Potty Training Without Pull-Ups - Glendale Heights,IL

Updated on July 06, 2010
J.P. asks from Glendale Heights, IL
11 answers

We're getting ready to tackle potty training with our 2.5 yo daughter. I used Pull-Ups with my older daughter, and it severely delayed the process (she just used them like a diaper). I'd rather not waste money on Pull-Ups anyway (except for overnight I suppose). I bought some cotton training pants for her, but I'm wondering what to do when we go out of the house to the store or to an event. Do those plastic training pants worn over the cotton ones work well enough to go out in? I would obviously have to bring a few extras with when we go somewhere. Please share your best potty training secrets! She wants to wear big girl undies and sit on the potty, but has never actually gone in the toilet yet. ANY tips on making this go smoothly would be appreciated!

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H.B.

answers from Chicago on

I used the pull-ups with my first. I finally did away with them and got down to business. I didn't go anywhere for a week and he did great. There's been accidents, but that's expected. My second, I'm not using pull-ups and went straight to underwear. I started with peeing before and after shower and then peeing in the morning when he woke up dry. I followed his lead and then took the control...so far so good.
I carry a couple diapers and spare clothes. Try to use the toilet before and after car ride. (He holds it for a long time, so I don't foresee many accidents while in the car)

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A.P.

answers from Eugene on

Potty training is not for the faint of heart! We just put our son in underwear and were super vigilant about putting him on the potty. We didn't leave the house much for the first few days, but after that we just carried a backup outfit with us. He's peed on the floor at Barnes and Noble (at the train table), at the library, and at my office--but we also carried some old cloth diapers in our bag and just cleaned up the mess. Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful

N.O.

answers from Dallas on

I always went straight to underwear with my kids. Like your kids, mine just used the pull ups like a diaper so it was a big money waster! Save your money and go for some panties, at least try them when you know she's getting the hang of the potty down. My little girl was super easy to potty train so we never had any issues with her wetting herself. She made it almost too easy so I can't relate to others who struggle, as soon as we brought home the kid potty, she used it every day and LOVED using it. : ) My boys were a different story, but they were potty trained by 3 and again, I never used the pull ups, just underwear and there's something about a kid peeing or pooing in their underwear that they hate so it kinda sped up the process in my kids case. Good luck to you !!

2 moms found this helpful
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R.G.

answers from Texarkana on

With my 2 yr old I let her run around just in loose pants n ask her to go potty and also made her go when her big sister went. And still working on her going when we go out. But I looked it up and it said to... after she goes potty just leave loose pants n leave so she will get use to going before u go somewhere. Hopefully this helps!

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Our daughter was almost 4. I never used pull ups with our daughter. Once I knew she was really ready for potty training, I planned on staying home for a few days I started on a friday and kept her home from day care. I had 3 days to work with her.. I waited till my husband came home then went alone to run any errands.. I did have her go naked one day when she told me she was afraid she might poo in her panties.

At night, I had purchased a plastic mattress cover and had her lay on a towel on top of her sheets. I made sure she went to the potty before bed and asked her again after her bedtime routine.. I asked her to "just try". I also woke her up at midnight, right before I went to bed and again asked her "to try". Then, in the morning, my husband always woke up at 5:30, so he woke her up and asked her to try. Each of these times she did urinate. In the morning, I woke up at my normal time and when she woke up she ran to the potty and went on her own..

She did have a few accidents that weekend and was upset. I just told her it would take practice..

On the following Monday, I took her to day care and she continued her potty training. I gave them lots of panties and lots of bottoms. They had the potties lined up in an area of the room and the children would go whenever they needed at any time. She only had a few accidents, but over all within about a week, she was great. Each time we would go somewhere, I would ask her, "do you need to go, will you just try?" Then when we arrived at our destination, I would say, "Mommy needs to go potty, you want to try?"

Funny, I just realized, we still do this.. and she is 20.. I am the one that always needs to go..

