When Should I Switch to Pull-Ups?

hi L. if i were you i'd buy hime the regular underware with the plastic coverings, it's a little more work for the parent if he has an accident, but they are easier to get up and down than the pull ups, and they build confidence because he's wearing "real big boy pants" and not an diaper he can pull up and down know what i jean, i've pottied trained two boys so far, and they did very well with regular pants... hope this helps a little.

hi L.. just wanted to let you know what my opinion was on pull-ups. i had no luck with pullups. it was as if because of the material they were made of, my kids, and now a grandson, could not/cannot, distinguish the difference between them and diapers. maybe some other parents have had better luck than i did with them. i do know that my daughter-n-law has had a time with my grandson, and she has said the same thing when it comes to using them. my opinion, is just wait it out to when you feel yours is more ready for the potty. they are all different. i have 5, and with the last 4 i waited more on them to be ready and had great luck with them breaking both ways within 2-4 weeks for the most part. my first one, i tried when everyone else thought i should, and it was a nightmare. it took forever! good luck and take care!

C.

As Kathy said - our daycare teacher recommeneded going right to underwear once our son had the understanding of going pee in the potty. Yes - for a few days you will have lots of wet pants, but it will not last long. We only use pull ups a "sleeping underwear" for overnight. Pull ups are hard to get up and down. Underwear is much easier.

Plus - kids know that a pull up is just a glorified diaper. They know that they can poop and pee in it and it is no big deal. They will not feel the same when they go in thier underwear. That is not so comfortable.

Jack potty training at 2 1/2 and it only took us about 3 weeks to pretty much master it. Peeing came first. We used candy corn as a bribe to get him to poop. If he went poopy, we got lots of praise and candy corn. That cured the poopy issue all together with in a month or two.

We only use pull ups for overnight, emergencies(ie: he's not feeling well & has diarrhea), & in the beginning, for errands. My son still knows when he needs to go & won't potty in a pull up if left on. We didn't even start training until he was about 3 1/2. It only took us a couple of weeks. Even if your son knows that he's gone, does he have the knowledge that he needs to go? My son knew pretty early that he could control the stream if he wanted to, he just hadn't grasped the urge to go until much later. It might be easier to switch to underpants cold turkey, then use pull ups after he has a grasp. Good luck, it can wear you down, but hang in there.

I used pull=ups to potty train my first son and never used them with my second son. Your son my find them "exciting" because they are like big boy underwear, so that could be a motivation for him. If he doesn't care about them, don't waste the money. Good luck.

I didn't use pull-ups. It seemed silly to put a different kind of diaper on when trying to not go in a daiper. I figured my mom didn't have them for me and I got trained.

I used the training underpants that are thinker in the middle to absorb accidents. If your son has problems pulling up his pants he may accidentally rip the paperish material that pull ups are made from.

Good luck and never forget to ask "Are you sure you don't need to go?"

I used diapers and went straight to underwear. My son could take a diaper off on his own when he wanted to actually go pee. His day care didn't allow pullups to be used. It wasn't the way they "potty trained". When he started to go to the bathroom on his own, we switched him to underwear. Number 2 took much longer for him though. He wasn't all the way potty trained until he was just over 3 and half.

Do you think he is truley ready..if so I just started with my son, who is 3 1/2, almost 3 weeks ago. I tried pullups for two days and said forget it. He didn't care if he went in them they were a diaper that pulls up and down instead of tapeing them on. I went cold trukey and in two weeks he has had 2 accidents one was over night(I got a water proof bed liner for his mattress). The other he was out side playing and didn't make it. I got him tons of spiderman underware(I took him to the store and let him pick them out) and he loves them so much he won't wet or dirty in them. So in my opinion they are a waste of money. I also got a plastic piggy bank(we call it the potty piggy) Everytime he uses the potty he gets to feed the piggy(pennies) and when the piggy gets full he gets to buy him a new toy at the store. He loves that idea. One thing you need to remember is be very patient. I see you are expecting another child very soon and it would be nice to not have two in diapers believe me I have been doing it for almost 2 years but except that you might have to have two in daipers for a while and potty training will go much smoother. Good luck

We wanted our son potty-trained (the cost of the diapers, who wouldn't) and when he started teeling us he was popping, we thought that was the time. Apparently it wasn't. We tried to potty train him before he was ready. He knew he was peeing and popping and told the world, but he still was not ready. DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF TRYING TO MAKE THEM POTTY TRAIN BEFORE THEY ARE READY!!! Because what you end up with is, a complete defiance of peeing and pooping in the toliet. Start by building up to excitment about training pants (i.e WOW when you get big maybe we can get some Cars Training Pants, oh, that would be cool). See where that goes and what response that you get). If you try and train them before they are ready, it becomes the first WAR....and sets the stage....

Hope my expereince helps.....Lots of Luck, and Patience....LOL

My sister didn't use pull-ups at all with her son. I couldn't figure out why she wouldn't, but then she pointed out that they are still diapers- just without the velcro sides. When I thought about it, she was exactly right. In my opinion, they don't really help kids at all since they know they can still do their business in them.

I plan on going straight to underwear with my daughter when we hit that stage.

Good luck!

Hi L.,

I also have a 2.5 yr old son and we are currently potty training. I also have an 8 yr old son and a baby girl due at the end of August. With my oldest I never did the pull-ups, he was almost 3.5yr and ready. With my 2.5 yr old I started taking his diaper off in the morning and letting him run naked. He would tell me if he had to pee or poop. So I put on underwear and he would go in those and not tell me til afterward. I waited about 2 more weeks and just yesterday have tried underwear again. He's finally got it. He tells me when he has to go. He can't pull his pants down all by himself yet and he sits to pee, but at least he's going. I've just been using diapers at night and naptime. I didn't want to push him, but I don't want to be buying diapers for 2 kids (as I'm sure you don't want too either!)

Good luck! I think the running around naked thing helped a lot!