There comes a time when your little one will outgrow their cloth diapers and begin potty training. And what’s a cloth diaper-loving mom supposed to do when this happens? Try out cloth potty training pants, of course!
The Flip Potty Trainer Kit comes with one one-size cover that adjusts to fit from most kids 20-50 lbs (or approx. 18 mo. to 5T) and three organic cotton inserts. The trainer is made to slide up and down like regular underwear while the inserts are designed to catch accidents, allowing your little one feel wetness.
For this week’s giveaway, we’ve got a little something for the parents who are in the middle of potty training or will be soon. Two people will win a Flip Potty Trainer Kit for their little one and a $20 gift certificate to Cotton Babies.
To enter, share a potty training tip. If you haven’t PT’ed yet, simply tell us what your approach would be when you begin?
Eligible entries must be posted no later than midnight Eastern time, Wednesday, May 14, 2014. U.S. residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn after the close of the contest and notified via email. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. We hereby release Facebook of any liability. All prizes must be claimed within 30 days of end of giveaway.
About the Author
Brittney is a social media coordinator for Cotton Babies. She has three sisters, loves pizza and enjoys listening to obscure bands no one has heard of. Outside of posting on the Cotton Babies Facebook and Instagram pages, she babysits a few cloth diaper-wearing kids and likes playing with her dogs.
Comments
130 Comments
I’m a potty training failure. My 2.5yo tells me she likes to pee in her diapers and will continue to do so until college.
I would be extra patient and not rush anything, because once my kids actually are potty trained, I will be sad about not needing cute diapers!
My older boy was the worst! I just suggest patience.
I haven’t potty trained yet, but my parents had a pretty good method of us – no water 2 hours before bedtime.
my mom said to just put them in training pants with a plastic cover and keep putting them on the potty. and make it fun.
I let my first one roam free naked for a few days and it took just a weekend
Have trained 100’s of kids while working in daycare. Taking them every 15 mins on the dot for 3 days, 30 mins for 3 days then every 45 mins for 3 days. Potty trained in a week in a half never had this fail even with stubborn kids. after the 9 days they all go to the potty when sent and when they tell us they need too.
We encourage him even in the littlest changes.
A unique reward for my son (m&ms) really gets him motivated to at least sit on the potty and try to go.
We waited to potty train my oldest daughter until she was staying dry overnight. Then once we started we didn’t go back to diapers, just used trainers for outings. She was basically potty trained over a weekend, with only one accident afterwards. I also didn’t wait for her to tell me when she needed to go…. I would ask her at regular intervals if she wanted to go sit on her potty. My best advice would be to wait until they are ready.
Wait until each child is ready and use only underwear, no trainers, they end up being a crutch. All or nothing!
my kids were pretty simple my son i told him no diapers after his 3rd birthday and i ment no diapers at night as well and he did so well no accidents what so ever i tried to do my daughter earlier she showed no interest at 2yrs so i said ill wait till she was 3 but to my surprise at 2 1/2 she got on the big potty all by her self and did so well she didn’t wanna wear diaper at all so with both of them i got lucky really LUCKY lol with my 3rd i hoping he will be just as easy but i have a feeling he gonna e my hard one i just asked them every 30mins if they have to pee to keep them reminded
I won’t stress or rush it. Take one day at a time.
I’m hoping my son is like me and grows to dislike wetting and going in his diaper early on. I plan to make sure he knows how things work(well enough) and let him go at his own pace.
My daughter is almost 2 and just showing a bit of interest in potty training. I think once we start we just need to be consistent and positive!
Have you little one naked or wear cotton undies at home and use the trainers to help contain messes while you are out. And do not use pull-ups! They are the same thing as disposable diapers to so many kids. They pee in them and don’t even notice. It’s much harder to miss pee running down your leg!
You really can’t force the issue. I actually start the idea of the potty quite young. I let them see it work as a baby so they aren’t afraid. When they are older I let them flush the toilet when I use it. Eventually they decide to try it out.
we’re just beginning potty training right now. we believe in letting our daughter lead the way. and no rewards. you learn to use the potty because that’s what we do, not because you get an m&m. and if we are supposed to be getting m&ms, i want back pay. 😉
Looking forward to trying this. In the past, we’ve tried offering bribes of stickers for peeing in the potty, so I would try it again.
