Types and Brands of Diapers to Use For Bed-Wetting and Companies That Sell Them Part 2

Disposable briefs are the term for adult diapers. They come in youth and adult sizes and look and fit just like Pampers-they have tape tabs,elastic leg gathers(in addition some have elastic waist bands for added protection) and either a non woven cloth like outer cover or a plastic outer covering. It seems like within the past several years the adult diaper manufacturers are following the lead of the baby diaper manufacturers and are using a non woven cloth like outer covering with their diapers. I think the reason for this is twofold. The first reason is that perhaps it makes the diapers more breathable which means they might be more comfortable with some users,and second it makes the diapers more discreet-i.e. there is none of the telltale crinkling or rustling sound that diapers with a plastic outer covering make when the user moves around. However some people claim that the non woven cloth outer covering makes the diapers feel clammy when wet,they cause abrasion between the legs,and they're not as effective at protecting the individual. As for purchasing diapers that have a plastic outer covering and make a rustling noise,if the person is only wearing them at night this shouldn't be a concern.

If parents decide to purchase plastic pants and cloth diapers to manage their youngster's bed-wetting there is one thing to keep in mind and that is the terminology used in referring to waterproof pants. Before plastic pants came out parents used rubber pants for their babies. Then plastic pants came out and even though people used both styles of pants for awhile,eventually the rubber pants were phased out. I don't know of any companies that make rubber pants for babies but there are a couple companies that make rubber pants for older children and adults.

Many people use the term "rubber pants" as a generic term for waterproof pants particularly plastic pants. Nowadays when people use the term "rubber pants" they actually mean plastic pants. I guess after rubber pants were phased out and plastic pants became the dominant pant used for both babies and incontinent adults the term "rubber pants" just kind of stuck and many people continued to use the term "rubber pants" as a catch all term for waterproof pants. Also "plastic pants" are the same as "vinyl pants"-vinyl is a type of plastic so people use the term interchangeably. Finally if you decide to buy waterproof pants from another country such as Canada or England it's important to beware of the following. Some companies manufacture and sell "PVC(which stands for polyvinyl chloride) pants. This is also a plastic material and these pants are the same as the "vinyl" and "plastic pants." I just wanted to bring this up so people aren't confused when buying waterproof pants. I've also heard some people use the term "rubber sheet" as a generic term for waterproof sheets-particularly plastic or vinyl sheets.

Regarding choosing a product to manage the youngster's bed-wetting this can be a tough choice for many parents. There are a couple of reasons for this. First,there are a number of different styles of garments out there. Second there are many brands of diapers to choose from. This can be very overwhelming. To make things more complicated there are styles within styles. For example if parents use cloth diapers there are many different ways to fasten the diapers and as a result different styles. These include pin-ons,diapers with Velcro, snap-on diapers,and pull-ons. The pin-on diapers come in different styles-prefold, flat,and contour. Contour diapers are hourglass shaped diapers without elastic in the legs or back. Flat diapers are rectangular diapers made with one layer. Prefold diapers are also rectangular shaped but have layers built in with more absorbency sewn into the middle part.

Cloth diapers are also made of different fabrics such as gauze, birdseye ,flannel,and diapers lined with terry cloth. Some of these fabrics are more breathable(and as a result more comfortable) than others and some are more suitable for bed-wetting. For instance some companies have cloth diapers specifically designed for night use-i.e. they have extra absorbent layers sewn into the diapers for added protection at night. Cloth diapers like disposable diapers come in both youth and adult sizes. Also if the parents choose to use cloth diapers they must use waterproof pants to cover the diapers.

The most popular form of waterproof pants are plastic pants. The current crop of adult and youth size plastic pants seem to be better made then the plastic pants made years ago. Comco, Suprima, and the Leakmaster Deluxe pants (made by Gary and sold by Adultclothdiaper.com) are just three brands of plastic pants that have a reputation for being made of a real thick durable plastic and thus well made. I've also heard that with some waterproof pants if the person uses various protective creams before putting on their diapers these have a tendency to break down the material of the waterproof pants. This seems to happen primarily with rubber pants(although this might just be the case with certain brands).

