Diaper Drape or Sheet?

[Jenna Bee]

I'm new to this site and I love it! Question: In school I was taught to use the "diaper drape". I love this drape because it does allow you to do full stretches during the massage and the client remains fully draped and comfortable. But at the same time, the majority of people have never heard of the diaper drape and don't understand it. (it may be confusing to clients, I know it would to me) I haven't openend my practice yet, I've been practicing on friends in the meantime. But when I open, I'm wondering which to use? If anybody has any advice I would really appreciate it. I'm seeming to think the traditional sheet drape may be easier and more comfortable for my clients...And if the sheet drape is the right way, are there special ways to tuck the sheet so that you may still do certain stretches?

Thanks so much everybody!!

 

[clove1971]

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[MissBieber]

If I'm going to be doing leg stretches to that degree, I just have the client bring a pair of shorts and do them before the rest of the massage. It takes me less time than the DD. As a client I'm not a fan of the DD, but then I don't tend to like a lot of stretching during my sessions either. But I think it will become clear to you which drape to do in various situations.

 

[Scream Your Secrets]

I don't do a lot of stretching, but if I do I do the following. (It may be like the diaper drape, but since I don't do that drape I don't remember exactly how it is.) I take the sheet like I am doing a regular drape then bend their knee so foot is flat on table . Then, pull the sheet, that is in the thigh area, towards me and up a little so it goes under their bottom. There isn't a lot of tucking and moving and has worked so far for me.

 

[fishbarn]

those are great ideas, I really appreciate it!

 

[Icarius]

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[morbidlybeautiful]

Hi another_realm,

I noticed that you are in St. Pete, FL. Let me guess.....you went to Humanities Center (now Cortiva)? That's all that they teach there and it really is a short-coming as I don't know a single therapist who continued on with diaper draping after going into practice.

All of the therapists that I know use either a sheet or large towel to cover their clients. Clients are easily confused by the diaper draping setup and just prefer to just be covered rather than the "bulkiness" of the diaper drape.

If you know that you have a client that you will be doing a lot of stretching and movements, then simply have them either leave their underwear on or wear shorts. Or as suggested you can use the sheet and then if you need to do extensive stretching you can wrap and tuck the sheet as needed.

Angie

 

[Chloeh]

I don't do a lot of stretching, but if I do I do the following. (It may be like the diaper drape, but since I don't do that drape I don't remember exactly how it is.) I take the sheet like I am doing a regular drape then bend their knee so foot is flat on table . Then, pull the sheet, that is in the thigh area, towards me and up a little so it goes under their bottom. There isn't a lot of tucking and moving and has worked so far for me.

That was the "diaper drape" we were taught. I have never used it since school, though.

It WAS the only draping taught, so I had to figure out other ways that were quicker, easier & just as secure, and more comfortable for my client. I never figured out why they didn't go into at least half a dozen draping options, just to give us more skills & options? That one was mandatory.

 

[Pompal 09.]

I believe that the diaper draping that another_realm is refering to (please correct me if I'm wrong) is different than the sheet draping. The diaper draping that is taught so promiently in our area uses towels. Try to picture this table set-up.

To start the client prone you would have 2 towels on the table. One is a hand-sized towel which is used to cover the breasts and it is laying across the part of the table where the breasts would be. This towel just is sorta of there until it's time to turn the client supine. Then you would bring the ends up and around the sides of the body and kind of "tuck" them between the trunk and the arms so that the towel stays put while the client turns over.

The second towel is a larger towel and when the client comes in to the room, it is on the table and is bunched up in the middle....kind of like an hourglass shape. The client is instructed to lay on top of the towel and reach behind them to bring the bottom half up to cover their gluts. Therefore the gluts are covered while prone and when you turn the client over, the therapist holds on the sides of the "diaper" to keep it in place so the pelvic area is covered while supine.

The client is truely wearing a "diaper" during the massage. While this does allow great freedom when doing leg stretches, it is very awkward for clients (especially 1st timers) to manuver in to and it feels funny to have a towel bunched between your legs. Plus you still have to either risk the client getting cold since they are laying there with only their privates covered or use yet another towel to cover them with.

This is the only draping that is taught in at least one of the schools (the one I went to) around here, yet I don't know a single therapist who continues to use it once they are out of school.

It might be good if you are planning on doing a modality that uses a lot of movement but I find that you can do other things just as well.

Angie

 

[raethelyn]

That is interesting, Moogie! Thanks for the explanation. Too bad both styles of draping have the same name. :roll: That does sound rather odd - and COLD!!!! I'm sure the air conditioner is pretty much always going inside FL businesses. I'd hate massage if that was all the covering I'd get! That's beside the fact that it doesn't sound comfortable or simple for either client or therapist.

 

[American Woman]

We were taught the diaper drape a bit like moogie - as in the towel between the legs - but using large towels to cover the whole body in addition, like you in the US use sheets normally (I'm in the UK, we use towels pretty much as standard - maybe because its generally colder and our fuel bills are higher..?)

