How to Put on an Old Fashioned Cloth Diaper With Pins
Before the advent of disposable diapers, mothers clothed their babies' bottoms with old-fashioned cloth diapers held together with safety pins. In these environmentally-challenged times, many mothers are once again turning to cloth diapers as an economical and earth-friendly way to keep their babies dry. Great care needs to be taken when putting a cloth diaper on a baby so as not to harm the baby with the safety pin. For extra protection against leaks, many mothers still use the time-honored rubber or plastic panties over the diapers.
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Instructions
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Spread the changing pad out on a clean counter top, a bed or a changing table. Open the diaper to its full size, and fold it in half from one narrow end to the other. Starting again from the narrow end, fold it in half again if you are diapering an infant or very small baby. For a pre-folded diaper with reinforced middle, simply lay it flat. Again, you may have to fold it in half starting from the narrow end if you are diapering a very small infant. Position the diaper so that the baby will be lying on it lengthwise. Open both safety pins and place them near the diaper.
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Clean the baby's diaper area gently but thoroughly, and place the child on the clean diaper so that the top end of diaper comes to the baby's waist. Apply any baby oils, lotions, ointments or powders at this point.
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Bring the other end of the diaper up between the baby's legs, and bring two corner ends together to overlap on either the right or left side. Tuck your fingers under the overlapping corner ends to create a barrier between the baby's skin and the safety pin.
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Slide the pointed end of the pin in through the material until you can feel it connecting with both corner ends. Bring the pointed end back up through the outer section of the corner ends, and close the pin. Repeat this procedure on the other side, making sure to create a snug fit so the diaper won't fall off the baby. The safety pin locking ends should be on the outside layer of material on both sides of the diaper, and should not come into contact with the baby's skin.
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Slip rubber or plastic pants over the clean diaper. Flush the toilet, and remove any solids from the soiled diaper by swishing it around in the toilet water. Wring out the diaper and flush the toilet again. Place the dirty diaper in a diaper pail that contains soaking solution or bleach mixed with hot water.
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Tips & Warnings
Wash your hands well after changing a soiled diaper, and especially after soaking it in the toilet and wringing it out. Wear plastic gloves for extra protection.
Keep safety pins in a safe place out of the reach of children, and keep the diaper pail covered at all times and in a place that is also inaccessible to children.
While rubber or plastic pants help prevent leaks, it's best not to use them all the time. They trap moisture inside, and prolonged exposure to dampness can cause diaper rash.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit diaper pin image by Marina Bartel from Fotolia.com