Waterproof pants come in two styles-pull-on and snap-on. From what I understand the snap-on styles are used primarily with bedridden and non-ambulatory patients because with these types of patients the pants are easier to get on and off. In addition it's to my understanding that snap-on plastic pants are used by parents for their babies because presumably these are easier to put on and take off(although personally I would think it would be just as easy using pull-on plastic pants since we're dealing with a small child. I would also think in a situation like that it would be relatively easy to put the pants on as opposed to putting them on an incontinent adult which would probably be harder for various reasons).I've also heard that snap-on plastic pants might be more breathable due to the fact that there's a slight opening because of the snaps. This in turn allows air to circulate more freely. That being said from what I understand the snap-on plastic pants are prone to leaks with some users at night especially if the user moves around a lot or sleeps on his or her side. Also I've heard that there's a tendency for the snaps to break in some cases. Finally snap-on plastic pants are more expensive than pull-ons.

Disposable diapers for heavy urinary incontinence such as bed-wetting come in two styles-pull-on and tape-on briefs. Disposable briefs as mentioned previously have the same design and fit as baby diapers. You can also get diaper doublers known as booster pads, liners,and diaper inserts to put in disposable diapers to increase the level of absorbency in the diaper. Some companies also have inserts for cloth diapers. I've heard of some people lining their cloth diapers with baby cloth diapers which can be purchased in places such as Walmart and Target.

People have different opinions as far as what type and brand of diapers to use for bed-wetting-some people swear by a certain brand or style of diapers whereas others try the same brand or style and don't like it. Many companies have samples of disposable briefs for various incontinence needs which they will send you either for free or for a nominal fee. In addition to using diapers the parents should cover the bed with a waterproof sheet in case the diapers leak. Waterproof sheets generally come in two styles, flannel with a rubber backing and plastic(also known as vinyl).The vinyl sheets in turn come in two styles-zippered or fitted. Although there are other styles of waterproof sheets the vinyl and rubber sheets seem to be the most popular ones.

I've heard about people using all types of covers to protect their youngster's bed. One woman on a parenting forum said she used a plastic tarp to cover her child's bed. In addition I've read that vinyl shower curtains are a good way to protect the bed. One woman I knew covered her daughter's bed with a regular plastic sheet. For example if you have a roll of plastic sheeting (like the kind you get in a hardware or contractor supplies store) or are considering buying one you could cut off a piece and place it under the fitted sheet or mattress pad. Many people have a roll of plastic sheeting to use for stuff such as yard work,painting,remodeling,concrete work,covering materials stored outside,covering mulch,etc. In addition some people probably have a roll of plastic sheeting from back when Homeland Security was encouraging everyone to buy plastic sheeting to protect against terrorist attacks.

If you do have a roll of plastic sheeting you might consider using some of it to cover your child or teenager's bed. There are several reasons for this. One,since you already have the plastic on hand it saves you money because you don't have to purchase waterproof sheets(not that waterproof sheets are all that expensive but in today's day and age every penny counts).Two,the hardware store plastic is pretty durable and will last for a long time. Three,you can customize how much plastic you cut to lay over the child's bed. Fourth,you can cut multiple sheets which means you don't have to use the same sheet over and over which cuts down on wear and tear. Plastic sheeting comes in several thicknesses including 3,4,and 6 mil. My feeling is the thicker the better because if the youngster rolls around a lot at night there's less wear and tear on the plastic which means it will last longer. Besides the woman I just mentioned I'm not sure if anyone else uses this type of plastic to protect the bed from bed-wetting but sometimes it's good to be a trend setter. Like with any other situation in life it's good to think outside the box and experiment with new ideas. This might be a cost effective and practical way to deal with bed-wetting.

If parents decide to use either the plastic sheeting from a hardware store or a plastic tarp to cover their child or teenager's bed it's important to keep in mind that this type of plastic makes a rustling sound which some people might find unpleasant. The crinkling noise of the plastic might make some children,adolescents,or teenagers feel self-conscious. On the other hand some individuals aren't bothered by this. Some children might be bothered by it at first but eventually get used to it. Since most bed-wetters are deep sleepers they might not have any problem adjusting to the crinkling of the plastic. One way to deal with this is to put the plastic under the fitted sheet or mattress pad and to place several layers of sheets or towels over the plastic. This will muffle the crinkling sound of the plastic. If however the youngster does have difficulty sleeping in a bed covered with this kind of plastic the parents should consider covering the bed with another type of waterproof sheet.

