I owe a word of thanks to user “Ellyn,” whose comment gave me the idea for today’s post:
If one wears two disposable diapers, both with waterproof backing, how does that increase absorbency?
An excellent question, Ellyn!
The short answer is that it doesn’t, much. Taping one disposable diaper on over another is not a very efficient use of your supply.
But it’s also not wholly irrational, and here’s why:
1. Properly Doubled Diapers Prevent Leg Leaks
This is the most effective use of “doubling” diapers: if the second diaper is taped lower on the legs than the first, and the gathers are secure, it will create a new barrier to leakage around the thighs.
In this model you’re essentially using a disposable diaper in place of plastic or rubber briefs. The padding won’t get too much of a workout, though some of the leakage from the first diaper will soak into it, but you’ll gain another hour or two of protection for the most common failure point of a disposable.
It’s inefficient, and a waste compared to just wearing plastic or rubber briefs, but if you don’t have those handy it can work for you, and some people may find it more comfortable as well.
2. Slitted Diapers Can Make Use of Doubled Padding
This is an old trick that’s popular with diaper fetishists who prefer to go as long as possible between changes: by taking a pair of scissors and cutting a long slit down the middle of one diaper, waistband to waistband, and then putting on both that diaper and a second one on top of it, you essentially create a single diaper with two layers of padding.
Like all DIY tweaks, though, this has some inevitable flaws. Diaper stuffing, freed from its plastic shell, is messy stuff — dry, it’s a powdery fiber that floats in the air and can irritate your eyes and mucus membranes; wet it becomes tiny, pebbly globules that will spill all over the place if they escape the second diaper. (They can also clog drains, so be careful with them around your bathtub).
It’s also not a fully efficient use of the second diaper. The aforementioned globules will sink down into the outer diaper’s padding, and slowly leak moisture into it but the material is designed to absorb a stream of liquid, not to blot moisture out of another porous object. The loose material from the inner diaper is likely to spread out, saturate the leg gathers of the outer diaper, and cause leaking long before the central pad of the outer diaper has reached its capacity.
3. Some People Just Like It
For people who get plewp_e from the sensation of wearing a diaper, lots and lots of thick padding and crinkling plastic is a fun thing. It doesn’t have to be an efficient or effective use of materials to get this benefit — if you like the overstuffed feeling of layered diapers, you like it, and it doesn’t matter that much if the outer layers aren’t serving much of a useful purpose.
The more effective alternatives (diaper stuffers, either cloth or disposable) won’t necessarily provide that same exaggerated babyishness, which is probably why the doubled-diaper strategy is never going to go away completely.
And that’s why some people double up their diapers!
That is a good question and I have often wondered why people double diaper. Now I understand some of the reasons. I don’t think I could get my jeans on over two Bellissimo!:) Plus its not for me and I’m not into waiting a Bellissimo. Thx for the post!
The point to layering up with diapers as i mentioned in my earlier stories is that you get more protection and the added bonus of a thicker feeling diaper which may remind you of how diapers use to feel like when you where a child.
I wear multiple diapers for convenience because it means I am less likely to leak out of the diapers, I know there are thicker brands out there that are available online, but because I live in the UK and not the USA they cost way too much to buy and have delivered to me.
I have been suffering from incontinence problems now for almost 5-6 years since being diagnosed with OBS/weak bladder syndrome as it’s otherwise known as and I hate having to clean up after my embarrassing accidents, but at the same time am very glad that diapers are no longer just made for babies/toddlers as I tend to wear them almost every day due to my disabilities.
I am now virtually 35 years old having been born in 1980, And If I didn’t wear diapers I would have more embarrassing accidents than I do at this present time and this would have the duel effect of holding me back in my life and degrading my sence of dignity as well, I choose to wear these products because of this problem and since doing so haven’t looked back as they provide me with the feeling of comfort and security I hadn’t experienced since I was a infant all those years ago.
I have also come to accept my new life in diapers as it has provided me with several advantages in terms of my health which I have mentioned in my earlier stories on this exellent website and I support everybody else who like myself has had the courage and fortitude to write their stories on it over the last few months or even years, so that other people can read it and not have to worry about feeling embarrassed or alone for having to deal with these problems in person.
Yours sincerely
Kwan Ming
I agree with the “slitted diapers” reasoning. Although not without its problems, I believe that it can provide some extra absorbency by providing an extra place for the wetness to go after the first diaper becomes saturated.
When I double diaper, I do about 8 or so 1/2 inch slits. There is usually very little padding that falls through but the absorbancy is greatly increased. I guess it depends on the diaper and absorbancy material that they use. I haven’t had a problem when I use the Abena X-plus to double.
That’s usually how it works with me. I usually cut open the diaper down the centre with a sharp knife. Very little comes out except for some powdery substance, hardly enough to affect the absorbency.
