Has anyone made the switch from disposable diapers back to cloth?

[Freddie07601]

For more than 20 years I've experienced complete urinary incontinence. Premium quality adult disposables make incontinence easy enough to manage, but the cost keeps going up and insurance doesn't cover it. I know that the start-up cost of going back to cloth diapers would be high, but with good disposables costing more than $2.50 each, it wouldn't take long to recover the cost. I THINK, but I'm not absolutely sure, that I could change my own cloth diapers almost as easily as I change my disposables. We have a stackable washer and dryer in our apartment, so I believe we could handle the laundry.

My question is, have any of you fellow incontinent full-time diaper users made the switch from disposable back to cloth? If you made the switch, are you happy about it? Has it been cost effective? Are you as comfortable as you were wearing disposable diapers? What, if any unforeseen problems have come up?

I thought of posting this thread in the Adult Diaper forum, but I wanted responses primarily from people who wear diapers to manage incontinence. Thanks for any information and insights you can offer.

 

[Jr2012]

For more than 20 years I've experienced complete urinary incontinence. Premium quality adult disposables make incontinence easy enough to manage, but the cost keeps going up and insurance doesn't cover it. I know that the start-up cost of going back to cloth diapers would be high, but with good disposables costing more than $2.50 each, it wouldn't take long to recover the cost. I THINK, but I'm not absolutely sure, that I could change my own cloth diapers almost as easily as I change my disposables. We have a stackable washer and dryer in our apartment, so I believe we could handle the laundry.

My question is, have any of you fellow incontinent full-time diaper users made the switch from disposable back to cloth? If you made the switch, are you happy about it? Has it been cost effective? Are you as comfortable as you were wearing disposable diapers? What, if any unforeseen problems have come up?

I thought of posting this thread in the Adult Diaper forum, but I wanted responses primarily from people who wear diapers to manage incontinence. Thanks for any information and insights you can offer.

Definitely I went back to cloth diapers and plastic pants quite a while ago and have definitely been really happy with my decision! In fact that was when I realized that I actually love having to wear my diapers and plastic pants they are way more comfortable and definitely work a lot better, they rarely ever leak and are really comfortable wet or dry!

 

[Freddie07601]

Thanks! Your diapers have a quilted look. Are they a special brand or custom made? I guess I am behind the times. When it comes to cloth, all I know is Birdseye, Curity gauze, and flannel.

 

[ParaRomeo]

So going to go backwards, just an fyi you may get responses besides IC forum and they may have some good information. But there is a thing to check out new posts but it's for all forums.

But to answer your question, I haven't totally switched and I don't think I ever would! Like many parents that use cloth diapers many use them only at home big reason or it's bigger for us is no one wants to carry around soiled diapers. But I have a love hate relationship with them.

Though I started using cloth yrs ago than stopped but kept most of my cloth diapers. My biggest issue with cloth diapers and until I move or find better solution it will always be an issue! I am paralyzed and my washer dryer is in my basement and it's a task n half to do normal laundry never mind cloth diapers. Being paralyzed & few other medical conditions also determines what I use and don't like if not paralyzed some can use pull on plastic/pul pants as well as pull on diapers.

This being said cloth diapers though can be expensive start up and potentially the exploration finding what works best for you. You can save money in the long run and have had more than a few times I have had shipping delays where cloth diapers has saved me also I have had super bad pain days where because my night diapers are thicker I was able to delay changing till meds kicked in . So like yrs ago I was alot thinner and I really liked prefolds and contoured diapers(prefolds are the original style but requires pins and folding,where contoured are like an hourglass or shaped like a disposable, prefolds are usually the most affordable option but depends on many factors) but was able to use a pin alternative(even after practicing I can't snugly pin on a diaper to save my life) since I put on some weight things like a snappi doesn't fit there are others even though I don't have sensation nor feeling I can't secure them as tight if I had used pins or.as tight as a disposable but if you have a good cover most will hold them in place.

But there is many different types of diapers and materials, what is better is almost as dangerous as asking what's your preference on taping a diaper on lol! Everyone has their opinions not only on style or type but as well for materials used. Personally I would not only take advice from here but also do your own research will say I personally got best information about fabrics and types from reading articles about cloth diapers for babies but the information is basically the same except for size.

