best cloth diaper

[JDinVirginia]

Papa,

How long are you usually able to wear the two night-weight cloth diapers before a change? You must be hitting the 12-hour mark?

I have worn a night-weight diaper with a flat and a soaker, but not two night-weight diapers together.

Also, what do you wear to support the diaper?

--John

[johnstone]

In my opinion, anyone that is incon needs to find the level of protection that work best for them balance with their comfort zone. If wearing 2, or more night weight diapers at nights works for someone so be it,....whatever works. I often wear a night weight pre-fold cotton birdseye diaper at night, but instead of wearing two night weight diapers, plus protective pants, I just wear one night diaper and double terry lined vinyl pants for the protective cover. The double terry lined pants works great to absorb any side leaks I might develop since I sleep on my side a lot. Simple, easy, and effective,...it works for me. However, I recognize there are many different combination that people use so in my opinion, it all comes down to what works best for you.

Hope this help. Just my thoughts on the topic.

[Papa]

John, I usually change at night around 8:00-10:00. On weekdays I am showering around 8AM but on weekends I go longer. Papa

[Papa]

John, you asked about support. I pin them on, laying down, tightly. That works obviously through the night and also for the few hours in the morning. During the day I use onesies a lot. Pinning them well really helps and my jeans also help. I easily get 12 hours with two night weight diapers. I usually get 6 hours during the day, not always but most days. Papa

[JDinVirginia]

Papa,

Great feedback - thanks!

I pin a prefold gauze diaper snugly with pins while lying down. As I have opted for the convenience of substantial absorption for more time between changes I always wear a onesie for support. As the diaper nears is maximum absorbency this really has been necessary.

Small variations in folding have helped me increase the absorption where it is most needed (modified angel fold with soaker also folded back up at bottom).

I am using 4 pins in order to insure better coverage at the legs for better protection against leaking while sleeping on my side. I readily acknowledge that this will not be necessary for most users. The extra 2 pins do nothing to hold the diaper up.

More recently I have begun wearing cloth during the day while around the house. I still am trying to determine just how long I can wear cloth during the day between changes.

I very happily will note that I have had no leaks at all (yet) when wearing cloth diapers! This mostly is due to all of the suggestions I have received here (thanks everybody).

--John

[Patrick]

Glad to have been of service.

How long you can go between changes in the daytime is a function with several variables. In summer heat, when I'm working outside, dehydration allows the diapers to last much longer, although it concentrates the leakage, which causes odor, even using Nullo. As diapers age, they get thinner, with three needed when two were adequate when new. Thinner diapers are less absorbent, which makes more frequent washing and changing necessary. More frequent changes mean more frequent launderings, which also reduces their life-span.

It is a matter of experimentation. Good luck and keep us informed.

[Papa]

John, One thing else about getting extra time in your diapers that we cloth diaper and disposable diaper wearers have to remember. Dry, or dryer, diapers are better for your skin. Even if you can stretch out how long you are wearing/using your diaper (s) give your skin a break. Also, if you change, even if you know you could go longer, it means you will be giving yourself that emergency extra time for when you get caught in traffic or staying longer somewhere than you planned to and also for those days when for no reason at all you are just wetting your diapers more than usual. I only really push the max out of my diapers in the morning, knowing I will be showering and thus cleaning off all bacteria and allowing my skin to breath. Papa

[JDinVirginia]

Guys, thanks for all of your help and useful comments!

Patrick,

Good point about summer dehydration and about cloth diapers becoming thinner with use. How much use do you usually get out of your diapers before you have to discard them?

Papa,

We are agreed about not pushing the limits unnecessarily. I usually remove the diaper when I estimate that it is about an hour or so from leaking. I always wear a barrier, whether I am wearing cloth or a disposable. Recently I have been using coconut oil with the cloth diapers as a "cloth friendly" barrier and that has gone very well. I just used coconut oil with cloth for 18 hours a day for two consecutive days with no signs of irritation at all, which I consider to be very encouraging. I have learned that coconut oil has some natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. During the remainder of the day I wore my usual Dry 24/7 with a 40% zinc oxide barrier cream. I also try to give my skin a chance to "air out" (without a diaper) for part of each day. My skin appears to be sensitive, but not overly so.

While I have worn cloth at home during the day a few times, I have yet to venture out of the home while wearing cloth. I need to experiment a bit longer to determine my safe limits (and to build up my confidence).

--John

[Patrick]

JD,

I guess I don't really discard them. As they get thinner with washing, drying and use, I simply add more of them at each change. Eventually my wife or daughter will inspect my inventory and tell me to purchase more. The ratty inventory become dust rags, shoe polish rags, or car wash/polish rags. Sometimes they don't wait for me to order more; I discover them in the dust rag bin, knowing I did not put them there. I take the hint and place an order for more.

[Papa]

Patrick, They do make great rags the best actually. When people ask "how long do your cloth diapers last" it is hard to answer since they are all of different ages. It also matters how many you have and how much you wear them. I do know they last years since about three years ago I purchased six colored ones from Kins and they, now faded, are still in use. I use cloth diapers about 90% of the time and thus they are well used. I know I am saving money on diapers but the money is secondary to comfort and security. They are diapers, and being so, have a function to perform. I played around with trying every diaper and switching from A to B to C in a constant search for "The Best Diaper" but realized after a long time that that was a never ending pursuit. This one was comfortable but not absorbent, that one was absorbent but not comfortable one was ok at night another not. Cloth was always the best at night and even in the day when I wore them. Back and forth, forth and back. One day I did a reality check and realized that all that searching was out of anger and frustration over being incontinent and another side effect of surgery for cancer. Why it takes us so long to accept the fact that we are incontinent and have no choice but to wear diapers is both understandable, with time, and maddening. "It is what it is!" Papa