If you decide to go the cloth diaper route and if your budget permits you might want to consider purchasing the various styles of diapers such as pin-ons and pull-ons in addition to choosing diapers made of the different fabrics previously mentioned in order to determine what works best in your particular case. Pin-ons might be the best choice in many circumstances particularly for bed-wetting. There are several advantages to using pin-on diapers for bed-wetting: a.)these tend to be the most absorbent of all the styles of cloth diapers b.) with Velcro diapers the Velcro can wear out after a number of washings and c.)with snap-on diapers sometimes the snaps come off. d.)you can layer more material in a pin-on diaper(i.e. you can put more inserts in a pin-on diaper) than a pull-on diaper in order to make it more absorbent which is especially good for night use as people tend to wet more at night..Adding more material to a pull-on cloth diaper isn't as feasible because it tends to bunch up and one woman I spoke to at a company that sells both kinds of diapers says the pin-ons are more secure and the pull-ons tend to sag if the user is a heavy wetter. In addition it's hard to keep the inserts in place in a pull on cloth diaper. A couple other people I spoke with also said that in general you have more flexibility with the pin-on diapers as opposed to the pull-ons. For instance you have a lot of latitude with how and wear you fold them in order to prevent leaks-you can make them thicker on the sides,in the front,or in the back. I read about an individual who is a side sleeper and he overlapped more material in that area in order for the diapers to offer better protection with this particular situation.

I suspect that the pull-on cloth diapers are better suited for daytime use and people who have light incontinence-the pin-ons on the other hand are generally better for people suffering from heavy incontinence such as bed-wetting. In fact many people consider pin-on diapers to be the best diapers to manage bed-wetting.

There is one more thing I'd like to bring up regarding cloth diapers and plastic pants. Some people find that the cloth diapers and plastic pants are too hot and as a result too uncomfortable to wear in the summer months and during this time they switch to disposable diapers. Also some people alternate between disposable tape-on diapers and cloth diapers-on some nights they wear the cloth diapers and plastic pants and others they wear the disposable diapers so they don't have to wash the cloth diapers as much. The thinking behind this is that it saves some wear on the cloth diapers. Parents might want to consider experimenting with both kinds of diapers to determine what works best in their particular situation.

Choosing an incontinence product is like everything else in life-there's no one size fits all solution. It requires a lot of experimentation and trial and error. This entails getting other people's opinions(there are incontinence forums where you can pose questions about various brands and styles of garments) and then trying the brand or particular style of diaper. Keep in mind that a person's recommendation of a particular brand or style of diaper is just an opinion and while it's good to get other peoples opinions you have to try the brand or style of diapers out yourself and come to your own conclusion.

Also before buying a whole case or pack of a particular brand of diaper it's advisable to contact the company to see if they have samples available-after all you wouldn't want to spend a lot of money for a product that might not work for you. A person shouldn't get discouraged if they have difficulty finding the right product to manage their bed-wetting. With a little persistence and patience they'll eventually find a garment to suit their needs.

Right now I'd like to give a list of several companies and their contact info that manufacture and sell both cloth diapers and plastic pants and disposable diapers for older children,adolescents,teenagers,and adults that wet the bed. I'd also like to mention several brands of both cloth diapers and plastic pants and disposable briefs that have good reputations particularly for night use. There are several companies who sell disposable diapers that are highly regarded by many people. One such company is HDIS which stands for Home Delivery Incontinence Supplies.They have a personalized delivery plan in which you can set up a schedule in which to have your products delivered. For example if you order a case of diapers and they run out in 4 weeks you can set it up with them beforehand to have another case delivered before you run out. You can set it up for whatever delivery time you need. You also get a five percent discount on cases of diapers if you order this way. I would check their website or give them a call for further details. Continence Connection is another place that sells a wide variety of incontinence supplies. They're run by a nurse named Robin Howe who specializes in incontinence.

