We're making major PTing progress! Q re undies/training pants

[citymama]

OK, I don't want to jinx this, but since her 2nd birthday last month, my DD has been making rapid progress with PTing. She is *super* motivated and I hope it stays this way. For the last week or maybe more, she has done all her poop in the potty - yay! :bighand:

Basically, when diaper-free, she does everything on the potty. So far, no accidents when diaper-free other than getting up frequently while peeing or pooping to see her own progress and missing the bowl a little! When in diapers at home, she will ask about 50-75% of the time to be put on the potty when she needs to go, and occasionally goes pee in her diapers. In daycare, she will go on the potty when asked, but doesn't ask to be put on the potty (it's a new teacher for her, so she may be a little shy).

Our biggest hurdle is getting diapers off and on in time when she needs to go poop, and especially when out and about. The daycare and others seem to recommend skipping pull-ups (yes?).

Should I now go to training pants, or should we take the plunge and have her in underwear? The last thing I want is for her to feel bad about soiling her underwear because we pushed her that way too soon. At the same time, undies are her #1 motivator, because she wants to be like the big girls in her daycare who wear Dora underwear. Or should we just continue with the diapers in school, bare bottoms at home approach until she is more reliably PTed and then switch to underwear?

Any advice/recommendations would be appreciated! Thanks. :)

[MommyAllison]

We used cloth diapers with DD, so we went to training pants rather than Pullups. We started with 3 pair (definitely too few!) then had 6 pair (better, but still not enough for our accident:laundry frequency ratio), and then one of DD's best friends completely PTd and we got her hand me down training pants. Now we have about 2 dozen, which has been nice for the frequent accident stage. It was easier for me to deal with her having an accident since we had plenty more undies in the drawer to change into. Now DD is totally trained and we are still using the training pants because I hate the fit of regular underwear and it's pretty uncomfortable for DD. I wish they made regular underwear that fit like training pants, with more of a full coverage.

Anyway, for us the training pants were the best option, though it did take DD a long time to fully PT. She also really likes wearing undies and never wanted to go back to diapers once she switched. It sounds like your DD is doing really well, and I'd be inclined to skip Pullups, just because it is another step that doesn't sound necessary for your DD, since she's already doing well. If you go to Pullups, you'll have to eventually go to trainers/undies anyway - might as well save the money and try trainers/undies now!

What we do for out and about is take DD out in undies, but if she has an accident while out (or in childcare at church) she is changed into a diaper, so that I'm not dealing with multiple accidents in one outing. GL!

[citymama]

Anyway, for us the training pants were the best option, though it did take DD a long time to fully PT.
Thanks so much for the very useful advice and feedback! I have some follow-up questions - what brand of training pants did you get, and are they bulky? Someone gave me their kids' unused Gerber training pants and they are enormous, bulky and plasticky. So much bulkier than her disposable diapers - it would seem like a step back to have her in those! [Edited for correction - I think what I was given are reusable swim diapers not training pants - no wonder they seemed so impractical! Oops]

Second, how long was your daughter in training pants before switching to undies, and during that time, did you pretty much just use the training pants if you had clean ones lying around?

Thanks again!

[o_mom]

For my boys, underwear feels too much like diapers for the first few months of PTing. DS2 has been diaper free except for naps and night for three weeks now:yay: , but if I put underwear on him he will go in it. So, right now we are going commando around here. DS1 was the same way - it took a good 6-8 weeks of commando before he was able to use underwear.

So, just wanted to throw that out as a possible step - try just pants at home, no undies and see how it goes. Don't freak out at the first accident, give her a few times to learn, but it should get better rapidly if she is ready. Of couse if you have a girl that won't wear pants (only dresses) this won't work. ;)

[WatchingThemGrow]

Thanks, citymama for your advice on #2, not sure if you saw what I posted on this same topic earlier today :bowdown:

We're using Hanna training unders, and the 6 pair are working well enough for us. DH does laundry pretty frequently :), so there are always clean ones around. I was annoyed with the "lay down on the floor" aspect of PTing with a diaper, so I totally understand your DD's experience of not getting it off in a timely manner. Also, about DC...what about telling them to ask her every 20 min. or so? That's what a friend told me she did until her kid got the hang of it. My DD isn't in DC, but at the gym and church nurseries that have rotating staff. I sometimes put a piece of tape on her back that says, "Take me to the potty, please." That seems to work.

If you end up ordering the Hannas, please note that the $14 sale ones may be smaller. I had to exchange a set of the red/blue/green ones for a larger size because they were a LOT smaller than the white ones I'd ordered earlier.

So glad to hear it is going well. That's fun!

[citymama]

We're using Hanna training unders, and the 6 pair are working well enough for us. DH does laundry pretty frequently :), so there are always clean ones around. If you end up ordering the Hannas, please note that the $14 sale ones may be smaller. I had to exchange a set of the red/blue/green ones for a larger size because they were a LOT smaller than the white ones I'd ordered earlier.

