At Parentgiving, our goal is to make aging easier for both the person and the caregiver by providing helpful resources, practical tips, and best-in-class products. In this guide, we will be covering a product our experts often recommend to our customers to enhance the use of adult diapers, limit leaks and encourage confidence.
Let’s start with the basics.
What is a Diaper Booster Pad?
Finding the perfect incontinence solution can be challenging for anyone, but incontinence booster pads are made to make your life easier. They provide you with an extra level of protection when used in conjunction with adult incontinence underwear. This is because they are designed with a flow-through backing. The pad will absorb fluid, fill to capacity and then pass the remaining into the super absorbent adult diaper. In simplistic terms, it’s like adding a big sponge to your incontinence underwear, increasing how much fluid can be absorbed.
Adding a booster pad to an existing product can add up to 20 ozs more absorption capacity, providing additional wear time hours without requiring a change. That means you can continue your routine without stopping to frequently deal with replacing the product.
Even if your incontinence garment of choice manages to perform the job, the most absorbent booster pads can provide you greater peace of mind knowing that in a worst-case scenario, you have extra protection.
Who Should Use An Adult Booster Pad?
Booster pads, also known as diaper doublers, are a versatile product. While anyone with incontinence issues can use them, they are a good solution for people who are:
- Traveling and looking for extra absorbency. Booster pads are also helpful if you will be at an event or somewhere else for a long time with a limited chance to change your adult diaper. Booster pads are discreet and easy to carry, allowing you to change a pad in a pinch without needing a whole new adult diaper.
- Deep sleepers. Whether due to deep sleep or simply enjoying the ability to enjoy a long, restful sleep, booster pads can ensure that you are good to go whatever the situation. The many benefits of these pads and their placement options provide a variety of helpful features for overnight care.
- Trying to troubleshoot leak issues. Most often, leaks occur through gaps in the legholes. Booster pads are a great solution to fill that gap. Additionally, these diaper inserts give people who sleep on their side more targeted protection from leaks. Versatility is one of the major benefits of these pads.
- Looking to save money. If you need added protection to supplement your usual outer protection, the booster pads provide an affordable option to extend the life of your product without having to pay the significant price rise which typically correlates with higher absorption products.
- Experience bowel incontinence. If you need added protection to supplement your usual outer protection, the booster pads provide an affordable option to extend the life of your product without having to pay the significant price rise which typically correlates with higher absorption products.
- In a wheelchair or confined to a bed to avoid more frequent diaper changes.
Who Should Not Use An Adult Booster Pad?
While these pads can have an incredible variety of uses (some of which creative people might discover which has nothing to do with incontinence!), there are some situations where a person shouldn’t use the product.
- If you are looking for all-in-one protection. Again, these products are not intended to function by themselves.
- In need of light incontinence solutions.
- Individuals who prefer a single product or less bulkiness for their protection may prefer an absorption upgrade rather than the inclusion of booster pads.
How to Use a Booster Pad
To use a booster pad, strategically place the pad within existing protective underwear or tab-style diaper. Depending on the brand or variety, the product may have an adhesive strip to fasten the product securely to the outer product.
Booster pads must be used with an incontinence product like adult briefs or adult pull-up underwear. The specially designed backing will let the moisture flow through to the other product and create a leak if not used correctly.
Size is also a major consideration when properly using a booster pad. If you wear an XS or Small adult diaper, oversized booster pads may not fit.
Steps to Apply a Booster Pad
- Remove the adhesive protector from the back of the booster pad.
- Take the pad in your hands, you have to fit it within the diaper’s leak guards, ensuring that it is on the core.
- Then, press down on the adhesive without contaminating the pad’s surface.
- After placing it inside the adult pull-up diapers, the pad should remain secured to the core.
Positioning Tips to Prevent Leaks
- For women, place the pad further to the back of the diaper/brief.
- For men, you can wrap it around the top of your private parts as a deflector for urine to flow back into the adult diaper.
How Much Do Adult Incontinence Pads Absorb?
On average, booster pads add between 8 ounces to 23 ounces of additional absorption capacity. For comparison, an adult diaper holds around 30-40 ounces whereas a pantyliner can barely hold an ounce and is only meant for light use.
How Many Booster Pads Should You Use in a Diaper
It is recommended to only use one booster pad in your diaper. However, some users do double up to provide additional and custom amounts of absorbency. Even if doubled up, these products still require the use of that main protective garment or they will not function as intended.
Booster Pad Features
There are different varieties of booster pad options available, some of which come with differing features. Here are options you may encounter when exploring various types of booster pads.
- Adhesive Backing: If security is a major concern for you, there are versions of booster pads that provide adhesive backing to provide added security to the product, fastening it to the outer garment itself to ensure that it remains solidly in place. This feature is more often found in smaller pads as the larger booster pads typically fit the length of your underwear, making them unlikely to have much in the way of wiggle room.
- Shape Varieties: While there aren’t a wide variety of options in this sector, booster pads typically come in two different shapes.
- Rectangular shapes are the most common and may resemble menstrual pads; they rest up and down the core of a pull-up or tabbed diaper.
