Cloth diapering for grown ups?

nerdbaby

Just saw a clip of a show that featured a family where they use cloths to wipe themselves, pee and poop, and wash them just like we're all doing or planning to do for our babies.

I was totally grossed out and then my hubs asked why I was so freaked as he gestured to the every growing stash of CDs in the living room.

Thoughts?  Anyone think this is not so crazy?  Gotta admit, it made me think of adults in the hospital or nursing homes who are bedridden in plastic diapers and I thought maybe an adult-sized cloth diaper wouldn't be such a bad idea in those instances.

cassoppea

Using cloth wipes is one thing - that doesn't bother me.  But using cloth diapers as an adult is just weird.  I guess if you need it, like what you mentioned, that's a different story.  

Some people are very strange...

nerdbaby

Word.  Reminds me of the 20/20 on people who don't use any hygiene or cleaning products in their house because they believe mold and bacteria are healthy.  They brushed their teeth with some kind of waaay gone bad moldy godknowswhat and the mom woke her kids up every two hours to drink curdled milk.

They looked really healthy... cough cough... 

Excitedtostart

nerdbaby:

Word.  Reminds me of the 20/20 on people who don't use any hygiene or cleaning products in their house because they believe mold and bacteria are healthy.  They brushed their teeth with some kind of waaay gone bad moldy godknowswhat and the mom woke her kids up every two hours to drink curdled milk. They looked really healthy... cough cough... 

Holy motherofgod that is disgusting. And I hope those children were removed from that situation. 

OP - I fully plan on CDing, and I use a diva cup, but I don't think I could get into family cloth. Maybe I could get into cloth pads for PP, but I don't know. Whatever I thought would be most comfortable. 

As for CDs for adults, I would imagine that it might feel better to use a cloth diaper as opposed to a disposable one. Unless I were ambulatory, then I would be looking for something as slim and discrete as possible. Because, it's not just old people in nursing homes that use adult diapers. I mean, if I were 20 and had a neurogenic bladder from a spinal injury, or spina bifida, I might really like something softer and more comfortable. Or, maybe they would just be too bulky. Hmm. 

It sounds weird to think about, but I suppose if I were in that situation I might be interested in some more comfortable/eco-friendly options. 

Dr.Loretta

It's called family cloth, and it's a growing industry. You can find cloth maxi pads and panty liners, and some people use them in place of toilet paper to cut down on waste.

There are also adult-sized cloth diapers for those who are older invalids, or those with severe disabilities who are too big for infant CDs.

LottaLattes

I don't see how it's hugely different, honestly (not sure if you have gotten to CDing full on toddler poop before).  I am ok using tp, but use cloth pantiliners and such (didn't for my miscarriages, but that's extenuating circumstances).  For regular problems, it would be a nice green alternative IMO.  But to each his or her own, remember some people think cloth diapering is disgusting too!

nerdbaby

LottaLattes:

I don't see how it's hugely different, honestly (not sure if you have gotten to CDing full on toddler poop before).  I am ok using tp, but use cloth pantiliners and such (didn't for my miscarriages, but that's extenuating circumstances).  For regular problems, it would be a nice green alternative IMO.  But to each his or her own, remember some people think cloth diapering is disgusting too!

True true.  I suppose it's just another challenge to convention, but it blew my mind nonetheless.

I wonder what the reaction was disposables back in the day... I'm thinking it must have been a godsend compared to how they used to cloth diaper, but I wonder still.  My grandmother never used a hair dryer once in her life because she was scared doo-doo-less that it would shock her dead.  Different strokes.

LottaLattes

nerdbaby:

LottaLattes:

I don't see how it's hugely different, honestly (not sure if you have gotten to CDing full on toddler poop before).  I am ok using tp, but use cloth pantiliners and such (didn't for my miscarriages, but that's extenuating circumstances).  For regular problems, it would be a nice green alternative IMO.  But to each his or her own, remember some people think cloth diapering is disgusting too!

