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My first two wore cloth diapers and every morning 12-16 diapers were on the clothes line. It was the economic solution for a young family. Today, clothes lines are often banned because they are uncool.
Canada is following the UK and making all sorts of big statements about single use plastics. That should include a ban on single use plastic diapers, but I have a feeling that some single use plastics are excluded.
I remember washing diapers daily, too, when I had two wearing them, and when I had one child wearing them, I washed every second to third day. Line-dried all the way, other than when the weather turned miserable and cold (Winter months).
I always doubled when diapering, so two diapers used at every change, equating to some 30 (or more) diapers daily when I had two in them.
An absolute insult whenever I read of housing complexes and residential areas that have bans on outdoor clotheslines in place. Totally unacceptable.
As for the new plastics ban that Canada is implementing, I agree, I, can see exceptions being made, which is a shame, because my take is, all or nothing.
I remember washing diapers daily, too, when I had two wearing them, and when I had one child wearing them, I washed every second to third day. Line-dried all the way, other than when the weather turned miserable and cold (Winter months).
I always doubled when diapering, so two diapers used at every change, equating to some 30 (or more) diapers daily when I had two in them.
An absolute insult whenever I read of housing complexes and residential areas that have bans on outdoor clotheslines in place. Totally unacceptable.
As for the new plastics ban that Canada is implementing, I agree, I, can see exceptions being made, which is a shame, because my take is, all or nothing.
It was like a rite of passage into motherhood with 12 - 24 diapers on the line, squeaky pulley and all. Single friends couldn't believe that educated women would do such an old fashioned thing, but I have fond memories of that time and we sure saved a lot of money!
Prime Minister Trudeau is proudly announcing a ban on single use plastics, but I really don't think he has thought it through. If he had, he wouldn't be talking about straws and bottles. He would be talking about disposable diapers for all ages (including seniors), water and pop bottles, food containers throughout grocery stores and so much more. It seems like an entire cultural shift that could only take place over a couple of generations. Furthermore, in so many ways it is retro to a time of pre-disposable markets. That's the opposite of what corporations want, because the more disposable products we use, the more money corporations make.
My kid was born in 1995. I used tiny flannel washcloths. When we went out, I'd carry a few cloths and two ziploc bags - one for clean, one for dirty.
I did use disposable diapers, though. We lived in a condo, and weren't allowed to hang clothing on our balcony. There were a couple of diaper services in town at the time, but they were even more expensive than disposables.
OK, maybe the cloth wipes and dipes/nappies worked great for a generation of people where there was a parent staying home who had time to wash all that laundry - and boil water, sanitize, etc. But these days a lot of parents both have to work and I cannot see a two-working-parent household having time for cloth diapering and cloth wipes and all that extra cleaning/sanitizing that's involved. Plus - day care?
This is a big cue for the diapering services to start gearing up because the parents that can afford it will turn more to them! Too bad for the poor or lower middle class who can't. Again.
OK, maybe the cloth wipes and dipes/nappies worked great for a generation of people where there was a parent staying home who had time to wash all that laundry - and boil water, sanitize, etc. But these days a lot of parents both have to work and I cannot see a two-working-parent household having time for cloth diapering and cloth wipes and all that extra cleaning/sanitizing that's involved. Plus - day care?
This is a big cue for the diapering services to start gearing up because the parents that can afford it will turn more to them! Too bad for the poor or lower middle class who can't. Again.
Yep. I stayed home with my son for his first year, and we did cloth diapers. I washed them every other day or so and it was a 3-4 hour process. Then we opened a store which I'm at, with my son, for nearly 12 hours a day; even if I were inclined to deal with the extra hassles of cloth diapers and wipes here at the store, lugging that laundry back and forth or finding time in my working schedule to wash the diapers properly is just not feasible.
The UK has considered banning wet wipes that are made from plastic and which are not biodegradable, which block sewer systems causing fatbergs and which damage marine life in our seas and oceans.
However there are alternative biodegradable wet wipes, which are increasingly replacing traditional pleastic wet wipes.