 

[purplem00n]

I didn't learn the diaper drape that moogie described. I'm glad I didn't cause I can't say that as a therapist or client that I would want to do that. I think our diaper drape was a version of what I described earlier, but with more tucking. For those of you who drape the way moogie described what do clients think especially the first time? I probably would have that "what the..., you want me to do what?" I would have been freezing, I always need a blanket during massage.

 

[aliminxxx]

We were taught the diaper drape a bit like moogie - as in the towel between the legs - but using large towels to cover the whole body in addition, like you in the US use sheets normally (I'm in the UK, we use towels pretty much as standard - maybe because its generally colder and our fuel bills are higher..?)

That could be some of it. I'm in WI, so it does get very cold here, and we were taught to use a sheet and a blanket together. In FL where the OP (and Moogie) live, it is much warmer, so they wouildn't be taught so rigorously to keep the client warm. Except people like me freeze anyway in air conditioning!!! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

 

[so.moon]

I probably would have that "what the..., you want me to do what?"

Exactly the reason why no one I know (and I know lots of therapists who were trained at that school) uses diaper draping.

Angie

 

[Samira S]

like you in the US use sheets normally

Plenty of us in the US use towels to drape with. I always us an extremely large towel for draping. I prefer it over sheets as it is thicker and feels more secure than just a sheet.

But...to each his own.

Angie

 

[Sexual Predator]

like you in the US use sheets normally

Plenty of us in the US use towels to drape with. I always us an extremely large towel for draping. I prefer it over sheets as it is thicker and feels more secure than just a sheet.

But...to each his own.

Angie

How large is the towel, Angie? Where do you get them? Do they match the bottom sheet, or are they all one color? I think that might be a good alternative, but the only towels I've ever seen that would be big enough are wild looking beach towels. I have never gone looking, though. Is that more expensive than just getting a set of sheets? There are times when a sheet isn't enough, but a blanket is too much. I vary which blankets I use by season, but in summer a towel might be nice - it would travel better, too, for my outcalls.

 

[Romo]

I get my towels at various places but most of them have come from either Target, WalMart or Sam's Club (did I mention that I'm also a bargin hunter?? haha) or JC Pennys.

My towels are solid colors and I coordinate them with a complimentary bottom sheet. My towels are from between 38-40 inches wide and 66-70 inches long. My favorites now are from Sam's Club and they were $9something each and I believe they are 40x70. I have a brown one, blue one and green one. The ones I have from WalMart are slightly smaller at 38x66 but are in beautiful colors and are also about $9 each. I got some from Target 2 years ago that I just absolutely loved....they were huge!! And I got some on sale for $10 each....they only came in 2 colors...blue and green but I wish now I had bought more of them.

I'm also very picky and the towels must also be thick and soft.

So...my clients are all well-covered.

Angie

 

[Blah]

I was taught the diaper drape in my deep tissue class so we could do the stretches. I only did it for the class and that's it. I hate it as a client, so I choose not to do it when I give massage. I think it's just a matter of preference for me.

 

[Andie]

I'm not 100% clear on what's being referred to as a "diaper drape" in this discussion. What was described as a diaper drape with the towel does sound rather awkward and uncomfortable, but I was taught what some here (I think) may refer to as a diaper drape... but with a sheet. Maybe it's because I was taught this way, but it's not at all distracting or uncomfortable for me, and I haven't had any issues with clients seeming to have issue with it.

Bear with me while I try to describe what I do.

It's basically the same procedure in prone or supine. Let's say in supine I'm getting ready to drape the clients right leg. Facing the client, I'll take hold of the sheet about mid thigh and mid shin, then slide the sheet away from me exposing the clients leg from mid thigh down. I turn facing the head of the table, and slip my right hand under the clients right knee (from the inside) and lift gently, while grasping the edge of the sheet with my left hand just below the knee. In a smooth motion, I lift the clients leg just a bit more as I slide my left hand up towards the clients right hip. I rest the leg back down, then by stepping up by the hip, I can adjust the top part of the drape where I need it to be, tucking the upper edge of the top drape under the clients low back, exposing the entire lateral hip and thigh with a secure drape. The way we were taught there really is no bunching underneath the client, and with practice there is very limited tugging. I like the security that this drape offers, as I've had some massages where the drape was a bit loose, and I felt like it could slip. Now THAT I found distracting lol.

So, what does this draping method with a sheet qualify as? t102

 

[Sellasie]

I drape similarly to what JaeMarie described. She's right; it's all a very smooth motion. There isn't a whole lot of lifting, no tugging. The draping just becomes part of the massage; you just integrate the movement into the session. I seem to recall that being called diaper draping in school, but it isn't very diaper-like at all. I think you could probably do it with a large towel, too, if you wanted. What was described earlier in the thread, with the towel bunched between the legs and having the client hold it together sounds a bit awkward. But I guess one could get the hang of it. Not sure I would find it very comfortable if I was the one on the table, though. I tend to get cold.