Hello and welcome to another BIG DIAPER FRIDAY! Your Director of Crinkly Comms is back in a the keyboard and today we’re talking about diapering technique.
I think we’d all agree that there’s more to being an waddle-butt than just the diaper… most of the time, but sometimes we have to strip things back to basics. A hoody and a diaper is the most simple Fall fashion statement that will never be beat, and now as we climb back towards Summer, that look is quickly traded for a nice long-sleeved sun top and a cute PeekABU cap (yes, we have to take care of ourselves in the sun, folks and you may as well flag your top team whilst keeping cool!). So here we go with my …
Top Tips for Tip Top Tapes (or 'Perfecting Your Diapering Technique')
We are living in the golden age of adult diapers and the myriad of choices have made our favourite crinkly underwear more than just a way of stopping littles from leaving little piddle-puddles all around, it’s become a full form of self-expression in its own right, part exploration, part validation, as well as providing us with an endless source of comfort, and security.
Whether deep in head-space, quietly relaxaing, spending a hard night gaming or letting those naughty paws wonder to places we can’t talk about in a blog article, getting the right fit and a great tape job can only elevate these experiences and that doesn’t always mean perfect symmetry! From selecting the right diaper to mastering the art of the tape job, here’s a quick guide to getting your crinkly butt all taped up just right!
Choose the Right Diaper
Sounds obvious, but the foundation of nailing your diaper technique and the first step for hours of crinkly comfort is selecting the right diaper. If we have any first-time readers, ABUniverse’s diapers come in a wide range of styles, sizes, and absorbencies and what you need depends on your own desires. There is a diaper out there for everyone. If you’ve not tried something before, make sure to nab a sample of whatever grabs your eye with your next diaper order!
A key question: are you an all-day-saggy-sogger or looking to get multiple changes and enjoy a few more tender moments with other crinkly friends on the changing table? Maybe it’s somewhere in the middle and you just need a solid diaper to get you through your workday? Getting the right diaper in the right size makes everything else a whole lot easier.
Proper Prep for Perfect Padding
Hold on just a sec before you unfold that diaper and dive right in to its soft insides. Make sure you’ve got all that you need at hand so you’re not waddling round your home with a half-taped-up diaper hitched up whilst you look for lotion! Lay it all out – if you’ve picked an outfit to get into after then add that in too. Sometimes we need to find the time to make getting diapered the joy it’s supposed to be and not just a function of our identity. Lay out your chosen diaper, wipes, powder or lotion (we’ll come back to these in a moment), make sure your stuffie supervisor is in a place that they can watch and then you’re all set! If you’re out and about for the day, having taken the time to run through and restock your diaper bag will set you up for success.
Diaper Positioning - To Wall, Or Not To Wall…
I’ll be honest – I’m a middle-of-the-room, change-anywhere kind of kiddo but that’s after a decade in dips. Most folks have a preference of leaning against a wall or laying on their back and whichever side of this you fall into there’s a difference in final fit and feel so it’s worth experimenting, but both mean the back of the diaper is held in place and this is really useful to nailing your own personal perfect tape job every time. I on the other hand have embraced my inner Picasso and accept that sometimes speed and convenience are the cost of my diaper aesthetics.
In general, slide the back (that’s the side with the tapes – we’ve all been there) of the diaper under or behind you and pull the front of the diaper between your legs. A good starting point is to pinch the top of the front and back wings together and then lift up or lean away from the wall and give everything a good wriggle. This settles the diaper on your body and gives you a moment to see how it feels and make the finer adjustments, whether it feels better a little higher in the back or if you want everything perfectly aligned all the way around.
Top Tapes First, Right?!
Come on – if you’ve seen the other items I’ve written for ABU or looked at my own feed you know I’m a top-taper. ‘Boo’, I hear you cry. ‘Plain wrong,’ says another. Much like lying down or leaning against a wall, your preferred first set of tapes (unless you’re a two-tape wild child) will affect your fit. As a fuller-figured person, top tapes tend to land it for me and the bottom tapes mean I can make finger adjustments around my tree-trunk thighs.
Tweak Those Tapes
Whilst the growing availability of hook and loop diapers means that there’s now more mileage in tweaking your tapes through your wear, it’s worth checking that initial fit. Classic sticky tape and landing zone diapers will still give you a couple of solid re-adjustments, just be gentle on the tape and make sure you stick to the landing zone so as not to tear the backsheet.
A Little Note On Powder And Lotion
Skin care is important – see Ian River’s article ‘Skin Care for Down There’ for more on this – but lotion and powder are no friend to your sticky tapes and too much lotion can see your diaper fall to bits in surprising and embarrassing ways. Use them sparingly. Check out other barrier creams. I enjoy a silicone based product from an evil-giant of a corporation… It does an excellent job and keeping diaper rash at bay.
Practice Makes Perfect, So Pay Attention
Like any skill, mastering the art of diapering takes practice and patience. When you feel you’ve nailed the fit on a diaper, look at where the tapes are and take a little mental note. Experiment with different techniques (top tapes first, I say!), different diapers, and brands to find what works best for you.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from fellow waddle-butts in person at events or online. There is a wealth of diapering experience all around you and most folks will make suggestions. It’s amazing the things we don’t think about until they’re suggested to us.
A Note On Being Kind To Yourself
Whether it’s diapers, dresses or your next pair of jeans, the internet and social media platforms are full of images and people that are constantly feeding us suggestions of how we ‘ought to look’. Ignore them. And, more broadly, feel no shame about the size that’s listed on the bag of your diapers. Most of us find ourselves slipping up a size as we get older and the fact that you feel comfortable and therefore confident in your diapered spaces is what people will notice. I’ve met the biggest littles and the littlest bigs. A great fitting, appropriately spec’d diaper will bring out bigger smiles and that is what matters here. Anyone who tells you differently is not our people.
Being diapered is about finding a part of ourselves and exploring another way to find comfort, joy, and fulfillment.
Summing up folks, find the right diaper for you! Prep and pay attention to detail. Embrace your own body (sometimes easier said than done and often a work in progress – that is okay!) and relish in the comfort of a snuggly, secure diaper and just that little crinkle as you waddle your way though the day.
Much love!
~ Miles // Tigger
(He/Him) – Lil Bear, Kiddo, Soggy-Pants, Lover of Orange. Photographer, Artist, Writer, Serial Note-Taker, Occasional Poet, Plant Dad, Gin Drinker, Disability Activist, and Kink Communicator. Collector of Hobbies.
