would loose their stick, or get stuck to the outside plastic of the diaper when I'd pop the diaper open to check it, and a piece of the diaper plastic would be left behind on the tape, so I'd break-out the trusty ol' diaper pins, and would sometimes even put rubber pants on over the diaper if they needed pinning.


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## JaniceM

Ruth n Jersey said:


> Marg my grand kids are 9 and 11 and my daughter had every modern convenience known to man. Even some sort of *battery operated diaper contraption that automatically bagged and sealed the dirty diapers*. She wouldn't know a cloth diaper if one hit her in the head. lol



Seriously, you're not making that up?


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## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> Oh.  Around 2 decades ago I knew a young couple with a 2-year-old child, and the child always had one.  Was the first time I'd ever seen a pacifier.  These days it seems almost every baby or young child has one.


Back in the day when I was babysitting, it was nothing to dip a cranky child's soother (pacifier) in a little honey before giving it to them.


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## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> For the ladies who used cloth diapers:
> *with only one baby in diapers at a time*, my mother said she used to wash *3 dozen* diapers each day by hand. Is this accurate- or is it more like "I walked 10 miles to school, uphill, through 8 feet of snow, to get to school"?


Whoops-a-daisy, missed the one baby part the first time I replied. Yep, I'm with Ruth, even double diapering and changing the baby 8-9 times a day, diapers used at the end of a day would be in and around the 20 mark, which is still a lot of diapers.

Those 20 diapers probably seemed more like 100 diapers to your mom, washing them by-hand.


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## Ruth n Jersey

JaniceM said:


> Seriously, you're not making that up?


I didn't bother with the photo because it looks like a regular garbage can but this is part of the description. I think it goes for $65.00 on Amazon. 

The only diaper pail compatible with both rings and snap, seal & toss bags
Includes a bonus 1 pack of the TOSS Disposable Diaper Pail
Funny, I used a regular small outdoor plastic garbage can and put decals on it. The hubby was being very thrifty. He said we can use the pail outside after the kids didn't need it anymore. My mom took pity on me and bought a regular diaper pail . I was so happy. lol


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## Pecos

Keesha said:


> And didn’t kids often get diaper rash from the cloth material?
> My neighbours mom still washed diapers using one of those old washing machines that had the rollers that squeezed out the excess water. Then she hung everything up either out on the line or down the basement. It looked like brutal work. My life was a breeze in comparison.


I think we could call that "Old School."

My mother got a "modern" washer in the late 50's. 

I once rented an apartment from an 85 year old in Bellingham Washington. One day he asked me to help him move one of those old wringer washers to the back of his truck so that he could haul it to the city dump. I want to tell you that thing was really heavy and getting it up the stairs from his basement was a struggle. I was really impressed at how strong that old guy was.

Cloth diapers hung out in the sun were pretty well sterilized, especially in the South West.


----------



## Aunt Marg

Pecos said:


> I think we could call that "Old School."
> 
> My mother got a "modern" washer in the late 50's.
> 
> I once rented an apartment from an 85 year old in Bellingham Washington. One day he asked me to help him move one of those old wringer washers to the back of his truck so that he could haul it to the city dump. I want to tell you that thing was really heavy and getting it up the stairs from his basement was a struggle. I was really impressed at how strong that old guy was.
> 
> Cloth diapers hung out in the sun were pretty well sterilized, especially in the South West.


Yes, old-school it was. wasn't until the early 70's, when my mom got her first automatic washing machine, up until that point washing was done in her old-fashioned wringer washer. I helped her wash LOTS of diapers!

Right you are, natural sunshine not only helped sterilize the diapers, it worked wonders in bleaching out the stains.


----------



## Marlene

UGH, just the thought of diapers makes me cringe.  My youngest two are 11 months apart (the doc changed my birth control to a lower strength because of all the heart problems in my family and it DID NOT WORK).  So, I had one big baby and one little baby for quite some time before either could walk or get out of diapers and bottles.  And, I had the added delight of having a wringer washer at the time (didn't mind the clothesline, but good grief, did it ever eat up a bunch of time washing diapers every other day.  Yep.  All cloth.  Never even heard of disposables at the time.  Wouldn't have had the money to buy them anyway.


----------



## Aunt Marg

Marlene said:


> UGH, just the thought of diapers makes me cringe.  My youngest two are 11 months apart (the doc changed my birth control to a lower strength because of all the heart problems in my family and it DID NOT WORK).  So, I had one big baby and one little baby for quite some time before either could walk or get out of diapers and bottles.  And, I had the added delight of having a wringer washer at the time (didn't mind the clothesline, but good grief, did it ever eat up a bunch of time washing diapers every other day.  Yep.  All cloth.  Never even heard of disposables at the time.  Wouldn't have had the money to buy them anyway.


I'm with you, Marlene, I shed no tears when the last of the diapers came to an end in our house.

Being as old-fashioned as I am, I wouldn't have seen to using anything but cloth diapers, and grandma (my mom) made it clear at the very start, if I was planning on using Pampers, I was not to call her up if I needed a sitter. Needless to say grandma got her wish, cloth diapers and rubber pants it was.


----------



## JaniceM

Marlene said:


> UGH, just the thought of diapers makes me cringe.  My youngest two are 11 months apart (the doc changed my birth control to a lower strength because of all the heart problems in my family and it DID NOT WORK).  So, I had one big baby and one little baby for quite some time before either could walk or get out of diapers and bottles.  And, I had the added delight of having a wringer washer at the time (didn't mind the clothesline, but good grief, did it ever eat up a bunch of time washing diapers every other day.  Yep.  All cloth.  Never even heard of disposables at the time.  Wouldn't have had the money to buy them anyway.


Mine are 10 _years _apart!


----------



## Marlene

JaniceM said:


> Mine are 10 _years _apart!


My oldest is 5 years older than the other two - so luckily I only had two small ones and a school aged one.


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## C'est Moi

My babies were early 80's models and wore disposables.  I had a couple of dozen cloth diapers as "emergency backups."  With my first baby, we tried a diaper service;  we just put the dirties in a covered can and the service would pick it up and deliver fresh clean ones weekly.  That only lasted about a month, though.   Quickly changed to disposables only!!


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## Aunt Marg

C'est Moi said:


> My babies were early 80's models and wore disposables.  I had a couple of dozen cloth diapers as "emergency backups."  With my first baby, we tried a diaper service;  we just put the dirties in a covered can and the service would pick it up and deliver fresh clean ones weekly.  That only lasted about a month, though.   Quickly changed to disposables only!!


Good on you for keeping a couple dozen emergency cloth diapers on-hand in the event you needed them.


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## jujube

My daughter was born in 1970 when we were living in Turkey and though cloth diapers were in good supply at the AFEX (base store), disposal diapers only came in spurts and not a lot at a time.  Even though they were pretty bad back then as we have discussed, I always wanted a box or two of them on hand.

The "call" would go out that a shipment had come in (by jungle telegraph, no cellphones back then.....heck, nobody even living on base had phones, never less those out "_living on the economy_").  Hordes of women would descend on the AFEX like zombies who had just gotten a whiff of fresh brains and fight to the death for that last box.  "PAMPERS! PAMPERS! PAMPERS!"  If we had had torches in hand, we would have looked like the villagers storming Frankenstein's castle.  "PAMPERS! PAMPERS! PAMPERS!"

All this for something that wasn't much better than a layer of paper towels wrapped in waxed paper. 

We traveled a fair amount and we'd have a suitcase that was for nothing more than disposable diapers.  I would rip the innards out of one diaper and add it to another one.  Properly constructed, that could get us through the 2 1/2 hour ferry ride to Istanbul. 

At home, of course, it was nothing but cloth didies and rubber pants.


----------



## Aunt Marg

jujube said:


> My daughter was born in 1970 when we were living in Turkey and though cloth diapers were in good supply at the AFEX (base store), disposal diapers only came in spurts and not a lot at a time.  Even though they were pretty bad back then as we have discussed, I always wanted a box or two of them on hand.
> 
> The "call" would go out that a shipment had come in (by jungle telegraph, no cellphones back then.....heck, nobody even living on base had phones, never less those out "_living on the economy_").  Hordes of women would descend on the AFEX like zombies who had just gotten a whiff of fresh brains and fight to the death for that last box.  "PAMPERS! PAMPERS! PAMPERS!"  If we had had torches in hand, we would have looked like the villagers storming Frankenstein's castle.  "PAMPERS! PAMPERS! PAMPERS!"
> 
> All this for something that wasn't much better than a layer of paper towels wrapped in waxed paper.
> 
> We traveled a fair amount and we'd have a suitcase that was for nothing more than disposable diapers.  I would rip the innards out of one diaper and add it to another one.  Properly constructed, that could get us through the 2 1/2 hour ferry ride to Istanbul.
> 
> At home, of course, it was nothing but cloth didies and rubber pants.


Love your story, and especially love the part as to how you liken the many mothers actions to that of zombies! Perfect mental image as I read your story! 

Brilliant of you to come up with the idea of padding one diaper with the absorbent material of another!

We made a few road trips when a couple of ours were little, and I can still see it now, them sitting in the backseat of the car in their white rubber pants and double didies. Dear husband would pull the car over periodically so I could change the babies, then back out on the open road again for another hour or two before another pullover was due.

Plastic bread bags were my best friend for such occasions!


----------



## HazyDavey

Cloth diapers are the bees' knees for wiping down a guitar after playing. Been using them for many years and keep a stack of them handy. Apologies for going a bit off topic but thought you'd like to know there's still a place for the lonely cloth diaper..


----------



## Aunt Marg

HazyDavey said:


> Cloth diapers are the bees' knees for wiping down a guitar after playing. Been using them for many years and keep a stack of them handy. Apologies for going a bit off topic but thought you'd like to know there's still a place for the lonely cloth diaper..


