Humans and diapers

[too-open-minded]

I posted this in other sciences months ago with 99 views and no replies. I'm guessing it was in the wrong area, posting this again hoping to get some info. Please mods, don't take this down. I'm really curious about this, I know it's dumb but the question has just been aching at me. If I don't get any responses this time I promise I'll leave the topic alone.

 

How long have humans wore diapers or cloths over our infants? Is this something all cultures have done or only a select few?

 

I can't seem to find any information on google, as all that comes up is information on disposable diapers.

[hypervalent_iodine]

The use of disposable diapers is obviously a pretty recent thing, but I would imagine the use of cloth is not so old either given how expensive it would have been. I found a few randome websites with some timelines:

 

http://www.hellobee.com/2012/07/20/a-history-of-diapers/

http://www.diaperjungle.com/history-of-diapers.html

 

The main idea being that prior to cloth, which seems to have come into popularity amongst the masses last century, plant matter and furs were the done thing.

 

I also came across this, which I thought was pretty interesting (or as interesting as diapers can be). A few comments I read mentioned that this was a pretty common practice in poorer areas of places like China in lieu of available diapers.

[too-open-minded]

Thankyou!

[barfbag]

I would imagine the idea is as old as clothing itself. If you were a Neanderthal Mom and you frequently did not have to clean poop up from all over your cave because he was wearing pants, then you might make the baby wear pants all the time. Then use older worn pants underneath to protect the new furs and the diaper is born.

 

If you are really interested in this sort of thing I recommend the Fiction book series "Clan of the Cave Bear" and is a well researched fiction series regarding the dawn of man. It is one of the few series I've reread and plan to again. 7 books now. 4 when I first read it.