True true.  I suppose it's just another challenge to convention, but it blew my mind nonetheless.

I wonder what the reaction was disposables back in the day... I'm thinking it must have been a godsend compared to how they used to cloth diaper, but I wonder still.  My grandmother never used a hair dryer once in her life because she was scared doo-doo-less that it would shock her dead.  Different strokes.

Yeah, I'm still stocking up on TP at Costco, some things I have to keep in my first-world wastfulness  It also took me a while to use cloth wipes for CDing as well, seemed so nasty at first.

Your grandmother sounds cute.  Maybe they made those warning labels a little too scary!

cassoppea

Dr.Loretta:

It's called family cloth, and it's a growing industry. You can find cloth maxi pads and panty liners, and some people use them in place of toilet paper to cut down on waste.

There are also adult-sized cloth diapers for those who are older invalids, or those with severe disabilities who are too big for infant CDs.

 I thought she was talking about people who wear cloth diapers just for the fun of it instead of using the bathroom.  If you need a diaper, then I think cloth is a good alternative.  And I also think using cloth products for hygiene is great.  These are all things that you would use anyway, just replaced with a more environmental alternative.  

nerdbaby

mrscjmb9410:

We are planning to CD this baby (our first) and have been using 'family cloth' for a little over 18 months (just cloth wipes in the bathroom - we have TP for visitors/convenience/illness/laundry day).

I have been using a Mooncup and cloth pads for the last 5 years without issue.

I have saved SO much money not buying disposable pads/tampons. I also found that by switching to reusables my recurrent UTIs stopped, my period was shorter and less painful and I have not had any issues with yeast in the last 5 years, which previously was an annual or biannual problem.

I don't think it's that crazy. I actually love it. 

I applaud you then, I really do.  Something about a baby or toddler's poop doesn't bug me, especially since I don't plan on plugging my kid up with preservatives and toxic food grossness, but the grown up thing threw me for a loop.  And for your period?!  Hadn't even thought of that.

Dr.Loretta

nerdbaby:

 And for your period?!  Hadn't even thought of that.

You have to remember that today's tampons and maxi pads are a relatively new invention. In my grandmother's time, they just stuck a rag in their underwear. In my mom's time, they had a pad held by a belt that you wore when you had your period. And disposabe diapers when my brother was little didn't have sticky tabs. My mom's neighbor used to use masking tape on hers.

So momma cloth is just going back to the way things were with a modern twist (ie, the aplix used to hold the pad in place). And most of them are tie-dyed dark colors so you don't really see the blood.

tokenhoser

Some people use cloth wipes/family cloth for pee, but still use TP for poop.

I use a Diva Cup, which is in every way superior to disposable tampons and pads. It's an old concept (the first menstrual cups were sold in the 1920's, I believe), but it just sort of fell out of fashion. I love not buying and throwing away all those things every month. Nothing is grosser than period garbage (or alternately, nothing is worse for your pipes than flushing tampons).

L0L0

The idea of cloth diapering an adult isn't any worse than thinking of an adult who can't use a toilet. My FIL had to start wearing diapers just before he died recently of cancer, and I think using cloth might have spared his dignity a bit, and been more comfortable for him. Plus the plastic ones were comically enormous, almost like trash bags, and they only had tiny little tapes to close them, so they didn't even work well. It was just awful. Actually it helped convince me to go with cloth for my baby on the way.

natalie7s19

secondaryPULSE:

That's awesome, and very interesting. I've been thinking about switching to family cloth (for #1 anyway), and I really don't think it's that weird. The chemicals we use to bleach TP are really harsh, and I can see how they might be linked to medical issues. Also, I used to work in a nursing home, and it would be neat to see a cloth adult "diaper" for the residents that need them, although I do think absorbency might be an issue for the adult-sized bladder.