Good on ya! 

You bet, 100% cotton diapers make for the best wiping, dusting, polishing cloths ever.

P.S. Not off topic at all. So nice of you to share.


----------



## Pappy




----------



## Meanderer




----------



## jujube

Marg said:


> Love your story, and especially love the part as to how you liken the many mothers actions to that of zombies! Perfect mental image as I read your story!
> 
> Brilliant of you to come up with the idea of padding one diaper with the absorbent material of another!
> 
> We made a few road trips when a couple of ours were little, and I can still see it now, them sitting in the backseat of the car in their white rubber pants and double didies. Dear husband would pull the car over periodically so I could change the babies, then back out on the open road again for another hour or two before another pullover was due.
> 
> *Plastic bread bags were my best friend for such occasions!*



Absolutely!  No wonderful zip-lock bags back then.


----------



## jujube

Pappy said:


> View attachment 100411



Oh, I remember that feeling well.  My daughter once removed a loaded diaper in her crib and proceeded to "decorate" herself, the crib and as much of the wall as she could reach with the contents.  I seriously debated just burning the house down after I got her cleaned up.  I was also debating selling her to the next band of Gypsies that came by.  

My granddaughter didn't engage in "poop art" but she did manage to get the top off a huge tube of zinc oxide-based diaper ointment and "painted" the  walls of her room as high as she could reach.  No matter how hard you scrub, you can't get the oily stains out of the paint.  I had to paint the room with Kilz before repainting.


----------



## Pecos

Changing my son's diaper one night, I had just gotten the wet one off and before I could get a dry one in place, he pee'd on me. I was in the direct line of fire, and he was deadly accurate.


----------



## Aunt Marg

Pappy said:


> View attachment 100411


As the old saying goes, don't dare take your eyes off of them for even so much as a minute.

When my kids were around water I especially lived by that old saying.


----------



## Aunt Marg

Meanderer said:


>


That is great! LOL!


----------



## Aunt Marg

jujube said:


> Oh, I remember that feeling well.  My daughter once removed a loaded diaper in her crib and proceeded to "decorate" herself, the crib and as much of the wall as she could reach with the contents.  I seriously debated just burning the house down after I got her cleaned up.  I was also debating selling her to the next band of Gypsies that came by.
> 
> My granddaughter didn't engage in "poop art" but she did manage to get the top off a huge tube of zinc oxide-based diaper ointment and "painted" the  walls of her room as high as she could reach.  No matter how hard you scrub, you can't get the oily stains out of the paint.  I had to paint the room with Kilz before repainting.


So grateful to be able to say not one of my kids ever partook in painting.


----------



## Aunt Marg

Pecos said:


> Changing my son's diaper one night, I had just gotten the wet one off and before I could get a dry one in place, he pee'd on me. I was in the direct line of fire, and he was deadly accurate.


Little stinker! One of the first things my mom taught me, was to cover up my baby brothers - _you know what, _when changing him.

Fast-forward to when I started babysitting, remembering my moms advice and teachings, I never dilly-dallied between the process of lifting a baby boy by the ankles to suspend their bottoms in the air long enough to slide the clean diaper under their tush, and lowering their legs. When ankles were released and legs hit the crib mattress or changing table surface, up between their legs the diapers went.


----------



## Aunt Marg

jujube said:


> Oh, I remember that feeling well.  My daughter once removed a loaded diaper in her crib and proceeded to "decorate" herself, the crib and as much of the wall as she could reach with the contents.  I seriously debated just burning the house down after I got her cleaned up.  I was also debating selling her to the next band of Gypsies that came by.


The painting thing has got the be the worst, and next in line... when a heavily soiled diaper would let loose around the legs, and the soiling ended up in the rubber pants.

Didn't matter what method you adopted to get those soiled rubber pants off, there was no pulling those panties down and off baby's butt and past their feet without spreading the mess down the entire distance... diaper area to feet!

No telling how many times over the years I had to stand my kids inside the bathtub to drop their diapers, followed by a waist-down bath, before fresh diapers could be applied.

It was those times where soiled diapers sat soaking in the toilet for a half hour (or more), before diapers could be rinsed, and the staining in the elastics of the rubber pants was permanent, no matter how many times you washed them.


----------



## Pappy

jujube said:


> Oh, I remember that feeling well.  My daughter once removed a loaded diaper in her crib and proceeded to "decorate" herself, the crib and as much of the wall as she could reach with the contents.  I seriously debated just burning the house down after I got her cleaned up.  I was also debating selling her to the next band of Gypsies that came by.
> 
> My granddaughter didn't engage in "poop art" but she did manage to get the top off a huge tube of zinc oxide-based diaper ointment and "painted" the  walls of her room as high as she could reach.  No matter how hard you scrub, you can't get the oily stains out of the paint.  I had to paint the room with Kilz before repainting.



jujube...your story hits home. Mom said I did the same thing when I was little. Walls, crib and me. Maybe that’s where the term ...s...faced comes from.


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## Aunt Marg

Was inspired by another topic on the forum to take a snap of a few leftover things I still have from the baby days in our house.

Pair of plain, old-fashioned, pull-on rubber pants, pair of snap-on rubber pants, box of Curity Diaper Liners.

Snap-on rubber pants (I loathed), though the snap-pants did work well when someone had a diaper rash, because they allowed for more air to circulate in and out of baby's diapers, helping to keep their bottom cooler and more comfortable.

However, as a mom, good old pull-on rubber pants were king in my books (used them 99% of the time). Loved pull-on rubber pants. Quick, no-fuss, comfy-fit, easy-on/off, and the soft, gentle, stretchy elasticized openings made for a reliable waterproof fit... even over the bulkiest of diapers, and the balloon style allowed for more freedom of movement for a little one in diapers to kick their legs, crawl, and bend.

As for the diaper liners, I only used them for the first few weeks after each of my kids were born... made dealing with those early meconium poops a breeze. No diaper-rinsing needed!

Call me old-fashioned, but I'd opt to use cloth diapers and rubber pants again if I had babies in the home, that's a fact.


----------



## JaniceM

Aunt Marg said:


> Was inspired by another topic on the forum to take a snap of a few leftover things I still have from the baby days in our house.
> 
> Pair of plain, old-fashioned, pull-on rubber pants, pair of snap-on rubber pants, box of Curity Diaper Liners.
> 
> Snap-on rubber pants (I loathed), though the snap-pants did work well when someone had a diaper rash, because they allowed for more air to circulate in and out of baby's diapers, helping to keep their bottom cooler and more comfortable.
> 
> However, as a mom, good old pull-on rubber pants were king in my books (used them 99% of the time). Loved pull-on rubber pants. Quick, no-fuss, comfy-fit, easy-on/off, and the soft, gentle, stretchy elasticized openings made for a reliable waterproof fit... even over the bulkiest of diapers, and the balloon style allowed for more freedom of movement for a little one in diapers to kick their legs, crawl, and bend.
> 
> As for the diaper liners, I only used them for the first few weeks after each of my kids were born... made dealing with those early meconium poops a breeze. No diaper-rinsing needed!
> 
> Call me old-fashioned, but I'd opt to use cloth diapers and rubber pants again if I had babies in the home, that's a fact.
> 
> View attachment 100696


I never heard of diaper liners or rubber pants.  
Both kids had disposable diapers;  when it was time for them to start giving them up, the oldest had thick terrycloth pants and the youngest had PullUps.


----------



## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> I never heard of diaper liners or rubber pants.
> Both kids had disposable diapers;  when it was time for them to start giving them up, the oldest had thick terrycloth pants and the youngest had PullUps.


Oh yes, Janice, back in the cloth diaper days, I'm talking the REAL cloth diaper days when diaper pins were all in a day's work for whoever was doing the changing, diaper liners and rubber pants were the norm.

Yes, the old waffle-knit training pants, yep, I used those, too. Forgot about those until you mentioned them. I used to double the pants up when my kids were first learning, and just like I did when they wore diapers, I put rubber pants on over top.


----------



## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> I never heard of diaper liners or rubber pants.
> Both kids had disposable diapers;  when it was time for them to start giving them up, the oldest had thick terrycloth pants and the youngest had PullUps.


The diaper liners were disposable and could be flushed.

Having a laugh right now remembering how my attempt at using the liners when my kids got older, failed, as the liners never stayed in place, so within minutes of a child having their pants changed, a few toddles up and down the hallway from one end of the house to other, and diaper liner would slump down inside the child's diapers creating nothing more than a lumpy ball.

I personally found diaper liners only to be useful for younger, smaller babies. They supposedly helped prevent diaper rash, too.


----------



## JaniceM

Aunt Marg said:


> The diaper liners were disposable and could be flushed.
> 
> Having a laugh right now remembering how my attempt at using the liners when my kids got older, failed, as the liners never stayed in place, so within minutes of a child having their pants changed, a few toddles up and down the hallway from one end of the house to other, and diaper liner would slump down inside the child's diapers creating nothing more than a lumpy ball.
> 
> I personally found diaper liners only to be useful for younger, smaller babies. They supposedly helped prevent diaper rash, too.


Like that old saying-  "Learning something new every day!"


----------



## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> Like that old saying-  "Learning something new every day!"


So true, Janice. 

I got an early start changing diapers, having grown up in a home with baby siblings, and that's all we had in our house was cloth diapers and rubber pants.


----------



## JaniceM

Aunt Marg said:


> So true, Janice.
> 
> I got an early start changing diapers, having grown up in a home with baby siblings, and that's all we had in our house was cloth diapers and rubber pants.


I never changed a diaper til I had my first child.  The few kids I babysat for before then were preschool-aged and already potty-trained.


----------



## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> I never changed a diaper til I had my first child.  The few kids I babysat for before then were preschool-aged and already potty-trained.


Gosh, some people get all the luck. 