Me being on the slightly bigger side though prefolds and contoured usually most available sometimes other options might be harder to find. So it's like I have a few Ecoable brand pocket diapers that work great as daytime diapers but I also use them as diaper covers over disposables sort of dual use. As they sound they have a pocket that's made of absorbent fabric that allows you to use or stuff them with various cloth products like Boosters, Liner or prefolds ect. Ecoable does sell a fitted diaper which does fit well and for a daytime combo along with a cloth booster and prefold for me it works great. As for nighttime it depends on the night like a normal night I use a combination of contoured,fitted & some kind of boosters, but because of bulk pocket diaper covers can be little tight but I have PUL covers with Velcro like tabs that work quite well. One of many positives about cloth is you can dial in the absorbency you need which you can always add more or take some away. Like I mentioned above I do usually diaper on thicker side at night Incase I have a bad morning but also work great if I have had alcoholic drinks never had a leak while I slept. I have had a leaks during the day my own fault like any diapers they have limits but would say cloth is more on side of when needing to change it needs to be done.

Some more positives cloth is a fantastic option for those that may not sleep on their backs like side as you can add absorbency to prevent side leaks. It's kind of neutral but have heard of people having issue with some fabrics I personally haven't had this issue(think a few were cheap ones bought off eBay & other sites vs direct) and even though the skin is more exposed to wetness unlike quality disposables depending on fabric used some do draw wetness away some don't, though wetness spreads throughout them unlike disposables that it will spread over time. where I don't have sensation or feeling I don't know how it feels but can say with proper skin care I personally haven't had a rash nor reaction with cloth diapers. Another big difference is checking when it needs to be changed there isn't a magical line and not squishy honestly hard to describe also different materials feel different when wet but to me the ones I have feel almost little stiffer vs soft when dry.

Few potential negatives you need to have a pail or something to store when soiled so your not washing daily also if you have bowel ic I would recommend disposable liners(usually made for babies but you can use a couple to cover area for adult, not only easier clean up but helps with stains). But on the washing topic depending on type of diapers used alot require the diapers to be fully wash and dried (though line drying is preferred most diapers can be dried on low air but most covers should be hung to dry some manufacturers say they can be dried on low) think the average is 4 complete wash & dry cycles before using them. Which not only makes them super soft but cleans them from possible contaminates in manufacturing some do shrink a little. So they require bit more work though doable but you can't get them and use right away unless specified or used. Also another potential washing issue is some types of water like hard water requires a special soaps also you can't use fabric softener. After initial washes some diapers like prefolds almost feel softer to touch with each wash. Though not full time use I do have diapers I still use that are like 6yrs old & still work great.

Hope this helps if it's something that you want to try I personally would recommend(these usually priced by size needed and brand so I might be off) something like Ecoable Pocket Diaper combo think it's like $75 comes with pocket diaper, fitted diaper which secured with snaps, and a booster or prefold. I recommend this because if you find you don't like it as I mentioned I personally use the pocket as a diaper cover over disposables to prevent leaks which has saved me few times. But another option which could be more affordable route is either a contoured or if you can fit few companies like Rearz, Incontrol, Babykins, few others have fitted diapers usually secured with Velcro like fasteners but they do require plastic or.pul pants over them think Rearz & Incontrol have good reviews but think max waist is 40". Not sure your potential time frame but do know a few companies that usually have sales close to or for Black Friday. You can try other options others mentioned though like when trying any new diapers I would strongly recommend only get a few not only to make sure sizes are right but also something that you can try without fully commiting to. As I mentioned just my opinion but because I have read alot of stories of people going out and buying a crap ton and either have an issue or find out it's not for them and potentially out alot of money. Even though I do currently have a bunch of cloth diapers not going to lie i have some money set aside to buy few more when they go on sale.

 

[Cottontail]

I'm not incontinent, but I wear cloth diapers around the house most days, so I think I can still claim plenty of relevant experience. In short: I think they're a great at-home solution. Inevitably, you'll spend some time trying to work out a solution that balances bulk with comfort and frequency of changes. If you're ok with walking like a penguin, you can pin on a couple of adult prefolds and go half a day between changes, but I suspect you'll prefer something that favors mobility and possibly discreetness. That, in turn, means more frequent changes, and probably also suggests that you'll continue to use disposables while you're out and about.

