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What's the best cloth diaper to begin with? I've been using disposables with success and willing to try cloth and diaper pins. This is all part of the ABDL journey as I see it. Always pushing to the next step.

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46 minutes ago, Howdy21 said:

What's the best cloth diaper to begin with? I've been using disposables with success and willing to try cloth and diaper pins. This is all part of the ABDL journey as I see it. Always pushing to the next step.

You could dig around online and find one(s) at a reasonable price and see what reviews (if any) have to say about them and do the one you think looks best.

http://www.biggerdiapers.com/ has some going for about $20.

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15 minutes ago, Howdy21 said:

What's the best cloth diaper to begin with? I've been using disposables with success and willing to try cloth and diaper pins. This is all part of the ABDL journey as I see it. Always pushing to the next step.

Welcome to Daily Diapers, Howdy21,

I'm a woman about your age who grew up with a tiny over-active bladder. Consequently I often wore 'just-in-case' pinned classic Curity flat gauze 21x40" diapers on trips and for special events. My personal preference to this day is for gauze diapers covered by vinyl panties in bed.

What you will find from reading about washable diapers is the major regional preference differences. Besides flat gauze diapers there are also prefolds. Before 1900 the Curity division of Kendal Mills began weaving a version of their bandage gauze for use as diapers. After 1900 Dundee Mills began making cotton Birdseye weave diapers. Birdseye is similar to gauze but made with thicker thread, so it does not require such expensive blends of cotton as does Curity-style gauze. These days for various reasons there are few differences between gauze and Birdseye diapers. Cotton twill is also used in diapers.

Cotton flannel is popular with many people. It costs less than gauze or Birdseye and is far easier to sew. Still another cotton fabric used for diapers is terry cloth, commonly used to make towels.

In your profile Howdy 21 you do not indicate the region where you grew up or where you currently live. For example, in the UK the most common washable diapers are made from terry. The downside of terry is that using home washing machines it is very difficult to remove all the bacteria from cotton. Flannel starts off soft and gets stiffer with use whereas both Gauze and Birdseye get softer with use.

All cloth diapers need to be carefully washed before being worn. This pre-washing removes the starch added to the cotton so thread can be spun and woven. That starch causes skin irritation and vastly reduces absorption, which is the whole point of diapers.

Before investing in any kind of washable diapers think carefully about how you will wash and dry them discreetly and conveniently. When calculating cost be sure to include the total cost of washing and drying. Besides water, heat and detergent, washing machines are not free. Add in the value of your time.

Also remember that cloth diapers need a waterproof outer layer. I recommend separate waterproof pants vs All-in-one..

Indeed, Howdy 21, there is a whole lot to consider about washable diapers. Best wishes for happy diaper pinning!

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12 minutes ago, Angela Bauer said:

Welcome to Daily Diapers, Howdy21,

I'm a woman about your age who grew up with a tiny over-active bladder. Consequently I often wore 'just-in-case' pinned classic Curity flat gauze 21x40" diapers on trips and for special events. My personal preference to this day is for gauze diapers covered by vinyl panties in bed.

What you will find from reading about washable diapers is the major regional preference differences. Besides flat gauze diapers there are also prefolds. Before 1900 the Curity division of Kendal Mills began weaving a version of their bandage gauze for use as diapers. After 1900 Dundee Mills began making cotton Birdseye weave diapers. Birdseye is similar to gauze but made with thicker thread, so it does not require such expensive blends of cotton as does Curity-style gauze. These days for various reasons there are few differences between gauze and Birdseye diapers. Cotton twill is also used in diapers.

Cotton flannel is popular with many people. It costs less than gauze or Birdseye and is far easier to sew. Still another cotton fabric used for diapers is terry cloth, commonly used to make towels.

In your profile Howdy 21 you do not indicate the region where you grew up or where you currently live. For example, in the UK the most common washable diapers are made from terry. The downside of terry is that using home washing machines it is very difficult to remove all the bacteria from cotton. Flannel starts off soft and gets stiffer with use whereas both Gauze and Birdseye get softer with use.

All cloth diapers need to be carefully washed before being worn. This pre-washing removes the starch added to the cotton so thread can be spun and woven. That starch causes skin irritation and vastly reduces absorption, which is the whole point of diapers.

Before investing in any kind of washable diapers think carefully about how you will wash and dry them discreetly and conveniently. When calculating cost be sure to include the total cost of washing and drying. Besides water, heat and detergent, washing machines are not free. Add in the value of your time.

Also remember that cloth diapers need a waterproof outer layer. I recommend separate waterproof pants vs All-in-one..

Indeed, Howdy 21, there is a whole lot to consider about washable diapers. Best wishes for happy diaper pinning!

Hi, I'm from the Mid-Atlantic. I've shied away from cloth because of the issues regarding laundering. Given what you've  said, I'm still interested in giving it a try, although likely not for the long term. I just want to give wearing cloth an even chance. Thanks!