XP Medical is another company which has a good reputation. They have a large selection of diapers. Their number is (888)485-2268  ABAIP(A Better Absorbent Incontinence Product) also has a large selection of diapers and from what I understand they are run by a person who is incontinent so they will be especially knowledgeable in this area.Their number is (888)401-5311.If you need cases of diapers for your bed-wetting child or teenager I would check with several mail order places to get the best deal. As with everything else in life it's important to shop around.

As far as pin-on cloth diapers and plastic pants are concerned there are a number of places that sell them. Angel Fluff diaper company manufactures and sells pin-on cloth diapers for older children,teens,and adults. Their phone number is (800)996-2644 Another company that makes pin-on diapers is Loving Comfort. Their phone number is (717)308-0662.Kins a company out of Canada also makes pin-on cloth diapers for older children,teenagers,and adults. Their phone number is (800)665-2229. Finally Adultclothdiaper.com makes and sells pin-on diapers for older children,teenagers,and adults. Their phone number is (877)215-9004.

With regard to plastic pants, many people recommend the Comco plastic pants. Apparently some employees of the original Comco split off and formed their own company called Comco Manufacturing. The original Comco is based out of St. Paul, Minnesota and is called Comco Inc. They sell plastic pants,cloth diapers,and waterproof sheets. I'm not sure if they still do this but if a customer wanted a vinyl sheet of a certain size to cover the bed they will cut it to whatever size the customer requests. If interested you might want to inquire about this. Here's their contact info: Comco, 2270 3rd. Street, North Saint Paul, MN 55079.Their phone number is (651)779-7313 and their fax number is (651)779-0871. They also have a tool free number-(800)328-9658. Their email address is comco@mindspring.com and their web address is www.comcoincmn.com They have a pull-on plastic pant known as the style 230 for $12.60 each and a three pack for $29.85.

The other Comco is based out of Hinckley, Minnesota and is called Comco Manufacturing. Their contact info is Comco Manufacturing,LLC, P.O. Box 550, Hinckley, MN. 55037. Their web address is comcomfg.com and their phone number is (888)250-8577.They also have pull-on plastic pants. The price for one is $10.50,the price for a three pack is $25.50,and the price for a six pack is $41.00.The pants from the Comco in Hinckley, Minnesota have a wider waistband and are cheaper than the ones from the Saint Paul Comco but the vinyl they make their pants from is different. I spoke with the owner of the original Comco based out of Saint Paul,Minnesota and he said their pants are nothing like the pants made by the Comco in Hinckley MN. He told me that the pants from his company are made from a different formulation of vinyl than those manufactured from the Comco in Hinckley MN. I'm not sure if this means they're necessarily better made than the ones from the company out of Hinckley but the fact that they do use a different type of vinyl could play a part in how well made they are. It seems that when the employees from the original Comco left to form their own company they started using a different type of vinyl to make their pants which makes sense when you think about it.

Some plastic pants are better made than others and the fact that the Comco from Saint Paul does use a different type of vinyl could make them more durable. The best way to find out is to give both pants a try and see which one lasts longer. Also the Comco from Saint Paul has been around for at least 30 years(maybe more) which also might give them an edge with some people-experience means a lot especially in this area. Many people feel comfortable buying products from companies they've dealt with for years due to such factors as customer service,the fact that they have a good relationship with a particular individual or individuals in the company, etc .

There are some individuals who might prefer the Comco plastic pants made by the Comco from Hinckley, MN due to the fact that they have a wider waistband and they're slightly cheaper,whereas other individuals might prefer the Comco plastic pants made by the Comco in Saint Paul MN due to the fact that they're made from a different type of vinyl which could mean they're more durable and as a result last longer. In addition the Comco from Saint Paul has been around longer and the owner whose name is Burch has a lot of experience in this area. With some individuals it might be worth the extra expense to buy pants that are more durable and to purchase items from a company that is more established. As I said it might be prudent to get a pair from each and see which one you like the best.