I've lately come to really like the Rearz diaper wraps. These are just a waterproof cover, and you can simply lie an absorbent pad down the middle and then put them on like a disposable (they have hook-and-loop tabs). They're snug enough (on me) that the padding stays in place without any additional fasteners. A small adult prefold fits the cover perfectly (when it's adjusted for maximum length), though it's quite thick. I often just place 2-3 toddler prefolds in the middle. When they're wet, I swap in dry ones. At the end of the day, I rinse off the wrap in the sink with a little bit of hand soap and hang it up to dry. It's been working so well for me that I just bought three more wraps. Previously, I was pinning on adult prefolds and using pull-on plastic pants. That, too, is quite effective, and definitely speaks to my DL side as I grew up with that particular diaper arrangement, but the convenience of the wrap is undeniable.

I also have some pocket diapers from Snap-EZ. Pockets are worth a look also, but there are a couple of things that make them less appealing to me than the wrap option: 1) The pocket material gets wet, so while you can just swap in dry padding and keep using the pocket, you won't feel dry. 2) The crotch width of most pockets is significantly narrower than most pull-on plastic pants and other waterproof diaper covers (including the Rearz wraps), so there's a rather low limit to how much padding you can stuff in there. Here again, it's all about balancing fit and feel with frequency of changes. You may find that the comfort of a minimally-stuffed pocket diaper outweighs the need to change frequently.

Anyway... Count on some experimentation and go in with reasonable expectations. In cloth, big absorbency requires a big bulk, which you may not like. Similarly, the feel of a minimally bulky cloth diaper may be fine, but may require changing too frequently for your liking. You're looking for that happy medium, which is a very personal thing.

If you were to use cloth diapers full-time, you'd probably produce one full load of diaper laundry every 2 days. I'm a discretionary diaper user who wears approximately half-time, and I wash diapers every 2-3 days, though the loads are not full. I have hard water (private well), so I have to pre-soak my diapers to ensure that they get completely clean. If you're on a municipal water source, you shouldn't have any difficulty.

Happy to expand on anything. Cloth diapers have been my go-to diapers since childhood, though my usage has drastically increased in the last two years and I'm still very much exploring.

 

[NappiedTruckDriver]

I would go 90% cloth if I was’t a work away truck driver and was home every night
wet/messy diapers in a truck cab for 5 days

 

[sbmccue]

I go back and forth between disposables and cloth diapers virtually weekly. I have significant stashes of both. However, I've discovered over the past couple of decades that the more disposable-like a cloth diaper is, the easier it is to wear and launder. I have quite a collection of pocket diapers for this reason.

Just so I don't sound like a disposable purist, I also have a half-dozen Rearz Omutsu diapers with Velcro® closures, and several pair of plastic pants. I've just gotten to the age where, if I am diapering myself, I no longer want to bother with diaper pins. Sometimes, my SO wants to pin a diaper on me, but that's because she's enjoying the memory of doing the same for her son years and years ago.

 

[slimjiminy]

I had tried cloth a year ago but found that the laundry was too much work (and my wife was begging me to use disposables to save the washing machine). The all-in-one fitted cloth diaper is quite heavy when wet and was hard on our spin cycle. Once I fully retire, I may reconsider (after moving).

 

[Diapersall81]

My question is, have any of you fellow incontinent full-time diaper users made the switch from disposable back to cloth? If you made the switch, are you happy about it? Has it been cost effective? Are you as comfortable as you were wearing disposable diapers? What, if any unforeseen problems have come up?

At one time I had Clothe Diapers and Rubber Pants.... I loved them. Things made a drastic change in my life... I had to remove them from my wardrobe... Now that I am back to a place that I can start over, I will def. support getting Clothe over Disposable!

 

[chuck]

I wear cloth diapers and plastic pants most of the time. have several packs of disposables but I can't remember when I last wore one.

 

[Freddie07601]

I had tried cloth a year ago but found that the laundry was too much work (and my wife was begging me to use disposables to save the washing machine). The all-in-one fitted cloth diaper is quite heavy when wet and was hard on our spin cycle. Once I fully retire, I may reconsider (after moving).

I remember how heavy my morning cloth diapers were when I was a kid. I think it was usually three Birdseye folded together. I know that many cloth diapers today are flannel and much thicker than what I was used to wearing. I haven't worn cloth since the 1980's and hadn't realized how some diaper choices might affect the washer.

