Remembering our old-fashioned motherhood days...
11-27-2023, 04:20 AM
#11
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Originally Posted by Onebyone
. I didn't do everything by the book or what was considered the way I should do things. Whole milk at age six months and table food at age one with their favorite jar baby foods. After bassinet age they slept anyway they wanted in a crib. No car seat laws then but I used the seats to keep them in one spot in the car. I guess it was okay, they both are healthy, smart, and living a good life as adults. Now my great grandson is being raised more relaxed then any of the grandchildren. No stress parenting is what my granddaughter calls it. He's seems to be thriving.
I tried my best to keep things simple and relaxing in my home, too. Do believe kids are more receptive to that than being raised in an oppressive environment.
11-27-2023, 04:36 AM
#12
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Originally Posted by sewbizgirl
I began with disposable diapers (the 80's) but changed to cloth diapers because my baby would get horrendous rashes from the absorbant gel in the disposables. I think today's disposables have something different in them, because my grand children have been fine with them. I double diapered and washed and hung them on the line. I had two little boys in diapers at the same time (1 year apart) so double that and you can imagine how my clothesline went all the way around my back yard. The neighbors joked that I must be diapering a dozen kids.
I actually loved hanging those dipes on the line. We had a fenced backyard and the 3 kids would play while I hung diapers. It was a very relaxing task and the dry diapers smelled so good from the outside air. We saved a mint on disposables.
I also breastfed all 3 of mine, so no formula to fool with here. One of my grands had to be bottle fed... so expensive! When the kids got to the age of adding food to their diet, I would usually blend up some of the soft foods we were eating. I love to give a blender as a baby shower gift, but some of todays new moms just look at it like a cow looks at a new gate.
Yes, it was a special time. I had my 3 babies in 4 years ('86, '88, and '89.) It was a handful, but at least they got to grow up always having someone to play with. Made the homeschooling easier, too.
I actually loved hanging those dipes on the line. We had a fenced backyard and the 3 kids would play while I hung diapers. It was a very relaxing task and the dry diapers smelled so good from the outside air. We saved a mint on disposables.
I also breastfed all 3 of mine, so no formula to fool with here. One of my grands had to be bottle fed... so expensive! When the kids got to the age of adding food to their diet, I would usually blend up some of the soft foods we were eating. I love to give a blender as a baby shower gift, but some of todays new moms just look at it like a cow looks at a new gate.
Yes, it was a special time. I had my 3 babies in 4 years ('86, '88, and '89.) It was a handful, but at least they got to grow up always having someone to play with. Made the homeschooling easier, too.
Two diapers under rubber pants was the standard when I used to babysit, every mother I babysat for double diapered, and my mom did the same with me and my baby siblings.
11-27-2023, 06:47 AM
#13
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I started out using cloth diapers because I got so many at my baby shower. That didn't last long, the cloth diapers with pins were not working for me. I was forever washing diapers and no diaper service around. I switched to disposables and that is all I used for both children.
11-27-2023, 08:03 AM
#14
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Originally Posted by Onebyone
I started out using cloth diapers because I got so many at my baby shower. That didn't last long, the cloth diapers with pins were not working for me. I was forever washing diapers and no diaper service around. I switched to disposables and that is all I used for both children.
I grew up with baby siblings that wore cloth diapers with pins, and I got lots of practice changing them, and cloth diapers with pins were in vogue when I babysat outside the home, too, and so when motherhood came along I was well-practiced and right at home with diapering the old-fashioned way.
Of course being the true old-fashioned mom that I was, I was adamant when it came to using cloth diapers with pins.
11-28-2023, 04:29 AM
#15
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Location: The Finger Lakes of upstate NY
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No diaper service out my way, an hour to a city. I quickly moved from cloth to disposables with the first (mid-80's) and never used cloth with the second. Working full time after a few months at home meant no time to do all of that laundry.
I double sheeted the crib; no idea where I found out to do that, but it was a help. I breast fed for a while, but switched bottles with both within a few weeks. Now, I realize I was definitely not drinking enough to produce enough - but with no internet to look anything up, no idea what the problem was, I just gave up. I tried calling LeLeche League in the city, but never heard back from them.
We did some purchased baby food - does anyone remember the freeze dried flakes? - but mostly just mashed/minced our food. Our younger daughter insisted that "baby lead weaning" was sooo much better than anything thought of before. When I found out that it's basically what we did, without a special name, I just giggled.
I don't know why flat spots on heads were unheard of when we had children. Maybe bc we had them "sitting up", surrounded by blankets or towels before they could do so on their own? Our girls LOVED their walker; it was never a safety issue bc I didn't ever leave them unattended. Nobody is perfect, but some of the things that have become problems seem odd to me, just watch the kids or put them someplace safe - a playpen or crib - if you can't watch them. We had no cell phones to have our noses pressed to all of the time, though, so I guess that was easier.