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I have tried a few different types.  While I like the velcro style that are out today, I find that there can be some irritation from the corners of the velcro patches.  I found a company that does pocket diapers with snaps, just like babies are wearing today.  I happen to like those.  I also enjoy pre-fold diapers found on babykins.com (Kins is the adult line).  However, with those you do need a diaper cover of some kind.  I feel the best bang for buck will be at Happy Endings diapers.

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Hi Howdy    I can strongly recommend the "Purity" gauze squares sold by adultclothdiaper.com    They come in 2 sizes and 2 levels of thickness.  They can be folded in many ways and are very very soft after a few washes.    For plastic pants I recommend the 6 mil weight of vinyl pants at babykins.   The pull on model #20300V is terrific   very soft and long lasting and machine washable.   Cloth and plastic pants are a very pleasant way to be diapered.   

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41 minutes ago, phl655 said:

Hi Howdy    I can strongly recommend the "Purity" gauze squares sold by adultclothdiaper.com    They come in 2 sizes and 2 levels of thickness.  They can be folded in many ways and are very very soft after a few washes.    For plastic pants I recommend the 6 mil weight of vinyl pants at babykins.   The pull on model #20300V is terrific   very soft and long lasting and machine washable.   Cloth and plastic pants are a very pleasant way to be diapered.   

OK and thanks for the advice. All I need to do now is work up the nerve. There's also something about diaper pins.. (only a DL would understand)

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I have tried several different prefold diapers over the years. I like birdseye weave and twill weave the best. Gauze is awesome but they don't last me as long as the other weaves. I don't care for flannel as it doesn't absorb nearly as fast as the other weaves. This is important if you tend to pee fast and heavy. I tend to leak throughout the day as I have no control of my bladder but occasionally I flood.

I used to use prefolds from Adult Cloth Diaper but have since opted to purchase prefolds from Baby Pants. The quality isn't quite as good but they do the same job and last just as long plus they cost less. I get well over a hundred washes out of these diapers.

I have tried several brands of plastic pants over the years. It's hard to beat Babykins 6mil vinyl pants. I get the ones with the 1" waste band. They are comfortable and last longer than most other brands I have used over the years.

Being incontinent is something that I have learned to deal with. Cloth diapers and plastic pants are the best way for me to deal with it. Especially when sleeping as I seldom ever spring a leak. Plus I tend to get nasty rashes when I wear disposable diapers for more than a couple days. 

 

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On 12/12/2017 at 10:53 AM, Howdy21 said:

OK and thanks for the advice. All I need to do now is work up the nerve. There's also something about diaper pins.. (only a DL would understand)

So, there are these things called Snappi fasteners which work fantastically.  It's what I use from time to time.  Now, I actually like using diaper pins, the bigger ones I found work better.  However, these will work just as good.  Just make sure you're getting the Toddler size, not the infant size. 

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I use LL Medico, 7 mil RearZ or My Protex panties. They are made so that one size can fit a large range. When Comco went down, I went on the hunt for a replacement and found the LL Medoc was the best in the heavy material cadegory which was what Comco was. A panty that fits a large size range is better since you can use different sized to suit the diaper situation you are in, or have the side seam lenth/crotch width advantage of a larger size which you can not ordinalrily wear for LL medico, I can fit small to 3x large very well. The RearZ I can use medium to large. Also the smooth materials are really better quality and and easier to clean and care for. I find the Babykins serviceable but the once I fit into are not sufficient in side seam length or crotch width (both measured at the sortes or narrowest point). The Babykins rubber panties are excellent but I had to specify the side seam and crothc size

If you looke at the respective size charts you will see what I mean. Comco and Babykins were very waist-size specific and for them I could wear Med and large because the large size when unstretched was not much different from the medium.Unfortunately, the problem we had destroyed my "Review" page where I went into the subject in depth,. and I do not know if I should, or can, re=create it. I would like to recover it, My "Baby Doll" little girl grooming supplies and my Retro Little Girl Lessons. They took ages to build and I do not know if I can remember all the materials, which were in my blog Also, back in the day, disposables were generically called "pampers", not diapers and were not called diapers until the 1980's or so and I still do not consider them the "real thing" and do not use thm in my "little" context

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Also, I am in 3 rubber panties

1. a snap-on LL Medico,which gets changed with each diaper
2. A babykins rubber ivory colored heavyweight rubber panty
3. One that either matches or at least goes with my dress, skirt/blouse or babydoll

See LITTLE CHRISTINE'S DOLLHOUSE-Part Deux and my Gallery. I do not usually even FEEL wetness before being in a diaper for about 10 hourse

Here is what it usually looks like under my skirt or babydoll (made especially to be worn over diapers)

 

 

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On 12/13/2017 at 5:15 PM, Soggy Bottom Boy said:

I have tried several different prefold diapers over the years. I like birdseye weave and twill weave the best. Gauze is awesome but they don't last me as long as the other weaves. I don't care for flannel as it doesn't absorb nearly as fast as the other weaves. This is important if you tend to pee fast and heavy. I tend to leak throughout the day as I have no control of my bladder but occasionally I flood.