 

[Freddie07601]

I'm not incontinent, but I wear cloth diapers around the house most days, so I think I can still claim plenty of relevant experience. In short: I think they're a great at-home solution. Inevitably, you'll spend some time trying to work out a solution that balances bulk with comfort and frequency of changes. If you're ok with walking like a penguin, you can pin on a couple of adult prefolds and go half a day between changes, but I suspect you'll prefer something that favors mobility and possibly discreetness. That, in turn, means more frequent changes, and probably also suggests that you'll continue to use disposables while you're out and about.

I've lately come to really like the Rearz diaper wraps. These are just a waterproof cover, and you can simply lie an absorbent pad down the middle and then put them on like a disposable (they have hook-and-loop tabs). They're snug enough (on me) that the padding stays in place without any additional fasteners. A small adult prefold fits the cover perfectly (when it's adjusted for maximum length), though it's quite thick. I often just place 2-3 toddler prefolds in the middle. When they're wet, I swap in dry ones. At the end of the day, I rinse off the wrap in the sink with a little bit of hand soap and hang it up to dry. It's been working so well for me that I just bought three more wraps. Previously, I was pinning on adult prefolds and using pull-on plastic pants. That, too, is quite effective, and definitely speaks to my DL side as I grew up with that particular diaper arrangement, but the convenience of the wrap is undeniable.

I also have some pocket diapers from Snap-EZ. Pockets are worth a look also, but there are a couple of things that make them less appealing to me than the wrap option: 1) The pocket material gets wet, so while you can just swap in dry padding and keep using the pocket, you won't feel dry. 2) The crotch width of most pockets is significantly narrower than most pull-on plastic pants and other waterproof diaper covers (including the Rearz wraps), so there's a rather low limit to how much padding you can stuff in there. Here again, it's all about balancing fit and feel with frequency of changes. You may find that the comfort of a minimally-stuffed pocket diaper outweighs the need to change frequently.

Anyway... Count on some experimentation and go in with reasonable expectations. In cloth, big absorbency requires a big bulk, which you may not like. Similarly, the feel of a minimally bulky cloth diaper may be fine, but may require changing too frequently for your liking. You're looking for that happy medium, which is a very personal thing.

If you were to use cloth diapers full-time, you'd probably produce one full load of diaper laundry every 2 days. I'm a discretionary diaper user who wears approximately half-time, and I wash diapers every 2-3 days, though the loads are not full. I have hard water (private well), so I have to pre-soak my diapers to ensure that they get completely clean. If you're on a municipal water source, you shouldn't have any difficulty.

Happy to expand on anything. Cloth diapers have been my go-to diapers since childhood, though my usage has drastically increased in the last two years and I'm still very much exploring.

Thank you for such a comprehensive response! I wore cloth diapers in childhood as well, since almost nothing else was available. I have mixed memories about them. It's the long term cost that got me thinking about going back to cloth, not any strong desire to experience cloth diapers again. Your comments about pocket diapers are especially helpful. They don't sound like they would work for me.

Frequency of changes is another consideration I will want to think about more. It's not as easy as it once was for me to change my diapers. I'm not certain I could handle pins anymore. I have help available, but I want to hold off using any help as long as possible.

I appreciate that so many people who are not incontinent have such a deep interest in and understanding about what life is like wearing diapers all or most of the time. Your influence has helped raise the quality and variety of diapers available in all of us. Again, thank you.

 

[Cottontail]

Frequency of changes is another consideration I will want to think about more. It's not as easy as it once was for me to change my diapers. I'm not certain I could handle pins anymore. I have help available, but I want to hold off using any help as long as possible.

I can understand both of those things. I enjoy pinning when I'm on my back in bed, but pinning in other positions is not particularly fun. With the wraps, I've been doing mostly seated changes in my home office, and it's totally a breeze. It's saved me quite a few hikes up the stairs to the bedroom...although I could probably use those hikes for other reasons, heh. About the Snap-EZ pockets: If you're ever after a light-absorbency cloth pull-up, they're actually great for that. You can make them very trim, and the elastic is excellent. You can snap them once and then just pull them on and off. You could also use them as a sort of "hybrid" option, putting disposable booster pads in them. I haven't tried that, but I know others have.

Anyway, you're most welcome! I'll talk cloth anytime. I'm a consummate cloth diaper adventurer.

