Underwear vs Pullups

Updated on February 26, 2008
K.M. asks from Troy, IL
15 answers

Looking for advice on potty training. My 3 year old stays dry all day in pullups but when I attempt to put her in underwear she wets nonstop. Tried underwear under pullups without luck. Dont know what else to do but keep trying.

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J.S.

answers from Memphis on

That's unusual...typically the kids will keep the underwear dry and wet in the pullups:)) Did you let her pick out the underwear?? Even if you did, maybe another trip to Walmart to pick out a new package might help?? When my kids were just potty-training, after a rough day, we would go to the store and pick a new package out--it usually jump started the keeping dry again, since they did't want to get their new underwear wet.

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N.H.

answers from Springfield on

I have six children, three have past the toilet training stage. I never found pull ups to be successful, the only seemed to prolong the process. What has worked for me is staying home for a 4-5 days. I put them in underwear and they learn to identify the need to go to the bathroom because the underwear get wet if they dont. Offer lots of praise and encouragement and absolutely no scolding for the wetting. By about the fourth day we have been ready to venture out, and then I show them how all the stores have public restrooms. We visit those restrooms first and try them out. Two children were toilet trained in less than a week with this method. The one I used pull ups for, spent YEARS, gaining complete control. They were all around age 2 when I trained them, but I have two year olds now who are waiting because they just are not ready, and I think it is important not to press the issue. I remind myself that they wont go to college in diapers! Blessings.

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S.L.

answers from Springfield on

When my daughter was ready to potty train she let me know. I never tried at all, then while at wal-mart one day she saw a dora soft potty seat insert, I told her I would buy it if she never wore diapers again or wet her pants. She loved it so much that she never did. I bought a special tote bag that it would slide in, we carried it with us to restaraunts, shopping, visiting, etc. When I found a reward she wanted, she never had an accident. You might find something similar.

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M.S.

answers from St. Louis on

K.,
I feel your pain with this. I have three children and my younger two where a royal pain to potty train. Believe it or not they both waited until almost exactally their 4th birthday before they really did well with the potty training. So I am a firm believer in they will train when they are truly ready. It sounds like you are almost there with the training. I understand the situation with the pullups but I would think it has more to do with the feeling difference between underware and pullups that makes the difference with your child. Have you put the underware over the pullups and see how that did? Because as I said it could just be that they feel different. If that is the case it's going to be an adjustment period that will make the difference. What I mean is if you can wait until this summer. Let your child run around in just underware, no pants on top. That makes the running to the potty easier and the clean up of an accident easier, plus it may get her used to not feeling so bulky down there. Do you see what I am saying and then if she can get used to that then when it comes time to put pants on it will be a more comfortable feeling again and she may do really well then. This is just a thought and something worth trying. I wish you luck and remember she will get there even if it seems like it's taking forever. And just think when she is 16 and looking you in the face you will be wishing she was still learning to potty train. Again I wish you the best of luck with this.

M. S.

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B.R.

answers from St. Louis on

We went to underwear cold turkey for my 3 year old and he was completely potty trained w/in 1 week. It is a bit aggrevating with the messes but just take the child to the bathroom every 20-30 minutes to go and she will eventually get the hang of it.

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M.N.

answers from St. Louis on

Hmmmm. This is a tough one. Being that your daughter is 3, you might be able to ask her if she knows of her own reason why she wets in the underwear, but not in the pullups. She probably won't know why, but it may get her thinking about it. Trying some sort of a reward system might work well. Good Luck!

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E.B.

answers from Springfield on

Hi K.!

I would have to say like the others, just try and get through the day with underware. Even though it really stinks...literally:)! I hated potty training! But, got through it fairly well. I just got through with my youngest a few months ago. I just had to get throught those days of cleaning up the messes! I know my mom ALWAYS said to wait until warm weather and let them run around in their undies. I know from experience too that you CANNOT push them. Sometimes it's the mamas who are trained-to know when their child is about to go, not the child trained to go. And they always seem to regress at some point. So good luck! IT WILL HAPPEN:)!

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B.H.

answers from St. Louis on

Hi K.,

My name is B.. I only use pullups at night when it is time for bed. I am starting to potty train my 2 years old with panties. I think the pullups are like a diaper. I choose underwear. Glad luck and wish me luck

B.

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L.L.

answers from St. Louis on

Hmm. . . have you just bit the bullet and toughed it out a day? Does she go to the potty on her own or does she tell you when she has to go? If it's the latter, I'd put her in undies and just take her there routinely. You might have a few days or more of doing this to break her of wetting her undies but I think she will come around. My 2 1/2 year old just didn't want to sit on the potty but he would hold it and then have a massive accident later. After a week of not letting up and continuing to stress the potty he finally broke. Now we are working on going #2. Good luck!!

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K.R.

answers from Kansas City on

I agree with some of the women, it could be the way underware vs. pullup feel. If you choose to try something different you could try happybottomus.com . she has cloth trainers. They are kinda between a pull-up and underware. washable and ready to go again. hope you find something that works. Mother of Eden Trickle Free Training Pants are what they are called.

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L.M.

answers from Springfield on

Hi my name is L., and I struggled with potty training (2 out of 3) take her to the bathroom and let her hear you going and maybe she will catch on that mommy is doing it so will I, it worked well with my daughter and loose the pull-up don't switch back and forth with the pull-up and panties it confuses her. stick with just the panties and about every five to ten minutes take her to the restroom. Good Luck!

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T.B.

answers from Kansas City on

What finally worked for my son was using the heavy cloth training pants - like thick underwear (Gerber and others make them). If he can stay dry all day, then have him wear the cloth pants. Every time he wets, make him change his clothes himself. My son wasn't motivated by M&Ms, the excitement of being a big boy or new underwear, but he didn't want to bother changing his clothes himself 4 times a day and he stayed dry all day within 2 days using those pants - and the best part is that if he wets with them on, it shouldn't leak through to the couch, etc.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from St. Louis on

there is a potty training movie out with nemo my daughter in law said it was terrific and worked immediately.

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A.B.

answers from St. Louis on

Have you tried changing the brand you are using. Maybe try using those Cool Alert ones. She might decide she likes the underwear better than feeling cold & wet.
Maybe fine something she really loves like Dora and going & getting some Dore stickers! Then she can have one for every hour she goes in the underwear without having an accident. Can't hurt, right?
Good luck! My son is 2 and we are working on the potty thing too. I feel your frustration, believe me!

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L.B.

answers from St. Joseph on

Feel your pain here...am going through the same situation... what I am trying now is regular underwear during the day and pull ups only at night.... The pull ups seem to have prolonged her desire to potty train b/c she doesn't care b/c her clothes aren't wet...

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