I double sheeted the crib; no idea where I found out to do that, but it was a help. I breast fed for a while, but switched bottles with both within a few weeks. Now, I realize I was definitely not drinking enough to produce enough - but with no internet to look anything up, no idea what the problem was, I just gave up. I tried calling LeLeche League in the city, but never heard back from them.
We did some purchased baby food - does anyone remember the freeze dried flakes? - but mostly just mashed/minced our food. Our younger daughter insisted that "baby lead weaning" was sooo much better than anything thought of before. When I found out that it's basically what we did, without a special name, I just giggled.
I don't know why flat spots on heads were unheard of when we had children. Maybe bc we had them "sitting up", surrounded by blankets or towels before they could do so on their own? Our girls LOVED their walker; it was never a safety issue bc I didn't ever leave them unattended. Nobody is perfect, but some of the things that have become problems seem odd to me, just watch the kids or put them someplace safe - a playpen or crib - if you can't watch them. We had no cell phones to have our noses pressed to all of the time, though, so I guess that was easier.
11-28-2023, 06:00 AM
#16
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It's a choice and should be for Moms today to go the cloth diaper route but I wonder what they get out of it in the long run except to say I used cloth diapers.The only day care that will use cloth diapers in town charges for diaper changes not disposable and hands the mom a bag of dirty diapers every day. A worker there said most of the new mothers with their firstborn last about two weeks of using cloth diapers. Reality sets in fast.
11-28-2023, 06:17 AM
#17
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My children were born before disposables so I had no choice. They came into being close to the time Sweet Son was getting potty trained. Also we had no money so it was a cost savings for me. I didn't work and had time to wash and hang diapers. We didn't have money for disposables had they existed.
11-28-2023, 06:41 AM
#18
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When I was born there was no disposables. All babies wore cloth diapers. I think that is why early potty training was the normal back then. When my mother heard of disposable diapers she said I had disposables too. I threw away most of the poopy ones. That was accepted to do according to her and my aunts.
11-28-2023, 07:12 AM
#20
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Originally Posted by peaceandjoy
No diaper service out my way, an hour to a city. I quickly moved from cloth to disposables with the first (mid-80's) and never used cloth with the second. Working full time after a few months at home meant no time to do all of that laundry.
I double sheeted the crib; no idea where I found out to do that, but it was a help. I breast fed for a while, but switched bottles with both within a few weeks. Now, I realize I was definitely not drinking enough to produce enough - but with no internet to look anything up, no idea what the problem was, I just gave up. I tried calling LeLeche League in the city, but never heard back from them.
We did some purchased baby food - does anyone remember the freeze dried flakes? - but mostly just mashed/minced our food. Our younger daughter insisted that "baby lead weaning" was sooo much better than anything thought of before. When I found out that it's basically what we did, without a special name, I just giggled.
I don't know why flat spots on heads were unheard of when we had children. Maybe bc we had them "sitting up", surrounded by blankets or towels before they could do so on their own? Our girls LOVED their walker; it was never a safety issue bc I didn't ever leave them unattended. Nobody is perfect, but some of the things that have become problems seem odd to me, just watch the kids or put them someplace safe - a playpen or crib - if you can't watch them. We had no cell phones to have our noses pressed to all of the time, though, so I guess that was easier.
I double sheeted the crib; no idea where I found out to do that, but it was a help. I breast fed for a while, but switched bottles with both within a few weeks. Now, I realize I was definitely not drinking enough to produce enough - but with no internet to look anything up, no idea what the problem was, I just gave up. I tried calling LeLeche League in the city, but never heard back from them.
We did some purchased baby food - does anyone remember the freeze dried flakes? - but mostly just mashed/minced our food. Our younger daughter insisted that "baby lead weaning" was sooo much better than anything thought of before. When I found out that it's basically what we did, without a special name, I just giggled.
I don't know why flat spots on heads were unheard of when we had children. Maybe bc we had them "sitting up", surrounded by blankets or towels before they could do so on their own? Our girls LOVED their walker; it was never a safety issue bc I didn't ever leave them unattended. Nobody is perfect, but some of the things that have become problems seem odd to me, just watch the kids or put them someplace safe - a playpen or crib - if you can't watch them. We had no cell phones to have our noses pressed to all of the time, though, so I guess that was easier.
Your entry related to surrounding baby with blankets and towels, reminded me of how I used ro prop my kids bottles on occasion when they were little. I recall drawing serious opposion and scorn from a few moms related to the practice, yet I remember propping was all in a day's work for a busy mom back in the day. I remember my own mom propping baby siblings bottles (late 60's, into the 70's).
