Endora

What a thoughtful gift. So helpful for a worn-out mom.

Endora

Goodness me, I wouldn't have wanted that job either! I share the same sentiment as you do regarding folding (proper fit), and I recall on hot days, how I could hang a load of diapers on the line, and it seemed no sooner I had the last diaper tacked to the line, it was time to take them down.

I didn't mind using rubber pants, but when a diaper leaked out the legs and into the pants, you were left with no choice other than to pull those soiled rubber pants down baby's legs, dragging the mess all the way down with them.

I remember my mom using regular, ordinary safety pins for a short time with my baby sister (early 60's), have no idea why, but when the next sibling came along (my baby brother), I was old enough to start changing him, and I remember using proper diaper pins on his diapers. As for babysitting outside of the home, proper diaper pins were always used.

Endora

The cloth diapers that you used, were they still the old-fashioned ones with pins?

Endora

I'm proud of you! I think more mothers today should be using cloth diapers.

Endora

And yet another mother who had more than one in cloth diapers. Definitely had a way of keeping a mother busy. I do remember...

Stitchnripper

I listened to a podcast once where the fellow was talking about the advantage/disadvantage of using disposables vs. washables. He didn't talk about diapers exactly, and I know they fill up the landfills and will never decompose, but he said first that he wasn't taking a position, that everyone would do what they wanted and he wasn't an advocate in either direction, but after much study it turned out, at least from his research, that it was a wash whether one uses disposables or non and washes them using water, energy, etc. Just something to consider. I'm not taking a position either one way or the other. Just offering that up for thought.

Endora

I watched a segment on television one day where the host and panel of guests were discussing cloth vs disposables, and though I'm staying neutral in my argument, too, one of the guests brought up the fact as to how much water is used in the manufacturing process of disposable diapers, the chemicals used, the energy expelled in the manufacturing process, the pollution involved, the plastic used for waterproofing the diapers, the paper and gel inside the diapers to make them absorbent, and the consumer packaging, and while cotton requires a considerable amount of water (including bleaching) when transformed into clothing and garments, cloth, as far as all information put forth that day on the program, beat-out disposables considerably, particularly the plain, simple, old-fashioned square and rectangle diapers of the past.

It's so hard believing much of what we read about, hear about, and watch today, because everything in the way of information is so convoluted.

JenniePenny

oh Yes. The unfolded kind that required pins. I recall soaking the diapers in a Borax solution before I washed them. I don't know if Borax is still available (as I have no need to ever look for it)

Endora

I used to use something by the name of Diaper Pure, also used Borax, too, but the Diaper Pure diaper washing agent smelled so clean and fresh. Sometimes after changing a really messy diaper, I'd set it into the toilet to soak for 30-40 minutes before rinsing, then into the diaper pail it would go. Rubber pants got soaked in my laundry room sink/tub, then hand-washed and pinned up on the line to dry with the diapers.

Sleepy Hollow

I was five when my brother was born, and had to change his diaper (with safety pins) often.

I was going to use cloth diapers with my son to save money, was even given a bunch. However, he was a preemie, and when we brought him home all the diaper covers were too big around his legs and the diapers just leaked everywhere. Then-husband went and bought disposables, and by the time my son was big enough to use the cloth diapers without issues, we were spoiled and stayed with disposables. It helped that we'd get big Costco boxes of diapers for birthday and Christmas presents!