- Hourglass-shaped pads are contoured to accommodate plus-sized bodies and feature wide panels to cover the rear and belly, yet narrow at the legs to eliminate unnecessary bulkiness.
- Length Options: Some booster pads feature longer or shorter lengths, intended for different styles of outer protective garments. The goal is to find a booster pad with an inch length that fits comfortably inside the pull-up, diaper, or brief option that you wear. If the pad pokes out of the sides, that is a leak risk you want to avoid.
The 5 Best Booster Pads for 2022
The booster pads outlined in this section are the highest rated, extremely well manufactured, and the best bang for your buck. It is important to remember that each case of incontinence is different, so depending on your needs, we recommend you try several booster pads. Make sure to look for absorbency, comfort, odor-wicking technology, and size variations.
1. Dry Direct Ultimate Booster Pad
Dry Direct is engineered to be narrow enough to fit into size smalls, and long enough to provide needed absorbency. One of the only US brands with Italian manufacturing creates a bar none softness to the top sheet. We’re talking about the softest on the market.
These booster pads are fantastic for getting more out of daytime adult diapers, side sleepers, or briefs. They also do a fantastic job for anyone who troubleshoots leakages with their current brief, tabbed brief, or pull-up diapers
Top Features
- Increase absorbency by up to four cups of fluid
- A breathable top sheet pulls more moisture away from the skin
- Anti-odor system preventing odor and ensuring discretionary leakage
- 100% made in Italy, latex-free, and hypoallergenic
2. Abena Boost Maxi Booster Pad
The rectangular ABENA-Boost incontinence pad is made without a moisture-proof backing. You can apply ABENA Boost to any brand of disposable incontinence briefs or protective underwear using the "Flow-Thru" design to boost absorbency.
Top Features
- Fluff-filled design.
- Extends the life of absorbent undergarment.
- Minimizes leakage and patient changes.
- Acts as a channel to pull fluid into the diaper underneath.
- The booster can be replaced when wet.
- Fully breathable back sheet.
- Promotes a cooler, more comfortable experience while promoting skin health.
- Slim, discreet, and highly efficient.
3. Tranquility Topline Countour Booster
The Tranquility Topline Contour Pad is made in the USA, These easily disposable booster pads come in different sizes. The Super Plus allows additional capacity for individuals looking for increased room and comfort. Many customers have purchased the smaller size, then later purchased and loved the larger one because of the additional capacity allowances that come with the Super Plus.
Top Features
- An added layer of extra protection to pullups or tabbed briefs.
- Hourglass shape allows for a more comfortable fit on many shapes and sizes.
- Categorized as both urine and the best underwear for bowel incontinence.
- Latex-free and breathable texture makes it suitable for people with sensitive skin.
4. Tranquility Topline Super Booster Pad
With consistently achieving positive feedback, the Tranquility Topline Super Booster Pad has fantastic flow-through, allowing liquids to pass through and fill fluid out the primary undergarment. This booster pad is a no-brainer to have on the top five list. These booster pads come in three different sizes, each with a different leakage capacity.
Top Features
- Latex-free.
- Varying size and leakage capacity, allowing wearers multiple options.
- Fits snugly between the inner legs with a solid cuff mechanism and adhesive strip.
- It has advanced odor control technology that keeps you fresh.
5. Seni Booster Pad
Seni’s booster pads boast of being anatomically shaped, allowing the user to have more comfort and ease of flexibility. Paired with another absorbent product, the Seni Booster Pad will increase capacity and can work with catheterized people.
Top Features
- Latex-free.
- Highly absorbent.
- The 24.6” pad is practical to use and can be a solution for both urinary and bowel incontinence.
Booster Pad Benefits
To recap, booster pads are extremely versatile and can be used in several ways, making incontinence less of a thought. Key benefits include:
- Transform them into an overnight adult diaper.
- Utilize them to be less burdensome for caregivers, and patients.
- Extend the time between changes.
- Wick or redirect urine back to the outer garment.
- A value-conscious alternative to upgrading to a higher absorption product.
- Peace of mind. Do the things you love and go where you want to go without having to worry about embarrassing leaks.
Considerations to Find the Right Booster Pad
- Your primary consideration is the features that you need. If you are looking for advanced coverage, you might consider the hourglass shape which is contour fitted. If you are wanting to guarantee that the product does not shift around when you’re wearing it, the adhesive option is probably going to be a top choice for you.
- Take into account the amount of absorption that you are going to need. The different sizes can provide additional absorbency, so if you need extra protection, go with a larger size. You may also choose a combination of sizes since you can always double up the product to customize your coverage and absorption options.
- If you’re not sure and you want advice, the experts at Parentgiving.com can help you. They are even offering a free 15-minute consultation to help you determine which products are best for you.
Are You Ready to Try Booster Pads?
Finding the perfect incontinence solution can be a challenge as many different factors come into play. However, booster pads are a product worth exploring and can make a positive impact on your journey to staying dry and discrete! If you are ready to increase your absorbency and comfort, view our full booster pads product line today.