The History Of Nappies

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Parents of newborn babies and young toddlers rely on modern nappies every day to help make their job as easy as possible. At the same time, many people suffering from incontinence rely on adult nappies to help keep as mobile and unencumbered as they can. As important as these modern conveniences are, it's incredible to think that the incontinence products and baby nappies that so many of us use every day were 100% different only fifty years ago or so. The history of nappies is compelling because the products that so many Australians use on a regular basis simply didn't exist a mere century ago. What did people in earlier times use to keep babies and incontinent people comfortable and hygienic? Read on to learn more.

Ancient Times -

Firstly, babies that lived in tropical climates didn't have to worry about the hassle of any kind of nappy. For the most part, those infants were kept naked most of the time. In other, colder parts of the world, many different materials were used to keep baby comfortable and clean. Animal skins were one popular choice, and linens were another. Plant materials like moss and leaves were often used as nappies back in those long ago times, as well. Ancient peoples definitely concerned themselves with nappies - they simply didn't have the means to make more convenient versions.

Elizabethan Times/The 1800s -

As people became more civilised, the demand for a better solution for babies and incontinent people grew. It may shock our modern sensibilities, but babies back during the 1800s were often kept in the same nappy for several days in a row. The nappy would be allowed to dry, then put right back on the infant. This was before people understood the important of hygiene; many didn't put two and two together about skin rashes and other issues until much later. Needless to say, this was a smelly and inefficient way of handling the issue.

The 20th Century - And Beyond -

The real revolution in nappies didn't happen until the middle of the 20th century. During the 1950s, a woman called Mrs. Hellerman devised the first pre-folded nappy. This reduced the workload of weary mothers everywhere, and prompted a lot of brainstorming among people who wanted a cleaner, gentler way to use nappies. From there, the late 1970s and early 1980s - along with the invention of plastic - propelled the first disposable nappies into existence. Today, there are many really great configurations for nappies that can be used by babies and older, incontinent people. Without question, modern adult nappies allow people to go about their daily business without shame or embarrassment - and that's one of the best things of all.

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