Potty Training and My Carpet

Use the Gerber underware! They are amazing! I never had poop to clean up on the carpet. Do not use pull ups unless you go out or at night(I called these just in case in panties). Let them pick out there panties. Ex, if they pick out princess(tell them do not pee on cinderella).Good lick. I used the plastic pants, and they did not work for me.

Well, this is from a mom who just got done potty training my three year old and we went completely cold turkey. One day there was diapers, the next day the diapar fairy had taken them all away and he was wearing big boy underwear. It took 2 weeks. Most people say do it in the summer but I have found that long pants seem to absorb pee and if he has shorts on then it gets on the carpet. He did basically ruin a pair of shoes... but they were old anyway...and we did just clean the carpets. but I recommend this method because there's no confusion or begging for a pull up to poop in, or that kind of thing. good luck.

D.,

Believe it or not, the Gerber training underwear (they look like cloth diapers turned into underwear) does a GREAT job at absorbing pee. Try to stay away from the pull ups because my son took FOREVER and I feel like he was impeded because of them. Now, I am about to train my daughter and I will definitely NOT be using them unless we go out.

i agree somewhat - the gerber ones do work (they are definitly better than the cheaper counter parts) - but what i also used - "just to be on the safe side" - was plastic pants - you can get them near the same section - gerber might make them too - they go overtop of the panties - these are also good as they transistion into actual undies....

another "rule" i had was that when they were working on potty training we had a "big person" chair that the cover came off so i could wash it - it was actually a foam chair (they arent that expensive and when you add up the costs of potty training and stuff for cleaning carpets i personaly think its worth it) my daughters was "pooh bear" - but toys r us and walmart both sell them - they come in hannah montanna, cars; sesame street - all the biggies - anyways - i put it to her that this was her "special big kid" chair and told her it was magic/special and would help her learn so whenever she had her big girl panties on she HAD to sit in that chair (we took it other places with us too) that way each night i could wash the cover and then at the end of potty training we just got rid of it.....

good luck!
S. w

HI D., my best recommendation is to wait until your toddlers are truly ready and willing to potty train...when they are ready your carpet and your nerves stand a much better chance! All three of my girls didn't potty train until they were three, I know that some say that is "late", but my Dr. assured me it wasn't and not one of them wet the bed or my carpet...and the only "accidents" we had were all because of timming and the fact that the only bathroom we had at the time was on the second floor of our house. Potty training is a big step for children and all about control so don't rush it! Best wishes.

I would use the cloth trainers. They are thicker then regular undies, but can hold sone liquid of stool if needed. I would try to stay away from the plastic and rubber unless it was for night.

Hi D.

I wanted to do the same thing as you and let my son roam bottomless to train. WELL....in true "when you least expect it-expect it" form, he developed a case of diarhea. All over my white carpet!! This kind of stain DOES NOT come out all the way and I have a forever reminder now right in my living room. Moral is: Use training pants! Oh- and the worst is that my husband was really against my method and now has a totally justifiable "I told you so" on me.

Good luck! With kids 3 and 2 y.o. you are totally crazed I am sure. Before you know it they will both be trained I promise you. With mine they went from 0 to 60 in one day. I truly believe it just has to click.

My advice is to use the Gerber cotton training underpants. They are THICK and absorbent. You will still have to change their pants with big accidents, but hopefully not have to clean your carpets! Another tip that's helpful with this method is to put a potty in the area that your kids are playing (playroom, outside, basement, etc). Then, when they're ready to go they can get on it quickly, and it's right there visually. When my daughter was 2 1/2, she'd been "ready" for a long time, but was still asking to wear diapers. I basically told her, "Mommy is not buying anymore diapers - it's time to be a big girl and wear big girl panties". Then, I removed all diapers from the house (only used pull-ups at night and naps), and put her in big girl underwear. The day I started this, I made sure I had NO plans for the next few days - and nothing major for a few weeks. I put a potty in our playroom. It was late spring, so at times, she was completely naked from the waist down. I can tell you that she pitched a fit the first time she had to poop, but I just kept verbally encouraging her to go on the potty. She screamed, but she did it on her own (I didn't force her to sit on the potty) and was fully trained within days after having that first success. She had one pee accident, which I calmly told her we'd have to clean up TOGETHER, and that I knew she was a big girl and could go on the potty next time. No scolding. She's my first and I was shocked by how fast she was potty trained. I highly recommend the "bottomless" method!
Good luck!

I second the pull-ups comment. My son had cloth diapers since birth and potty trained really early. We used the gerber training pants (and my carpet was spared unless he was completely naked) but I did put him in the pull-ups at night and he NEVER knew when he was wet.

I loved those Gerber pants for my son! They do help. I think once you make the turn to potty training, just use a pull up at night. Too confusing to use both.
I've heard of the "Naked and $75" method which is let them go naked from the waist down for a few days (they supposedly get it really quick) and then the $75 is
to have your rug cleaned! :-) But not for the faint of heart (me!) and better done in summertime!

I have these great potty scotty underwear- all cotton, but absorb a lot. As far as the carpet is concerned, a friend told me about Borax- a powder you put on the spot, it absorbs the liquid then you sweep it up. A good steam cleaning after they get the hang of it will take care of the rest.

When I potty trained my son I put him in underwear and pants so that there wasn't too much of a mess (of course there was a ton of laundry). He also really didn't like the feel of wet pants on him. I also fed him a ton of liquids so that when it did get on the carpet, it was more like water than anything. All that along with a good carpet cleaning at the end of it all! Good luck!

Hi D.,
No advice, but thanks for asking the question. My daughter is 2-1/2 and I just started trying this yesterday. She wore a shirt and underwear. She peed on the carpet twice. I'm not too concerned right now b/c we are getting new carpet in a month or so! But anyway, we had a rough time, and she hasn't gone in the potty once yet. I think we are going to wait until after the Holidays and try again. This will help me try to save my new carpet! Good luck!
D.