In all the years I babysat, I don't ever remember sitting at a home where there wasn't at least one child wearing diapers, and no one I sat for used Pampers.


----------



## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> I never heard of diaper liners or rubber pants.
> Both kids had disposable diapers;  when it was time for them to start giving them up, the oldest had thick terrycloth pants and the youngest had PullUps.


When you were diapering your kids in disposables, did the diapers have elastic gathers, or where they the old-fashioned style without?


----------



## JaniceM

Aunt Marg said:


> When you were diapering your kids in disposables, did the diapers have elastic gathers, or where they the old-fashioned style without?


I think they were elastic.


----------



## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> I think they were elastic.


Being the old-fogy that I am, I remember the early days of disposables, when the padding shifted and bunched, the tapes stuck to the plastic and ripped it if you tried opening the diaper to check it, there were no elastic gathers around the legs, and they were really bulky, and I also remember the strong baby powder-like scent they had.


----------



## Rosemarie

Keesha said:


> And didn’t kids often get diaper rash from the cloth material?
> My neighbours mom still washed diapers using one of those old washing machines that had the rollers that squeezed out the excess water. Then she hung everything up either out on the line or down the basement. It looked like brutal work. My life was a breeze in comparison.


If a baby got a rash it was because they weren't changed often enough. Urine is acid and irritates the skin, causing a rash. Nothing to do with wearing cloth nappies.


----------



## Aunt Marg

Rosemarie said:


> If a baby got a rash it was because they weren't changed often enough. Urine is acid and irritates the skin, causing a rash. Nothing to do with wearing cloth nappies.


I always blamed diaper rash in our house on the rubber pants (more than anything), especially when the weather turned warm, and when my kids both wet and soiled through the night, that, too, was usually good for the start of a red and irritated bottom by morning.

Unless my kids woke through the night crying due to discomfort, I never changed their diapers until morning.


----------



## Aunt Marg

Courtesy of covering so many old-fashioned and back in the day topics, I just remembered a little something related to the diaper days in our house. 

I almost always had a spare set of diaper pins fastened to either the lower part of my shirt/blouse (whatever I was wearing), or fastened to the top-front of my pants, and I remember there being a few times where I left the house with them on to go shopping, pay bills, or run around town, and only realized what I had done once I arrived back home.

They truly were the badge of motherhood back in the day.


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## StarSong

My kids wore disposable diapers exclusively.  For nearly a year (1985) I had three in diapers at the same time.  That was madness!

A friend had her daughter in cloth diapers and I have to say that her kid had waaaaay more diaper rash issues than mine. (Disposable diapers wick the moisture away from the baby's skin.)

My mother encouraged me to use disposables even though all six of us were in cloth. Mom said cloth and rubber pants were leaky and messy, and that houses with babies always vaguely stank of urine during cold weather. (Yuk!) 

My mother was so meticulous that she IRONED the diapers. So if cloth were too gross and too much work for her, I knew for sure that this was an adventure I could happily miss out on. No regrets on the disposables for me. 

I do have a couple of cloth diapers in my house that I use as rags, and have always had diaper pins around.


----------



## Aunt Marg

StarSong said:


> My kids wore disposable diapers exclusively.  For nearly a year (1985) I had three in diapers at the same time.  That was madness!
> 
> A friend had her daughter in cloth diapers and I have to say that her kid had waaaaay more diaper rash issues than mine. (Disposable diapers wick the moisture away from the baby's skin.)
> 
> My mother encouraged me to use disposables even though all six of us were in cloth. Mom said cloth and rubber pants were leaky and messy, and that houses with babies always vaguely stank of urine during cold weather. (Yuk!)
> 
> My mother was so meticulous that she IRONED the diapers. So if cloth were too gross and too much work for her, I knew for sure that this was an adventure I could happily miss out on. No regrets on the disposables for me.
> 
> I do have a couple of cloth diapers in my house that I use as rags, and have always had diaper pins around.


OMG, Star, I've experienced three in diapers at the same time (once) with my own gang, and twice more related to my babysitting days, and you are right, madness it was, and all three occasions cloth applied.

My kids got occasional diaper rash, too, but overall they did well, but I was always anal about changing them the instant they wet or soiled. I was always checking them.

It was cloth diapers for me and my siblings, too, and as for my own kids, I never had a problem with leaky messes with cloth diapers. I double diapered (always), and I used rubber pants fulltime (same as what my mom and I always did with my baby siblings). I do think it boils down to the diaper fold one uses, and how well the fold actually fits the child. I really only ever relied on two folds with my kids, and both got all 6 of my kids through their diaper years well.

I was told by an aunt that ironing diapers reduced their absorbency, not that I would have, because there was just too many diapers. LOL! I at times forewent folding, because I was too busy with so many other things, so I'd just leave the diapers right in the laundry basket fresh off the line, slide the basket under the crib, and pluck and fold diapers from the basket as I needed them.

Like yourself, I still have leftover diapers (and pins) from back in the day, and nothing IMO works better as household dusters, general purpose wipers, and window washers than old cloth diapers.


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## Aunt Marg

StarSong, Where do you fall age-wise with your siblings? Oldest? Youngest? Middle?


----------



## jujube

Remember "diaper services"?  I went that route briefly when we first came back to the U.S.  You just left the pail out on the porch filled with dirty diapers and the driver took it and left you a clean pail and a stack of clean diapers.  It was fairly expensive, though, so I went back to washing my own.


----------



## Aunt Marg

jujube said:


> Remember "diaper services"?  I went that route briefly when we first came back to the U.S.  You just left the pail out on the porch filled with dirty diapers and the driver took it and left you a clean pail and a stack of clean diapers.  It was fairly expensive, though, so I went back to washing my own.


Sure do remember diaper service. I used to be a mother's helper for a neighbour that did foster-care, and when her kid-count was low, she laundered her own diapers and hung them on the line to dry (standard for the day), but when she was saddled with a handful of babies in diapers, she'd order diaper service.

The diaper pail was kept in her back porch, and twice weekly the service would drop-by and pick up the old diapers (pail and all), and drop-off a fresh clean diaper pail with however many diapers the foster-mom needed. Exact same method of diapering with the diaper service diapers as it was with home-laundered diapers, we used two diapers at a time for absorbency, fastened the diapers with a pin on each side, and used rubber pants over the diapers.

At the time I remember the cost to be comparable to that of disposables, so definitely more expensive than old-fashioned home-laundered cloth diapers, but for those too busy to contend with all of the washing, folding, etc, diaper service was a nice alternative.


----------



## StarSong

Aunt Marg said:


> StarSong, Where do you fall age-wise with your siblings? Oldest? Youngest? Middle?


Middle.


----------



## Aunt Marg

StarSong said:


> Middle.


Did you have to help with the changing of baby siblings cloth diapers, StarSong? Or did you manage to escape any/all changing duties?


----------



## Pinky

I had 2 older sisters, so it fell to them to do diaper changes when Mom wasn't home. I was 7 when my brother was born. Don't know if I would have been trusted with diaper pins.


----------



## Aunt Marg

Pinky said:


> I had 2 older sisters, so it fell to them to do diaper changes when Mom wasn't home. I was 7 when my brother was born. Don't know if I would have been trusted with diaper pins.


I was age 8, when I started, and I remember mom stand next to the crib and supervising for the first little while until I had the process down-pat.


----------



## Aunt Marg

Pinky said:


> I had 2 older sisters, so it fell to them to do diaper changes when Mom wasn't home. I was 7 when my brother was born. Don't know if I would have been trusted with diaper pins.


Pinky. What about babysitting outside the home (teen years), did you have to contend with cloth diapers and pins?


----------



## StarSong

Aunt Marg said:


> Did you have to help with the changing of baby siblings cloth diapers, StarSong? Or did you manage to escape any/all changing duties?


I did not.  My grandmother lived with us and mostly managed baby care.  When babysitting for families who had a kid in diapers I used to team-sit with my sister.  She'd do the baby stuff and I'd handle the older kids.  

The first diaper I ever changed was my own daughter's - and I was over 30. Babies never intrigued me until I had my own.


----------



## DaveA

Aunt Marg said:


> And how about the unsightly pinkish/purple stains that would happen around the elastic leg holes of rubber pants and on the seat, after a bout of diarrhea made it's rounds?


Haha  -- and the elastic in those little leg holes were all that separated one from total disaster.  Our 4 kids were born between 1957 and '62.  We used cloth diapers with all of them and I changed, washed, and hung out my share.


----------



## Pinky

Aunt Marg said:


> Pinky. What about babysitting outside the home (teen years), did you have to contend with cloth diapers and pins?


Nope .. they were disposables.


----------



## Aunt Marg

StarSong said:


> I did not.  My grandmother lived with us and mostly managed baby care.  When babysitting for families who had a kid in diapers I used to team-sit with my sister.  She'd do the baby stuff and I'd handle the older kids.
> 
> The first diaper I ever changed was my own daughter's - and I was over 30. Babies never intrigued me until I had my own.


Oh, StarSong, now that's what I call cheating, you sitting back and allowing your sister to handle all of the dirty work! LOL!


----------



## Aunt Marg

DaveA said:


> Haha  -- and the elastic in those little leg holes were all that separated one from total disaster.  Our 4 kids were born between 1957 and '62.  We used cloth diapers with all of them and I changed, washed, and hung out my share.


Yes, LOL! What great safety-guards they were. When diapers failed to contain all, the pants were there. Was like having an added measure of safety.

I can honestly say, as a mom, I appreciated those old rubber pants, and living up to the true, honest-to-goodness cloth diaper zealot that I was, I used them all the time... religiously... round-the-clock. My kids lived in those pants from birth to potty.


----------



## StarSong

Aunt Marg said:


> Oh, StarSong, now that's what I call cheating, you sitting back and allowing your sister to handle all of the dirty work! LOL!