So glad to hear it is going well. That's fun!
Thanks to all for the encouragement. We need it!

WatchingThemGrow: a couple of questions re Hanna training pants. Are you saying that with these training pants (http://www.hannaandersson.com/Style.asp?from=BA&styleid=FY32684&simg=32684_001&mwc=001&imgSN=1) (http://www.hannaandersson.com/Style.asp?from=BA&styleid=FY32684&simg=32684_001&mwc=001&imgSN=1%29), we should get the size S rather than XS? And second, are the training pants just like thicker all-cotton underwear, or are they lined/padded in some way? They look just like regular undies rather than any kind of leak-proof protection (which is fine by me).



Try just pants at home, no undies and see how it goes. Don't freak out at the first accident, give her a few times to learn, but it should get better rapidly if she is ready. Of couse if you have a girl that won't wear pants (only dresses) this won't work.
[Edited] We've taken the bare bottom aproach at home and that's really working out, despite some raised eyebrows from visitors. ;) When she started asking for underwear, I pulled out a bunch of jersey cotton shorts from last year and she's been wearing those at home in between potty sessions - and she refers to those as Big Girl Underwear with some pride.

Thanks for all the advice. You guys are great!:cheerleader1:

[WatchingThemGrow]

WatchingThemGrow: a couple of questions re Hanna training pants. Are you saying that with these training pants (http://www.hannaandersson.com/Style.asp?from=BA&styleid=FY32684&simg=32684_001&mwc=001&imgSN=1) (http://www.hannaandersson.com/Style.asp?from=BA&styleid=FY32684&simg=32684_001&mwc=001&imgSN=1%29), we should get the size S rather than XS? And second, are the training pants just like thicker all-cotton underwear, or are they lined/padded in some way? They look just like regular undies rather than any kind of leak-proof protection (which is fine by me). :

Yes, for the Rio Red/Navy/Limeade package, S fits my DD who is finishing 80's, getting into 90's at 34" and 29ish lbs. She's wearing the White pkg in XS. Not sure about the pastels. I can go look to see which countries the 2 different "sizes" are made in, if you'd like - if you plan on ordering the pastels.

They have several layers of fabric in the center, all soft Hanna cotton. They don't have any kind of barrier/waterproof layer. They contain little leaks, and DD has recognized a leak and run to the bathroom in time to whip them off/down in time. A few times she's just soaked herself and needed a change of pants. They actually need to be dried several minutes longer than the rest of the laundry because of all the layers.

[citymama]

Yes, for the Rio Red/Navy/Limeade package, S fits my DD who is finishing 80's, getting into 90's at 34" and 29ish lbs. She's wearing the White pkg in XS. Not sure about the pastels. I can go look to see which countries the 2 different "sizes" are made in, if you'd like - if you plan on ordering the pastels.

Wow, so glad you shared this info! I called one of the HA outlets today, and all they had left was the Primary Colors in XS or White in S! Sounds like neither would be right - my DD is 36" and about 28 lbs, similar in size to yours. I'll look for the sizes you mentioned. Thanks!

ETA: On the positive side, the training pants are just $10.50 for a 3-pack at the outlets!

[MommyAllison]

Thanks so much for the very useful advice and feedback! I have some follow-up questions - what brand of training pants did you get, and are they bulky? Someone gave me their kids' unused Gerber training pants and they are enormous, bulky and plasticky. So much bulkier than her disposable diapers - it would seem like a step back to have her in those! [Edited for correction - I think what I was given are reusable swim diapers not training pants - no wonder they seemed so impractical! Oops]

Second, how long was your daughter in training pants before switching to undies, and during that time, did you pretty much just use the training pants if you had clean ones lying around?

Thanks again!

Sorry, when I said training pants, I meant just the Gerber type, that are like regular underwear with a few extra layers of cloth in the crotch - no waterproof layer, just thick undies, basically. :) They look (style wise) like the Hanna trainers, though I'm sure the Hannas feel different. She's still wearing them, since they basically are underwear with a couple extra layers in the middle, and because I haven't found any "real" underwear that I like for her yet. So, no, not bulky. We have a few of those Gerber poofity waterproof trainers and are planning to use them over undies overnight when DD is ready for nighttime PTing - they are way too huge for us to use any other time!

We did do naked training first though, since we started in warm weather, and just put DD in dresses or shirts at home. Once she got the hang of that, we started putting the Gerbers on her.

[cbscherer]

We used wee essential training pants from JCpenny. Have a sponge core in center that helps to control accidents. Better quality that what gerber has right now. They also fit small, so I would size up.

I think they look more like underwear than the Gerbers b/c they are not so high-waisted.

HTH

[rbsmom]

I was using the thicker panties (Gerber brand), but she had a harder time pulling her shorts/pants over them, so she got frustrated. I opted to suck it up & buy a TON of cheaper underwear (hanes/fruit of the loom, etc), and if she ruins it (which has happened a couple of times), I'm ok throwing them away.