We will discuss steps you can take at home to control urinary incontinence and improve continence. The key to understanding what may be affecting your incontinence is starting and maintaining a voiding diary for at least 3 days. By recording each time you void urine, you may begin to see a pattern emerge as it relates to physical activities or food and beverages you consumed thorughout your day. That morning coffee may be affecting you more than you think!

For three days (they do not have to be consecutive), simply record your fluid intake, each occurence of urine voiding, and any leakage episodes. An example chart is given below.  After 3 days, you will have a good understanding of your urination schedule, and this will be valuable information for your doctor.

Time    Amt Voided   Leak Volume   Activity w/Episode  Urge?  Fluid Intake

8am           1/4 cup       dry                           N/A                                     Yes

9am                              drips                       lifting

Amount Voided: Use a spare measuring cup or you can purchase a plastic collection device at a pharmacy or medical supply store.

Leak Volume:  If recording a leakage episode, enter Dry, Drops, Soaked, or Bladder Emptied to describe the leakage

Activity During Leakage: If recording a leakage episode,  enter activity you were doing prior to episode, such as running, lifting a child, sneezing

Did You Feel an Urge: Enter Yes or No

Prior Fluid Intake: If you are entering a fluid intake entry, enter the amount consumed and the time you consumed it.

 If you have been using disposable diapers for any length of time, it is common to become frustrated with with some of their drawbacks such as the occasional (or more) leaks, and the mounting costs. If you are considering trying adult cloth diapers, this post will take you through an overview of what to expect, the pluses and the minuses of using cloth diapers.

Equipment Needed:

If you are a parent who used cloth diapers for your children, you probably have distinct memories of the cleanup process you needed to go through. The same process applies here. You will need to invest in a few items to get you up and running with cloth. You will need:

- Safety pins (unless you purchase diaper models with velcro fasteners).

- Overpants, also called Plastic Pants.

- Diaper pail.

- Clothes Washer and Dryer (optimally), it can be done by hand if necessary.

Selection:

Just like disposable diapers, adult cloth diapers come in various sizes, usually various sizes of x-small all the way to various sizes of x-large. The sizes are based upon waist size, width of the diaper, and the size of the center piece of cloth. The diapers also come in various weights, Standard, Medium, Heavy and Extra Heavy. These weights correspond to the thickness of he cloth, with the heavier cloth providing the most protection. A lighter cloth is best for everyday use, the heavier ones best for nighttime use as they are bulky and hard to conceal under clothes.

First Time Purchase Considerations:

It is best if you purchase a small amount of one type at first to see if it works for you. If you want to try a cloth diaper for everyday use, purchase a small number of Standard weight diapers. Standard weight cloth diapers are bulkier than disposables, but you may find they work fine with loose fitting clothing. For nighttime use, purchase a small number of heavier weight models. It may take some experimentation to see what works best for you.

Pros:

Cloth diapers are very absorbent and bring a sense of security to the wearer knowing leaks are not likely. They work very well for nighttime use as they avoid any issues with wet bedding. They are reusable so your investment does pay off in the long run.

Cons:

Initially, cloth diapers are expensive (up to $45 for the Extra Heavy models) but if you find they work for you, the investment will pay off inthe long run as your disposable diaper budget shrinks considerably. Cloth diapers are bulky which makes concealing them under cothes a challenge. You may find you will need to wear more loose fitting clothes to achieve some level of discretion if that is important to you. You will also need to go through the process of cleaning the diapers.

Summary:

Before making a decision abiut making a wholesale switch to cloth diapers, buy a few “tester” pairs to see how they feel and work for you. Find the size and weight that is best. Go through the process of cleaning and then decide if an adult cloth diaper will be a good fit. You may decide to implement them partially in to your routine, such as wearing disposables to work, and cloth at night and on weekends.