Potty Training Tip: Overnight Suggestions

Once your child is ready to give up night time diapers and sleep in underwear/trainers, you may find some of these suggestions helpful.  If you have a super-soaker, you may need to employ some of these suggestions at naps too.

I already shared that I like the Eco-Posh trainer for added absorbency and the hidden TPU layer for waterproof-like protection.  I also suggested using a wool cover to boost your absorbency.

If you need even more absorbency, try using the newborn portion of a Rumparooz 6R soaker.  It is contoured to fit between the legs and will lay inside your Eco-Posh trainer just perfectly, adding 3 thirsty layers to protect your toddler.  Be sure to use bamboo (preferred, for softness) or hemp.  DO NOT use a microfiber insert laid in the trainers, as it will dry out your toddler’s skin.

Maybe you want a little extra wetness protection, but you don’t think you need as much as adding a bamboo insert.  Try using a gauze diaper doubler.  This 4-inch wide strip has several layers of absorbent cotton (just like a prefold diaper), but it is thin and trim.  It is also a very economical choice, costing just $1 each.  It will lay in the crotch of your trainers easily without adding much bulk.  This is what I use for Elaine at bed time right now.  Then we add the wool cover.

Potty Training Tip: Use a Wool Cover

Elaine does not want to wear diapers anymore.  She only wants to wear her panties.  So what do I do at naptimes, bedtime, and outings?  I don’t want to risk a soaking wet accident, but I want to encourage her to be a big girl.

Our solution has been to use an Eco-Posh wool cover over her undies.  It gives me the wetness protection peace of mind while allowing her to wear her undies.  It’s a win-win situation. 

What do you do to give extra protection during potty training?  Leave us a comment and share your great tips, too!

Eco-Posh Recycled Organic Trainer–review and giveaway

I really can’t say enough good about this product!  I was really hoping that Elaine would potty train after the holidays so that I could compare the Eco Posh Trainer with the Flip Trainers.  Since that didn’t work out, we ended up using a combination of Gerber training pants, little girl undies, and the Eco Posh Trainer.  I have no complaints and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is potty training their toddler!

 

Fit

The Eco Posh comes in three sizes: small (1T/2T; 25-35 lbs.), medium (2T/3T; 35-45 lbs.), and large (3T/4T; 45+ lbs.). I knew Elaine would need the small because she is a tiny little girl.

 

At first the trainers had a little gap around the leg openings on Elaine.  When she had an accident she would have some leak out the legs into the floor.  However, I believe it is because the trainers were not fully prepped.  They need to be washed and dried 10 times to be fully absorbent, but the manufacturer states that you can begin using them after 5 washes.  From Kanga Care:

PREPPING TRAINER: Wash 5X in hot water (no detergent) with a cold rinse, tumble dry medium.  This will shrink trainers to appropriate size and "sponge" up fabric for maximum absorbency.  (Trainers will be at their fullest absorbency after 10 washes but may begin use after 5 washes.)

Because these trainers are made from recycled water bottles, there will be a little bit of shrinkage when they are dried in a dryer.  For this reason I would recommend line drying them after they are fully prepped.  Alternatively, you could just place them in the dryer for 10-15 minutes, and then finish air drying.

 

The trainers are slightly more bulky that Gerber trainers, but not so much that Elaine felt like she was wearing a diaper.  She called them her panties, so I know she thought they were the same as her other undies.

 

Features

The Eco Posh trainers are made from bamboo, recycled water bottles, and organic cotton.  The have a soft jersey cotton feel. There are two layers of highly absorbent bamboo and organic cotton.  There is also a hidden layer of TPU to help contain wetness in the case of an accident (but this layer is not fully waterproof).  The Trainers come in 5 soft and earthy colors – Peace, Love, Biscuit, Bamboo, and Ginger.

 

I like the wide elastic at the waist of the trainers.  Many times products with an elastic waist have a tendency to bunch and twist.  With the wide elastic we didn’t experience these problems.

