Gerber Waterproof Pants

Updated on February 22, 2010
G.M. asks from San Jose, CA
13 answers

Was wondering if anyone has any experience with these? We have been attempting to potty-train my 2 1/2 year old daughter with the Gerber padded underwear training panties, while trying to keep the soiled pants to a minimum, and the pull-ups seem to just serve as diaper for her. I've heard some mixed reviews, and was wondering if anyone has any feedback, suggestions or advice regarding these. She's about 30 lbs., and will be three in May. Thanks!

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L.L.

answers from San Francisco on

I used them with my DD.. they were ok, but I much preferred Imse Vimse training pants. They are more expensive, but my DD liked them better. They also have an outer layer that "helps" prevent a small accident from leaking through right away. Also, the Gerbers had a shape that my daughter always said felt funny when I first put them on her. I know ebay had the Imse Vimse if you want to try them... El Camino Hospital in Mt View also sold them in the Mothers Connection store.

For my daughter, I told her that she needed to try going potty when she first woke up, every time before we left the house, before meals, and before a nap or bed. Once she knew the routine, she caught on quickly. By the time she was 22 months, she was dry in the morning and I made it a "race" to the potty so she would have fun beating momma there.

Good luck G.. Just remember to have a sense of humor ... the less stress she senses about it, the more she'll be eager to show you she can do it.

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M.S.

answers from Denver on

Hi.
I work in an eco friendly baby store and my sister uses the training pants we sell there. They are fantastic and keep the mess inside instwead of leaking out ! Not sure where you live the store is located in Denver, but we have online too.
Email if you have any questions and good luck I have a 4 and 7 year old and potty training was not my favorite :) good luck !!
M.
www.thegigglinggreenbean.com

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P.B.

answers from Sacramento on

Hi G., Just use panties, regular Big Girl panties, and tell her that. She is a Big Girl now and has to start wearing Big Girl panties and not pee or poo in her new Big Girl panties. It will take a while before she understands, but starting now during the daytime will get her on the right track. Pullups are fine for night time, but also keep asking her, "when do you want to wear your Big Girl panties at night". Hope this helps.
Patti B

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C.A.

answers from San Francisco on

We used these to minimize the mess and they were better then regular underwear. They didn't stop it completely, but they did help.

C.M.

answers from St. Louis on

I bought the plastic Gerber covers for 2T-3T for my 2.5 year old (28 lbs) and they are HUGE on her - the weight for those start at 28 lbs. I use regular underwear and put those plastic covers on to help contain the wetness - which they do a pretty good job.

I also bought the padded Gerber underwear (Target) and like those but feel like the plastic covers work better.

I think pullups do the same with my daughter - just act as a diaper they can pull down for potty time!

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T.W.

answers from San Francisco on

we tried the waterproof ones but didn't like them. they fit like an enormous balloon, made an awful rustling noise every time she moved and because they're plastic on the outside, can't be put in the dryer. we just used the underwear training pants. and m&ms. when mine resisted sitting on the potty, i began to offer one m&m for sitting, two for peeing, and three for pooping. it helped a lot and eventually she just forgot to ask about the m&ms. she was day trained by 2 1/2.

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A.K.

answers from San Francisco on

HI G.,

I attempted to try using these pants as well and had the same result as a previous responder. They were HUGE (he is about 35 pounds) and the plastic rustling sound really bothered my son. We had had his "potty" around since he was about two, and started to be interested in using it, we took him to purchase his own "big boy" underwear. He was excited about picking out his own and for the first three days, he would just tell me that he was wet after the fact. On the 4th day we offered him 1 M&M for going in the potty and a sticker on his chart and 2 M&Ms for pooping in the potty and 2 stickers on his chart. Once the chart was filled he got to pick out a matchbox car (something he is really into). We started this in the very beginning of January and have had dry days ever since. I noticed that the more I asked him if he needed to go to the bathroom, the more frustrated he would get. Once I let him come and tell me, he would happily walk to the bathroom and do his business. My advice would be to stick with the underwear and forgo the "waterproof underpants." I know doing the extra laundry is wearing but it seems like the waterproof pants are so big that you might as well use a diaper. Good luck!! :)

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N.J.

answers from San Francisco on

Dear G.:

I don't know the exact description of the Gerber panties since I am a great grandmother as well as being a recent nanny...things have changed so over the years. One of the many things that has changed is the children's perceptions of what happens to their bodies encased in disposable diapers vs the old fashioned large cloth ones. They do not have the same sensation of cold wetness or of urine running down into their socks, Yuck!

I was a nanny for a little boy who loved wearing his nice warm wet diaper and didn't feel any need to be changed.

One of the main purposes of cloth panties is to help the child notice and hopefully dislike the feeling of warm urine turn cold and maybe spill down the legs and feel sticky and also cold. The biggest problem for the rest of the family is the upholstered furniture and carpets getting a lot of the overflow. Not to mention laps and whatever clothes the holding adult is wearing.

I like summer time and very thin panties ("big girl", big boy) and easy- to- remove shorts they can take down themselves. Also reading and talking with them down low (on a stool or chair or bathrub edge)while they are on the potty chair helps to make this an important and special relaxed time helps with some children. At 30 months she might well be ready for understanding and keeping track of her own need to "go" and help to remind you to come and read to her while she sits on the potty.

good luck and best wishes for a quick potty training period..

grandma N.

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K.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

I didn't think they helped for potty training - we ended up just putting our son in regular undies. We have, however used them since then when he got stomach flu and we worried he wouldn't get to the potty on time. We didn't want to put him back in a diaper so soon after training as that can be confusing.

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M.S.

answers from San Francisco on

I'm just curious about where you found the padded underwear? I looked all over for them when I trained my son! (Sorry I'm not much help on the waterproof pants question.... :-) )

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P.L.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi

I am pretty sure I am using them at the moment. If they are plastic on the outside then i am using them. They seem to work great. If she pees it will hold her pee but a friends said it never held her boys pee. We use them when we go out.

good luck

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J.L.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi G.,

For our 3-year-old we put him in his regular underwear but put pull-ups over that, so he would still feel the wetness from accidents but we wouldn't have a huge mess to clean up. (Decided to do this after several accidents at home.) It really helped him learn to feel the sensation of needing to go and made it so much easier for us to put him in underwear at home.

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L.O.

answers from Detroit on

I suggest regular cotton underwear.. or the thick cotton training pants without plastic.

my daughter was trained in 2 days wen we put her in panties and she peed and it ran down her leg.. yuck..

put your daughter in panties.. tell her not to pee on "dora" or whoever is on the panties and see how it goes..

my daughter also peed in pull ups she called them panty diapers.

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