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L.S.

answers from Jacksonville on

I bought a couple of Piddle Pads (made by Kiddopatamus). They line my daughter's carseat and keep any accidents from wetting the carseat cover. They're washable. I also have a little potty that I keep in the car for when she has to go before we reach our destination. That works well. (I have a baby too. It's difficult to find a place to go, get them both out and into the restroom in time so she would not have an accident. It's just easier to use the potty in the car.) We used the plastic panty covers too. They work to a degree, keeping most of the pee in. You'll need to carry extra bottoms. One last tip, the loud flush in public restrooms scared my daughter and she never wanted to go on a public toilet, so I started carrying a pad of post it notes. I'd stick one over the flush sensor so it didn't flush randomly and we could flush when we were ready! Good luck!

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A.M.

answers from Dallas on

i would try those or just put a diaper on over the undies to catch any "spills"

S.R.

answers from Chicago on

I have just started with my 28 month old. She has an older sister and has shown keen interest since Feb. She goes on the toilet when I catch her at the right time, I do admit to having offered her an incentive of a small gummy candy to begin with and she only got one when she actually did something, after Easter I said we had eaten all the candy and she never asked again. I have just stopped using Pull ups they were no good she used them as a diaper. I purchased a fisher price Princess potty today that plays a tune when they produce something in it, she loves this to bits and today she has had done everything in it!!! It was only $20 and its like a chair and you can use it as a step later on when they use the toilet or just to wash their hands at the sink, its very easy to clean too. The smaller potties are hard to keep liquid going in the right place and the padded toilet seats can shift a bit and scare them. I have taught her to hold on using a step on the adult seat so when we are out its less hassle using public restrooms.Cotton panties and elasticated waist bands on pants are the way to go, skirts on girls have their own issues! When I am at home I leave her in a tshirt and panties. The hardest bit I am finding is catching her before she runs off to wipe, I do remember it took my older daughter a while to master wiping.I also got some special kids soap in a pump and she loves to use that to encourage hand washing.I have ordered a folding potty with disposable liners off Amazon called a pottette great for the park and car, it can go easy under the stroller.I think its a case of biting the bullet , accepting there will be messes to clear up on occasions and going for it..Goodluck!

S.B.

answers from Birmingham on

When we trained our son I never used pull ups except at night. He didnt like the feeling of peeing on himself and being wet. So it only took a few times and he figured out that if he peed in his pants he would be all wet. It took a little longer to get the number 2 down though.

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I.G.

answers from Seattle on

We did use pull ups for a short while, but my daughter never understood that she should use them like underwear and just used them like diapers.
About a two months ago we started going diaperless at home during the day. We just did it. She had been showing plenty of interest, had used the potty a few times before. At that time I put a diaper on her at night, when we went out and at daycare or when she had a few accidents in a row...just to take the pressure off.
When the accidents during diaperfree time got less, I just set a date to go diaperless for good. That was about a month ago and we simply ditched the diapers (I simply did not buy new ones).
Turns out that went just fine. Again, there were accidents (both urine and BM), but I just cleaned those up without much ado about it. When we are out and about we use public restrooms. You definitely have to get over the ick factor or I hear some moms carry portable potties. I always carry a change of clothes and for the car I put a puppy pad under her to protect the seat for about two weeks - but I don't think we ever had an accident while out and about (at least not yet).

I think the only secret about it is to be relaxed about it and get used to cleaning up accidents and extra laundry. Start slow with a few diaperless hours a day and don't feel bad about going back to diapers for a bit and start over again after a few months (we had to earlier this year when my daughter had a potty scare).
Good luck.

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J.L.

answers from San Diego on

I always took the potty chair with us. At 2.5 she may be to big for one, but I also kept close to home during training. I used cloth training pants, they work really well, of course there were no such things as pulls ups when i trained my kids, but even with my daycare kids i do not use pull ups. I did find starting kids early was easier than late, I started my first son at 20 months, my second son potty trained at 19 months cause he wanted to be like his brother, and by 22 months my daughter was potty trained all with training pants even for nights and naps; J.

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