 

Function

These trainers are great!  I relied on them a lot in the early days when Elaine was more accident prone.  If there was even a possibility that we wouldn’t have access to a potty, then we used the Eco Posh trainers.  They are not a diaper, so they are not thick and bulky.  Yet they can absorb quite a bit, so when accidents happen you are covered.

 

When Elaine first began potty training, she wore diapers when we left the house.  When we decided that she was “trained enough” to wear undies out, then she got to wear the Eco Posh trainers.  They pull up and down like panties, but they gave me absorbency peace of mind. 

 

After Elaine started having a dry diaper for naptime several days in a row, we let her start wearing the trainers to bed for naps.  She hasn’t had an accident!  She is now waking up dry or barely wet in the mornings, so we have started letting her wear the trainers to bed also. 

 

For added peace of mind, I used an Eco Posh wool cover over the trainers when we left the house, and now for night times.  The wool cover pulls up and down like undies, and provides a little extra wetness protection.

 

We have four Eco Posh trainers in our stash.  I think that 4-6 would be a good number to have if you are coupling them with other potty training products.  I used the Gerber trainers when we were at home and didn’t need the absorbency protection factor as much. 

 

We saved the trainers for outings, naps, and nights, and we wash them with our diapers every 3 days.  I let mine air dry.  They can take a bit of time to dry (depending on your climate) because they have several layers sewn together.

 

Care

The only trick to these is the care.  I don’t consider it to be any more difficult that caring for other cloth diapers.  However, because they contain the recycled materials you do have to be vigilant to be sure you use the proper detergent.  From Kanga Care:

Detergent: Please ONLY use a Kanga Care Recommended Detergent. Use of alternative detergents may cause natural fibers to be eaten away and can disintegrate elastic. Do not use detergents that are "Free & Clear" or contain fabric softeners. Fragrances may cause irritation, discontinue detergent brand if irritation occurs. Do not use bleach. Do not use fabric softeners or drier sheets. Do not soak. Do not soak trainers in detergent or any laundry additives for removing stains, odor or buildup. If staining, odor or buildup occurs, make sure you are using a detergent that contains enzymes. Please visit our care page for more detailed care information and a list of recommended laundry detergents.

Buy It

Want to buy some Eco Posh trainers for your potty training stash?  We gave you this special code on Friday.  Please click here for rules and guidelines in using this code:

 

EPTRAINER saves you 10% off!

Win It

One blessed Doable Diapers reader will get their choice of color/size Eco Posh Recycled Organic Trainer! (If you cannot view the Rafflecopter widget below, please click where it says, “Read more” to enter using Rafflecopter.  It’s easy!

 

Eco-Posh Organic Trainers Coupon Code

It didn’t take long for the Eco-Posh Organic Recycled Trainers to become one of my potty training must-haves.  They have a hidden waterproof layer of TPU just in case your toddler has an accident, but they pull up and down like underwear.

When Elaine was first potty training, these trainers were helpful in containing the mess.  If she did go in her panties, there wasn’t a major mess in the floor because the trainer does absorb quite a bit.   Yet they still allowed her to feel wetness, so she could understand the consequences of not making it to the potty chair.

Now that Elaine is day trained, these are my go-to trainers for outings and naps.  And she is even wearing one to bed tonight!  (With a cover, of course!)  I feel safer knowing that if she does go, or if we can’t make it to a potty in time, there won’t be a huge puddle on the ground.

Come back on Monday for a full review of the Eco Posh Trainers.  Until then, we are offering a discount code on these trainers.  This would be a great time to stock up if you have a toddler who will soon be training, or one who is already started potty training! For a full product description, please click here.

Use Code EPTRAINER at checkout to save 10% off Eco-Posh Organic Trainers.

We have limited stock available, but we will be placing another order this week and can obtain more trainers within 3-4 days.  You can go ahead and order the items, even if they do not say in-stock.

