Diapers to Pull Ups?? Looking for Suggesstions from Experienced Mommies

I skipped pull-ups all together with my two kids (one boy, one girl). I think pull-ups are a waste of money and confuse the child. The child thinks "these are just like underpants, but i can go potty in them, too" I think it's important to make that distinction between diapers (where it's ok to go potty) and underwear (where you shouldn't go potty.) I think they learn a lot faster that way. Good luck.

Hi A., I have 2 sons-13 and 9 years of age. My 13 year old went to pull-ups at the age of 2 and we started potty training at the time as well. My 9 year old, he was also 2, went to potty training at the same time and then started wearing underwear at the age of 4. My 9 year old is autistic and potty training autistic children starts later than a typical kid. But, I think starting to potty train him now would be a good idea. Good Luck!!!

I would start potty training now. I didn't have any problems with my girls and Mom said girls are harder to potty train then boys are. I always had the girls go to the bathroom when I did. I didn't even have to do anything with my first one. She trained herself. Let him pick out some big boy underwear and tell him when he quits messing in his pants he can wear them. This works well on both girls and boys. The only time I used pull ups were for at bed time and if we went to town. The rest of the time they were in panties. If you are worried about the mess buy some plastic pants to put over the underwear. With a pull up they don't get uncomfortable like they do in underwear. He won't like being wet or messy and will train faster.

Everybody is different so here another stroy. I started using the pull-ups when my son decided he hated laying down for a diaper change. A little over a year old. I only used them a little bit when I had to change him standing up. They do not hold as much so you do have to change them more often. I use them now that he is potty training at 2 1/2 only because that is what he likes. I tried underwear and he didn't like them for some strange reason. So I am going to find some different kind but I am glad I use the pull-ups because the other day he got sick and had the runs and if he did not have that pull-up on I would have a BIG BIG BIG Mess on my floor!:) So try them and see how you like them but I have heard that they can make training harder but they seem to be working for us. He usually uses one pull-up for the whole day now! (And one at night)

YES! I would recommend the Huggies , Target or brand that allows you to re-fasten the sides. This is awesome because when the kids have pants/shorts on & you need to change them you don't have to completely disarm them... sorry military wife humor :)I would try the pull-ups during the day time to get used to them & the ____@____.com faster the boys learn the better. My son is now 3 & we are still working through some moments. Remember peeing for boys feels good they are not so resistant to stop. Good luck

I started my daughter in pull ups when she wouldn't sit still for diaper changes. I think she was just under a year old. Because she never wanted to stop playing to get her diaper changed, I just switched over. It was so much easier changing her standing up. And I didn't start potty training her for another year.

I don't think that changing to pull ups had to coincide with potty training. And it makes it much easier to change your child when you are out [cars, public bathrooms] because you don't have to lay them down anymore.

I say go ahead and switch. Your son may never even know the difference.

We never used pull ups. Went right from diapers to shorts with no undies for potty training. I just let him wear elastic waist shorts so he could get them down easy by himself. Seemed like underwear made it more difficult so we just passed on them for awhile. He started wearing them later when he knew what to do. I always brought a few extra shorts with me.(AND wet wipes and plastic bags.) It only took a couple accidents for him to figure it out. The problem we had with pull ups was really dumb, but I didn't know... I tried to cut them off with scissors and I accidentally pinched him! He would never let me put one on him again! LOL Later I found out that you can just tear them on the side. I got the "DUH" award from my husband!
They usually have to be potty trained for pre school, which starts at 3, so we started "training" at about 2 1/2. It's whenever you think your child is ready. When they start showing signs of understanding and wanting to. We put a potty seat in the bathroom and when he started dancing we'd say "let's get to the potty-quickly". I had friends that started trying to train too early and ended up with problems. I even knew a lady that took her potty seat in the van with her wherever they went. There are sooo many ways... But in my opinion, pull ups are still diapers. So you really aren't getting anywhere by changing to them. Best of luck.

For me, the transition wasn't because I was preparing for potty training - it was purely convenience. It is a lot easier to slip a diaper on and off like underwear when they are running around! I transitioned at about 15 months or so. I will say this - both of my boys were potty trained at 2 to 2 1/2 - not sure if this helped or not. I think it did make them feel bigger - like daddy.

You've already got some great advice but 22 months is not too early to start training- My daughter is now 14 months, but Ive been placing her on the potty since she was 4 months old.
She is not potty trained fully as her coordination to pull down her pants in time is not developed, but she will let me know when she has to go and for the most part, if i just put her on the potty after a nap she goes in the pot and uses very few diapers a day.

