Absorbent article with bridge flap

An absorbent article having a front waistband portion, a back waistband portion and an intermediate portion which interconnects said front and back waistband portions, said article comprising:

• a backsheet layer;
• an absorbent retention portion superposed on said backsheet layer;
• a liquid permeable topsheet layer superposed on said retention portion and connected to sandwich said retention portion between said topsheet and backsheet layers;
• at least one elasticized side panel connected to a lateral end region of said back waistband portion of said article, said side panel having a flap fastener for interconnecting with said article back waistband portion to thereby form an assembled bridge flap, said assembled bridge flap arranged to extend about a wearer's body and to provide a bodyside surface for contacting the wearer, said at least one elasticized side panel including a foldable section which extends length-wise past a longitudinally terminal edge of said backsheet layer;
• article fastening means connected to lateral end portions of said article front waistband portion for securing said lateral end portions of said article front waistband portion to regions of said article back waistband portion to thereby encircle the wearer with said article waistband portions;
• and
• waistband-edge attaching means connected to said elasticized side panel for securing a longitudinally terminal waistband edge of said assembled bridge flap to said front waistband portion of the article when said article waistband portions encircle the wearer, said waistband-edge attaching means providing fold attaching means connected to said foldable section of said side panel for holding said foldable section in a substantially C-folded condition when said foldable section is wrapped about a laterally extending, terminal edge of said article front waistband portion.