Diaper Sewing_: Bedwetting Pants

Catherine McDiarmid-Watt | Monday, September 03, 2007 | 2 comments
Rate this post:

Thanks to Karen for this Frugal Baby Tip!

About a week ago I made some special bedwetting pants for my daughter who is six. I'll tell you the mistake I made, first, so you don't do it. I hadn't washed the flannel first so it shrank in the wash, so now just fits. Hopefully it won't shrink anymore!

If you don't want to sew, maybe you can give these directions to someone who does and will make them for you. We were real pleased at how they worked.

First I got one of the disposable pants that fit her as a model/pattern. I just pulled out the sides, but didn't cut it open. I put the bottom fold of the dis.pants on the fold of the fabric. Taking into account the elastic, I drew around the pants. When I cut the fabric out I made the leghole slightly longer, and also the whole diaper a bit longer and wider, for seam allowances.

I adjusted the front so the leg openings are right - you know, so the back is wider for the child's bottom. The front part of the holes are more cut out, and the back part is straighter.

I cut out two shapes, slightly hour-glass looking. They look a lot like the pattern Catherine at Born to Love sells - can't remember what it's called now, has all sorts of instructions for various dipes - and it looks like the pattern for the diaper cover a bit.

I made a pad as long as the pants, and narrower than the crotch is, with two layers of flannel and two from an old terry diaper. The terry layers were encased in the flannel. I sewed this pad together, then sewed it down the lengths, onto one of the pants shapes.

Then right sides together, I sewed the sides and leg hole indentations together. Then I turned it right side out. About 1/2 inch from the side seam, and starting around where the curve of the leg hole parts were, I sewed a line, following the curve, and ending around where the curve ended. This made a casing for the leg elastic. I put in the elastic, and sewed the ends of the elastic on to the pants. This does not leave a frill, by the way.

At this point I realised that this could be a diaper instead of pants, since I had already sewed the sides!!! Oh, well!

I then turned under the top parts, towards each other, and made casings for elastic for front and back. Then I top stitched where the openings (left so I could do the elastic) had been.

I toyed with the idea of putting in snaps, so the thing could open out and dry faster, but thought my daughter would prefer the pants. So I sewed the sides together. It looks a little funny, because of the side seams, but the pants can be worn either way, (seam out or seam in) and since they shrunk I'm glad we can use the seam out so there's more room!

I was going to use a liner, but as it was so small we couldn't get one in!!

It wasn't uncomfortably small, though!! We put a swim diaper (just a shell thing, not padded) over it and it worked great overnight!! No leaks at all! I was surprised.

In the middle part, there are four layers of flannel, and two of terry. It was a lot simpler to make than I thought, and I'll do another one soon.

I'm in the process of making a large wool soaker to put over the top of it.





Category:

Catherine

About Catherine: I have been writing my Frugal Baby Tips since 1982, when I was a young divorced mom of two - for my baby product company, Born to Love. I am now mom to three grown up sons, and a grandma - and happily married to a wonderful man. We have rescued two little dogs, Denny and Dexter - and a rescue cat, Bella.

Taking care of baby and mom needs naturally, does not have to cost a whole lot of money! Money-saving tips on diapering, diaper washing, safety, sling and baby carriers, toys, clothing, nursing, menstrual needs, traveling with kids, and more!

If you have Frugal Baby Tips to share, we want to hear them! It might even get published!

Find Catherine on Google+ - Join us on Facebook - Follow us on Pinterest

2 comments

  1. After reading your article we would like to suggest not relying on diapers. Diapers only keep the bed dry, not the child, as well as prolong the child’s suffering from the bedwetting and sleep disorder. The Enuresis Treatment Center has helped thousands of children overcome bedwetting and we have put together a guide to help parents decide which treatments would work best for their child. We invite them to download it free of charge at www.freebedwettingguide.com.

  2. Thanks for the information and the link to your free guide.

Catherine encourages positive comments and suggestions that are helpful to other blog readers. Help keep this a fun place to visit and help all of us save money and get more frugal baby tips!

NOTE: Comments are moderated - just to stop the spambots - and so may take up to a few hours to be approved.

Catherine reserves the right to review, edit, refuse or delete any comment.

Popular Posts