She loved babies.  I was more attuned to the little kids.  Parents were thrilled with the 2-for-the-price-of-one babysitting deal.  
When I had babies of my own I figured out diapers. Not exactly a steep learning curve...

It worked out quite well all the way around.


----------



## Aunt Marg

StarSong said:


> She loved babies.  I was more attuned to the little kids.  Parents were thrilled with the 2-for-the-price-of-one babysitting deal.
> When I had babies of my own I figured out diapers. Not exactly a steep learning curve...
> 
> It worked out quite well all the way around.


LOL! Love the way you put it, Star!


----------



## PopsnTuff

Used disposables for all three of my kids....but remember Mom using the cloth, pins and rubber pants for my younger brother....and ugh, the bleach bucket with the stinky dirty ones in it, pee ewe....I was only 8 or 9 and never had to change diapers, that I remember.


----------



## Aunt Marg

PopsnTuff said:


> Used disposables for all three of my kids....but remember Mom using the cloth, pins and rubber pants for my younger brother....and ugh, the bleach bucket with the stinky dirty ones in it, pee ewe....I was only 8 or 9 and never had to change diapers, that I remember.


So nice to see you back, Pops! I was worried about you.

Yes, I always found bleach added to the diaper pail made things smell even worse!


----------



## Ruthanne

My memory is foggy as to way back when I changed my sister's diaper and those of my neighbors children.  All I recall is always telling myself not to stick them with the pin and I never did..thank God!


----------



## Aunt Marg

Ruthanne said:


> My memory is foggy as to way back when I changed my sister's diaper and those of my neighbors children.  All I recall is always telling myself not to stick them with the pin and I never did..thank God!


You did good, Ruthanne. 

Never stuck a kid in all the years I babysat (baby siblings included), and I did a heap of diapering, but that all changed when I had little ones of my own.

Had two that learned the hard way, not my fault, _their own_, kicking, fretting, bucking... but boy, one pin-prick is all it took. Owie! They learned real quick after that to lay still when having their pants changed. Business end of the pin was no fun... no fun for baby, and no fun for mommy.

Still joke with people and tell them, I used old-fashioned cloth diapers, and have the battle scars to prove it! LOL!


----------



## StarSong

My parents were very avant-garde when it came to home decor, and bought a glass dining room table back in 1948.  My mother and grandmother often used it as a diapering station and changed 5 of her 6 children's diapers on that table.  Sometimes one of us would grab a diaper pin and drag it along the table while she was in the process, so the table had a few permanent scratches.  

When I was in my twenties, Mom talked about replacing the table top (the glass bases were still in perfect condition). I talked her out of it, saying that they were endearing battle scars that would bring a smile to anyone who asked about them. 

Mom passed five years ago. Her table now belongs to my son. He is proud to own it, and loves knowing that his mother and aunts & uncle created the scratches on it when we were infants. 

p.s. I likewise have a glass table. Although I didn't diaper my kids on it (preferred the floor), the 1994 earthquake dropped a lot of glassware on it so it has some scratches and a small chip on an edge (which we smoothed with fine sandpaper) from that event. 

Like my mother's table, the battle scars of ours has become proof of a bit of family history. I have no interest in replacing the top.


----------



## Aunt Marg

StarSong said:


> My parents were very avant-garde when it came to home decor, and bought a glass dining room table back in 1948.  My mother and grandmother often used it as a diapering station and changed 5 of her 6 children's diapers on that table.  Sometimes one of us would grab a diaper pin and drag it along the table while she was in the process, so the table had a few permanent scratches.
> 
> When I was in my twenties, Mom talked about replacing the table top (the glass bases were still in perfect condition). I talked her out of it, saying that they were endearing battle scars that would bring a smile to anyone who asked about them.
> 
> Mom passed five years ago. Her table now belongs to my son. He is proud to own it, and loves knowing that his mother and aunts & uncle created the scratches on it when we were infants.
> 
> p.s. I likewise have a glass table. Although I didn't diaper my kids on it (preferred the floor), the 1994 earthquake dropped a lot of glassware on it so it has some scratches and a small chip on an edge (which we smoothed with fine sandpaper) from that event.
> 
> Like my mother's table, the battle scars of ours has become proof of a bit of family history. I have no interest in replacing the top.


Love your story, Star!

The table top stands as testament to days gone by, a time that cannot be repeated, and aside from being able to reflect on the memories associated with, how great it is to know that your son now owns it and actually appreciates it.

This is my warm story to start my day!


----------



## Aunt Marg

StarSong said:


> My kids wore disposable diapers exclusively.  For nearly a year (1985) I had three in diapers at the same time.  That was madness!


How did you not end up in the poor-house diapering three bottoms in disposables?


----------



## StarSong

Aunt Marg said:


> How did you not end up in the poor-house diapering three bottoms in disposables?


We had a thriving business.  Money wasn't an issue at that time.


----------



## In The Sticks

Five pages and growing!!!
I had no idea diapers were near & dear to so many, uh, hearts.

My siblings and I were born between 1945 and 1960, so there were no disposables at the time.  I was 5 or 6 when the youngest was born...there was one other sibling younger than I.  I have no memories of diapers.

It _is_ a timely topic.  There are predictions of a COVID Baby Boom on the horizon.


----------



## Aunt Marg

In The Sticks said:


> Five pages and growing!!!
> I had no idea diapers were near & dear to so many, uh, hearts.
> 
> My siblings and I were born between 1945 and 1960, so there were no disposables at the time.  I was 5 or 6 when the youngest was born...there was one other sibling younger than I.  I have no memories of diapers.
> 
> It _is_ a timely topic.  There are predictions of a COVID Baby Boom on the horizon.


ROFL!

I don't know if I'd go as far as to say, _near and dear to_, but considering the amount of time a child spends in didies, the near and dear notion may not be that far off, but considering that so many of us here experienced traditional, old-fashioned cloth diapers back in the day, my thought was, it can't hurt to pry-open the lid of yesteryears plastic diaper pail and scatter around a few of our memories related to four-corner pants.

As for the Covid-19 Baby Boom scenario, I, too have given thought to the idea of.


----------



## In The Sticks

Aunt Marg said:


> ROFL!
> 
> I don't know if I'd go as far as to say, _near and dear to_, but considering the amount of time a child spends in didies, the near and dear notion may not be that far off, but considering that so many of us here experienced traditional, old-fashioned cloth diapers back in the day, my thought was, it can't hurt to pry-open the lid of yesteryears plastic diaper pail and scatter around a few of our memories related to four-corner pants.
> 
> As for the Covid-19 Baby Boom scenario, I, too have given thought to the idea of.


I didn't read every comment, but I wonder if there are some here who were cleaning diapers without the benefit of a modern washing machine.  We don't have to go back too far in time to encounter "living primitive."  Maybe "near and dear" was a bit of a stretch, although it seemed that some _were_ waxing nostalgic. At least the stories of scarred table tops didn't include admonitions to "Never remove Uncle Jimmy's stain."

Regarding the Baby Boom, it's being predicted by a lot of experts.


----------



## Aunt Marg

In The Sticks said:


> I didn't read every comment, but I wonder if there are some here who were cleaning diapers without the benefit of a modern washing machine.  We don't have to go back too far in time to encounter "living primitive."  Maybe "near and dear" was a bit of a stretch, although it seemed that some _were_ waxing nostalgic. At least the stories of scarred table tops didn't include admonitions to "Never remove Uncle Jimmy's stain."
> 
> Regarding the Baby Boom, it's being predicted by a lot of experts.


ROFLMAO!

Uncle Jimmy's stain, will now be forever embedded in my brain! 

Yes, I do recall reading one or two posts from members who had to hand-wash diapers, and all I can say is, I'm grateful for the advent of the modern day automatic washing machine, and even more grateful it was already well established and in full-swing when I had my kids! LOL!

I remember my poor mom occasionally hunched over the bathtub scrubbing diapers out by-hand on her washboard. Pampers would have looked pretty good to me had the scrub-board and hand-washing thing been waiting for me.


----------



## In The Sticks

Aunt Marg said:


> ROFLMAO!
> 
> Uncle Jimmy's stain, will now be forever embedded in my brain!
> 
> Yes, I do recall reading one or two posts from members who had to hand-wash diapers, and all I can say is, I'm grateful for the advent of the modern day automatic washing machine, and even more grateful it was already well established and in full-swing when I had my kids! LOL!
> 
> I remember my poor mom occasionally hunched over the bathtub scrubbing diapers out by-hand on her washboard. Pampers would have looked pretty good to me had the scrub-board and hand-washing thing been waiting for me.


It's crazy, isn't it?

Make you wonder what advancements are coming that will make what _we_ do seem archaic. Perhaps a passive way of doing laundry that yields folded, sorted clothes, unless they come up with Wear-Once garments.

When I think I pine for simpler times, all I have to do is remind myself of modern health care and toilet paper, and I'm happy to remain in the present day.


----------



## JaniceM

In The Sticks said:


> It's crazy, isn't it?
> 
> Make you wonder what advancements are coming that will make what _we_ do seem archaic. Perhaps a passive way of doing laundry that yields folded, sorted clothes, unless they come up with Wear-Once garments.
> 
> When I think I pine for simpler times, all I have to do is remind myself of modern health care and toilet paper, and I'm happy to remain in the present day.



Wear-once garments-  like the paper dresses in the 1960s?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/773962...ry=1960s+paper+dress&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&frs=1
I had one of those!


----------



## Pinky

JaniceM said:


> Wear-once garments-  like the paper dresses in the 1960s?
> https://www.etsy.com/listing/773962...ry=1960s+paper+dress&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&frs=1
> I had one of those!


Wow! The prices were quite high for paper! Surprising, because a cheap cotton probably wouldn't have cost that much to make a sleeveless mini.


----------



## JaniceM

Pinky said:


> Wow! The prices were quite high for paper!


