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How to Choose Pin On Cloth Diapers for Older Children and Teenagers That Wet the Bed

colin6768

August 2, 2024

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One of the most common health concerns facing children and teenagers is nocturnal enuresis, the clinical term for bedwetting. There are many forms of protection available to manage this issue. This article discusses the advantages of using prefold style pin-on cloth diapers covered with plastic pants to deal with bedwetting, the different styles of cloth diapers, and other topics

Although many people find pin-on cloth diapers and plastic pants old-fashioned, there are still parents who use this style of diapering on their babies. Additionally, many adults use pin-ons and plastic pants to manage their bedwetting as evident by the many places that sell nighttime cloth diapers and plastic pants.

Pin-on diapers come in three different styles – contour, flats, and prefold. Contour diapers are more expensive than the other styles. Flats were popular with parents until prefolds came along. Prefolds are easier to use than flats because as the name says they’re prefolded. Prefolds are generally the easiest to use and there’s a lot of flexibility with how you fold and layer the diapers, this in turn makes it easier to add protective layers to different areas of the body. Using prefolds also makes it easier to add extra absorbency (for instance booster pads – also known as “diaper doublers) to the diaper. The Protex Medical website says the following about the advantages of using prefolds: “Why cloth diapers? The biggest difference is fit. All bodies are different sizes and different shapes.Using diaper pins, you have the ultimate control over how the cloth folds around your leg openings and waist for maximum protection and comfort.” https://www.myprotex.com/collections/cloth-diapers

Cloth diapers are very effective for the management of bedwetting. Here’s what the author of The New Diaper Primer has to say about the advantages of using cloth for use at bedtime: “You will benefit from the comfort and security each night with a dry comfortable bed” , “Cloth diapers become favorites for secure night wear” and “Wet beds are truly a thing of the past with cloth diapers.” https://www.incontinentsupport.org/primer_index.php

When purchasing cloth diapers it’s important to be aware of the different fabrics cloth diapers are made of. There are three fabrics cloth diapers can be made of – flannel, birdseye, and gauze. Additionally some cloth diapers come sewn with a terry cloth liner.Adultclothdiaper.com discusses the different diaper fabrics and their advantages and disadvantages in their FAQ section:

1.) “Birdseye’s unique weave makes it soft, comfortable and very absorbent. Its woven qualities make it fast drying and the longest lasting of any diapering fabrics. The weave is looser than flannel and it is also less bulky.”

2.) “Gauze is a difficult fabric to find but it is also the most popular diapering cloth. Weighing in as the lightest of all the diaper cloths, gauze is soft, loosely woven, and finely spun. This makes it the softest, most absorbent, comfortable diaper. Since it’s looser, porous weave allows air to move about freely it is especially helpful in reducing the occurrence of diaper rash and is fast drying.”

3.) “Flannel is the most common diaper fabric. Flannel is the primary fabric offered at some stores since flannel is the easiest fabric to come and is the least expensive. Many diaper companies push flannel because it’s lower cost make them more profitable to sell. But there are downsides to flannel. Because it is a dense weaved fabric it is somewhat less absorbent and can take much longer to dry. It also looses its initial softness over time and the fabric actually becomes harder.” https://www.adultclothdiaper.com/about-cloth-diapers Despite these caveats, the author of The New Diaper Primer swears by flannel. There is one company I’m aware of that sells flannel diapers to manage bedwetting and that’s Angel Fluff Diaper Company. There may be others, but this doesn’t seem to be a common style nowadays.

Unlike disposable diapers, cloth diapers do not come with a waterproof outer layer so waterproof pants must be worn over top. The most widely used form (and the one that tends to be the most durable) of waterproof pants are plastic pants, also known as vinyl pants, vinyl being a type of plastic. Plastic pants are also called “rubber pants” by many people even though this is a misnomer. At some point “rubber pants” became a generic term for all waterproof pants worn by babies, children, and adults just like the brand names Kleenex and Band-Aid became generic terms used to refer to all tissues and bandages. There are two styles of plastic pants – pull-on and snap-on. Snap-on plastic pants are generally used by incontinent individuals who are bedridden as it makes it easier to change the person when they’ve had an accident. If your bedwetting child or teenager is not bedridden you can have them wear pull-on plastic pants over their diaper.

It should be pointed out that there are accessories to purchase in addition to the diapers and plastic pants. These include diaper pins (the kind with the plastic heads, not regular safety pins – regular safety pins can come undone and stick your child or teenager), diaper rash products including baby powder, products containing zinc oxide (Desitin and A&D ointment being two popular brands), and products containing petroleum jelly such as Vaseline. You may have to experiment to see which one works best for your child or adolescent. Other items to get include a diaper pail and a clothesline (either one to hang in the garage or one for outside). You’ll need the clothesline to hang up the plastic pants to dry. As far as diaper rash is concerned there are many articles online which detail how to spot signs of diaper rash, how to prevent diaper rash, as well as how to treat it if it does occur.