I personally double up with diapers/nappies for added comfort & reassurance that If I have an accident at least I have another layer to depend on when I have a bad bout of incointanance, which happens alot to me as I have accidents without any urges or pre-warning so Yes I can identifiy fully with what people are saying on this website I also have no choice but to wear nappies/diapers all the time as If I don’t i know I will mess my pants/ wet myself badly.
James
That’s a good thing to do. That’s what I do when I wear diapers/nappies. For me, even if I knew that I need to pee, for any number of reasons, I can’t always make it to the toilet in a timely manner. That’s why I wear diapers.
Thank you for the kind words!
I’m not that old, but old enough to realize that there more right answers, and less wrong about most subjects. Everyone has had experiences that works for them, and we can all learn from others, if we open our ears and our hearts.
I have been incontinent for all of my life, with my best control while I was in my late teens and early twenties. I’m now in my mid 30’s and my control feels out of control… I use the bathroom whenever possible, but most days I’m changing myself 2-3 times, plus changing into my night time (double cloth) diapers after my bath.
For those who are urinary incontinent, I completely understand your daily routines. For those who are not incontinent, but simply like a diaper, for whatever reason, I believe I understand how you feel too. I have periods of time that can last for weeks where I will leak only a small amount during the day, though I have “never” been completely free from leakage. During these times, I sometimes “dare” to use a pad, like Poise or Tena pull-ups, during the day, and it feels great to have the freedom of worries about bulk, carrying diapers while out of the house, etc. on the other hand, in the back of my head is that nagging voice that tells me that I should be in a full diaper – for security sake. Diapers are a part of my life. Even when I skip the diaper and opt for a pad or pull-up, I don’t feel dressed, like going out without your clothes on… I don’t feel secure!
Now, that’s my point… Security of knowing that I’m not going to pee myself in front of my friends, co-workers, or people in general. Case and point: I just returned home from a bicycle ride in the park, by myself. The ride was great, but I was riding along and my front tire fell into a crack in the pavement, which caused me not to fall off the bicycle, but I came off the seat and hit my pelvic area on the bar. For those who wear diapers and bicycle, you may know that disposables go to crap when in contact with bicycle seats, feeling very uncomfortable and become much less effective, and I believe that’s typical for any brand. Because I prefer cloth diapers most of the time anyway (except when traveling or as fashion requires), I was wearing a single cloth diaper and old plastic pants. For the last few days, I have been leaking on the lighter side, but when I hit that bar, I flooded the diaper! I flooded to the point where I leaked around the leg openings of the old plastic pants, on my shorts, all down my legs.
What’s my point, you may be thinking? I chose the old stretched out, coming apart at the seams pants because, again, bicycle seats are ____! If I’m going to ruin a pair of plastic pants, I want them to be old and worn out. In the back of my head though was that voice of caution saying that these pants won’t contain a leak well at all… Because I flooded the diaper, it didn’t absorb quickly enough so pee escaped. Point is that I didn’t feel secure when I left, and I got bit.
At night, even though I wear double cloth diapers, I also use a mattress cover that is waterproof. Regardless of how little I may leak during the day, at night, I seem to have no control. I limit my drinking before bed and use the bathroom, but during the night, I will almost always be “very wet”. If I wear an Abena X-Plus without a booster pad (Abri-Let Maxi), I can and have leaked from the leg openings as I’m a side sleeper. With a booster pad, I have always been okay. In a pinch, while traveling, a folded towel placed inside the disposable works well for me and is easily rinsed out.
One last thought… Just because I wear diapers, I’m just like everyone else, wanting to make the very best of my life and have FUN!!! I have made it a point of laughing at myself with all the dumb things I do. I wear diapers. I wear thick diapers. I waddle when I walk sometimes. My husband loves me for me. My kids love me. My family loves me. They ALL know I wear diapers. They all make me feel good about myself. We all need love and to feel accepted as we are, but most important, love ourselves. I’m plain Ellyn. What you see is what you get!
I’m 40 yrs old, and I still wear diapers.
I personnally double up when I am inbetween changes and can make it last longer
I love wearing thick diapers. If it’s a brand like Wal-Mart assurance briefs, I’ll double up. My reason. I like it thick. I guess I like the bulkiness between my legs too. And there’s the top shelf diapers like banico diapers. My favorite. I’ll just wear one maybe with a thick padding. A woman biggest maxi pad or something. I love it!
It’s the same thing with me. I like wearing bulky diapers as well. For me, it’s more of a security thing than anything else. If I’m busy and I can’t stop to pee, at least I have something to pee in until I can stop to use the toilet.
In my case, I wear double attends every day because one will leak in no time and Medicaid wont provide anything else. Wearing double was their suggestion