I don't think they cost that much at the time.


----------



## In The Sticks

JaniceM said:


> Wear-once garments-  like the paper dresses in the 1960s?
> https://www.etsy.com/listing/773962...ry=1960s+paper+dress&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&frs=1
> I had one of those!


Wow!!!
And lots of people smoked back then!!!

I was born in '54 and don't recall those.  The only thing I remember like that were those paper Campbell's aprons you could mail order.


----------



## In The Sticks

Pinky said:


> Wow! The prices were quite high for paper! Surprising, because a cheap cotton probably wouldn't have cost that much to make a sleeveless mini.


Probably today's collector's value.

I mentioned that paper Campbell's apron.  I saw one on Antiques Roadshow.  It wasn't worth millions, but I bet it was over $100.


----------



## Pinky

In The Sticks said:


> Probably today's collector's value.
> 
> I mentioned that paper Campbell's apron.  I saw one on Antiques Roadshow.  It wasn't worth millions, but I bet it was over $100.


Of course ..


----------



## JaniceM

In The Sticks said:


> Probably today's collector's value.
> 
> I mentioned that paper Campbell's apron.  I saw one on Antiques Roadshow.  It wasn't worth millions, but I bet it was over $100.



Well, that's kinda creepy-  when clothes that were popular when we were younger are now referred to as antiques


----------



## In The Sticks

Pinky said:


> Of course ..


It's crazy.

I look at Beanie Babies and think "1¢ worth of beans and 4¢ worth of fabric selling for $150 just because someone will pay that price."


----------



## Aunt Marg

In The Sticks said:


> It's crazy, isn't it?
> 
> Make you wonder what advancements are coming that will make what _we_ do seem archaic. Perhaps a passive way of doing laundry that yields folded, sorted clothes, unless they come up with Wear-Once garments.
> 
> When I think I pine for simpler times, all I have to do is remind myself of modern health care and toilet paper, and I'm happy to remain in the present day.


Love your take on things, ITS! 

Oh, yes, I do often wonder what's next. Seems just when one thinks something is as developed as developed as it can get, along comes Joe-inventor, and poof, he/she revolutionizes it again, and for the better.

I, too, am very content in this day and age, however, there's an old-fashioned streak that runs deep within me, and when I reflect on how much more simple life used to be (compared to now), because there wasn't the choices available to people back in the day as there are now, and add in the less wasteful ways people lived, it makes me long to go back to those times.

Speaking of advancements, I remember the first time I came across a disposable diaper. It was completely and utterly new to me. No pins, no folding, no washing... just so far removed from the image I had grown up with where diapers were cloth, reusable, and washable.


----------



## In The Sticks

JaniceM said:


> Well, that's kinda creepy-  when clothes that were popular when we were younger are now referred to as antiques


...and they got fewer wrinkles!


----------



## JaniceM

In The Sticks said:


> ...and they got fewer wrinkles!


and so did we


----------



## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> Well, that's kinda creepy-  when clothes that were popular when we were younger are now referred to as antiques


ROFLMAO! I know, huh! Creepy and crazy!


----------



## In The Sticks

Aunt Marg said:


> Love your take on things, ITS!
> 
> Oh, yes, I do often wonder what's next. Seems just when one thinks something is as developed as developed as it can get, along comes Joe-inventor, and poof, he/she revolutionizes it again, and for the better.
> 
> I, too, am very content in this day and age, however, there's an old-fashioned streak that runs deep within me, and when I reflect on how much more simple life used to be (compared to now), because there wasn't the choices available to people back in the day as there are now, and add in the less wasteful ways people lived, it makes me long to go back to those times.
> 
> Speaking of advancements, I remember the first time I came across a disposable diaper. It was completely and utterly new to me. No pins, no folding, no washing... just so far removed from the image I had grown up with where diapers were cloth, reusable, and washable.


Choices are a funny thing.  I often dwell on this because too many can paralyze me and make me fret that I've made the "least perfect" one.

I think of job choices.
Back when you were born into a trade, you applied yourself and did the best you could.  There was no room for the "what ifs."  You did what you had to.
On the other hand, those who were incompetent in that trade or were locked into their own private Hells could have flourished in their lives had they been allowed opportunities.

Of course, things are always simpler when someone else is putting food on the table and that roof over our heads.


----------



## Aunt Marg

In The Sticks said:


> Choices are a funny thing.  I often dwell on this because too many can paralyze me and make me fret that I've made the "least perfect" one.
> 
> I think of job choices.
> Back when you were born into a trade, you applied yourself and did the best you could.  There was no room for the "what ifs."  You did what you had to.
> On the other hand, those who were incompetent in that trade or were locked into their own private Hells could have flourished in their lives had they been allowed opportunities.
> 
> Of course, things are always simpler when someone else is putting food on the table and that roof over our heads.


Everything you say resonates with me (in a good way).

I used to be the way you are, allowing others to migrate into my life and taint me with their likes, their dislikes, their thoughts, and their opinions, but when I developed a taste for navigating my way through life by way of the needle of my own compass, and trailblazing my own path and style, life suddenly became less complicated and more gratifying.

Love the way you put it, "_things are always simpler when someone else is putting food on the table and that roof over our heads_". Isn't that the truth.


----------



## Kayelle

Oh wow....this thread was a real hoot to read for this newbie. In short, so many of you are a hoot too. 

Marge, your original post was just spot on! I laughed myself silly over so many posts, and since I've been on a recent rant about good old cloth diapers on another post, It will be fun to bring up many of your relatable experiences. I even made notes. 
*Right now, I have to get something done around the house but I'll be back for sure. *
Dang, I love this whole SF place and I might need some intervention to keep outa here and do something besides sit here.


----------



## Giantsfan1954

JaniceM said:


> Seriously, you're not making that up?


It's called a diaper genie.


----------



## Giantsfan1954

Aunt Marg said:


> So grateful to be able to say not one of my kids ever partook in painting.


It's 100x worse when the residents in a nursing home do it,including putting it in their mouth.


----------



## Aunt Marg

Kayelle said:


> Oh wow....this thread was a real hoot to read for this newbie. In short, so many of you are a hoot too.
> 
> Marge, your original post was just spot on! I laughed myself silly over so many posts, and since I've been on a recent rant about good old cloth diapers on another post, It will be fun to bring up many of your relatable experiences. I even made notes.
> *Right now, I have to get something done around the house but I'll be back for sure. *
> Dang, I love this whole SF place and I might need some intervention to keep outa here and do something besides sit here.


Thank you for your kind words, Kayelle!

Feel free to rant away! I'll join you! LOL! 

P.S. I know exactly what you mean by getting sucked-in here! Happens to me ALL the time! ROFLMAO!


----------



## Aunt Marg

Giantsfan1954 said:


> It's 100x worse when the residents in a nursing home do it,including putting it in their mouth.


I wouldn't be able to handle it., as much as I know people need help, but it would spell the end for me.

Kudos to those like yourself who are dedicated to the care of all those in need!


----------



## peramangkelder

Aunt Marg said:


> After reading and responding to the topic - _Mom cries in viral video when she can't find diapers to buy_, I couldn't help but feel a topic on traditional cloth diapers was in order, and unlike so many parenting topics that exclude those without children, I've tailored this conversation as a generic one, where everyone, regardless of whether you have children or not, can voice their opinion and experience related to, so come on all you moms, grandmas, dads, and babysitters of the past, come share what you remember about the old days of cloth diapers, safety pins, and rubber pants.
> 
> Pin-pricks galore, the stinking diaper pails so strong with ammonia, the odour would burn at your nose and eyes when you lifted the lid to drop a diaper inside, and then there were the hot, greenhouse rubber pants. Those plasticy-rusting panties with stretchy elastics... off and on at every diaper-change, making for the cutest little balloon baby bottoms ever. When weather was hot and tiny little legs and feet were sweaty, trying to get all the piggy's in through the elasticized leg holes of rubber pants could prove to be a challenge at times, but all was remedied with a little dusting of baby powder applied to baby's feet, with a hint sprinkled inside the rubber pants for good measure.
> 
> Diapers on the line, diapers in the washing machine, diapers in the pail, diapers in the laundry basket waiting to be folded. When baby filled their pants, off to the bathroom we'd go with diapers in-hand, and assuming a safe position in relation to the toilet, and while holding onto diapers with an extra-firm grip, toilet flush lever was depressed, and poopy diapers were dunked up and down in the swirling toilet water until rinsed, followed by a quick hand-wring, and into the plastic diaper pail the didies would go.
> 
> My poor chapped hands, red and irritated around the clock. No amount of hand lotion cured the soreness, and then there were those unexpected moments, like when you'd open the dresser drawer to fetch a clean pair of rubber pants at change-time, only to realize that all of the rubber pants were in the diaper pail or hanging on the line.
> 
> Identifying a seasoned cloth diaper veteran was easy, for diaper pins were held between pursed lips when diapering, and when pants were changed, baby was off and running, and with a duck-like waddle, the result of bulky double diapers, all that could be heard was the unmistakable plastic beat of rubber pants rustling with baby's every step, and when baby got into something they knew better than to get into, a few light swats with the flat of ones hand on their rubber-panted bottom was all that was needed, for those rubber baby pants emitted the loudest plastic-popping sound ever, making the spanking sound far more serious than it was.
> 
> Ah, yes, those were the days.


