Toddler Training Pants

Toddler training pants are a great step in helping your toddler learn to use the potty or toilet. Here we look at what are toddler training pants and how and when to use them

When you begin toddler potty training and your toddler is still in nappies choose with your toddler some nice pull-ups. Pull-ups help your toddler learn how to pull up and down pants and gives him and you the extra protection of being very absorbent. Make sure you choose the right size and if they are too big, they'll leak - frustrating for everyone.

Using training pants too earlier can be demoralizing for everyone which is the last thing you want. If your toddler fails before succeeding he could refuse to continue his potty training even if it had been going well.

If your toddler really wants to wear pants then he is likely to be very motivated to keep them dry. That's the time to start using toddler training pants. When your toddler first wears training pants stay at home all day and stay near the potty or toilet! He will need lots of one to one attention in a stress free environment.

Remember that you want to give him the best chance of succeeding and to do that he will need your time and help.

What are toddler training pants?
Basically toddler training pants are the in between pants between pull-ups and underwear and they are not as absorbent as pull-ups or nappies but do give some protection.

You can choose from:

• cloth training pants
• cloth training pants with a separate waterproof cover
• All in one so cotton and waterproof in the same pants

Some training pants e.g. Gerber, have cotton side and central panels plus an interlining which will absorb accidents but your toddler will still feel if he or she is wet. They generally have elasticated waists and are slightly loose around the leg so that your toddler can easily pull his pants up and down. Others have a waterproof outerlayer so that nothing leaks out, but is still cotton on the inside so that your toddler can feel when it is wet.

There are lots of different training pants available and there is no hard and fast rule of which ones to use. Popular brands are Gerber, Kushies, Potty Scotty and Potty Patty, and Imse Vimse. Potty Scotty and Potty Patty training pants have a central panel made from with fibre sponge with make them more absorbent than say, Gerber training pants which have a cloth interlining.

If you are worried about cloth training pants leaking or perhaps you are only worried about them leaking if you are going out somewhere then you can buy the separate waterproof covers. Ideally you want the training pants to be as breathable as possible so it's worth having your toddler just in cloth training pants when possible.

It's worth pointing out that often toddler training pants are more absorbsent AFTER you have washed them once, so it's a good idea to wash them before your toddler wears them.

If your toddler insists on using toddler training pants but he is not yet ready then compromise. You want your toddler to stay motivated and interested in the process so be very prepared. Bring a bag of training pants and spare clothes with you and protect car seats and any

chairs. If he is so interested in wearing them let him AND help him as much as you can to go the potty.

Before going out you could gently say something like, "I know you really want to keep your training pants dry, so how about going to the toilet now? I think that could be a good idea." And choices are always a good thing such as, "Who's going to go to the toilet first? You or me?" - that usually workes really well!

Avoid long trips to the shops (where you don't know where the toilets are...) and bring with you potties and toilet seats wherever you go (you can even get fold up disposable potties). You really want to give your toddler the opportunity to succeed and to do this you need to be doubly prepared.

If you know you are going somewhere where suddenly needing to get the potty out or find the toilet will be tricky (perhaps a wedding or a flight) then suggest pull-ups to keep your toddlers pants dry. Suggest it in a positive manner.

When your toddler is wearing toddler training pants still bring with you:

• A complete change of clothes - socks and shoes too.
• Wipes and kitchen towel for drying down
• Extra training pants and pull-ups in case your toddler gets frustrated with the whole business
• Bags for the wipes to be put straight in the bin
• Bags for the soiled clothes ready for the wash
• Something for your toddler to lie down on whilst you clean him up (such as a foldable changing mat)

If your toddler has lots of accidents in his toddler training pants then suggest using pull-ups again to keep his training pants lovely and dry for when his body is really ready (wording it like this keeps the focus on dry training pants and his body being ready rather than him failing).

Good luck!