As mentioned before Adultclothdiaper.com (also known as All Together Enterprises) also sells a style of plastic pants called the Leakmaster Deluxe which has plastic covered elastic leg and waistbands. The Suprima plastic pants are another brand of plastic pants that are highly regarded by many people. These pants are made out of pvc (polyvinyl chloride) which as mentioned before is a type of plastic. The Suprima pants are made in Germany and sold by a Canadian company called B4NS. The web address is http://www.b4ns.com and their phone number is (514)812-4917. The Suprima pants are made of a real thick type of plastic and some models also have plastic covered elastic leg and waist bands. Many people claim this makes them particularly effective for protecting against leaks especially during the night. I was on their website recently and I noticed they have several different models of the Suprima plastic pants. Some of the models have a higher back,wider elastic, and wider crotch than others which also might help bed wetters. The S1212 is one such model. I would call or email the owner of the company and discuss with him your specific needs and ask him what type of pants would best meet those needs. As a matter of fact it's a good idea to do that with other companies that sell incontinence garments as well, in order to determine the products that will best suit your needs regarding absorbency, price, etc.

Colin Ellison

Types and Brands of Diapers to Use For Bed-Wetting and Companies That Sell Them - Part 3

Some people have a favorite brand of plastic pants and diapers and stick with that particular brand, whereas other people use multiple brands because they could be happy with more than one brand. For example a person on an incontinence forum said he used both the Suprima plastic pants and the Comco plastic pants. One of the persons replying to this individual said that he also uses both brands. I've heard it's a good idea to buy several pairs of plastic pants. Given this fact it might be a good idea to buy several different brands of pants and alternate using them, that way you save wear and tear on the various pants.

On a related note some people have a favorite style of diaper such as pin-on and stick with that,whereas others are happy using both pin-on diapers and other types such as tape-on disposable diapers. Since people have different needs and preferences for managing their bed-wetting and since there are so many different types and brands of diapers available to meet these needs and preferences, it's a good idea to be flexible in trying out different garments because even though you're happy with one product to manage your bed-wetting, there might be a product out there which would better suit your needs. In addition new brands and products for managing bed-wetting are coming out all the time. Also people's needs and preferences sometimes change over time. While there is something to be said for sticking with what works, there's also something to be said for trying different brands and products. Sometimes that's the best way(and some people would argue the only way) to figure out what's most effective for a particular person and their circumstances. No two people are alike and nowhere is this more true than with choosing an appropriate diaper to manage one's bed-wetting.

In terms of disposable diapers for bed-wetting there are several brands that have good reputations. Abriform X-Plus made by Abena, Molicare, Unique brief,Tranquility All-Through-The-Night disposable briefs manufactured by Principle Business Enterprises, Eurobrief, Mega Careline, Tenas, and Secure X-Plus briefs.The Secure X Plus briefs are sold by both G.Hirsch and Company and Secure Personal Care.The Eurobriefs are sold by Mediprime and the Unique briefs are sold by First Wellness. When shopping for disposable briefs it's important to remember that some companies make two styles of disposable diapers-one with a plastic outer cover and one with a cloth like outer covering. Some people feel that the diapers with the plastic outer covering offer better protection and are more comfortable whereas other swear by the diapers with the cloth like cover. Tena I believe just makes diapers with a cloth like outer cover. Abena make diapers with both a plastic outer covering and a cloth like outer cover. Molicare makes diapers with a plastic outer covering-I'm not sure if they also make a diaper with a cloth like outer cover. Molicare make different lines of diapers. The most absorbent of these is the Super Plus Fitted Briefs. Out of all the Molicare diapers these are presumably the best to use for heavy incontinence such as bed-wetting. They have a plastic outer cover and extra padding in both the front and rear wings for increased protection and comfort.Another brand of disposable diaper is Dry 247.According to the website their brief holds up to 2 to 3 liters and keeps skin,clothing,and bedding dry for 10 or more hours.Their web address is www.dry247.com.They have a sample pack of 2 briefs for $5.00.

Regarding using disposable diapers with either a cloth like or plastic outer covering I would ask the company that sells both kinds to send you a sample of each in order to determine what works best for you. You can get the Tranquility from HDIS .You can get the Molicare Super Plus briefs from both XP Medical and ABAIP. In addition you can purchase Molicare briefs from HDIS but they don't appear to carry the Super Plus briefs-I was on their website recently and I just saw the Molicare Super and the original Molicare. Although these are good from what I hear they're not as absorbent as the Molicare Super Plus briefs. You might want to contact them and see if they can special order the Super Plus briefs from the manufacturer or if they plan on carrying the Super Plus briefs in the future.