@Aunt Marg I can totally relate to absolutely everything in your post
I remember my hands were red and raw from continual rinsing of neverending soiled clothes
I just remembered a trick with nappy/diaper pins a dear friend told me many years ago
If you find putting pins into nappies/diapers difficult first run (gently mind you) the nappy/diaper pins through your hair
You would not believe how much easier it is to use nappy/diaper pins after this little trick due to the natural oil on your hair
Many a four letter word was prevented due to that piece of wisdom let me tell you
Pilchers or plastic pants over the nappy of course completed the many nappy/diaper changes
I used to love watching my kids 'waddle' off after a nappy change too....made me feel real good 
I rarely used disposables but kept a few in the nappy bag when we went shopping just in case


----------



## Aunt Marg

peramangkelder said:


> @Aunt Marg I can totally relate to absolutely everything in your post
> I remember my hands were red and raw from continual rinsing of neverending soiled clothes
> I just remembered a trick with nappy/diaper pins a dear friend told me many years ago
> If you find putting pins into nappies/diapers difficult first run (gently mind you) the nappy/diaper pins through your hair
> You would not believe how much easier it is to use nappy/diaper pins after this little trick due to the natural oil on your hair
> Many a four letter word was prevented due to that piece of wisdom let me tell you
> Pilchers or plastic pants over the nappy of course completed the many nappy/diaper changes
> I used to love watching my kids 'waddle' off after a nappy change too....made me feel real good
> I rarely used disposables but kept a few in the nappy bag when we went shopping just in case


Love your post, Peram!

Yes, the old pin trick! Can't tell you how many tens of thousands of times I've done the old pins through my hair trick over the years, and work well it did!

I remember watching my mom change diapers when I was really young, and she always ran the pins through her hair at change-time, and by 1971, with two baby siblings in diapers in the home, my mom got me started on diaper duty, and running the pins through my hair before fastening diapers, grew to be part-and-parcel to the whole changing process for me. 

It was always double diapers in our home, and hair-swiped pins glided through siblings bulky diapers effortlessly. I carried the practice forward when I started babysitting (double diapers were the norm back then), and then again when my own children came along (double diapers for them, too). Was definitely a long-standing practice of mine.

Oh yes... rubber pants over diapers always, and one to two sizes larger than needed. Used to make my kids look like they were wearing balloons on their bums! Used a combination of plain white rubber pants and pastel-coloured ones.

Two of my boys were masters at tearing the seats out of their rubber pants. I put it down to them catching their big bulky rubber-bums on the swing-set/plastic slide, the seats of their tricycles, and who knows what else. LOL!

I agree about the self-satisfaction part, Peram, I always felt the same. Folding a soft fluffy diaper into shape and pulling the corners together and fastening with a pin... nothing better reminded me of the countless mothers before me that did the same, and nothing sounded more befitting of motherhood to me, than the plastic rustling sound of rubber pants being pulled off and on at change-time, elastics stretching and snapping.


----------



## JaniceM

I never used cloth diapers, but heard some mothers in the past put the diaper pins into a bar of soap.


----------



## Kayelle

I remember a trick I had for night diapers although my husband was beyond horrified. 

There's no way he would want anyone to know that his baby boys had a* Kotex pad *tucked safely into those cloth diapers.  

Hey...it worked like a charm every night!!


----------



## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> I never used cloth diapers, but heard some mothers in the past put the diaper pins into a bar of soap.


You are absolutely right, Janice!

I worked as a mothers-helper for a neighbour in my teens and remember it at her house. She ran a foster-care home and forever had multiple little ones in diapers, all cloth, and pins were kept in a bar of soap beside the changing table in the bathroom. When pins became difficult to push through diapers, we'd swap-out the old pins for a fresh set stuck in the bar soap, and boy, did those pins ever slide through the babies diapers easy!

Also did the pins in the bar soap thing (on and off) in my own home.


----------



## Aunt Marg

Kayelle said:


> I remember a trick I had for night diapers although my husband was beyond horrified.
> 
> There's no way he would want anyone to know that his baby boys had a* Kotex pad *tucked safely into those cloth diapers.
> 
> Hey...it worked like a charm every night!!


Old-school brilliance at it's best!

Had I known about your nifty little tip back in the day when my kids were little, they, too, would have suffered the indignity of a Kotex pad inside their nighttime diapers, and I wouldn't have felt one bit guilty about it!


----------



## peramangkelder

Aunt Marg said:


> Love your post, Peram!
> 
> Yes, the old pin trick! Can't tell you how many tens of thousands of times I've done the old pins through my hair trick over the years, and work well it did!
> 
> I remember watching my mom change diapers when I was really young, and she always ran the pins through her hair at change-time, and by 1971, with two baby siblings in diapers in the home, my mom got me started on diaper duty, and running the pins through my hair before fastening diapers, grew to be part-and-parcel to the whole changing process for me.
> 
> It was always double diapers in our home, and hair-swiped pins glided through siblings bulky diapers effortlessly. I carried the practice forward when I started babysitting (double diapers were the norm back then), and then again when my own children came along (double diapers for them, too). Was definitely a long-standing practice of mine.
> 
> Oh yes... rubber pants over diapers always, and one to two sizes larger than needed. Used to make my kids look like they were wearing balloons on their bums! Used a combination of plain white rubber pants and pastel-coloured ones.
> 
> Two of my boys were masters at tearing the seats out of their rubber pants. I put it down to them catching their big bulky rubber-bums on the swing-set/plastic slide, the seats of their tricycles, and who knows what else. LOL!
> 
> I agree about the self-satisfaction part, Peram, I always felt the same. Folding a soft fluffy diaper into shape and pulling the corners together and fastening with a pin... nothing better reminded me of the countless mothers before me that did the same, and nothing sounded more befitting of motherhood to me, than the plastic rustling sound of rubber pants being pulled off and on at change-time, elastics stretching and snapping.


Oh @Aunt Marg you sure brought back some memories
This photo reminds me of my kids with their giant economy size nappy bums
In the early days I wondered if bulky nappies would affect the way they walked?
Sure didn't seem to and even though they are now estranged from me and have been since my divorce
they have never had problems with their gait in their 40+ years


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## Birdlady

Keesha said:


> Or dumped out at the side of the road.
> Charming people.


Where I used to live it seemed like parking lots were the favorite dirty diaper disposal grounds.


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## Keesha

Birdlady said:


> Where I used to live it seemed like parking lots were the favorite dirty diaper disposal grounds.


Isn’t that disgusting? I mean, I even  bag up my dogs waste when I’m not in the forest. I can’t imagine what goes through people’s minds as they dump their child’s dirty diapers  in places they do like the earths their personality garbage disposal. 
Yeah!


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## jujube

Keesha said:


> Isn’t that disgusting? I mean, I even  bag up my dogs waste when I’m not in the forest.* I can’t imagine what goes through people’s minds as they dump their child’s dirty diapers  in places they do like the earths their personality garbage disposal.*
> Yeah!



I'll tell you what goes through their heads......NOTHING.  Nothing but "Ooh, I don't want this dirty thing in MY car so I'll just toss it out the window.  I don't care who has to pick it up, as long as it's not me!"


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## Aunt Marg

peramangkelder said:


> Oh @Aunt Marg you sure brought back some memories
> This photo reminds me of my kids with their giant economy size nappy bums
> In the early days I wondered if bulky nappies would affect the way they walked?
> Sure didn't seem to and even though they are now estranged from me and have been since my divorce
> they have never had problems with their gait in their 40+ years
> 
> View attachment 114980


And you as well, Peram! 

Nothing like chatting with others who have lived the days (and survived)! LOL!

"Giant economy size nappy bums"... ROFLMAO! You couldn't have said it better! Yes! LOVE the cute picture! 

I remember the days of all the talk surrounding permanent bow-legs and problems with kids walking, due to overly bulky diapers of yesteryear, but I never paid any attention to it. My kids waddled from the time they started walking, right through until they were toilet trained, and all are survivors.


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## Aunt Marg

Birdlady said:


> Where I used to live it seemed like parking lots were the favorite dirty diaper disposal grounds.


I seethe with anger when I see a dirty diaper disposed of improperly. Not only is it disrespectful, it's disgusting.

One thing is for sure, back in the days when everyone used cloth diapers, you didn't come across dirty diapers laying around in shopping mall parking lots and on the side of highways.


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## Aunt Marg

Keesha said:


> Isn’t that disgusting? I mean, I even  bag up my dogs waste when I’m not in the forest. I can’t imagine what goes through people’s minds as they dump their child’s dirty diapers  in places they do like the earths their personality garbage disposal.
> Yeah!


Thank you for being a responsible dog owner, Keesha. Kudos to you!


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## Aunt Marg

jujube said:


> I'll tell you what goes through their heads......NOTHING.  Nothing but "Ooh, I don't want this dirty thing in MY car so I'll just toss it out the window.  I don't care who has to pick it up, as long as it's not me!"


A few years ago I found a rolled-up dirty disposable diaper in a grocery shopping cart.

That's the sort of thing that makes one realize just how much ground we've lost as a society... as a whole.


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## Keesha

Aunt Marg said:


> Thank you for being a responsible dog owner, Keesha. Kudos to you!


Thank you.


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## Keesha

Aunt Marg said:


> A few years ago I found a rolled-up dirty disposable diaper in a grocery shopping cart.
> 
> That's the sort of thing that makes one realize just how much ground we've lost as a society... as a whole.


Ewwww....


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## Aunt Marg

peramangkelder said:


> Oh @Aunt Marg you sure brought back some memories
> This photo reminds me of my kids with their giant economy size nappy bums
> In the early days I wondered if bulky nappies would affect the way they walked?
> Sure didn't seem to and even though they are now estranged from me and have been since my divorce
> they have never had problems with their gait in their 40+ years
> 
> View attachment 114980


Speaking of giant economy size nappy bums, Peram... 

I remember the days like yesterday, sitting my youngest down inside the laundry basket (he was just walking), then out the back porch door we'd exit to go fetch diapers off the line. He'd be so filled with joy and excitement he couldn't contain himself! Crying with laughter all the way!

He'd watch me intently pulling diaper after diaper down off the line while enjoying the safety and comfort of the laundry basket. Slowly, as I added a few diapers to the basket with each pull of the line, baby slowly disappeared until just his head and top of his shoulders could be seen above the mound of freshly laundered diapers, then back into the house we'd go.

