Wellll!!-21 years ago today I received a phone call in Meadville,PA, that I had a new grand-daughter, Rachel Elizabeth. Wonderful news! Today I had lunch with her, and my 2 daughters at Via Maria in Holland, MI. Yummmy!!!
Last week one of my great-nieces ( and they are GREAT!) noted in FB that, she had put her son, Oliver, in cloth diapers for the first time..HMMmmmmm.......I thought to myself and said to her “that this was a huge change from when I/we had our babies”.
First of all- we had to purchase flannel and we MADE our own diapers. Grandma
Casemier would have to go to the hospital again. It was.a great Saturday, We didn’t know she would be going to the hospital that very afternoon. We also didn't realize it was the going to be the last 10 days of her life….
My Mother asked me to come in the bedroom and said to me .”There is an envelope in the dresser drawer. Take it out, which i did-and handed it to her..I want you to use this to buy the flannel to make diapers
I said "I will get it later, Mom" and she told me "NO! you get it now, so no one will be able to say anything." So I took it out of the dresser and bought flannel to make diapers. (Later)
And So _ I made diapers...can't remember how many, but plenty of them. Our first baby was born, and of course — I used the diapers!!!. (Uncle Jer was in Germany)
OK-the baby had a dirty pants, changed Her and rinsed the soiled ones out in the toilet..What a stinky job. Then we put them in the diaper pail , and when that was full we would throw them in the wash machine, which at the time our first one was born, was a wringer washer…I wonder how many of you know what that is.
Then we did a complete cold water rinse, in the wash machine, and then had to wash them in hot-hot water and Ivory Soap! Next— wring them out in the wringer to the first rinse, repeat and put them through the 2nd rinse. .... Then had to wring them out,again,the third rinse and it was a sunny day, warm and a little windy...then they would dry faster.. Of course, when we took them down from the clothesline we had to fold them in the proper way , so they would be ready to use them -which was quite often; as you know how it is with babies. So all you young mother's- my great-nieces , or married to my great nephews.....don't you think you have it better now? We even hung the diapers out in the winter, (to make them fresher) but they would freeze sometimes, and then we had to get those frozen things off the line, and bring them in to dry in the basement. At least we got fresh air and exercise. I don;t think I had an automatic washer and dryer until the 4th child was born, and that was great! So when you're feeling tired and worn out, just think how tired and worn out we were some 60+ years ago.....
But, you know, I think that things were easier in other ways during those years.
Think on these things when changing your little baby----they are grown up so fast....
Way too fast! Enjoy them! Edna Casemier Venlet
Hey- I love you all !!!
