Panties for potty training: features, types and tips for use

A baby's potty habit is a long-awaited event that allows parents to finally stop spending money on diapers and just be happy for their baby showing clear signs of normal development. However, the same diapers do not help speed up the process, because the baby feels comfort without any new skills, and a sharp refusal to use them will lead to the fact that the sanitary and hygienic situation in the apartment will deteriorate sharply. This situation remained a huge problem for a long time, until the popularity of special panties for potty training began to gain popularity.

What it is?

The panties for potty training are the same diapers, but with deliberately reduced absorption rates. Developers have struggled for decades to keep baby's skin as little contact with a damp cloth as possible to ensure maximum comfort, but this way a baby may never master the wisdom of using a pot. Accordingly, at some point, the manufacturers were puzzled to create special panties in which the feeling of comfort would be deliberately reduced and the child would think about what he was doing wrong.

Of course, for the full use of such an accessory, it is necessary for the child to reach a certain level of consciousness. So, a baby of the first year of life will not even theoretically understand the causal relationship, will not be able to understand the purpose of the pot, even if the parents constantly plant it and simply will not be able to restrain the urge.

All these skills usually appear in children around the age of one and a half years, and even then they do not immediately become defining. You need to be like at least a few months in such panties for the result to be finally fixed (it is for this reason that such products are not produced in small sizes). Therefore, thanks to this invention, parents are able to stimulate children's interest in deliberate trips to the toilet, without disturbing the cleanliness of the home.

Pros and cons

Both manufacturers and parents who tested such products are sure that it has much more advantages than disadvantages. Consider the main advantages of such childcare products.

A child who has reached a certain age quickly begins to understand the relationship between walking by himself and unpleasant sensations. And although he still cannot endure for a long time or sit on the pot on his own, he is already ready to actively signal adults about his needs and even wait a little.
Unlike diapers, the child can remove the panties on his own, they are devoid of complex Velcro or fasteners, allowing the baby to master the new wisdom in full.
Panties do not contain a thick layer of absorbent material, therefore they are characterized by increased thinness and elasticity, which is convenient for movement.
Multi-layer models also provide a high degree of protection against leaks, so the beginning of potty training does not turn into a triumph of dirt.
Since the principle of operation of the product is somewhat simpler, there is not much of the “chemistry” that often causes prickly heat and other similar problems in children.
Such products are available in various varieties, allowing parents to choose the optimal solution for this stage.

On the other hand, such panties cannot be called a completely ideal solution either. Many parents point out the obvious disadvantages of using such accessories.

From the contact of feces with the skin, this or that disease can develop, which in itself is very bad, it is even simply unhygienic.
If the panties do not absorb the "child's surprise" at all, then the course is very likely, then the meaning of such an acquisition is completely lost, especially since the child is able to remove such an accessory on his own.
At the initial stages, each "event" will be accompanied by deafening crying, which literally cuts the ears of parents who are accustomed to the fact that the baby is always comfortable. Therefore, some people find it necessary to simply wear diapers for a few months longer to minimize the period of wearing panties for potty training.

Operating principle

The key difference between panties and diapers is that the former are either completely devoid of an absorbent substance that turns liquid into a gel, or its amount is significantly reduced here. Consequently, the device is no longer so effective in coping with the consequences of the "child's surprise", and the baby constantly feels wet clothes, which may dry faster than usual, but still does not do it instantly. At the same time, the outer layer usually corresponds to that of diapers: it is designed to prevent leakage in order to keep things clean.

The task of the parents is to additionally show the child how his problem is being solved. If the child is already conscious enough, he will notice that when sitting on the potty, coping with any needs is not accompanied by the same discomfort. This will provoke him to ask for the pot every time the first urge appears. Further, the task of the parents is to show the child how the accessory is removed, because he probably begins to understand that the problem lies in it. There remains only the most difficult psychological moment - to force the child to walk in shorts without taking them off, because this is the desire that the baby will have right after he realizes that he is causing him discomfort.

Kinds

The children's products under consideration are divided into several main subspecies, each of which has specific features and differences.

Disposable Training Panties for a child, they do not fundamentally differ from similar diapers, they are also waterproof. The absorbent layer is present here, although it differs in reduced efficiency, therefore, such panties are usually used for those babies who are just beginning to potty train. Since the effect of their use is not very pleasant for the baby, the product is supplied with patterns that “disappear” when the accessory is full. A child can take off such panties himself, but he rarely does this, while he is just learning how to do it.
Reusable Training Panties also resemble similar diapers, here the main part of the product can be left for repeated use, while only the absorbent insert is subject to regular replacement. He, of course, also does not absorb all the liquid, encouraging the baby to pay special attention to other ways of sending his own needs.

