ok... I had my babies in the late 70's and early 80's. I used cloth diapers - Curity Gauze if I remember correctly. I folded them in thirds and then folded as big of a flap as i needed to (to the front for my boy and the back for my girl) to fit. Then pinned them shut with sliding head diaper pins. Used rubber pants (they were likely plastic) too.
Disposable diapers were not widely available. I remember Baby Scotts and Luvs. Maybe Pampers were around too. They weren't too absorbent, they didn't wick like they do now and they didn't hold the breast-fed mustard poops in... so I LIKED cloth better.
I didn't like rinsing out diapers in the toilet, and stinky diaper pails, and hauling heavy wet diapers down two flights of stairs to the laundry, but that is what it took!!!