www.incontinentsupport.org

Please read the section about the diaper primer.
It has a lot of great information about diapers.

http://www.incontinentsupport.org/primer_index.php



Schoppy

Since I am sort of responsible for getting this forum started I guess I should be one of the first to post something. First off a forum exclusively for and about cloth diapers will (or should) end the rivalry between those who wear cloth diapers and those that wear disposable diapers. There is no need to push one over the other because here we all use cloth diapers. Some all the time some just at night and some a mix of the two. Cloth diapers, as we all know, are different in many ways. People use them for many reasons. Some because it is environmentally better, some for the comfort of cotton and the absorbency that disposable diapers can never match with layering them. There is no need to diss on disposables they are not a part of this forum. Also, we each choose our own way of dealing with a common condition/problem. We have chosen cloth diapers and plastic pants for our own reasons and hopefully we can talk about why as well as the uniqueness that cloth diapers and plastic pants presents.
I have been incontinent for 12 years. A direct result of surgery for prostate cancer, caused by Agent Orange. Maybe unique to me here is the fact that I knew 4 months ahead of time that I would face incontinence and having to wear diapers. I was told it would last, most likely, 3-6 months, possibly a year. It was mentioned that it could last longer (10% will face it for life.) Lucky me!
Three weeks after being diagnosed with cancer I had a heart attack (also Agent Orange) - the war that keeps on killing. That pushed off the cancer surgery for 3 more months. I had a lot of time to research diapers, I was actually more concerned about the impotence than the incontinence. I was 56 at the time and a widower of 5 years with a new woman in my life. I once thought nothing could be worse than Vietnam but I was VERY wrong. Watching the girl you loved so very much, the mother of your two sons, struggle with life and death for two years and then die as you held her hand, made Vietnam seem like a birthday party.
I will go into my choice of diaper in another post and let others write for now. Schoppy - Thank you for listening and I hope this will be a big success. I feel better already that we have this forum. Papa

Damn Papa, I am sorry for your loss and thank you for your service!!!

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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

Thank you Porkchop and thank you also. Papa

Schoppy and pappa,

This forum is a great idea!

Re the Primer, when I cite the Primer as a recommended source of information, I would like to list the authors but the Primer does not mention them. Can you guys help me out with this?

--John

Pap,

I'm so sorry for your loss, just watch a family member pass yesterday. Thank you for your years of service. far as adding cloth to the primer I think its a great idea. The more information the better. I like them they just don't work for me at this point in my life.

As I said earlier, wearing cloth diapers is different from wearing disposable diapers. As I prepared to deal with having to wear and use diapers again I researched the hell out of it. All the information I got was helpful but also confusing. Everyone not only had a preference for either cloth diapers or disposable diapers. Then they all had a brand or type of either cloth diaper or disposable diaper. It seemed no one was really satisfied with whatever type (cloth or disposable) or the choice they were using. Try this, try that...the more I researched the more confused I became. Long time users should have had a handle on this but did not. So...I ordered cloth diapers and plastic pants, disposable diapers of different types and figured I had to of bought something that would work. After the cath was removed and the nurse handed me a diaper, cheap hospital one, I was on my way to learning. It was such a relief, no, such a huge feeling of freedom to have the cath out I barely thought of the diaper. My wife drove me home and saw my joy of having that intrusive thing out of me. She asked if we could stop and grab a few things at the food store. I said sure! I was diapered and in the lead up to this day I had "Practiced" wearing diapers at home and out. What could go wrong? Luckily I had left the hospital totally empty. We shopped but the surgery of just less than two weeks before still left me a little weak so we finished and headed back to the car. I figured even though I was drinking water that I was still dry since I had not felt myself wet my diaper. It was after sitting down that I realized I had wet it. A bit of a shock. My wife saw the look on my face and asked what was wrong. I told her "I think my diaper is wet." She basically said "Duh! I think that is why you are wearing a diaper." I told her that was not what I meant. I explained that I had no feeling of wetting the diaper, none. By the time we got home it was a lot wetter. I needed my first diaper change and opted for cloth diapers. I stuck with the cloth diapers for the first few day and then put on a disposable to go out in. I learned quick how convenient disposable diapers were, but less comfortable. I also learned after a few nights how much better cloth diapers were in bed. It amazes me to hear of people here talking about how "hard" it is to put on cloth diapers, I never had or have a problem with that. Oh well. Papa

I try to choose protection that is appropriate to my circumstance. A year ago my wife and I joined a tour of Ireland. No way could I have used washable diapers on that trip. Not knowing where toilets would be, or when I could use them, forced me to dehydrate, (please don't tell my doctor or physical therapist) but they worked. I never had an accident that escaped my protection. The other members of our group never guessed that my underwear was any different than theirs. At home I am a confirmed cloth user; however, cloth has limitations that make it unusable in certain circumstances, such as long trips.

I have tried cloth numerous times, and with help from our esteemed Primer, I now have a good understanding of what I need to do to make cloth work for me. I have found that while cloth is more comfortable and absorbent, it just won't work for my place in life right now. I can see a point (post retirement) when it could make sense. Right now, I travel so much for work that disposables are my best option.

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- Tom

WetDad, this forum is more about getting and giving information about wearing cloth diapers/plastic pants. Every one of us has questions and concerns about being back in diapers and all that come with that. I hope that a forum just on cloth diapers will be able to help people new to this and people who have been dealing with diapers a long time. We can never have enough info. It is not intended to be a forum that tries to push one way of dealing with incontinence over an other. Lifestyles are all different. Disposable diapers definitely have their place. I hope here we can answer most of the questions that people have about wearing/using cloth diapers. What works for me definitely may never work for others. I also expect to hear and talk about what life now in diapers has had on our personal self. Papa