6 replies to this topic

[Jen Harris]

Let's assume you have enough bladder control to get some kind of warning when you need to go - and that allows enough time to get to a bathroom - otherwise diapers are obvious.

in this post, I'm going to be looking at whether or not they save time, ignoring comfort or preference.

So the equation boils down to, is time spent going to the bathroom greater than the time spent changing?

To break it down... Let's assume your bladder holds x ml, your diaper holds (before needing changing) y, ml, it takes z minutes to go to the bathroom, and a minutes to change...
a/z > y/x

So if the bathroom takes 1 minute, but changing takes 5, then the diaper must hold 5 times as much as your bladder!

assuming you are changing in a bathroom, though the time to walk to the bathroom is equal for changing and for the bathroom - let's call this k. So if you are, say, skiing and it takes 15 minutes to get to the bathroom and remove layers, then the equation becomes:
(a+k)/(z+k) > y/x.

In the case of a 15 minute walk, then, the diaper needs only to hold 20/16 - or 25% more than the bladder. And if you can change more quickly, the ratios get better.

One interesting thing I noticed - how much you wet doesn't matter, only the ratio between bladder and diaper.

More later!

[Bettypooh]

There is another less-definable but important aspect to this- how much time do you save from not having to stop at inopportune times just to pee? For those of us with UI or OAB, you don't always know if the urge is going to be retained or if you can hold it. Without diapers you have no choice- you have to go NOW!!!! Often you get a few dribbles, meaning you could have waited with the safety-net of a diaper helping

With my pull-ups or a diaper I can keep working. If I leak a little pee, no harm is done and my productivity has increased significantly now. I can't put numbers on the value of that When working as a team It helps everyone involved now that nobody has to wait for me to go pee again

Bettypooh

[Baby Brian]

I'm urge incontinent. I usually get about a 20 second warning that I will be going rather I like it or not. That actually is enough time to make it to the bathroom if I drop what ever I'm doing and rush out. I also have an increased frequency, going about every hour or so. After I've peed I used to have to wait a minute or two to make sure I finished emptying my bladder (back when my urologist had me trying timed wetting to try and control my urges). Assuming a few things lets say I would spend 3 minutes every hour using the potty/urinal. With my diapers I only spend about 4 minutes every 5 hours or so. So approximately, 15 minutes versus 4 minutes spent, for every 5 hours. Not only are diapers much less interruptive in my life, but they are a big time saver too.

[poopy_dipes]

And they definitely save on the water bill. Even if you use cloth, the water used for washing a load of diapers is far less than what you'd use flushing the toilet all those times.

[Jen Harris]

Financially, the cost has to do with how much you value your time, which... varies a lot.

For instance at work the bathroom breaks are already free. Getting up every now and then to take a leak is possibly a good thing.

An hour into a movie though, it's definitely worth the price of a diaper just to make it through the rest.

I really wish I could find some perfect scenarios inside of which to introduce non-wearing folks to diapers... but the only ones I know where continent people regularly wear diapers involve space rockets.

[KrisNdiapers]

I dont believe diapers to be time savers, but more like they make it so you can go to the bathroom for any reason at your convenience. So if wearing at work, you may get bathroom breaks for free. But you dont always get to go right when you need to. Also maybe your time not going to the bathroom when you need to may make your work more efficient and productive. Depending on the length of your work day would decide if wearing a diaper is worth it. Most diapers aren't made to last more than 8 hrs (Abena x plus, Mollicare Super). If I worked a 8.5 hour day, I would wear one of the more absorbant ones that last 10-12 hrs. But if I worked a 10.5-12.5 workday I wouldn't wear to work at all if I had a choice. If I could avoid going to the bathroom altogether at work, I would only have to change in the comfort of home, where I don't need to be discreet. If changing at home, no need to pull off layers slowly, trying not to make a sound. Changing at home would be faster than changing in public, or employee restrooms. Not to mention many people take showers after work, so the clothes are coming off even without diapers on. So if you can wear through a workday in one diaper and go home and get in a shower directly after I believe you can save time.

[happyindprs]

I guess it depends on what you do for a living, if you are in an offie setting, perhaps it is easier to go to the restroom for frequently. Although if it gets the attention of the boss it may be questioned. I driv.e on average, a hundred miles a day during work. Wearing a diaper is surely a time saver as I am seldom around a restroom at any given time. When I have to go I go so there is no time to waste trying to find a place to pee. I will take peeing in my diapers over going in most of the restrooms I've been in any . The comment made about time for diaper changes, I stopped needing those when I found the thicker premium diapers like Abena and dry 24/7's. I can usually work ten hours before thinking about a diaper change so there is no wasted time during one of my typical days.