*Details: Code is ONLY valid on Eco Posh Trainers.  Other items should be purchased in a separate transaction.  Eco Posh items may not be shipped outside of the United States.  Code Valid from 12:01 a.m. on Friday, January 6, 2012 through 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, January 13, 2012. 

My Potty Training Tools

I have been absent here because Elaine decided she was ready to start potty training last week.  I was not going to start working on it until after the holidays.  So needless to say, I have been very preoccupied! 

We have tried this a couple of times before with no success, but this time she is really getting it!  Though I have read some books and asked a lot of other moms for advice, I am learning things for myself as I go through this stage with Elaine. 

When we started last Thursday, I hurried to throw together my supplies.  I know that each kiddo is different, and there are different techniques and rewards that work for some tots, and not for others.  These are the tools that have proved invaluable for me.

{Rewards}
We have a jar of M&M’s and Elaine knows that she gets a couple each time she makes a “deposit” in the potty chair.  If she isn’t ready to go, we set the timer.  She knows that when the ladybug dings, she has to try again.

{Stickers}
Elaine really likes stickers, so in addition to her candy, she gets to add a sticker to her chart each times she “goes.”  I just made a fast spreadsheet on Excel and popped it through the laminator.  We have it on the fridge with a magnet, but it’s portable to wherever the potty happens to be.

{Books}
If I am making Elaine sit for longer than the 2 seconds that she wants to spend on the potty, I have found that I need something to distract her.  She doesn’t want to feel like she’s missing out on the fun because she has to sit on the potty.  She loves to read, so we often have a stack of books next to the potty.

{Potty Chair}
This is a “duh!” item on my list.  I chose the BabyBjorn because it had great reviews on Amazon, and it has a fabulous shield on the front for when Nolan’s turn comes around…

{Trainers}
We have some Gerber training pants, some undies, and some Eco-Posh Trainers in our potty learning stash.  I really like the Eco-Posh panties because they have a hidden layer of TPU.  They can absorb quite a lot, and the TPU adds waterproofing for those unavoidable accidents, yet they look like “panties” to Elaine.  It is so important to her that they are not diapers!  She is a skinny girl, so she still loses pee out the leg holes if she has an accident, but not nearly as much as with the Gerber trainers.

More on potty training to come after the holidays!

Wool: An Overnight Solution

Confession: I am very new to wool when it comes to cloth diapering.  I didn’t have that many overnight problems with Elaine, and wool diaper covers always seemed so…bulky.  Not wanting to be a chicken anymore, I delved into the world of wool during the Surprise Delivery event last summer.  Then Rumparooz (Kanga Care) released their new organic Eco-Posh line of diaper products.  I purchased an Organic Fitted Diaper and a Wool Diaper Cover.

Many moms turn to wool, especially as an overnight diaper, because it is super-absorbent, as well as it’s natural antibacterial properties.  Wool is also breathable, making it great for sensitive skin. Coupled with an absorbent fitted diaper, wool can usually contain even the heavy wetter for long periods of time.

I have lanolized my diapers, and found it to be an easy process.  I used Eucalan wool wash first to clean my covers.  I then dissolved a little bit of Lansinoh lanolin (like you use for sore nipples when breastfeeding) in very hot water.  I poured this in the sink and worked it into my covers.

I am overall impressed with the performance of the Eco-Posh products.  My biggest complaint with wool has already been stated…it is very bulky.  Fitted diapers are bulky in themselves, so adding a thick wool cover seemed over the top.  I suppose it seems extra bulky on a little guy like Nolan.

I still prefer my PUL pocket diapers (Rumparooz is my first choice) for overnights – both for Elaine and Nolan.  But I use my fitted and wool diapers about once a week or so, and I will definitely turn to them if Nolan becomes more of a heavy wetter.

Check out our expertly written Wool Primer from Marah at Diary of a Devil Dog Wife!