The History Of Diapers - Lil' Baby Cakes

Pampers Diapers Takes Off

Vic Mills, an employee of Procter and Gamble, loved the idea of disposable diapers and used them on a vacation with his grandson. However, he was unhappy with many aspects of these original disposables, and began developing a better product that came into the market in 1961. This product was known as Pampers, and in the intervening years, it would come to dominate the baby diaper landscape.Instead of using paper fibers, cellulose fibers were used to make the diapers more absorbent. This made Pampers an immediate hit. However, stores had no idea where to stock the items. Depending on the store, you could find Pampers in the convenience section, the food aisle, with the paper products, and even with medications! Although they were very convenient, they still had no way to keep them secure, so parents had to be sure to keep tape handy, until they implemented the idea of the self-clinging diaper.

Competition for Disposable Diapers

By the late 1960's, Pampers had competition with companies such as Huggies maker Kimberly-Clark. This competition was just what parents needed, because it spurred on new design improvements that led to better fitting, less leaky diapers. The biggest of these design improvements was the addition of lateral tapes, that helped the diaper stay secure on the baby, without the need of pins or tape, by Johnson and Johnson in 1970.

Other improvements included:

• More absorbency
• Hourglass shape for better fit between the legs
• Elastic in the legs and waist for a better fit
• New materials
• Aloe Vera, germ protection, skin conditioners, wetness indicators, and other product improvements
• Biodegradable materials

Cloth Diapers Revisited

Although a move to disposable diapers had begun, improvements to the cloth diaper continued. In 1946, Marion Donovan created something called a Boater, which was a waterproof covering for cloth diapers. The boater used snaps instead of pins, leading to a better fit, and by extension, better retention for baby waste.Then, in 1950, cloth diapers were improved again when diapers were packaged already pre folded. The fold added extra layers of cotton in the center of the diaper. The sewn-shut fold made the diaper the right size for most babies.Although cloth diapers took a backseat to disposables during the 70's and 80's, they made a huge comeback during the 90's due to the concern of environmental issues. The sheer number of disposable diapers in the landfills caused many parents to return to cloth diapers, which were reusable, and far more eco-friendly than their non-biodegradable cousins.The Internet took off during the same period of time, and large cloth diaper manufacturers established an online presence. The Motherease company began selling one-size-fits-all diapers by mail order before turning to the net, while BornToLove was the first online diaper company of its kind.Eventually, cloth diapers became a cottage industry, with BabyByYou owning the cottage licensing for many different types of cloth diapers. Parents around the world now make one-size-fits-all diapers, as well as fitted and contour diapers.Soon, the idea of “feeling” good on baby's skin became the cloth diaper craze. Companies like FuzziBunz and Happy Heinys came out with fleece diaper pocket covers. The cloth diaper was placed inside the fleece covering, offering the comfort of fleece against the baby's bottom, while keeping a baby warm no matter what the temperature might be.Then come something called wool soakers. These diaper covers are made from wool and are worn over diapers. They are soft, breathable, and have natural antibacterial properties. The best part is that they absorb 1/3 of their weight in water.Eventually, the actual cloth diaper, rather than the cover, began to change. GroVia received a patent for their hybrid cloth diaper in 2009, and one year later, Boingo Baby developed a new diaper fastener. In 2014, Diaper Diamond created a cloth diaper sprayer shield that makes it easier to rinse and clean cloth diapers.

A Fun Way to Gift Disposable Baby Diapers

In addition to the traditional use of disposable baby diapers, Lil’ Baby Cakes uses Pampers Swaddlers to create a beautiful, memorable, and 100% usable baby gift known as a baby diaper cake. With unique designs from jungle to snowman to twin monkeys, and fit for boys, girls, or in gender neutral varieties, mothers around the world are delighted to receive disposable diapers as a gift.

Why are baby diaper cakes such a wonderful gift for parents-to-be?

• They are beautiful.• They are memorable.• They are made with premium disposable diapers • They are decorated with quality products from Johnson & Johnson, Burt’s Bees, and Gund.• They can be used as gifts, shower centerpieces, or even fun baby sex reveal parties

The history of diapers is a work in progress. New developments continue to be made to both disposable and cloth diapers. Pampers, the first disposable, and the one we use for our baby diaper cakes, continues with new advances each year. As technology and medicinal practices continue to advance, it’s a sure bet that diapers will only to grow in both comfort and absorption as the years progress.Diapers, whether cloth or disposable, are becoming thinner, more comfortable, and more environmentally friendly each year. Comparisons to the first diapers are laughable, and by today’s standards, they seem primitive, even barbaric. However, as long as we have babies, there will be a need for diapers, so diaper changes will continue. Who knows, the advances in the diaper industry may make diapers today just as laughable.One thing is for certain. The history of diapers is a story that will be continued and Lil’ Baby Cakes will continue making quality diaper cakes for their customers.

You are invited to view our handmade creations using diapers: Lil' Baby Cakes