I used to use prefolds from Adult Cloth Diaper but have since opted to purchase prefolds from Baby Pants. The quality isn't quite as good but they do the same job and last just as long plus they cost less. I get well over a hundred washes out of these diapers.

I have tried several brands of plastic pants over the years. It's hard to beat Babykins 6mil vinyl pants. I get the ones with the 1" waste band. They are comfortable and last longer than most other brands I have used over the years.

Being incontinent is something that I have learned to deal with. Cloth diapers and plastic pants are the best way for me to deal with it. Especially when sleeping as I seldom ever spring a leak. Plus I tend to get nasty rashes when I wear disposable diapers for more than a couple days. 

 

Thanks, I've been stuck deciding between Baby Pants (I usually really like their products) and Adult Cloth diaper.

Which is the better choice: prefold or contour?

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50 minutes ago, Darkfinn said:

The cloth diapers I use regularly are from babykins, I have two pull-on and two velcro ones... no fumbling with pins.

Which is the better choice: prefold or contour? I'm interested in the retro nature of pins

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1 hour ago, Howdy21 said:

Which is the better choice: prefold or contour? I'm interested in the retro nature of pins

For me, I like prefolds.  What I have found with contour, at least for me, is that if you get them in the wrong size, you are screwed.  With prefold, if you get it too big, you just fold it down like you would on a baby or toddler. 

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Mine are spacial made; more of a "little" than a baby style diaper

diaper1a.jpg

They were originally homemade for a little girl from 6 to 10, for night time, and used 3 prefolds

diaper2a.jpg

Two kinds; a heavy, made from from DSQ twill prefolds, and a light. made form Gerber bird'seye prefolds

They have room to grow so one size fits may; ages 6 to about 10

diaper3a.jpg

Doubled, a heavy in the back and a light in front

USE: This is a high-wated diaper; above the belly-button and thick between the legs
1. pull the front between legs and fold arms around and under the wearer
2. pull the long part of the rear diaper up snugly between the legs  and make snug
3. pull each of the arms around the hips snugly and then pin the whole in place

diaper4a.jpg

Need only one pin and can go for 16 hours, usually 12-13. 7;30 pm to about 9: 00 am, before needing change

Worn singly, the heavyweight gets about 8 hours and the lightweight aobut 4-1/2

This is designed to be the same thickness all over. There is no "soaker" which means the harsh wet goes away from the very delicate part of the body between the legs more quickly. The heavyweight is like having 3 layers of fabric all around and the light is like 2, so the whole is like 5 layers. If this were a prefold  it would be like having a 4x6x4

WITH THE RUBBER PANTIES IN PLACE

legs.jpg

Made for night use under a full gown or babydoll, or in daytime, under a full dress or skirt, they were made to go a long time between changes, all night or for a 2 hour or more trip (this was before the expressway system and a trip from Fall River MA to a place in Boston took about 2-1/2 hours or more and NYC took about 5. Now they take 1-1/4 and 3 with 1 stop, on i95, if not during the crush hour) where no bathroom was available. Unlike boys a girl could not stop along the way at a wooded area, of which most of the route consisted, and go behind a tree and wet. Also, it was not the idea to see how soaked she could get the diaper, it was hoped to be change, at most, when very damp

 

 

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13 hours ago, Howdy21 said:

Which is the better choice: prefold or contour? I'm interested in the retro nature of pins

I too was "interested" in pins at one time, tried both flat and contour cloth dips in the past... what a pain in the arse. They're a hassle to use, especially when changing yourself, and are just something else bothersome to keep up with.

Check out these instead...

http://www.babykins.com/store/adult-cloth-diapers/kins-hook-and-loop-cotton-adult-cloth-diaper/

http://www.babykins.com/store/adult-cloth-diapers/kins-pull-on-adult-cotton-diaper/

Comfortable, capable and easy to deal with.

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Hook and loop loses it after awhile unless you treat them special, which gets involved and, as with snap-on diapers, what happens if your waist size falls in the cracks. pinning can be done to fit. I've been given to understand that pull-ons are not that effective. Besides that, when it is time to change, do you not have to pull thenm down your leg all the way, taking off your rubber panties as well (unless they are snap-on) but won't pullups be a bother if you are not wearing a skirt, dress or babydoll (which has a panty that will need to be taken off to change the diaper)

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Hook and Loop - just another name for Velcro (may have trademark restrictions in name and use).

Velcro does not fare well in hot water laundry or with an application of high heat.

The longevity is stunted or other words it melts and loses it gripping ability.

The best part is that it is multi-adjustable - for putting on diapers you can continue to futz with the fitting

until it is just right and NO pins.

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I have 2 of the babykins SDK velcro diapers.  The velcro failed pretty quickly.  I ordered a  roll of heavy duty velcro brand velcro and replaced all the velcro on both diapers.  They are still going strong.  another option is to remove bad velcro and use pins.

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So to save yourself the bother of learning to use pins, you do something that will mean you have to know how to sew?

This is the crux of the thing. Girls learned how to pin diapers by the age of 8 . Boys just would not. They had no place in the nursery

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