The Life and Times of the Diaper Quiz

Answer: True

They say the first diaper would have been used as soon as Adam and Eve had their first baby. As we all share the same bodily functions, people have recorded them throughout history. Animal skins and leaves were the most popular types, often in combination. Moss was used by the Inuit inside the animal skin, while many native Americans used grass in a similar way.

Answer: True

This is actually true although more likely in the rural areas. Partly because the weather is better, in the hotter tropical areas many families simply watch the baby for telltale clues something is about to happen and take them outside to perform in the open. No doubt this is a fairly efficient method or it wouldn't be so widespread.

Answer: True

Yes, in the US west pioneer age, wet nappies were usually hung in front of the fire to dry and used until something else happened requiring a wash. Nappy rash was the inevitable consequence, but before the 20th century the causes of nappy rash were unknown, so no connection was made at the time.

Healthy urine is sterile so no germs would be involved normally, but the uric acid and ammonia from the decomposition would be the main cause of irritation.

Answer: It is a type of geometric pattern

Diaper originally meant a type of geometric pattern on fabric, and diaper patterned cotton was the main fabric for the washable napkin used from the late 19th century onwards. Although Thomas Crapper did in fact design toilets by coincidence (the word came long before the person) Hiram Diaper did not exist in such a capacity.

Answer: Super absorbent polymer

Super absorbent polymer (SAP) was originally used in the late 1970s in covers to protect beds from incontinent patients. The Japanese developed the idea to use it in diapers in 1982, and it is used in many other sanitary products, although it was withdrawn from tampons as the stored material could cause toxic shock syndrome. Tissue paper and cellulose were used in the first disposable diapers, but the capacity was vastly increased with the use of SAP. Silica gel is used in small packets to absorb moisture from the air in many manufactured items but not suitable for diapers.

Answer: 1940s

The first attempts at disposable diapers came from tissue or similar pads inserted into cotton diapers, and the first known one to be manufactured was a cellulose insert in rubber pants by Paulistrom in Sweden in 1942. In the USA in 1946, Marion Donovan put a shower curtain across a diaper as an experiment to isolate the waste material, allowing the whole thing to be safely thrown away.

She created four patents altogether, including the poppers which first replaced the pins, which then became sticky tapes and velcro later on.

They say where there's muck, there's money, and it must have made her a pile...

Answer: Colour changing indicators

Using the same principle as litmus paper, colour changing indicators use a small piece of material with a sensitive substance inside, changing colour when wet with urine. This can either be a moisture indicator like cobalt chloride, which changes from blue to pink when wet, or pH based, as the combination of urine, the water making it up and the carbon dioxide in the air would make a wet nappy pH8-9. Bedwetting alarms use the urine to complete a circuit to wake the child up with an alarm but would hardly be practical in diapers. Asking the baby sounds like a joke but once they're around two or even earlier many babies are quite capable of telling someone, but until then, it's better to see it. Leakage of course would also let you know but is something manufacturers do their best to stop.

Answer: 2800

Diaper usage reduces after the first few months, and as calculated by the Pediatric Health Care Alliance it begins around 10 a day for month one, then by month five goes down to about 8 a day. Using this as a guide the average baby will get through 2788 diapers in its first year, costing, in 2010, $557.60, with disposables at 20c apiece. (The study was conducted in the US.)

Answer: Goodmama's customs

Goodmama's make reusable cloth bamboo velour diapers, which sell in various designs for around $28 and made in the USA. They have poppers along all the edges and padded, sewn inserts for added comfort. But they also had a custom line and one patterned version went for $180 at auction. Louis Vuitton make a diaper bag for £2,200, while the other two do make premium brands, with Benetton displaying their United Colours and other artistic designs on their version while some Pampers show characters from Sesame Street. Both the Pampers and Benetton are disposable. I have yet to find any which went for more than the customs but someone may.

Answer: 3 years old

This is not such an easy figure to work out as cultures vary and start potty training at different ages. Other factors include when children get fed up wearing them and ask to stop, and parents who prefer not to take risks. Up till recently, in the UK state schools did not take children till they stopped needing them, and as compulsory schooling was at 5 then parents did their best to make them ready well before then.

In fact, since the law changed more children are using them later simply as the parents don't bother to take the effort now.

But three is the average age across many studies, although some may need a year or two longer at night as it takes some children longer to stay dry while asleep.