Diapers

Years ago at my baby shower, my mother-in-law gave me a dozen pre-folded diapers and a dozen flat fold diapers. Checking on line, I find there are many more options for cloth diapers today, but that was all there was back then. Along with the diapers, I received big safety pins to hold the diapers in place and plastic pants to fit over them to prevent leaks. I also received several boxes of Pampers (the only brand available) in the newborn size.

When my daughter was born, she was on the small side. As soon as I brought her home, I laid her on the changing table and reached for one of the pre-folded cloth diapers. It fit from her knee caps to her shoulders with a huge bunch of cloth between her legs. There was no way this much cloth was going to work, so I used the snug-fitting Newborn Papers.

My mother-in-law arrived to see her new granddaughter. Of course, the baby needed a change of diapers as soon as Grandma walked in the door. Lovingly picking up her granddaughter, Grandma gave me a look only a mother-in-law can give. Laying the baby expertly on the changing table, Grandma reached for a cloth diaper. She quickly brought the sides together and, sure enough, it reached from daughter’s knees to her shoulders. Not missing a beat, the diaper was laid out flat on the changing table and a Pamper was deftly installed.

Not wanting to give up on the cloth diapers, I took a Pamper apart. It turns out the Pamper was exactly twice the length of a pre-folded cloth diaper. By folding them in half and duplicating the folding patter of the Pamper, I could iron the cloth diapers flat and use them. When finances were tight, I now had an alternative to Pampers.

Eventually, it was potty training time. By then I was using Pampers exclusively. Pull-ups and reclosable openings on Pampers were a long way from being invented and it was impossible to remove a Pamper and reinstall it. Like most toddlers, once they find out toilets get flushed after each use, they want to use them every 10 minutes. Not wanting to waste a good Pamper, my MacGyver instinct kicked in. Duct tape! There is a picture of my daughter in a Pamper with enough Duct tape on it to make even Red Green jealous.