Once inside, baby would bust-out of his nappy-filled domain and go to town pulling all the didies and rubber pants out of the laundry basket for mommy! He used to have a ball! Head-first into the basket he'd go!

At the time this picture was taken (1993), I had two in diapers. I washed diapers every second day... sometimes everyday in order to keep up with all the changing. Between the two little stinkers, it was nothing for me to go through 20-30 diapers a day!

Double diapers and rubber pants for both!


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## Aunt Marg

Keesha said:


> Ewwww....


Was I ever mad!


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## peramangkelder

Aunt Marg said:


> Speaking of giant economy size nappy bums, Peram...
> 
> I remember the days like yesterday, sitting my youngest down inside the laundry basket (he was just walking), then out the back porch door we'd exit to go fetch diapers off the line. He'd be so filled with joy and excitement he couldn't contain himself! Crying with laughter all the way!
> 
> He'd watch me intently pulling diaper after diaper down off the line while enjoying the safety and comfort of the laundry basket. Slowly, as I added a few diapers to the basket with each pull of the line, baby slowly disappeared until just his head and top of his shoulders could be seen above the mound of freshly laundered diapers, then back into the house we'd go.
> 
> Once inside, baby would bust-out of his nappy-filled domain and go to town pulling all the didies and rubber pants out of the laundry basket for mommy! He used to have a ball! Head-first into the basket he'd go!
> 
> At the time this picture was taken (1993), I had two in diapers. I washed diapers every second day... sometimes everyday in order to keep up with all the changing. Between the two little stinkers, it was nothing for me to go through 20-30 diapers a day!
> 
> Double diapers and rubber pants for both!
> 
> View attachment 114993


@Aunt Marg I love it and you can just make out the baby in there


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## Birdlady

jujube said:


> I'll tell you what goes through their heads......NOTHING.  Nothing but "Ooh, I don't want this dirty thing in MY car so I'll just toss it out the window.  I don't care who has to pick it up, as long as it's not me!"


That's it exactly, I think. The kid needs a change before or after the shopping trip, do it in the front/back seat of the car. Then mindlessly fling the dirty diaper out into the parking lot, who cares where it lands?
That's stupid, mindless enough,but I had one experience ( only once, thank goodness) that was beyond disgusting. I opened the car door and got out one time, and stepped right onto a "freshly flung" ( or so it seemed) dirty diaper. It sort of "squished", and I think I got a small amount of its contents on my foot ( I was wearing sandals).
I had to make an emergency visit to the store restroom, and scrub off that sandal and my foot.
After that revolting experience, I always look down before I get out of the car.


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## Aunt Marg

peramangkelder said:


> @Aunt Marg I love it and you can just make out the baby in there


You know a baby is dedicated when they immerse themselves head-first in their work!


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## Aunt Marg

Birdlady said:


> That's it exactly, I think. The kid needs a change before or after the shopping trip, do it in the front/back seat of the car. Then mindlessly fling the dirty diaper out into the parking lot, who cares where it lands?
> That's stupid, mindless enough,but I had one experience ( only once, thank goodness) that was beyond disgusting. I opened the car door and got out one time, and stepped right onto a "freshly flung" ( or so it seemed) dirty diaper. It sort of "squished", and I think I got a small amount of its contents on my foot ( I was wearing sandals).
> I had to make an emergency visit to the store restroom, and scrub off that sandal and my foot.
> After that revolting experience, I always look down before I get out of the car.


So maddening!

I always look too, because there's nothing worse than opening the door of your car only to find that some inconsiderate bunghole has conveniently emptied-out the ashtray of their vehicle for all to tiptoe around and look at!


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## Aunt Marg

Keesha said:


> Or dumped out at the side of the road.
> Charming people.


What burns me about disposable tossing, is disposable diapers were invented as an alternative to cloth diapers, so already, mothers who use them are enjoying the convenience and benefits of not having to wash, dry, and fold traditional diapers, but nope, not convenient or good enough for the self-serving few who are too lazy to pull-over and dispose of the diaper in a proper manner, or walk their arse over to a dumpster or garbage container found in every parking lot around.

Just one more sign of the times as to what kind of world we live in.


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## JaniceM

Aunt Marg said:


> What burns me about disposable tossing, is disposable diapers were invented as an alternative to cloth diapers, so already, mothers who use them are enjoying the convenience and benefits of not having to wash, dry, and fold traditional diapers, but nope, not convenient or good enough for the self-serving few who are too lazy to pull-over and dispose of the diaper in a proper manner, or walk their arse over to a dumpster or garbage container found in every parking lot around.
> 
> Just one more sign of the times as to what kind of world we live in.


The worst I ever experienced was at an apartment complex where I lived long ago-  they had their dumpster directly underneath my window, which kind of affected my enjoyment of fresh air...  As many families had babies, the aroma coming from the dumpster could get rather ripe from used diapers, especially during hot weather.


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## Aunt Marg

JaniceM said:


> The worst I ever experienced was at an apartment complex where I lived long ago-  they had their dumpster directly underneath my window, which kind of affected my enjoyment of fresh air...  As many families had babies, the aroma coming from the dumpster could get rather ripe from used diapers, especially during hot weather.


Oh, Janice... that is totally unacceptable. There should be laws in place where communal waste bins have to be X-amount of feet away from all windows and doors and buildings where people reside.

Glad you've moved on and are away from that now.


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## Rose57

Sorry had to delete as I Posted in the Wrong topic


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## Rose57

I diapered my youngest brother in the 60’s. When I had children I also used the cloth diapers on both my daughters.  I’m always amazed how some memories are just like yesterday and others are vague. It was 30+ years ago but feels like yesterday, 6 to 8 diapers a day, 50+  some diapers, a week.  Some required soaking in the commode. Plastic pants, pink, blue & white safety pins. Pungent Ammonia diaper pails.  Full Washer loads lots of bleach. I used a dryer and the diapers were, so white soft & fluffy. It seems I spent as much time folding them as I did changing them.  Carrying extra Diapers for a day out, plastic bread bags for spoiled diapers & wash cloths.  At least 2 extra change of clothing.   Memories....


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## Aunt Marg

Rose57 said:


> I diapered my youngest brother in the 60’s. When I had children I also used the cloth diapers on both my daughters.  I’m always amazed how some memories are just like yesterday and others are vague. It was 30+ years ago but feels like yesterday, 6 to 8 diapers a day, 50+  some diapers, a week.  Some required soaking in the commode. Plastic pants, pink, blue & white safety pins. Pungent Ammonia diaper pails.  Full Washer loads lots of bleach. I used a dryer and the diapers were, so white soft & fluffy. It seems I spent as much time folding them as I did changing them.  Carrying extra Diapers for a day out, plastic bread bags for spoiled diapers & wash cloths.  At least 2 extra change of clothing.   Memories....


Love the memories, Rose.

Nothing like learning and practicing on baby siblings before embarking upon motherhood.

I'm with you on some memories still feeling fresh and recent, with others escaping us, that is until someone mentions something close or related to, then bingo, the bells and whistles go off.

It's been 24 years for me since the days of four-corner pants in our house, but like yourself, I remember the drill like yesterday, and yes, plastic bread bags were the saving-grace when it came to outings, visits, and travel.

Speaking of plastic bread bags, the vinyl diaper bag was like our 7th child, because it went everywhere we went (LOL), and back in the day, baby bottoms were domed and/or cut more full to accommodate old-fashioned bulky cloth diapers, so we didn't have to roll up our sleeves when it came to stuffing a double-diapered butt into a pair of pyjama bottoms or tights.

As for folding, I loved folding diapers. Folding diapers was an evening affair for me, sitting in the living room folding and stacking diapers while watching TV.

Your post brought back so many warm memories for me.


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## Mrs. Robinson

I used cloth diapers with all four of my kids(born between 1968-1979)Disposables were awful when I had my first-no elastic or tapes-and not much improved 5 years later with my second. But the difference was,I discovered diaper service. No diapers to wash and no rashes EVER! When #3 came along in another 5 years,disposables had come a long way,so I decided to try them. Too much perfume in them though and caused a rash,so back to diaper service it was. Didn`t even bother to try disposables with my son a year and a half later.


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## Mrs. Robinson

I so wish my oldest was home-she took a trip to Oregon to help a friend-but she has her baby book from the 60s,that also gave baby-rearing advice-in this case,how to properly wash diapers.This was a British book-I don`t think any mother in this country did what this author advised. It advised you to soak the diapers in several changes of hot water,then wash in,I think,it was 6 different changes of hot,soapy water.Then rinse in can`t remember how many changes of hot water.It just went on and on,finishing up with boiling actively for 30 minutes by the clock! We still laugh about this a lot!


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## fmdog44

I changed one diaper in my life. It was my niece and I adored her but when the diaper came off I learned what love was all about...... but I made sure someone else was available next time.


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## Jules

Though I didn’t read all 8 pages, one of the things I learned was to use Man-Size Kleenex as a diaper liner for the second child. Saved some work.

The quality of disposables & the cost made them prohibitive unless travelling.