By the way, such an accessory is not very durable: it is usually advised to use no more than three earbuds per copy, but this still saves parental money.

Layered briefs usually made of plain cotton, there are no special absorbent or outer oilcloth layers here, therefore, such clothes can retain moisture only for a short time. Accordingly, her target audience is children who have already mastered the potty well, but sometimes can still make a mistake. In other words, in the event of an "accident" such an accessory will surely leak, but the timely reaction of the baby and the parents will quickly eliminate the potential problem. Such products are chosen for their low cost, but in summer they are not very good, as they provoke prickly heat.
Reusable nappies for potty training differ from the same panties in that they do not imply an easy way to remove them, they are equipped with Velcro, which is usually beyond the control of the baby. To be honest, the effect of this option is doubtful: on the one hand, it is designed so that parents can not rush to change the accessory for two to three hours, on the other hand, the child is experiencing discomfort all this time. The only appropriate situation for the use of this type of care products is when the child is already big enough to be able to endure for a long time or simply ask for a potty in a timely manner, but for some reason does not want to do this.

How to choose?

It has already been said above how to determine the choice depending on the type of product, so we will focus on other criteria. Experts believe that it is advisable for a child to choose products with beautiful pictures, then the panties will not cause rejection and will have a positive effect on the psyche of the baby, who suddenly began to face regular discomfort.

So that the baby normally perceives his accessory and does not also experience discomfort from rubbing, it is necessary to choose the right size of the product, which, while remaining free, should sit tightly, otherwise leaks cannot be avoided. Actually, it is the choice of size for many parents that is a real problem, especially if expensive reusable panties are being bought. Most manufacturers have a standardized size range, therefore the size values below are almost always relevant:

S - 11-15 kg;
M - 13-15 kg;
L - 15-17 kg;
XL - 17-20 kg;
XXL- 20-23 kg.

It should be noted that similar products can be found in most of the manufacturers involved in the production of conventional diapers. Panties are not that high-tech product, therefore there is no fundamental difference between the products of different companies, as long as the cut is sensible and does not allow leaks. For this reason, in choosing a brand, you can focus on the products of the company whose diapers you previously used: if they did not leak, then most likely you can trust the cowards.

Usage tips

It would seem that using panties for potty training is as easy as using diapers, but in fact, often negative reviews about products of a popular brand are caused by the fact that parents simply misused them. In our country, many consumers do not find it necessary to read the instructions, believing that they already know everything, but in the end it turns out that the purchase is spoiled. And it's good if the culprits even realized that the reason lies in themselves and drew conclusions.

We've collected the most common tips from experienced parents on how to improve or simply not spoil the performance of your panties.

New, not worn, reusable panties, like diapers, are often advised to wash first. Sometimes parents do not understand why they need to wash clean again, but many mothers argue that this way the fabric will be able to absorb more liquid, which minimizes leakage.
Most models of such products are not designed for the use of complex and aggressive "chemicals", in particular, fabric softeners can destroy the oilcloth layer, making the accessory leaky. As for the usual powder, it is often not dangerous for the product, but it must be washed thoroughly, because it can provoke skin irritation in the child.
Many mothers use various tricks to extend the life of the product, but you should not get too carried away with this, the accessory in its conditions of use will quickly lose not only its attractive appearance, but also the ability to effectively retain moisture.
The cause of allergy in a child is often not the wearing of supposedly "breathing" panties, but the active use of the cream.

It should be recalled that a thick, greasy mass itself can block air access, and in combination with a cloth that also restricts circulation, this can become a critical factor.

Reviews

Most parents who have chosen the right training panties cannot get enough of it: while maintaining cleanliness (albeit not in all situations without exception), the child learns to potty much faster. Many point out that the child initially perceives the situation incorrectly: at first he realizes that the discomfort is caused by wet clothes and tries not to wear it or takes it off in order to pee anywhere without being tied to a potty, but in general, accustoming is much faster than without such devices.

The timing of mastering pottery wisdom differs depending on the individual characteristics of the child and how early the parents got down to business, but even a period of 3-4 months from zero to an excellent result is not fantastically fast.

Some parents still focus on the disadvantages described in the corresponding section, but they are usually not ready to offer a more effective and convenient alternative. Their children, as a rule, get used to the potty much longer and with certain torment from their parents, but they are supposedly more comfortable without constant phlegm.