Lurker here, I'm a nurse at a nursing home where we use cloth. We have fewer problems with leaks here than at the facility I used to work at that used regular disposable briefs. Unlike disposables, cloth can be supplemented with inserts for heavy-wetters. I'm preaching to the choir, here, I'm sure.

emolm

nerdbaby:

LottaLattes:

I don't see how it's hugely different, honestly (not sure if you have gotten to CDing full on toddler poop before).  I am ok using tp, but use cloth pantiliners and such (didn't for my miscarriages, but that's extenuating circumstances).  For regular problems, it would be a nice green alternative IMO.  But to each his or her own, remember some people think cloth diapering is disgusting too!

True true.  I suppose it's just another challenge to convention, but it blew my mind nonetheless.

I wonder what the reaction was disposables back in the day... I'm thinking it must have been a godsend compared to how they used to cloth diaper, but I wonder still.  My grandmother never used a hair dryer once in her life because she was scared doo-doo-less that it would shock her dead.  Different strokes.

 

Back-in-the-day cloth diapers: I love my flats. Just sayin'.

 

dosafyre

And just like for babies...I bet cloth for adults leads to less irritation and more breath-ability. I'd assume they are wash/sanitizing heavily, so it's not a big deal imo, and at big facilities they are washing almost constantly, so it's not like it sits around smelling.

I know I've been MUCH happier with cloth menstrual pads and a diva cup. It just feels so much nicer to wear (more like plain old underwear). I've seen folks talk about family cloth on the EFF board, and might consider it for something like pee wipes...but for now, we stick to TP. 

Mamasaurus

I use cloth pads, so an adult-sized version of a hybrid diaper doesn't seem that odd to me. Using cloth wipes on adults, however, raises my eyebrow. Maybe it's just because I suffered from IBS pre-pregnancy, but I can't help but think that load of laundry would be a disaster in my house.

kissntell

natalie7s19:

secondaryPULSE:

That's awesome, and very interesting. I've been thinking about switching to family cloth (for #1 anyway), and I really don't think it's that weird. The chemicals we use to bleach TP are really harsh, and I can see how they might be linked to medical issues. Also, I used to work in a nursing home, and it would be neat to see a cloth adult "diaper" for the residents that need them, although I do think absorbency might be an issue for the adult-sized bladder.

Lurker here, I'm a nurse at a nursing home where we use cloth. We have fewer problems with leaks here than at the facility I used to work at that used regular disposable briefs. Unlike disposables, cloth can be supplemented with inserts for heavy-wetters. I'm preaching to the choir, here, I'm sure.

I'm so impressed that your nursing home uses cloth!   I supposed you change the residents the same way you would a baby but use 2 or 3 people?  And how often do you have to change the residents so their skin doesn't break down?  The ortho nurse in me is very curious!

natalie7s19

kissntell:

natalie7s19:

secondaryPULSE:

That's awesome, and very interesting. I've been thinking about switching to family cloth (for #1 anyway), and I really don't think it's that weird. The chemicals we use to bleach TP are really harsh, and I can see how they might be linked to medical issues. Also, I used to work in a nursing home, and it would be neat to see a cloth adult "diaper" for the residents that need them, although I do think absorbency might be an issue for the adult-sized bladder.

Lurker here, I'm a nurse at a nursing home where we use cloth. We have fewer problems with leaks here than at the facility I used to work at that used regular disposable briefs. Unlike disposables, cloth can be supplemented with inserts for heavy-wetters. I'm preaching to the choir, here, I'm sure.

I'm so impressed that your nursing home uses cloth!   I supposed you change the residents the same way you would a baby but use 2 or 3 people?  And how often do you have to change the residents so their skin doesn't break down?  The ortho nurse in me is very curious!

 They are checked every 2 hours, although people with skin issues or existing open areas are changed more often. Cloth is way better for avoiding skin breakdown, in my opinion. As far as changing, unless they are hard to stand or heavy to roll, one person can generally do it. 

memo9

I use a diva cup and if I was a pad kind of girl I would probably use mama cloth too!