A Brief History of Diapering in the US

A little disclaimer:

Before I delve into this, please hear me, I AM NOT saying paper diapers (or formula) are evil, bad, etc...  It is a matter of good, better, best, and sometimes, your own sanity.  Please look at this as information only and not a judgement on your own methods of dealing with your baby's physical needs.  These are my findings on my journey to where I am now, and what is working for me.  I may continue to change my methods - and I will still probably never get it "perfect"  :-).

When we finally had a choice:

The need for disposable diapers was born out of a shortage of cotton during WWII.  Necessity being the mother of invention...the first paper diapers were produced, as well as a waterproof shell or outer cover.  They did not become what we think of today until around the '70s, and were not really an affordable option until the '80s.  Forward thinkers realized the immense possibilities for making money and the industry took off.  Not many people now even think about cloth due to the overwhelming success of mass marketing campaigns, and the obvious benefit of not having to wash or deal with dirty diapers.  This happened at just the right time as the women's liberty movement was in full swing and things in our national culture were shifting.  The view of the domestic housewife was taking a less dominant role, and time and convenience (formula vs breast-milk ring a bell?) took precedence over actual studies or true medical research.  The medical community got on board just as they did with the formula companies mainly due to the fact that there was an opportunity to make money, and they could get in on some of it if they only helped along the advertising to their patients.  (See below for the now known risks  of paper diapers)

  

Infant potty training, and it's tie to cloth diapers:

Before the 1960's, it was uncommon for a child to go past 18(ish) months without being potty trained in the US.  This is believed to be directly related to the fact that cloth diapers allow the child to associate "wetness" with their elimination muscles being used and therefore, are more aware of how to control going "potty" at a younger age.  Physically speaking, children are able to control bladder and bowel muscles as early as 3 months (according to medical studies).  Not only that, but some parents I know personally have used key phrase or sound cues to help their young infant associate elimination with, thereby allowing them to be "potty trained" to used a bowl, or the toilet only when they hear the cue.  This means they "hold" it until they are over a receptacle of the parent's choice.  I am not talking about "making/forcing" your baby to potty train.  I am talking about a slow, gentle process of teaching them about their body and it's surroundings, (much like tummy time) in a way that is appropriate for their age.  Besides the benefit to the parent and pocketbook, the child will not have to sit in it's dirty/wet diaper as long - something I think every parent would rather have for their child.  I think that should you be interested in this method you must understand that it means you being available and extremely attentive to your baby's patterns.  It will be WORK!  But, you will not have a 3 year old who has been trained to think "wet" is ok, struggling with potty training.  Many cultures today, especially those whose custom it is to "wear" their babies practice infant potty training of some type.  Some African cultures babies don't even wear a cloth diaper since their mother's know their potty cue and successfully allow them to relieve themselves without soiling themselves or their mommy.  It is also interesting to note that most of the popular psychology on potty training involving "letting your child choose" or being "ready" was not introduced until AFTER the disposable diaper industry was firmly entrenched in our society.  (I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that more money can be made off of parents who have to buy diapers for 4 years vs 2?)  Incidentally, the timing of this ideology is congruent with the disposable diaper companies coming out with larger sizes and "pull-ups" on the market.  For a much better detailed explanation I highly recommend the book Early Start Potty Training by Linda Sonna.

The Health and Environmental Controversy in a nut shell:

"As with all products, there are advantages and disadvantages to disposable diapers. The new polyacrylate gel has been linked to some side effects, including allergic reactions such as skin irritations, and to toxic shock syndrome. In addition, the dyes in the diapers have been linked to damage of the central nervous system, and disposable diapers may contain low concentrations of dioxin, a by-product of the bleaching process used in the production of the paper pulp found in the absorbent layer. Dioxin has been linked to liver damage and immune system suppression."  Some members of the dioxin family are known to be one of the most potent cancer-causing chemicals to man. If you have a minute, this link has a great way of explaining the possible negatives of disposable diapers (I am not endorsing their brand, I have never used it.) What's inside Diapers?

"Disposables are also considered to be an environmental threat. Only some of the materials used in the diapers are biodegradable (the wood pulp and SAP). The polyethylene and polyester sheets are not biodegradable; neither is the elastic used for better fit, nor the polypropylene used for the tape that is employed as a fastener. Disposable diapers account for up to 2 percent of the total volume of landfills in the United States. The lifetime of the diaper in the landfill depends on several environmental factors: soil condition, groundwater flow, and the presence of other materials in the soil" Source (some places I have seen say 'hundreds' of years...)

I personally am most concerned with the chemicals that come into contact with my baby's largest organ, the skin.  When there are health concerns, AND you can save money by removing/reducing the potential hazard, then it seems obvious that it is a win-win alternative.  

The health of the babies skin in the diaper area is not only hampered by the chemicals.  Before the introduction of paper diapers it was a commonly held belief that babies who had diaper rashes were being neglected...think of it...a diaper rash was thought to be a sign of poor parenting!  This is because the incidence of those rashes, I believe, were lessened significantly by less exposure to human waste for long periods of time in cloth diapers, and the lack of irritation caused by chemicals/toxins/dyes in the diaper.  Since switching to cloth, Kendra has not had a diaper rash.  Now, "No more diaper rashes ever" is not a claim I am willing to make, but I do think that they may be decreased in severity and frequency with the use of proper hygiene and cloth diapers vs disposables.  If the average child spends 2 years in diapers, (for some much longer) think of all the time that they spending in direct contact with moisture, human waste, bacteria, and chemicals.  Then ask yourself if it is surprising that they get the occasional or chronic rash/infection.


(I do still use paper diapers though, hang in there for my "What I do" post to come.)