Some say that babies and toddlers that wear cloth diapers potty train faster. Some say it doesn’t matter. Today we’re going to look at the relationship and my experience with potty training and cloth diapers.
If you’ve been reading the past few days, on Facebook or the blog, you’ll know that we’ve been attempting Potty Training. I wasn’t quite so “gung-ho” about the timing Sophia chose to start really trying to use the potty all of the time. Not only is it the Holidays and we’re busy running around, shopping and visiting family, I’m 37 weeks pregnant and her world is getting ready to be turned upside down, I’m sure.
So, we took the “training” pretty light and easy and she was actually quite successful for those first few days.
I did let her run around diaper-less while we were at home all day, for about 3 days straight. On the 2nd and 3rd day she completely used the potty and didn’t have 1 wet diaper {other than at nap time}, but then Saturday came. We spent the day Christmas shopping and Sophia spent the day in diapers.
When we got home that evening, we took her diaper off and she had 2 accidents that night.
Then, the next day, we let her wear her new big girl panties and she peed in all 3 of them. It’s not surprising to me, at all. I know that with Potty Training, as well as a lot of other behavior modification techniques, consistency and stability are the key.
We’re just not able to do that right now and Sophia is so confused at when she can just let it go and when she needs to run to the potty.
So, if she asks to potty, I’m letting her, but we’re not going diaper-less constantly. My plan is to keep this up until Moreaya is at least 1-2 months old and our life has hopefully gotten back into a somewhat normal routine… I said hopefully!
But what I wanted to share with you all today is my thoughts on Potty Training and Cloth Diapers! I’m, of course, no expert as I haven’t even successfully done this yet, BUT I have a few ideas and thoughts and hopefully will get to hear yours too!
- I’ve read numerous times that cloth diapered children potty train an average of 6 months faster. I have a couple of theories as to why, and one is definitely not that they feel wet. I think it’s quite the opposite with the modern cloth diaper.
Unless Sophia is completely soaked, she has no clue if she’s wet or not, when I ask her. The stay dry fleece inner in most of her diapers, truly does it’s job! Instead, I think it’s simply because ON AVERAGE {I’m not saying disposable-using Moms don’t pay attention… NOT AT ALL} cloth diapering Mamas are probably more likely to be SAHMs who have more time to devote to consistent Potty Training.
{We want to get rid of that extra laundry, but also secretly miss all that fluff!} - Trainers. I don’t know where I stand on trainers as we haven’t tried them at all yet. I just wonder exactly how much they’ll truly help. Part of me thinks that Sophia will simply treat the trainer as another diaper, but I guess I’ll just have to try and see!
- One of my friends recently said that she puts a tiny prefold into a pair of big girl panties instead of using Trainers. I think this might be a better way to go, simply because the prefold will hold the wetness and allow Sophia to feel it and feel more uncomfortable than a stay dry diaper or trainer.
So, it looks like I will definitely get my dream of having 2 in cloth… at least for a little while. I hope by backing off, I don’t discourage Sophia from using the potty, but I feel like this is the best decision for our growing, little family right now.
Kelli
Sunday 28th of November 2021
I don't like disposable diapers, never have. Its got nothing to do with the go green either. I'm amazed at these environmental people. Go green on everything. No cutting of trees no coal, no oil, no pipelines. but it's exceptable to bury millions of tons of disposable diapers and wipes because they are suppose to be "green" I've seen and heard all the excuses about delaying potty training. I used the cloth gauze diapers on all three of my childern. They are easier to fold them into differnt sizes, and you can double the diaper layer when need be. I also cleaned and washed them. I did have to use preemie disposables on my 2nd baby,placentia detached at 28 wks of the pregnancy,until he weighed 5 lbs. They didn't and I don't know if even now they make plastic pants for preemies. All 3 were all potty trained before 2yrs of age. They don't like being wet or poopy. They need to feel when they are wet. When they started waking up dry,I started putting them on the potty chair and also everytime I went. My 3rd child, I taught to pat at the front of her diaper when she had to go,she couldn't hear which ofcourse screwed up her verbal.Childerns Hospital thought I was nuts until during threapy, she started patting. Told them I had to take her to the toliet. 5 mins later we were back. They asked if she went. I said yes, what you think I tied her down until she did, really? I don't believe in forcing them to, make a game of it, who urinated first. It doesn't happen overnight, you have to be consistent. If you're out and about,take them to a restroom, sit them on the big potty. Have them lean forward into your legs so they don't think they will fall back and into the toliet. There can be set backs from traveling, tense home atmosphere, any big changes in routine. Make a big deal out of every success! IF you have a slow starter or if they have accident(s), Don't berate, scream ,spank or punish. How can they tell that your not punishing them for just for the act of going? Use patience and keep the experience positive.