Adult Cloth Diaper Hacks: How to Make a Swim Diaper

A swim diaper is basically determined by the fabric used. Plus, having a trim, snug fit with minimal absorbency. You can use an existing adult cloth incontinence pattern to make a swim diaper and just modify it by using the appropriate materials. As long as the pattern is not overly bulky, you can easily make your own adult swim diaper. 

Since swim diapers depend on a snug fit around the legs, gussets are an optional addition. You can shorten the length of the elastic around the legs to create a tighter fit. Or just use a gusset if it’s included with your cloth incontinence pattern. 

In addition, when you make your own adult swim diaper, you can choose exactly you’d like it to look. Swim diapers can be made with or without absorbency, gussets, and with mesh lining or 2 layers of PUL.

Related Post: How to Make an Adult Swim Diaper

Training Pant Swim Diaper Hack

You can use a training pant sewing pattern to make a swim diaper using swimsuit fabric. This will get you a soft stretchy swim diaper that looks like regular swim bottoms. It has a thin absorbency backed by PUL, so it’s not completely waterproof but will still offer a little protection against leaks.

It’s very important to keep in mind the stretch factor of a particular pattern. My Training Pant pattern, for example, calls for stretchy fabric. My absorbent brief pattern, on the other hand, can be sewn using a non-stretchy fabric like PUL.

When I created the Training Pant pattern, I purposefully drafted it on what’s called the “negative ease.” This means the actual pattern measurements are smaller than the body. Thus, if you were to sew it with non-stretchy fabric, it wouldn’t fit. The upside to this type of pattern is that it is meant to fit snugly to the body for a nice, trim result.

Since this version of a swim diaper is made from stretchy material for a trimmer fit than other cloth incontinence patterns, I don’t include a gusset when sewing these.

Check out the FREE Swim Diaper Guide for Training Pant Pattern. 

Absorbent Brief Swim Diaper Hack

In this video, I’ll walk you through how to use a side snap absorbent brief style pattern to sew a swim diaper. The entire outer is made from waterproof material. In addition, the thin absorbency will give you a decent amount of short term protection.

Using the side snap version of this pattern makes a slightly snugger fit since with the snaps, the waistband doesn’t need to be wide enough to fit over the hips. However, I’ve drafted an additional gusset that can be used with this pattern for additional security along the legs.

Watch the video to see how to sew a side snap swim diaper.

Or check out the Swim Diaper Guide for the Absorbent Brief Pattern. This guide is not free because it also includes a pattern for a gusset for the absorbent brief.

Pocket Swim Diaper Hack

Making a swim diaper using a pocket/AIO/AI2 sewing pattern will give you a front closure version of a swim diaper. Since the outer layer is PUL, it offers complete waterproof coverage against leaks. You can make this with or without absorbency and use either athletic mesh or another layer of PUL for the lining, like in the absorbent brief hack. 

Watch the video to see how to sew a front closure swim diaper.

Or check out the FREE Swim Diaper Guide for Pocket/AIO/AI2 Diaper Pattern.