Other brands of disposable briefs include Wings by Kendall, Prevail by First Quality, Whitestone, Dignity, At Ease, Attends, and Depends but I've heard mixed reviews about some of these brands. It would be a good idea to contact the companies and see if they can provide samples. HDIS has a brief sample pack-I believe it's $9.95 for the pack. In addition you can buy diaper doublers known as booster pads,liners,and diaper inserts to put in disposable diapers to make them more absorbent. They also make booster pads for cloth diapers and some people purchase baby cloth diapers from places such as Walmart and Target to put in their adult cloth diapers to increase absorbency. Diaper pins(which are referred to as safety pins) and diaper rash ointment can also be purchased from these stores.

I hope the last few sections have given parents a good overview of the wide variety of products available to manage their child, adolescent, or teens bed-wetting. It's important for parents to have a wide variety of options to manage their youngster's bed-wetting. Just as parents have different types and brands of diapers to choose from for their babies,they should have different diapers to choose from to manage their older child,teenager,or adolescent's bed-wetting.

Too often in life we use a cookie-cutter approach to manage problems and bed-wetting is no exception. Just as a carpenter uses the most effective tools for a particular step in building a house or for a particular project,we must use the most effective diaper to manage bed-wetting and this might be different for each individual for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately due to the taboo nature of bed-wetting the problem is not discussed much and as a result most people are unaware of the full range of products available. Most parents I believe just know about products such as pull-ups and "Goodnites." Hopefully as time goes on this problem will be less stigmatized and more people will feel comfortable discussing this problem. When this happens people will feel more inclined to talk about the different types of diapers out there to manage bed-wetting.

Colin Ellison

Choosing the Right Diaper to Manage Bedwetting With Children and Teenagers Part 2

If you decide to use pin-on diapers to manage your youngster's bed-wetting you must use waterproof pants to cover them. The most popular type of waterproof pants are plastic pants. Some plastic pants are thicker than others. In general the thicker plastic pants tend to last longer. Some brands of plastic pants that have good reputations are the Comco plastic pants,the Suprima plastic pants,and the Gary plastic pants.

When buying diapers look on the website and check out the size range of the products. As far as disposable briefs are concerned they tell you which hip and waist size the briefs will fit. For youth sizes they sometimes also give the weight range the products will fit.

With cloth diapers they give the waist size the diapers will fit as well as both the length and width of the diapers. A customer service rep from Angel Fluff Diaper company told me that in order to get the appropriate size you should measure the waist from the belt in front to the belt in the back and through the crotch. In addition you should also know your thigh measurements. The simplest thing to do is to familiarize yourself with what measurements are required from the company you're planning to buy from then when you're ready to purchase the item, ask them if there's any other information they need. This applies to disposable briefs,plastic pants,and cloth diapers.

As discussed before there is tremendous stigma associated with the use of diapers. It's a shame that most people only use garments such as pull-ups/pull-ons and "Goodnites" to deal with their bed-wetting and won't even consider trying other options. Options that in some cases can offer better protection thereby making the child feel more comfortable and secure. I've talked with customer service reps from The Bedwetting Store,Continence Connection,and HDIS and other places that sell incontinence products and the ones I spoke with felt that the disposable briefs tend to be more absorbent and provide better protection than garments such as pull-ups and "Goodnites" although some people I've spoken with said that both briefs and pull-ups are equally effective at protecting the user,it's just a question of personal preference. That being said,the consensus from both customer service reps that sell both types of garments and people from incontinence forums who experience bed-wetting seems to be that disposable briefs tend to offer better protection for this particular type of incontinence. As far as obtaining opinions about bed-wetting products from customer service reps, although there is the potential for bias in this area and people should exercise a certain degree of caution when evaluating the information presented to them(as is the case in any other transaction), the companies previously mentioned have been around for a number of years and are highly regarded by many people. In addition it would not be in the best interest of these companies to recommend products that didn't work. I suspect that in general,the people who operate mail order incontinence companies tend to have a high level of integrity(of course as with everything else in life there are exceptions to the rule) and want to instill these values in the staff who are responsible for providing information about what the best type of products to buy based on the customer's needs. Like any other sales person they have to responsive to the needs of their customers otherwise they'll soon be out of a job and if the company gets a reputation for recommending products that don't meet the consumer's needs they'll soon be out of business.