 

[Freddie07601]

I can understand both of those things. I enjoy pinning when I'm on my back in bed, but pinning in other positions is not particularly fun. With the wraps, I've been doing mostly seated changes in my home office, and it's totally a breeze. It's saved me quite a few hikes up the stairs to the bedroom...although I could probably use those hikes for other reasons, heh. About the Snap-EZ pockets: If you're ever after a light-absorbency cloth pull-up, they're actually great for that. You can make them very trim, and the elastic is excellent. You can snap them once and then just pull them on and off. You could also use them as a sort of "hybrid" option, putting disposable booster pads in them. I haven't tried that, but I know others have.

Anyway, you're most welcome! I'll talk cloth anytime. I'm a consummate cloth diaper adventurer.

I quite agree... Indeed, you ARE an adventurer. I appreciate your willingness to share what you have learned from your adventures.

 

[SDB2014]

I am IC and have been for years. After too many leaks in bed, ( I am a side sleeper ) my wife suggested cloth diapers and rubber pants. The cloth diapers absorb more and the rubber pants have a tighter seal as the elastic is encased. I also use them when we are at home. I still use disposables during the day at work and when out, as they are much easier to handle and just throw them away. Having to carry around 1 or 2 wet cloth diapers doesn’t make sense to me. I think the combination is the best solution for me. Hope this helps!

 

[Freddie07601]

I am IC and have been for years. After too many leaks in bed, ( I am a side sleeper ) my wife suggested cloth diapers and rubber pants. The cloth diapers absorb more and the rubber pants have a tighter seal as the elastic is encased. I also use them when we are at home. I still use disposables during the day at work and when out, as they are much easier to handle and just throw them away. Having to carry around 1 or 2 wet cloth diapers doesn’t make sense to me. I think the combination is the best solution for me. Hope this helps!

Thanks!

 

[Minih]

I started using cloth nappies about 3 years ago. I didn't start with the intention of fully replacing disposables, but wanted to reduce waste. I've ended up wearing them at night (unless I'm away from home), and when I'm not planning to walk anywhere more than five minutes away. I've found:

• Every cloth nappy I've tried (about 5-6 different types) ends up cutting into my legs and giving me sores if I walk far - not absolutely every time, but enough that I'll use disposables if there's a possibility that I'll end up walking at all.
• I find them more comfortable at night.
• Changing isn't really any worse than disposables, and the washing isn't too bad.
• The start-up cost is high - you can definitely get them cheaper in the US than the UK, in my experience - but it took me about two years to break even (based on paying about 45p per disposable nappy). You'll probably find that some work better than others, so I'd recommend buying just one of each of a variety of different types and brands to see which works best.
• Dirty cloth nappies in a wet bag can be smelt outside the bag.
• Ecoable make some good options - I like that they have inner leak guards akin to the ones in disposables that help everything stay contained.
• The cheap washable wraps on Amazon last a couple of months before the waterproof layer ceases to be waterproof. They're definitely a false economy.

 

[FastBlackRX7]

Can't stand cloth diapers.
Nothing beats plastic backed disposables.

 

[AUG168]

I have mild to moderate incontinence at night. I use a Threaded Armor with a pad inside. I love how comfortable cloth is.

 

[NaughtyBoiNathan]

For more than 20 years I've experienced complete urinary incontinence. Premium quality adult disposables make incontinence easy enough to manage, but the cost keeps going up and insurance doesn't cover it. I know that the start-up cost of going back to cloth diapers would be high, but with good disposables costing more than $2.50 each, it wouldn't take long to recover the cost. I THINK, but I'm not absolutely sure, that I could change my own cloth diapers almost as easily as I change my disposables. We have a stackable washer and dryer in our apartment, so I believe we could handle the laundry.

My question is, have any of you fellow incontinent full-time diaper users made the switch from disposable back to cloth? If you made the switch, are you happy about it? Has it been cost effective? Are you as comfortable as you were wearing disposable diapers? What, if any unforeseen problems have come up?

I thought of posting this thread in the Adult Diaper forum, but I wanted responses primarily from people who wear diapers to manage incontinence. Thanks for any information and insights you can offer.

I have been incontinent from birth, and have never not been diapered 24/7! i love everything about ABDL diapers, their designs the feeling and their ability to cope with ease from a good flooding! I acknowledge that they are expensive, especially lately with ever increasing prices and shipping rates, but they are a premium product, and command a premium price! for me medical grade diapers are cheaper, but not as capable in terms of max capacity, but i would prefer it if ABDL Diapers were cheaper, think everyone would prefer that! View attachment 92860