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## LindaB

Aunt Marg said:


> After reading and responding to the topic - _Mom cries in viral video when she can't find diapers to buy_, I couldn't help but feel a topic on traditional cloth diapers was in order, and unlike so many parenting topics that exclude those without children, I've tailored this conversation as a generic one, where everyone, regardless of whether you have children or not, can voice their opinion and experience related to, so come on all you moms, grandmas, dads, and babysitters of the past, come share what you remember about the old days of cloth diapers, safety pins, and rubber pants.
> 
> Pin-pricks galore, the stinking diaper pails so strong with ammonia, the odour would burn at your nose and eyes when you lifted the lid to drop a diaper inside, and then there were the hot, greenhouse rubber pants. Those plasticy-rusting panties with stretchy elastics... off and on at every diaper-change, making for the cutest little balloon baby bottoms ever. When weather was hot and tiny little legs and feet were sweaty, trying to get all the piggy's in through the elasticized leg holes of rubber pants could prove to be a challenge at times, but all was remedied with a little dusting of baby powder applied to baby's feet, with a hint sprinkled inside the rubber pants for good measure.
> 
> Diapers on the line, diapers in the washing machine, diapers in the pail, diapers in the laundry basket waiting to be folded. When baby filled their pants, off to the bathroom we'd go with diapers in-hand, and assuming a safe position in relation to the toilet, and while holding onto diapers with an extra-firm grip, toilet flush lever was depressed, and poopy diapers were dunked up and down in the swirling toilet water until rinsed, followed by a quick hand-wring, and into the plastic diaper pail the didies would go.
> 
> My poor chapped hands, red and irritated around the clock. No amount of hand lotion cured the soreness, and then there were those unexpected moments, like when you'd open the dresser drawer to fetch a clean pair of rubber pants at change-time, only to realize that all of the rubber pants were in the diaper pail or hanging on the line.
> 
> Identifying a seasoned cloth diaper veteran was easy, for diaper pins were held between pursed lips when diapering, and when pants were changed, baby was off and running, and with a duck-like waddle, the result of bulky double diapers, all that could be heard was the unmistakable plastic beat of rubber pants rustling with baby's every step, and when baby got into something they knew better than to get into, a few light swats with the flat of ones hand on their rubber-panted bottom was all that was needed, for those rubber baby pants emitted the loudest plastic-popping sound ever, making the spanking sound far more serious than it was.
> 
> Ah, yes, those were the days.


Oh, yes! I remember all of that! We had no washing machine and I washed all my little girl's clothes by hand. My in-laws took pity on us and provided a diaper service for one year. You still had all the rest to contend with but I felt truly grateful.


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## Aunt Marg

Mrs. Robinson said:


> I used cloth diapers with all four of my kids(born between 1968-1979)Disposables were awful when I had my first-no elastic or tapes-and not much improved 5 years later with my second. But the difference was,I discovered diaper service. No diapers to wash and no rashes EVER! When #3 came along in another 5 years,disposables had come a long way,so I decided to try them. Too much perfume in them though and caused a rash,so back to diaper service it was. Didn`t even bother to try disposables with my son a year and a half later.


I sometimes wish I had tried diaper service out, just for the sake of saying that I did, or even opting for diaper service for the first month or two after each of my kids were born, just to relieve a little of the turmoil that often surrounds introducing a new baby into the home. Those first early days can be so tiring.

Gosh, disposables... I never gave them so much as a thought when I was having babies. So old-fashioned and staunch I was about diapering the traditional way using cloth and pins, but I do have memories of those early disposables which were terrible. No elastic-fit, the pleats would pull-out, the padding would shift, bunch, and sag, the tapes seldom stayed fastened (I remember using pins), and they leaked something awful.

As far as diaper rash went, my kids occasionally got it... and diarrhea seemed to bring it on the worst.


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## Aunt Marg

Mrs. Robinson said:


> I so wish my oldest was home-she took a trip to Oregon to help a friend-but she has her baby book from the 60s,that also gave baby-rearing advice-in this case,how to properly wash diapers.This was a British book-I don`t think any mother in this country did what this author advised. It advised you to soak the diapers in several changes of hot water,then wash in,I think,it was 6 different changes of hot,soapy water.Then rinse in can`t remember how many changes of hot water.It just went on and on,finishing up with boiling actively for 30 minutes by the clock! We still laugh about this a lot!


OMG, that's crazy! LOL!

The diaper-washing method you speak of tires me out just reading about it.  I can't imagine applying such a routine. As it was, between diapers, bottles, crying, feedings, burping, and bathing, I would have given up on using cloth diapers had I been resigned to washing diapers that way. 

One thing I did find that worked really well when washing diapers, was adding a cup of regular household vinegar to the final wash cycle. Diapers came out softer and more absorbent, and the vinegar helped balance the pH level in the diapers, equating to less rashes/chafing/irritation. 

Always laundered diapers in the hottest water available, and I always used bleach.


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## Aunt Marg

fmdog44 said:


> I changed one diaper in my life. It was my niece and I adored her but when the diaper came off I learned what love was all about...... but I made sure someone else was available next time.


You changed one more diaper than my husband did! LOL!


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## Aunt Marg

Jules said:


> Though I didn’t read all 8 pages, one of the things I learned was to use Man-Size Kleenex as a diaper liner for the second child. Saved some work.
> 
> The quality of disposables & the cost made them prohibitive unless travelling.


I used actual diaper liners with each of my kids for a few weeks after they were born, and what a blessing they were.

If you go to page 4, I posted a picture of a leftover box of diaper liners from the baby days in our home.

Believe it or not, those disposable diaper liners could stand up to being run through a washing machine cycle and reused. I never did it purposely, but do recall a few making it past my watchful eyes on diaper-wash day, and they emerged good as new, ready for use again when dry.


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## Aunt Marg

LindaB said:


> Oh, yes! I remember all of that! We had no washing machine and I washed all my little girl's clothes by hand. My in-laws took pity on us and provided a diaper service for one year. You still had all the rest to contend with but I felt truly grateful.


All of you moms that dealt with cloth diapers with no washing machine are the true troopers out of all of us!


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## Jules

Aunt Marg said:


> I used actual diaper liners with each of my kids for a few weeks after they were born, and what a blessing they were.
> 
> If you go to page 4, I posted a picture of a leftover box of diaper liners from the baby days in our home.
> 
> Believe it or not, those disposable diaper liners could stand up to being run through a washing machine cycle and reused. I never did it purposely, but do recall a few making it past my watchful eyes on diaper-wash day, and they emerged good as new, ready for use again when dry.


The man-size Kleenex were much cheaper than the liners.  Unfortunately, I too would miss taking some out prior to doing the laundry.  Some washed up in one piece, others in to a million.  What a mess.


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## Aunt Marg

Jules said:


> The man-size Kleenex were much cheaper than the liners.  Unfortunately, I too would miss taking some out prior to doing the laundry.  Some washed up in one piece, others in to a million.  What a mess.


I never would have expected the Kleenex to hold up.

I tried using liners when my kids were older, but with all of the movement... toddling, kicking, bending, crawling, the liners would just ball-up and end up in a wad between their legs.

Yes, I can only imagine the mess with a large size Kleenex going through the wash. I've actually had it happen before with regular Kleenex, and absolutely everything get's covered.


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## Della

My son was born in 1968. I was given a pack of Pampers at the hospital and saved them until the first time my in-laws babysat, thinking it would be easier for them.  Well by the time they changed him the Pamper had given him a terrible rash which they thought he had, had all along and when they returned my baby the next day they threatened to take custody of him if I didn't take better care of him.  

I went right back to washing his cloth diapers in the tub and hanging them on the line so there was no more rash and although my in-laws are very nice people -- I never quite forgot all that.


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## Aunt Marg

Della said:


> My son was born in 1968. I was given a pack of Pampers at the hospital and saved them until the first time my in-laws babysat, thinking it would be easier for them.  Well by the time they changed him the Pamper had given him a terrible rash which they thought he had, had all along and when they returned my baby the next day they threatened to take custody of him if I didn't take better care of him.
> 
> I went right back to washing his cloth diapers in the tub and hanging them on the line so there was no more rash and although my in-laws are very nice people -- I never quite forgot all that.


Boy, your in-laws were no-nonsense.

One of my best friends used Pampers on her first two kids (early to mid 80's), and they always had red irritated bottoms and diaper rash. We used to babysit for one another, and my friend used to comment (all the time) as to how healthy my kids bottoms were.

Fast-forward to 1986, my friend gave birth to her third child, and she went straight to using cloth diapers. At the time, her middle child was still in diapers, and I recall her disbelief as to how fast her toddlers rash problems disappeared.

Even as fastidious as I was when it came to laundering diapers, diaper rash still occasionally made it's rounds in our home, though rare. Still, I'm convinced those old-fashioned rubber pants didn't do babies bottoms any favours in the rash department, and I was bad for using them all the time.


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## charry

Yes  Marg I used those Terry towelling nappies......I had  my sons in 1975 and 1977......Hated the messy ones, I’m afraid to say ,I used to throw away the really bad ones  yuk......


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## Aunt Marg

charry said:


> Yes  Marg I used those Terry towelling nappies......I had  my sons in 1975 and 1977......*Hated the messy ones, I’m afraid to say ,I used to throw away the really bad ones  yuk*......


OMG, Charry, this is my laugh of the day! 

How I remember the really bad ones. The stained rubber panties... the extended soaking required in the toilet before rinsing... standing said kid up in the bathtub to unpin and drop diapers... having to bath said kid from the waist-down before being able to re-diaper them... oh my word.

Maybe I was doing it all wrong and should have tossed out a few, too! LOL!


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## Kadee

Pappy said:


> All thee of my kids wore cloth diapers. Disposables weren’t on the market yet. At least we were not filling up the landfill with dirty diapers.


And shopping centre carparks ,I’d hate to think just how many disposable nappies (as they are called in Australia ) have to be picked up by SC car park cleaners / gardeners @Pappy


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## Aunt Marg

Kadee46 said:


> And shopping centre carparks ,I’d hate to think just how many disposable nappies (as they are called in Australia ) have to be picked up by SC car park cleaners / gardeners @Pappy


Or left in shopping carts as I so found out one shopping day.


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## jerry old

This is a crappy topic


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## Ken N Tx




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## StarSong

Diapers were a phase my children moved through.  I had no drama over it one way or another.


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## Aunt Marg

No drama, just trauma, for those of us who used pins!


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