Pull-Ups vs Training Pants

There is no right or wrong answer here in my opinion. Do what works for you. I know when I was little my mom only did cloth training pants. I have used them for my oldest and I’ve had my youngest use them now as well. She’s been sick off and on, so Pull-Ups have been easier some days.

Pros of Pull-Ups/ Slip-On’s

• It’s basically a diaper that helps teach toddlers how to use undies, without the mess and puddles around the house.
• It’s disposable! So there is no cleaning them out nightly. It’s as simple as pulling it off and putting a new one on.

Cons of Pull-Ups

• They are still a diaper, and your child may still treat it as such.
• They won’t be uncomfortable when the Pull-Up is wet and remember to use the potty.

Pros of Training Pants

• They are underwear! Just a little thicker. It’s easy to make an exciting big deal about them and how your child is growing up.
• Your child will notice the difference when going through the stages from diaper to training pants, then to undies.
• The kids can feel when they are wet or dirty. If they care about feeling messy, they will try harder to keep them clean.
• Cheaper to wash out nightly than to buy numerous packs of Pull-Ups until they are trained.
• Training pants have a thicker part to help give you an extra minute to get to the potty.

Cons of Training pants

• If you don’t catch the accident in time, there will be a few puddles around the house.
• You’ll have to rinse them out after each accident and then wash them at night to be used the next day.

The Take away

There is no right or wrong. Do what works for you!

You can do a combination of both, like I’ve done. I started with the Pull-Ups and tried to show how they looked different than diapers and that they get put on different as well. I refer to them as Pull-Ups, not diapers, so my children understand there is a difference.

Remember, every child is different, not just girls vs boys. Some children will only need the Pull-Ups for 1-3 more days and others will continue for weeks or even months before being fully trained, and that’s ok.

I wish you luck in your potty training adventure!

Carol