Potty train with pull-ups or undies?
If you’re a parent of a child in diapers who’s thinking about potty training in the near future, continue reading for more information about how diapers, pull-ups, and underwear play a role in the potty training process.
What’s the deal with pull-ups, anyway?
Pull-ups.
They’re like diapers, but attached on the sides so that your child can step into them instead of being changed laying down. Most brands of pull ups don’t hold quite as much liquid, and they come in toddler sizes (like 2t-4t). Your child will likely NOT be able to tell the difference between the feeling of a pull-up and a diaper, so don’t think because you make the switch that they’ll suddenly know not to pee or poop in them! So what are they good for? They certainly aren’t necessary, but they can help bridge the gap from diapers to underwear before you start potty training.
What pull-ups may be good for:
Standing for changes: around 2 years old, your child will likely become particularly less fond of laying down for diaper changes. This might be a good time to introduce standing for changes, and even doing changes in the bathroom.
Teaching pull-up/push down: to prepare for toileting, you can use pull ups and encourage your child to pull up and push down their own bottoms.
Less bulk: as your child becomes more mobile, it’s kind of nice to slim down their diapers.
Daycare requirements: We understand - some daycares require diapers or pull-ups until your child is accident free. We think some of these requirements are a lot to ask of a learning little one, but we don’t make the rules. If this is your situation, try dressing your child in underwear with a pull up over them (not too tight) so they can still feel the underwear against their body.
When do you get to use the cute underwear?!
Underwear.
When do they come into play? Should you go straight from diapers to underwear? Well, you certainly can, if that’s part of your potty training strategy. Some techniques account for a quick transition. Other methods recommend starting with a naked bottom and gradually introducing shorts and underwear. If you’re someone who wants to start training with undies on, there are definitely ways to make it work. Undies can be super motivating for some kids, whether it’s because they want to be a “big kid” or they want to wear their favorite character.
Tip for using underwear during potty training: We recommend sizing up a size or two for the beginning stages, which will result in them feeling less snug like a diaper and allow your child to pull them up and down more easily.
What’s up with training underwear?
Training underwear.
Have you heard about these? They’re underwear with a few extra layers of material in the crotch area. Basically, they’ll hold a little bit of pee in them instead of just soaking through and immediately dripping down like regular underwear typically does. Do you need them? Probably not! They might confuse your child more than help - you don’t want to teach your child that it’s okay to pee in their underwear and it can be hard for you to notice when an accident happens. Some people like to use training underwear as an extra layer of protection when ditching the diaper at night. We really can’t think of any major benefits for these in general, but of course they could help your individual circumstance.
Ready to get started with potty training but feeling completely lost on how to do it?