My point here is simply, are you sure your son is not ready to potty train??
@}~>~~

Hi there. The only difference with pull-ups is that the child can pull them on and off like underwear. I wouldn't buy them until he's ready to start using the potty and you need to be able to get them on and off him easily.

Good luck!

I personally wouldn't recommend switching to pullups at all. It took me much longer to train my daughter when she was in pullups... Actually, she refused to train at all in them. I put her in panties, cold turkey, and she's been in panties ever since. Don't feel forced to put him into pull ups because of his age. They are far more expensive than diapers and really serve no purpose. It is still a diaper, after all. It's just cut like underwear.

Good luck.

In my experience - I didn't bother with pullups until they were potty training b/c they are so much more expensive. As for WHEN they are ready that depends on the child. My 3 were very different, my daughter decided on her own at 25 months to potty train and never wore pullups except for a month or so to daycare b/c it was required. She only had a handful of accidents. Son #1 - he HAD to potty train b/c he was off to preschool at 3 and they required it. He started in pullups and had a lot of accidents... took him FOREVER to train. Son #2 - was a bit easier, started at 2 1/2 and was ALMOST there when he started preschool just after turning 3, but still wore a pull up for the first few months.

Good luck and let your son dictate this. Keep introducing the potty concept, but if you push to hard it can backfire!

L.

For me, the switch to pull ups had nothing to do with potty training and everything to do with convenience. It is so much easier to change a wet pull up than a diaper when you are out of the house. I continued to use the HUGGIES OVERNIGHTS diapers at night for a while until she stopped peeing so much at night, but we switched to pull ups as soon a her little butt would fit into them (around 18 mos).

I only used pull ups when we were having a hard time training and we had to go somewhere dressy i.e. church, family party... I tried to keep them in real clothes as much as possible so that the knew if they had an accident right away. My younger daughter had a really hard time with through the night until almost 5 and we used oull ups then. Pull ups are more expensive than diapers, harder to change if it is poopy, and do not hold as much a s a diaper. I stayed away from them as much as possible. Good Luck, and don't feel like you have to push him to potty train, he will in time.

My daughter is now 29 months but I started potty training around 23 months but the best advice I was given was to skip using pull-ups and go straight to big girl/boy pants. Pull-ups don't teach them, it's just like a diaper. Big girl/boy pants obviously open you up to more accidents to catch or clean up but it helps teach them quickly why they need to go in the potty. You just have to devote the time to stay home with them and have day care or other family members support you. Good luck.

Never really used them - it was easier to just make the transition to undies - they really do not feel wet in pull-ups so they do not seem to get it. But I had two girls. You may get a little potty and just let him come in when you are and sit on it for awhile with no pressure and maybe he will get interested. My first was almost 3 when she trained and the other was just over 2 (she wanted to be like her sister).

I never used them for training either. When my son was ready and he wanted to, we bought him underwear at 3.2 years old. He had two accidents and that was it! We now use the pull ups at night time just in case, but he has never gone in them. He doesn't know that they are any different from underwear because we never used them for him to figure that out. In the middle of the night he gets up to go if he has to. I strongly suggest this approach because they become a comfort for kids if they know they are similar to diapers. I know some people who have kids in pull ups for years! Why go through that?

I would have to say that i started pull ups rather early. I was just soo tired of the constant sturggle to get a diaper on my son. With the pull ups i could do just that "pull them up". They work just as good as a diaper. The only down fall is they are more in price and you get less in quanity. I also think that Huggies "PULL UPS" are WAY better than the Pampers "Easy Ups". (just my oppinion) do what you feel is best for Your situation. I feel you dont HAVE to relate wearing pull ups to potty training. I didnt and my son turned out all right. Was completely potty trained by 3! ( with BIG BOY UNDERWEAR) ;-)
Good Luck!

As if you don't have enough advice already.... I have two boys. My first born went from diapers straight to underwear at about 2 1/2. We had many accidents (tons of wets and a few poops) until he finally could remember to go to the bathroom when he needed to. For my second son we used pullups for convenience, as many have mentioned, and at night "just in case". He would also ask for a pull up to poop in (which we obliged until we realized it might go on forever). I will say it took longer for my second to be fully "trained", but he has never had an accident, pee or poop, since he fully committed and went to underwear full time.

Bottom line? Do what works for you, your son and your lifestyle!