What did medieval people use as diapers?

0 votes
asked Nov 30, 2021 in Baby/Newborn by diwad122 (890 points)
What did medieval people use as diapers?

1 Answer

0 votes
answered Nov 30, 2021 by Cathy21 (85,770 points)
Medieval people usually used animal skins to make diapers with.

The animal skins that diapers were made of were then usually packed with hay or grass.

The animal skin diapers were likely very uncomfortable but functional for the time.

Before diapers babies were either held over a spot on the ground to poop or pee or they wore cloth diapers made of rags or made of animal skins.

Some babies of years ago wore diapers made of animal skins that were packed with grass.

Eskimo babies used to wear diapers made of rabbit skin with grass packed under the diaper cover.

Native American mothers and Inca mothers in South America packed grass under a diaper cover made of rabbit skin.

In warmer tropical climates, babies were mostly naked and the waste cleaned up when it interfered with eating, sleeping or working.

Today though the Eskimo babies likely wear either cloth diapers or disposable diapers which are widely available now.

Inside a babies disposable diaper there's a gel known as SAP which is Super Absorbent Polymer.

This SAP or Super Absorbent Polymer is what absorbs the urine and holds the urine away from the babies skin when they pee.

The diaper swells up when wet because of this SAP.

Toddler diapers and adult diapers also have the SAP which makes the diapers absorb urine.

Super absorbent polymers are now commonly made from the polymerization of acrylic acid blended with sodium hydroxide in the presence of an initiator to form a poly-acrylic acid sodium salt (sometimes referred to as sodium polyacrylate).

This polymer is the most common type of SAP made in the world today.

Diapers do not expire and are safe and okay to use for many years as long as they have been stored properly.

Although after awhile if the diapers are not sealed in the package the plastic can turn a yellowish color and they may become brittle.

But it usually takes longer than 10 years for that to happen.

However as long as you use the diapers within 10 years or so the diapers should be just fine.

It's best to keep diapers sealed in their package until you're ready to use them but it's okay to remove the diapers and place the diapers in a dresser drawer, changing table drawers etc.

Most people will use diapers well within the 10 years time frame anyway so it's usually not a problem.

After 20 years or so the diapers would probably be brittle.

Diapers are made of plastic and also SAP for the absorbent material.

The plastic is what can degrade especially if let out in the heat too long or in the sun too long.

Properly stored out of the heat and sun though the diapers should be just fine for many years.

98,443 questions

94,801 answers

1,270 comments

6,992,632 users

...