Things the older and maybe younger grandparents may find confusing. :-)

I agree,

I use baby wipes now instead of the lotion.

I was once told that if the baby Queen Elizabeth the First had been put in disposable Naples (when she was changed by Henry 8th) those nappies would still exist! They just take forever to degrade. I did try and suggest real nappies to DiL but they soon changed to disposables.

I have great difficulty opening and closing pushchairs and just can't fasten the seat belts in the children's car seats - I have to ask my husband. I'm very bad with those sort of practical things, and struggling with them makes me feel so stupid and inept that I often get close to tears.

I was equally as dopy as a new mum when I had great difficulty putting terry nappies on.

Never did master GC's buggies, all three of them, used to leave me fuming.
Napisan were the saving of me, I didn't have a washing machine until DD was a year old, everything was hand washed. They still hadn't perfected disposables by the time I had DS but I had a twin tub by then. Terry nappies and putting on of them was a doddle, having worked in a children's hospital I get plenty of practice.

I use baby wipes for leather upholstery. As for those early disposable nappies - Paddi Pads - they gave DS1 appalling nappy rash, so we had to give up using them on holiday. Later, Mothercare brought out an improved type which was the precursor of the vast variety available today. My DS1 and DiL had no trouble at all using modern 'real' nappies. Washing machines and tumble driers make these an easy and sensible alternative to disposables - and they don't clutter up landfill sites.

Ah! The Napisan bucket festering in the bathroom until you can't get anymore in. Upending it into the washing machine and boiling the said nappies until they are white and hygienic again.

I still have the large orange nappy bucket from 1977. I think it is made from tougher plastic than they are now. The lid died a long while ago.

To be fair, with an automatic washing machine, bought for baby number one, it became a manageable routine to do them. It nearly makes me feel nostalgic.

I had two babies in towelling nappies in 1978 ... how did I do it?!

I'm also daunted by the new grandson's buggy - haven't had to do it on oy own yet but the time will come!

I was very thankful that husband was here to erect the travelcot for the first time, it had me flummoxed. Took him a while too, it had a knack.

1978 - not twins BTW - just 18 months apart!

Amazed to see Bikkipegs still around, so at least one thing not changed, and still stay rock hard too! Always reminded me of the dogs' Bonios.

My two DC did quite well with Bonios loopylou

My DD also made straight for the bonios when visiting Grandad.They never did her any harm but the dog wasn't too pleased Nowadays she would be horrified if her DS did the same.

Bikkipegs, I had forgotten them. I think they were attached to a little ribbon?
We started babies on solids at as young as three weeks - now it's 6 months - and who remembers Farely's Rusks. I used to eat them and also chocolate rice for babies which came in a tin.

I love the modern inventions, the calpol dispensers and disposable nappies, I had disposables in 1986 when my DD was small but they were expensive and I used washable ones apart from when going out for the day and one day I could not settle her, I found that I had pinned the nappy on through her skin, she had a sore belly for a while but no other ill effects. That nappy certainly did not slip. lol

I loved the rusks....wonder how much sugar was in them?!? Littlest DGS (20 months) hasn't even had chocolate yet but does enjoy a scone!

Oh, and where did little baby gowns go? They actually fitted their little bodies and made nappy changing so easy. I 'shortened' all mine at 6 weeks....is that a Scots thing??

Must find Bikkipegs when 6week old GS is a bit bigger.....I don't think my daughter knows them!

Bikkipegs still have the ribbon [nostalgia emoticon], goodness knows what ingredients to keep them hard as cannot remember either of my children managing to finish one.
Farley's rusks were so sweet, had to hide them from DH who would happily have eaten the lot, probably much nicer than the rice cakes fed to babies today (they remind me of polystyrene ceiling tiles!) but no good for little teeth.

KateK I still have a baby gown belonging to me,now 77 years old, but nothing from my own DC.

Farleys Rusk were delicious they did put on the weight - but quite good nourishment for a new mum.

Not a fan of Rice Cakes but they don't make the same mess as the rusks did.!!!

The DSs didn't take to Farley's rusks or Farex, but their father ate the lot. I used Farlene for weaning, along with liquidised fruit and veg.

My cousin was the Farley's rusks baby in the 1940s/1950s - hers were the (very) chubby little rosy cheeks on all the advertising of the time. Looking at photos of her now, her weight would certainly be giving cause for concern! At the time, she was just admired as a bonny, bouncing baby, bless her.

As I remember Bikkipegs they were good to bite on when teething......

(No, not ME)

Does anyone else remember Virol malt extract? Came in a big brown jar, as sticky as anything else I can think of too!
And Dr. Collies Brown's which was rapidly re formulated when found to contain opium - marvellous for tummy aches! And Gripe Water that then contained alcohol! Not surprised it work, probably addictive too!

My younger sister had Virol. I had cod-liver-oil-and-malt. also very sticky