Remembering our old-fashioned motherhood days...
12-01-2023, 08:09 AM
#41
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Originally Posted by NZquilter
As a "young" mom in the thick of it I have to say, not as much has changed as you might think. I say "young" because while my age is still young, I feel much older, as I'm expecting our seventh baby next summer and had twins last Christmas! I still have cribs with the sides that lower and I let my babies sleep as they like. Heavens, I would probably get a wrap on the knuckles by the "experts", but my twins have shared their crib together since the first day home from the hospital. They sleep better that way, curled up beside each other. It's so cute, because my little girl twin always scoots over to her twin brother's side of the crib and snuggles up, sometimes even laying on him! And he sleeps right through it!
I also prop their bottles up for their feeds with baby blankets. It's the only way I can do it most days! I breastfed all our other babies, but couldn't keep it up with the twins, especially with them being premature.
I do raise all our kids very simply and let them play by themselves. I had someone over to visit the other day and she was shocked how, once the twins had finished their breakfast of dry cheerios, I took them out of their high chairs and went and put them to play on the living room floor, then came back to the kitchen to start dishes. She was asking if they were okay by themselves and I said, " oh yes they are fine. The two and four year olds will keep an eye on them!"
I will say that one thing that has probably changed is the disposable diapers aren't as horrible nowadays as you described, with the bunching up, leaking and tearing. If you get a good brand, ie Costcos or Sams Clubs, they are pretty good and don't scream plastic. I did do cloth diapers for two of our babies, until the twins came, and honestly with the price of water nowadays, I don't know if it saved much $$$, which was the main reason I did it. I did like the fact that I never ran out of diapers, and if the pile of clean diapers was low, I would just wash another load. But when the twins arrived, they were so small! Even the hospital disposal preemie diapers were too big! And once the twins grew, I was so overwhelmed with two babies plus four other children, washing diapers wasn't on my radar. Costco diapers do the job! Maybe I'll do cloth diapers again for the next baby, since it's just one this time around!
As for little tikes running around in padded footie pajamas don't worry, we still get to enjoy that! I've done the cutting off the feet part of the pjs many times before, too. And then when the pajamas are too old to wear, I cut them into memory bears for the kids. They love that!
I also prop their bottles up for their feeds with baby blankets. It's the only way I can do it most days! I breastfed all our other babies, but couldn't keep it up with the twins, especially with them being premature.
I do raise all our kids very simply and let them play by themselves. I had someone over to visit the other day and she was shocked how, once the twins had finished their breakfast of dry cheerios, I took them out of their high chairs and went and put them to play on the living room floor, then came back to the kitchen to start dishes. She was asking if they were okay by themselves and I said, " oh yes they are fine. The two and four year olds will keep an eye on them!"
I will say that one thing that has probably changed is the disposable diapers aren't as horrible nowadays as you described, with the bunching up, leaking and tearing. If you get a good brand, ie Costcos or Sams Clubs, they are pretty good and don't scream plastic. I did do cloth diapers for two of our babies, until the twins came, and honestly with the price of water nowadays, I don't know if it saved much $$$, which was the main reason I did it. I did like the fact that I never ran out of diapers, and if the pile of clean diapers was low, I would just wash another load. But when the twins arrived, they were so small! Even the hospital disposal preemie diapers were too big! And once the twins grew, I was so overwhelmed with two babies plus four other children, washing diapers wasn't on my radar. Costco diapers do the job! Maybe I'll do cloth diapers again for the next baby, since it's just one this time around!
As for little tikes running around in padded footie pajamas don't worry, we still get to enjoy that! I've done the cutting off the feet part of the pjs many times before, too. And then when the pajamas are too old to wear, I cut them into memory bears for the kids. They love that!
I never roomed two babies in one crib at a time, but do remember having two in diapers at the same time and laying both little ones down in one crib (side-by-side) and changing them.
Love that you prop bottles! Gosh, propping bottles was how my mom did it with my baby siblings on occasion (when they were younger), and I even remember propping an occasional bottle when babysitting, and of course I propped with my own kids.
Yes, I agree, disposable diapers have come such a long way from the old-fashioned disposable diapers I remember from the past.
Such a sweet idea your memory bears idea is!
12-01-2023, 08:13 AM
#42
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Originally Posted by bearisgray
Wonder what people did for "diapers" before "cloth" was available?
Especially in cold climates?
Especially in cold climates?
How unheathy that would have been. I can only imagine the skin woes and chronic diaper rash the babies suffered.
12-01-2023, 08:42 AM
#43
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Originally Posted by NZquilter
I wonder what moms did before rubber pants?
I read once that the poor moms in London's slums in the '40s and '50s would let their babies and toddlers go diaperless because it was easier to clean a mess on the floor than wash laundry all day.
I read once that the poor moms in London's slums in the '40s and '50s would let their babies and toddlers go diaperless because it was easier to clean a mess on the floor than wash laundry all day.
Cloth diapering without rubber pants would have been a no-go for me, I would not have even considered it. I used rubber pants on my kids around the clock, 24/7/365, birth to potty.
Rubber pants... one of the greatest motherhood inventions of all!
Always found it interesting, the strong divide that existed when it came to old-fashioned rubber pants. Seemed there was only two camps... the one camp consisting of mothers who absolutely loathed rubber pants, while the other camp, the camp I belonged to, consisting of moms that loved using rubber pants and swore by them.
Reflecting upon my babysitting days, it was always rubber pants over the diapers, and I never had a problem with them. Same goes for diaper pins, never had a problem using them, yet I know of moms to this day that absolutely hated using diaper pins.
12-02-2023, 06:08 AM
#47
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Originally Posted by bearisgray
Knitted wool diaper covers are still available. Has anyone used them?
What are/ have been diaper covers actually made of?
It does seem that latex was actually used at one time.
What are/ have been diaper covers actually made of?
It does seem that latex was actually used at one time.
100% vinyl/plastic, is what I remember diaper covers being made of. Do remember nylon pants, but never used those either.
I loved the simplicity of good old-fashioned rubber pants. Quick off and on at change-time, elasticiized leg and waist openings always made for a good fit, a quick wipe with a baby washcloth (between changes) when/if they needed it, into the diaper pail when wet/soiled, could be laundered in the washing machine with the diapers, and being 100% vinyl/plastic, they were 100% waterproof.
12-02-2023, 06:30 AM
#48
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I can totally relate. I chose to stay home with my kids until they were in their teens. It was tight but we didn't spend like nowadays. We didn't go on big vacations, buy anything on credit (except our farm). Bought used vehicles. If we couldn't afford it we did without if possible. Once the farm was paid for, we had more disposable income to afford more. But still, don't buy unless we had the money in the bank or it was an absolute necessity. It was a good life.
12-03-2023, 07:24 AM
#50
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Originally Posted by Karamarie
I can totally relate. I chose to stay home with my kids until they were in their teens. It was tight but we didn't spend like nowadays. We didn't go on big vacations, buy anything on credit (except our farm). Bought used vehicles. If we couldn't afford it we did without if possible. Once the farm was paid for, we had more disposable income to afford more. But still, don't buy unless we had the money in the bank or it was an absolute necessity. It was a good life.
Your post is exactly how I remember people living when I was young and growing.
