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Due to back problems, I began placing a firm pillow between my legs at night, when sleeping on my side. That helped, but I found an unexpected side benefit.

At night, I wear very thick cloth diapers as do some others, such as Papa. That places considerable bulk between my thighs at the crotch and can be uncomfortable, although one becomes accustomed to it. I found that when a firm pillow between my legs and thighs spread my legs apart, it removed most of the pressure from the cloth diaper, making it more comfortable.

Do any of you do this, or what other tips do you have?

--John

I've done this too, and yes it does help with the diaper's bulk. I also had to do this after each knee surgery due to the added sensitivity of my knees.

One day I didn't have that extra pillow for some reason so I rotated my waist forward a little and positioned one leg in front of the other. This let both of my knees lay mostly flat on the bed, but I found out it made my diaper more effective too. This is because with my hips rotated forward, my pee would run down the inside of my diaper and get absorbed more towards the front instead of straight down my skin and to the side. I haven't gone back to sleeping with both knees touching since then.

Actually, I have always slept with a pillow between my legs. After 12 years of wearing diapers to bed I am very use to their feel, although I have doubled up at night for the last few years after a few leaks that just really had me BS. I do not need a wet/damp bed to over emphasize my night wetting. The double diapers also let me just get up anytime and not even think about (or care about) the fact I am wearing diapers - almost always wet, depending on when I awake - which can be anytime from 12:00 to 5:00. It also allows me to not have to change my diapers till I am ready -and more awake/calmed down. I awake because of PTSD (Vietnam). Papa

Like you Papa, I enjoy a leisurely morning before I have to change my cloth diaper, so mine is rather bulky. I always add one or two booster pads to a night-weight cloth diaper. Sometimes I overlay a day-weight diaper inside a night-weight diaper. That pillow makes a surprising difference.

Brian, I think you mentioned your sleeping position recently as the "portal position?" What you have said makes good sense about preventing leaks while side-sleeping. I would like to try that but, due to my back problems, the twisting is not recommended.

--John

Yes, a pillow between the knees is a must for me with low back issues, bought a waterproof cover for it, but it stays dry most of the time, can count on 1 hand the times it got wet, just a pain when you turn over! Puffy

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Puffy
BC, Canada
Fighting the "Bladder Battle" since 1995

I've don't that since I was a kid, way before I had any back issues to speak off.....

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When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.

Marcus Aurelius

I guess I'm the odd duck here. I'm a busy sleeper. I toss and turn, and several times each year I sleepwalk. A pillow between my legs would not stay there unless it were strapped in place.

Patrick, I know what you mean as I toss and turn also. Yes, I do lose the pillow sometime during the night but in a half-awake state usually manage to put it back between my legs.

--John

I had a pillow built shaped as a :T: it has soft straps to go around my legs so I can turn while I sleep to help it stay in place. It has been a life saver, do to my condition my legs can never cross or it causes major pain.

Mlhr, "straps?" Interesting. Could you tell us more?

--John