At this point I'd like to talk about some of the reasons that the disposable tape tab briefs tend to be more effective than products such as "Goodnites" and pull-ups for heavy incontinence such as bed-wetting. One of the reasons for this is that there tends to be more padding in the briefs. One customer service representative told me that many briefs have a highly absorbent polymer and high capacity padding which extends to the wings and side panels. Another customer service representative told me that the disposable tape on briefs tend to have more padding in the front and back and the pull-on garments tend to have less padding in the waist area. A third customer service rep told me that the briefs have padding all around whereas garments such as pull-ups and "Goodnites" don't. In general it seems that products such as "Goodnites" tend to not have padding on the sides which means they'll most likely provide less effective protection particularly with those people who tend to sleep on their sides. In fact one person on an incontinence forum mentioned that he didn't find the pull-up style disposable diapers effective for bed-wetting. He said that they didn't have enough protection on the sides and he frequently experienced leaks. I was also told that with a tape on brief there's more flexibility in getting a snug fit because you have the ability to adjust the tapes on the brief thereby making them fit more snug.This in turn should help prevent leaks. That's the reason disposable briefs have refastenable tapes, in case you need to make any adjustments to the brief to make it fit better. Finally,the owner of XP Medical had the following to say regarding disposable tape on briefs versus pull-ups: "Tape tab briefs are almost always more absorbent than pull-ups,and therefore better for heavy incontinence. As you mentioned the reason for this is twofold: 1.)There is more padding because there is not so much elastic using up space in front and back. 2.) The tapes allow the product to be fixed more firmly so that they will stay in place even when wet. Pullups will fall down if too heavy."

He went on to say that some people may find it difficult to fasten the tapes on a tape on diaper such as a person who suffers from arthritis or Parkinson's disease. In a situation such as this it would be better to use garments such as pull-ups. That being said if your bed-wetter does not have any cognitive or physical impairments that would prevent or make it difficult for him or her to fasten the tapes on a tape tab style disposable brief,it would be advisable to have the child or teenager wear disposable tape tab briefs instead of pull-ups. As far as choosing a diaper with a cloth like outer cover versus one with a plastic outer cover he had this to say: "The Air-Plus diapers(a diaper with a cloth like outer cover made by Abena) have the advantage of being quieter and allowing some airflow through the material. On the other hand, many customers do not like them because the cloth like material 'grabs' on clothing and can allow odors to seep through." Although this happened with a particular brand of diaper, this problem can occur with other brands of diapers. One person mentioned that he found that the diapers with the cloth like outer cover tended to stick to the sheets when he moved around in bed and since he moved around a lot at night he preferred the disposable diapers with a plastic outer cover.

To get back to the advantages of disposable tape on briefs versus pull-ups,the author of the Diaper Primer in the section on disposable diapers has this to say regarding pull-ons: "As a general observation,we would say that pull-ons are not really "you know whats"(i.e. diapers) and cannot afford the same protection afforded by the "ah-hem." If they are going to get used and wet,they are going to become heavy,and the elastic waist will not be able to keep them up or comfortable. This writer's opinion is that they are very useful and valuable for those who do not plan to get them wet and are wearing protection primarily for peace of mind or for that "just in case situation" and "The capacity of pull-ons is less than a full diaper brief." There are several brands of disposable briefs that are highly regarded by many people especially for heavy incontinence such as bed-wetting. These include Molicare Super Plus Fitted Briefs, Abriform X-Plus briefs made by Abena,the Unique Brief(which is made by First Wellness and is also known as the Wellness brief), Eurobrief made by Mediprime,Secure X-Plus briefs, Tranquility All-Through-The Night disposable briefs,Tenas,and Dry247 briefs. Abena Abriform also has a model called the "Super" brief which is not as absorbent as the X-Plus model but is available in an extra small size for those youngsters who might not be able to fit into the X-Plus briefs.These are just some of the brands of disposable briefs available.

