In addition to cloth diapers, babies got potty trained significantly younger than they do now. We had our daughter ~90% potty trained by her first birthday. From what we've found looking into it, that was extremely common until the past 50 years or so.
Its not uncommon now for 3 year-olds to still be in diapers. That's two full years longer in diapers, simply because parents either can't be bothered to potty train their children, or have been told its not possible to do it earlier.
When both our children was in daycare somewhere between the age 1-2, we told them that he (both times) was almost potty trained, but still need a diaper to sleep. They wanted to just give them a diaper and told us "oh, but boys get out of the diaper later". No lady, he is well aware of when he needs to go, and we've trained this. Now work with us, rather than destroy our work. No wonder some of them get our of the diaper so late, when the professionals care takers have so little time that they recommend later potty training.
hvidgaard got it. The problem is the reliance on day-care providers, who have little incentive to stick to a potty-training regimen. Kids can be trained much earlier than today's average, but with today's time-crunched parents, it's hard.
Why would a daycare provider have little incentive to stick to the regimen? In my experience, daycare providers are usually the ones to push parents on potty training. Changing diapers means 1 staff is caring for 1 child. Once a child can go to the bathroom on their own, they have more time to spend with the other children. Additionally they have less waste, less need for storage of diapers and wipes.
I really don't know. My comment is just based on the experiences of friends and family. Parents too busy at home, and little or no support at day care. As mentioned in some sibling comments, today's "super diapers" might not help, as they might be too absorbent.
I can. Once I sat on a sewing pin that someone had dropped on the floor that went through my diaper. Very painful and it's one of my earliest memories.
Its not uncommon now for 3 year-olds to still be in diapers. That's two full years longer in diapers, simply because parents either can't be bothered to potty train their children, or have been told its not possible to do it earlier.