It didn't seem to matter what age I was, even up into the double digits. I was always diapered or had my diaper changed the same way, lying on a changing pad. I was never shown how to, nor expected to diaper myself. I think part of that was because Mom was a pharmacist and one of my aunts was a nurse, so there was a lot of medical care knowledge in the family; it was just something practical and necessary so it was just done.
So my diapers were changed in exactly the same way that a toddler's would be. I can remember it like it was yesterday. Mom would undo my coveralls and pull them down, I'd step out of them, lie down and automatically lift up my legs. Etc. Etc. Standard diaper change process right up to her sliding the plastic pants up my legs. I can remember thinking I was pretty good at lying on my back and lifting my knees almost up to my ears for that part LOL. But would I say I was babied? I don't think so. It was more just a standard diaper change process.
I can definitely say there was a difference, when diapered or not, as to how I was perceived. After diapers at night, it was more warm and loving like taking care of a toddler. But it wasn't bad – I mean, we'd sit outside in the summer after the night diapers were on, or watch a TV show. Family life was good. I was never spoon fed or bottle fed because I had a diaper on. The only exception I can think of is one aunt that took care of me a lot, had a couple younger kids and she'd make us take naps every afternoon. I hated that because I felt I was too old for naps, even though I always fell asleep! Of course I had a diaper on so I didn't pee on her bed, but she also gave her kids bottles to go to sleep with and I can remember her offering me a bottle too.
We lived in a small farming community with lots of family close by and we used to have lots of get togethers. I was the oldest cousin, so at any family event, by default, I ended up playing with toddlers and their toys. We'd always have a table for the adults and a table for the kids when we ate and I was always at the kids table. I was kind of given the job of taking care of the toddlers, but then again, I was also having my diaper checked, taken aside for diaper changes, etc. So it was really easy to fall into the role of a toddler. I honestly didn't mind it – I was kind of in limbo between kid and adult and the adult conversations were above me and I felt out of place or put on the spot. With the kids, I felt more at home and I was the oldest so that gave me a feeling of authority.
I think there was a stigma in our community that a kid in diapers was a baby. Even though my family didn't treat me as one, when we were out visiting, for example, I'd hear people talk about me like I wasn't there. Things like, “I think Hunter needs his nappy changed!”, "He sure looks cute in his diapers!" or I'd overhear conversations about cloth VS disposables. Those kinds of comments did make me feel like a baby. Especially when I DID need my nappy changed! Or I'd be spoken to like a toddler sometimes when addressed directly, when I was in diapers.
There were only a couple other kids my age living nearby (our town had 60 people) and when the girls wanted to play “house” I'd always be the baby.
But to finally answer the question – no, I don't think I was deliberately treated like a toddler or baby. It was more just default responses to a kid in diapers.
To op's question, I was never treated as a baby or toddler by anybody in my family, after I grew out of that stage of life. I'm not sure I'd have wanted to be either. Maybe little moments, like Cottontail's ice cream experience, but not like full baby treatment for anything.