Other brands of disposable briefs include the Wings brand by Kendall, Prevail by First Quality, Whitestone(which make different models of disposable briefs including "Ultrashields")the Dignity brand made by Humanicare,At Ease,Attends,Protection Plus by Medline,Dry Comfort,and Nightingale.As far as the Dignity brand is concerned they make a nighttime version of their briefs which is called "Dignity PM" They also make a brief called "Dignity Plus". On the Duraline Medical Products website in the education part of their website they have a section called "common types of incontinence and appropriate products." For nocturnal enuresis(which as mentioned earlier is the clinical term for bed-wetting) they had this to say regarding the best type of product to wear: "Heavy incontinence such as urge,nocturnal enuresis,or reflex,usually requires a wrap-around brief, either disposable or cloth, or a heavy pant and pad system." As far as pant and pad systems are concerned, although these were mentioned by Duraline as being appropriate for heavy incontinence,other sources that sell incontinence products(as well as the Diaper Primer) indicate that these are designed to handle light to moderate incontinence and are not recommended for bed-wetting.In the incontinence guide on the Woodbury Products website it listed four different levels of incontinence-very light,light,moderate,and heavy. It also listed the types of garments most suited to deal with these different levels. Disposable tape tab briefs were the ones mentioned to be most effective in dealing with heavy incontinence(incontinence where the person loses large volumes of urine.) To quote the website-"Ultra comfortable and discreet,disposable briefs offer superior protection and confidence. Easily fasten with tape tabs." Since bed-wetting is a form of heavy incontinence it would be best to use a product designed specifically for this type of incontinence and disposable tape tab briefs appear to be the best choice to manage heavy incontinence.

Right now I'd like to get back to the topic of disposable tape tab briefs with plastic outer covers and disposable tape tab briefs with cloth like outer covers. As far as buying disposable tape on briefs with a plastic outer layer or a cloth layer is concerned, this is a personal preference. There are people who prefer the diapers with a cloth like outer cover and there are those who prefer the diapers with a plastic outer layer. Some of the complaints about diapers with a cloth like outer covering that were mentioned in the Diaper Primer are abrasion between the legs and a feeling of clamminess. Other people prefer the cloth like outer cover because they feel it's more comfortable. There are a number of reasons why most manufacturers seem to be making diapers with a cloth like outer cover. One,is that they could be more cost effective for the manufacturers to produce. Two,they are supposed to be more discreet to wear-some of the diapers with the plastic outer cover make a loud crinkling sound whenever the user moves around. Third,the cloth like outer cover is supposed to make the diapers more underwear like in appearance which makes them more acceptable to wear for many people. Fourth,these diapers are supposed to be more breathable which means they're supposed to be healthier for the individual's skin. Finally,all of these reasons might be involved in the decision to make these kinds of diapers. That being said,there are companies that make both styles of diapers and there are companies that only make diapers with a plastic outer cover. I personally think that the reason most diapers for older children,adolescents,teenagers,and adults are made with a cloth like outer cover is that these diapers look more like underwear than the ones made with a plastic outer layer. As far as the rustling sound is concerned I understand that there are ways to get around this problem and if the person is only wearing diapers at night this shouldn't be a concern. Furthermore,even certain brands of disposable diapers with a cloth like outer cover can make some degree of noise. It should be pointed out that products and brands evolve over time-for instance a brand that might have had a bad reputation with members of the incontinence community years ago may improve and vice-versa.

Another point to keep in mind with disposable briefs is that some people buy disposable liners to increase the absorbency of the brief. Disposable liners are known as booster pads or "diaper doublers" and can be purchased from mail order companies such as HDIS,National Incontinence,Continence Connection among other places that specialize in incontinence products. As I talk about later in this article,many companies that sell incontinence products have sample packs of disposable briefs and this will help you make the decision about whether the disposable tape on briefs with the cloth like outer cover or the disposable tape tab briefs with the plastic outer cover works best for you.

Colin Ellison