AB/DL stands for “adult baby / diaper lover,” an umbrella term for adults who find enjoyment, comfort, or emotional fulfillment in things associated with infancy or early childhood, most commonly diapers. The community covers a broad spectrum.

People who identify primarily as “diaper lovers” (DL) usually enjoy the diapers themselves: the feel, the look, the sensation, the ritual.

“Adult babies” (AB) may go further into a younger headspace or “little space,” and enjoy things like pacifiers, onesies, bottles, plush toys, or nursery-themed spaces.

Plenty of people sit somewhere between the two, or move along that spectrum depending on their mood and stage of life.

That depends entirely on the individual. For some people it’s a kink, which an established part of their sexual life, alone or with a partner. For others it’s completely non-sexual: a way to unwind, relieve stress, feel safe and cared for, or step out of the pressures of adult life for a while, closer to how someone might describe a comfort object or a self-care ritual. Many people experience it as both, at different times and for different reasons. None of these is the “real” or “correct” version of AB/DL, and no one owes anyone an explanation of where they fall.

No. This is worth stating plainly. AB/DL is an adult interest, practiced by adults, with adults. The appeal is in the objects, sensations, and feelings of being cared for, not in children. Reputable AB/DL communities, forums, conventions, and retailers are strictly 18+ and enforce firm rules against any content involving minors; people who blur that line are removed. That standard applies here as well. Confusing the two is one of the most common misconceptions about this community, and it’s one the community itself works actively to shut down.

Almost certainly not, and you’re far from alone. Interest in diapers or age regression is much more common than most people assume. There are large international communities, forums that have run for decades, annual conventions, and an entire industry of businesses serving this audience. Many people describe it as something that showed up early in life and simply stayed. Contemporary clinical thinking treats consensual kink and comfort-seeking behavior that isn’t causing harm as a variation, not a disorder. That said, if it’s causing you real distress, interfering with your work, finances, or relationships, or feels out of your control, a kink-aware therapist can help you work through it without judgment.