One idea to take into consideration when purchasing diapers for your older child or teenager is to have the youngster wear both disposable diapers with tape tabs (these tend to offer better protection than products such as pull-ups) and prefold style pin-on cloth diapers covered with plastic pants and alternate their use. For instance you can have the youth wear disposables 3 (or 4 nights) of the week and have them wear cloth diapers and plastic pants the other nights. There are several reasons why it’s advisable to use both kinds: 1.)It cuts down on the amount of disposable diapers you’re using thereby saving you money. 2.)It reduces the load of diapers and plastic pants you have to launder. 3.)It reduces the wear and tear on the diapers and plastic pants because you’re laundering them less. This in turn will make them last longer. 4.)If you’re visiting a friend or relative’s house it makes it easy to be discreet about the bedwetting and diaper use. 5.)Some people use disposables while on vacation so they have less chores to do. And 6.)Some people find cloth diapers and plastic pants too hot to wear during the warmer times of year such as spring and summer and switch to disposables during that time.

If your child or adolescent balks at the idea of wearing diapers to bed you can implement a reward system designed to encourage and motivate them to wear the diaper. Here’s how the reward system will work. Have them pick three things they like – but in different order. For instance they might like books the least, video games more than books, and a cell phone (if you’re budget permits) the most. If they wear the diaper to bed 10 days they would get the book. It’s important that they realize that they don’t have to wear the diapers 10 nights in a row – as long as they wear them 10 nights out of the month. If they wear the diapers 11 to 29 nights they would get the video game, and if the child or teen wears the diapers to bed the whole month they would get the cell phone. It may take them several months to get acclimated to wearing the diapers.Over time however, they’ll view wearing the diapers as just a part of their normal bedtime routine such as brushing their teeth.Verbal encouragement is an important part of the system. It’s imperative that your child or teenager doesn’t feel your treating them like a baby by putting them back in diapers. Here’s an example of dialog you can use: “Both your father and I think it’s great you’re wearing the diapers and plastic pants to bed. We know it’s no fun wearing them but keep in mind the benefits you get by wearing them to bed – you avoid waking up in yucky, wet pj’s and bedding, plus you get more presents. Also, like we told you before there are people of all ages (including many adults) that also have to wear diapers to bed.” Another component of the reward system is a chart which monitors how many nights they wear the diapers to bed. This in conjunction with the reward system and dialog should go a long way toward making them see the merits of wearing a diaper to bed.

If you want to increase the absorbency of the diaper you can add booster pads also known as “diaper doublers.” Booster pads are available for both cloth and disposable diapers. It’s also advisable that you cover the bed with a waterproof sheet in case the child or teenager leaks through their diaper. There are several different kinds of waterproof sheets – rubber sheets, typically made with flannel on top and rubber on the back, plastic sheets (also known as vinyl sheets), quilted pads with a waterproof backing that have flaps on them which you tuck in on the sides of the bed (which are called “saddle style” sides by some manufacturers), and disposable underpads. Some of these also have “saddle style” sides.

Here are a few companies that make and sell nighttime prefold style pin-on cloth diapers and plastic pants: 1.)Babykins  2.)Adultclothdiaper.com also known as All Together Enterprises – this company makes nighttime prefold diapers that fit ages 10 and up. They also make youth size pull-on style plastic pants in various colors as well as accessories including diaper pins, diaper rash ointment, and diaper pails.www.adultclothdiaper.com 3.)InControl Diapers  4.)L.L. Medico – sells plastic pants and pin-on diapers  www.llmedico.com L.L. Medico sells a type of pant called Euroflex which is made of urethane which has properties of plastic and rubber. You can special order this product with enclosed elastic which prevents wicking. 5.)Angel Fluff Diaper Company. www.angelfluff.com. 6.)Protex Medical

When you purchase your diapers and plastic pants you need to check with the company what diaper rash products are safe to use. Some cloth diapers can lose their absorbency when exposed to certain diaper rash products whether ones containing zinc oxide or ones containing petroleum jelly.Additionally, some plastic pants can break down (and in certain cases crack) when exposed to diaper rash products.Talk to customer service reps to find out which products are compatible with the products you purchase.

Some children (depending on their age and development) may need supervision when they first pin their diapers on. Younger children may not have the dexterity and fine motor skills necessary to use the pins in a safe manner. This needs to be determined on a case by case basis.Adulclothdiaper.com has instructions on how to fold cloth diapers. The url for the tutorial is https://www.adultclothdiaper.com/folding-diapers

More than likely your child or teenager will outgrow their bedwetting, but if it’s a condition that persists throughout adulthood wearing the appropriate protection to bed will help them get through this with flying colors.

                                                   References

Protex Medical https://www.myprotex.com/collections/cloth-diapers accessed July 19, 2024

The New Diaper Primer https://www.incontinentsupport.org/primer_index.php accessed July 19, 2024

AdultClothDiaper.com https://www.adultclothdiaper.com/about-cloth-diapers accessed July 19, 2024