The UK Government has not put in place any legislation, and so far it's retailers that are taking the initiative, with a new flushable logo and with many large chains replacing traditional plastc wet wipes with more environmentally friendly biodegradable wipes.
It was like a rite of passage into motherhood with 12 - 24 diapers on the line, squeaky pulley and all. Single friends couldn't believe that educated women would do such an old fashioned thing, but I have fond memories of that time and we sure saved a lot of money!
Prime Minister Trudeau is proudly announcing a ban on single use plastics, but I really don't think he has thought it through. If he had, he wouldn't be talking about straws and bottles. He would be talking about disposable diapers for all ages (including seniors), water and pop bottles, food containers throughout grocery stores and so much more. It seems like an entire cultural shift that could only take place over a couple of generations. Furthermore, in so many ways it is retro to a time of pre-disposable markets. That's the opposite of what corporations want, because the more disposable products we use, the more money corporations make.
Absolutely. I have always thought of the use of traditional old-fashioned cloth diapers as being the benchmark of motherhood, and yes, the memories I have of the squeaky pulley wheels when drawing the line in or out, and the plasticy sound the rubber pants would make when I'd give them a smart snapping flap, before pinning them to the line.
Money savings? Gosh, yes, to the nth. Back when I was diapering, a dozen cotton flannelette diapers ran $9 (and change), pins could be had for pennies, and rubber pants (6 pairs to a pack) cost just over a $1 when Kmart ran their Baby Week Sale, and when Woolco put on 1.44 Day, I used to arrive home with two packs of rubber pants (12 pair) for $1.44. Talk about thrifty diapering. How much more economical does it get.
I agree with all that you said. Couldn't have said it better.
I used cloth diapers forty-six years ago. In fact, that used to be a common shower gift.
But when I dropped in to leave a post I wasn't even thinking of babies. People didn't commonly take babies out in public frequently in my grandma's days. Even in the Seventies when I had children there were few facilities with equipment to accommodate baby and toddler's needs.
Mom used to carry a wet wash cloth in a plastic bag when we were out for a day. And the old-timers? If they needed to wash a spot off of a grandchild's face? They spit on their handkerchief and used that. I recall being subject to more than one of those face-washings.
I used cloth diapers forty-six years ago. In fact, that used to be a common shower gift.
But when I dropped in to leave a post I wasn't even thinking of babies. People didn't commonly take babies out in public frequently in my grandma's days. Even in the Seventies when I had children there were few facilities with equipment to accommodate baby and toddler's needs.
Mom used to carry a wet wash cloth in a plastic bag when we were out for a day. And the old-timers? If they needed to wash a spot off of a grandchild's face? They spit on their handkerchief and used that. I recall being subject to more than one of those face-washings.
Absolutely. When my kids were little, bibs, baby bottle nipples, diaper pins, rubber pants, and a dozen flannelette diapers was the standard as far as baby showers went.
I used cloth diapers forty-six years ago. In fact, that used to be a common shower gift.
But when I dropped in to leave a post I wasn't even thinking of babies. People didn't commonly take babies out in public frequently in my grandma's days. Even in the Seventies when I had children there were few facilities with equipment to accommodate baby and toddler's needs.
Mom used to carry a wet wash cloth in a plastic bag when we were out for a day. And the old-timers? If they needed to wash a spot off of a grandchild's face? They spit on their handkerchief and used that. I recall being subject to more than one of those face-washings.
I made sure the diaper bag had two or three plastic bread bags inside for wet and dirty diapers while out of the home. In addition to the bread bags, a thermos of hot water and a couple of baby washcloths was the norm for me whenever I was out shopping or visiting with the kids, and putting two diapers on under rubber pants (double diapering) helped ensure whatever my kids did in their pants, stayed in their pants.
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But these days a lot of parents both have to work and I cannot see a two-working-parent household having time for cloth diapering and cloth wipes and all that extra cleaning/sanitizing that's involved. Plus - day care? 
