Something you run into a surprising amount on ABDL websites is an interest in being diapered 24/7 – always diapered, in other words, apart from showers and changes.

For a lot of people it’s more of an erotic fantasy than anything else. For others it may be a fairly small and practical step, if they’re already partway diaper-dependent — in the long run, an incontinent person with no expectation that the incontinence will improve may find it greatly simplifying to rely on diapers all the time, instead of having a halfway system of diapers and trying to control bladder or bowel leakage.

Regardless of the motivation, the fact is: there are a lot of people out there who aren’t currently dependent on diapers (or other protection) 24/7, but who are at least thinking about making the shift.

For those people, here’s what you can expect, both the good and the bad. I’ll also leave the comments open to others who are diapered 24/7, and hopefully Adrian will chime in with her own experiences as well!

The Motivations – Reasons to Consider Full-Time Diapering

Why would anyone even want to do something like that? There are a couple reasons:

1. Practicality

For people with small bladders, mild incontinence, or just a plain old aversion to gross public toilets, being diapered is a simple alternative. It removes a need that, for most adults, is a concern several times a day: when and how to use the bathroom. For the full-time diaper wearer, that’s just not something that needs to be thought about anymore.

2. Accident Prevention

People with some but limited bladder or bowel control may prefer full-time diapering to trying to judge each day whether they’re going to have a “good day” or a “bad day” in terms of control. It’s usually not the first solution to mild incontinence, but after a while some people may get tired of the occasional embarrassing accident in their pants. Full-time diapering can be away to remove the faint but nagging feeling of worry that accompanies limited control or “short notice” bladders.

3. Mental Comfort

You don’t have to be an ABDL or “little” to find the presence of a diaper comforting. Many people simply find the sensation or the knowledge that they’re free to relieve themselves any time they need soothing. For someone already inclined toward that kind of comforting, being diapered 24/7 is a relaxing and healthy lifestyle change — think of it as something on the order of taking up yoga in a really serious, dedicated way. Not everyone’s that into it, but for a small section of the population it’s exactly what they need.

4. Sexual Fantasy

There’s no real clear line that could tell us what percentage of diaper-wearers are a “fetishist” and what percentage aren’t. But there’s no denying that, for some people, being diapered is hot as hell. That’s what gets them going, and that’s fine. For those people, switching from being diapered during sexual play to being diapered full time can be a way of “living the dream” and of incorporating their sexuality into their daily life.

5. Power Play (Dom/Sub) Relationships

In a small percentage of cases the decision to be diapered full time may come as part of a Dom/Sub relationship. This can cover a wide range of situations, from a mostly BDSM-themed couple where the diapers are simply one more prop (representing imprisonment and loss of control) to a more ABDL or “littles” relationship where a Mommy or Daddy decides that his/her “baby” needs diapers all the time. While these probably don’t represent a very large chunk of the diapered population, they’re certainly out there — and, done between consenting adults in a healthy relationship, that’s just fine.

What to Expect – The Good News

So what are all those people described above getting out of their full-time diapering? It can vary from person to person, but here are the main advantages to a fully diapered lifestyle:

1. No “Emergency” Moments

All of us, no matter how healthy our bladders are, have had a few of those legs-crossed, crotch-grabbing, oh-god-I’m-not-going-to-make-it moments.

Diaper wearers don’t. Leakage happens occasionally, especially when a diaper wearer is first learning the limits of his/her brand and style of diapering, which can make for some nervous moments when a diaper really needs a change and the wearer has to go, but by and large going diapered means relaxing and letting go long before things get to that unpleasantly urgent moment.

2. Avoiding Nasty Bathrooms

Some toilets are just gross! Diaper-wearers get to steer clear of those. The portapots at a concert, the pit toilets at beaches and parks…skip ’em. Use the diaper. It’s great.

3. Reduced Stress

If you really find diapers comforting, then wearing one all the time is good for your stress levels. You get a happier, more relaxed brain when you do things you like. And, unlike a lot of stress-relieving indulgences, being doesn’t require a special schedule or set-aside time, apart from changes. It’s not a hobby that you have to cram in during your free time — it’s always there.

4. Ease of Travel, Long Lines, Etc.

From time to time it’s just plain convenient to be diapered. If you’re stuck somewhere with no bathrooms for a long time, it’s not a problem. They’re not everyday situations, but when they come up, you won’t even notice them.

5. Secondary Functions

A little padding for your seat. An automatic “pad” for women on their periods. Maybe even just a bit fuller of a curve under a skirt — you can make the diaper work for you in more ways that just as a bathroom alternative. Why not?

What to Expect – The Bad News

1. People Are Going to Find Out

Random strangers in public probably won’t notice, but if you’re going the 24/7 route you need to accept that the people you spend a lot of time around are going to figure out that you wear diapers sooner or later.

That obviously includes people you live with — flatmates, family, etc. — but it’s also likely to include bosses and co-workers, and maybe even the staff at stores or restaurants you frequent.

2. Expenses

If you’ve been an intermittent diaper user before, the rate at which you go through them when you wear 24/7 might take you by surprise. Plan on five or six good, thick diapers a day at minimum if you’re using disposables, and at least two or three if you’re using cloth (possibly more, depending on thickness and quality). That adds up fast.

3. Loss of Control

For the most part this is overhyped in fantasies and erotic literature, but you do eventually get in the habit of just letting go. It may be hard to switch back after years of going diapered 24/7.

Mild urinary incontinence is more likely than complete incontinence or loss of bowel control, unless you’re actively “untraining” yourself, but expect an awkward “weaning” period if you ever do give up diapers after wearing them constantly for several years.

4. Messes and Clean-Up

Unless you’ve got a pretty active fetish for it, poop just isn’t a lot of fun. Being diapered 24/7 means dealing with poop pretty much every day. If you haven’t physically lost bowl control you can at least do it on your own terms — only messing at home and hopping straight in the shower, for example — but it’s still a moment or two of gross in your day.

5. Diaper Rash and Irritation

You can combat this with good skin care and prompt changes, but some people are still going to experience diaper rash to some degree. Powder and petroleum jelly can both be used to combat certain types of rashes. Expect to get familiar with your skin’s particular reactions, and with the treatments you need, if you switch to full-time diapering.

To Diaper 24/7 or Not to Diaper 24/7?

A minority of diaper-wearers don’t have a choice here. They’re diapered 24/7 out of necessity, and make the best of it.

For the rest, is it worthwhile? You’ll have to look over the pros and cons and make that call for yourself.

It is definitely a “lifestyle.” Things in your life will have to change, and you will end up making certain arrangements and adjustments because of your diapered state. Whether making those changes would actually be enjoyable, or are a fantasy better left for the realms of imagination…it’s up to you!