Are old diapers safe to use or not?

barrelracer28

My grandmother gave me a bunch of totes of old diapers from when she ran a daycare back in the late 80s and early 90s as a first time mom I have no idea if they are safe to use on my son, but I'm not going to be picky if they are since money is tight. Any input and advice would be appreciated thank you and god bless.

00kim00

I don't know if any reason they'd not be "safe" (though there's likely some chemicals in them that aren't used anymore). That said, they definitely won't work as well. Not only has the technology and materials changed greatly since then, the materials are old. They won't be as absorbent, they may feel stiff and crinkly, and the fasteners from that time are likely adhesive rather than Velcro, so that will have degraded and won't be as sticky. That is, if they're still intact enough to be used and don't fall apart. Unlike current diapers, which do a phenomenal job at locking in moisture, with older diapers your child will have moisture next to their skin. That's not necessarily bad (cloth diapers are like that), but it's different than current disposable diapers and will need to be changed more often. They also probably don't have the yellow/blue line that tells you when it's wet. I'm not sure there's any harm in trying them, but I won't be surprised if you decide you prefer modern diapers

barrelracer28

I'm in no position to be picky especially being a single mom

00kim00

Even as a single mom, you may decide not to use them and to get something different, and that's okay. You'll have your own balance of positives and negatives, and it's totally possible that the negatives can outweigh free! If your baby has a reaction to something in it, they don't stay on, they cause painful diaper rash, leak after one pee so baby (and you) can't sleep at night, leak badly enough that your laundry is unsustainable or clothes and furniture and car seats are ruined, etc. Whether you end up using them or not, you get to make the best choice for your baby and your family, so don't let judgy people bother you or make you think you are "in no position to be picky". 

Also, look into diaper banks in your area, there may be places where you can get free diapers. And resources like WIC (if you're in the US) are worth looking into to see if you qualify. That provides food, but if you save $50/month on good, that's enough to cover diapers. Any support you can get will be helpful, and don't be afraid to access it. It takes a village!

barrelracer28

I've currently been using the diapers I got from his baby shower but I'm about out of those