Looking forward to trying this!!
We did the naked approach for a few days. Worked really good!
My advice is to use the Trainers for outings. At home, just use undies.
I am hoping that my daughter will show more interest soon, I don’t want to force her to use the potty and then make it worse. She has peed on the potty a handful of times, now. We will probably have her hand out bottomless at home this summer and have her use the potty frequently so she can learn her body’s signals.
I plan on giving them lots of opportunity to practice with lots of juice! We have to get the twins potty trained this summer as we are expecting a new one in the fall!
We did the 3-day naked potty training method. It worked amazing. It really helps to have them be naked for a few days to separate the connection of going in the diaper – otherwise putting undies or trainers immediately on them gets really confusing and takes longer. We loved using the Flip trainers and I’d love to have more! 🙂
My approach will be to use cloth diaper trainers and hope for the best!
We aren’t there yet but with my first son, we just let him go at his own pace with no pressure
I started potty training by introducing the potty before each diaper change with my 1.5 year old son.
We do it for a few weeks now. Saved allready a few poo diapers this way! 🙂
he just sit on the potty and we play with toys for a few minutes untill he says “done!”
I still use normal totsbots diapers, have no special potty training diapers.
i onestly non’t even know the big difference between normal and potty training diapers… :S
So i’d love to win them! 🙂
We will probably go straight to panties at home and use trainers when outside the house.
We have a three week old so I haven’t even begun to think about potty training- but I imagine we will try to change fully from one method to another- ie. cloth diapers to the Flip pull-up system without trying to do both in a confusing way.
Be patient…it will happen when they are ready!
My best tip is to just go at little one’s speed.. rushing doesn’t help them learn!
We just started and my son will pee every time I put him on the potty, but is still wetting his diapers too.
I just took it one day at a time. If they woke up from a nap dry, I’d stick them straight to the potty. Also I let give signals as to when they were ready.. No magic solutions for me
Offer going to the bathroom every chance you get!
We have been potty training for 2 weeks. I read the book “Oh Crap! Potty Training” and I think the whole system is great. Little man is GREAT about telling us about poop, but slips up a little about pee, but he’s doing so good for only being on this road for 2 weeks.
My only plan for my daughter is to go at her pace. She has interest in the potty so I am happy about that right now!
I haven’t potty trained yet, but my approach will be lots of encouragement and following my child’s lead. I’m hoping cloth diapering will help move things along, and I’m not opposed to some diaper-free time (outside) to allow more feedback.
Well the other day when my 3.5 year old son pooped in his undies, I told him he was going to take care of it, and showed him how. He didn’t like that idea, and now he has pretty consistently pooping on the potty every since. Candy bribes work sometimes too. Lol!
I plan on using the 3 day method with my youngest. It worked for my other 2 kids. Only downside is they loved being naked. Lol. We have some Flip trainers for overnights for my boys but I need some for my little girl!
I am a FTM so this is my first go at it. My daughter is 16 months old. For the past couple days I have been putting her in regular underwear in the house so she feels when she has an accident. Also taking her very often to the potty.
Naked time really helped my son get better at remembering to go on the potty (though we still struggle with number 2!) and there is an episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood that really made it click for him. They sing a cute little song that he loves to repeat: “If you have to go potty, stop and go right away, flush and wash and be on your way.”
Stay consistent. If your little one shows signs of being ready to potty train, then make sure to put in your part of the effort. Don’t be lazy about taking them to try to use the potty often. They can’t control their bladders like adults can.
I’m waiting until our son is ready, then we’ll go from there!
Naked time (or at least long shirt and no diaper or undies) definitely helped my toddler. But each kid is so very different. My 5 yr old son still gets so distracted while playing that he occasionally has accidents. You just go with it, know your kids, and never leave the house without a change of clothes 🙂
We just did lots of bare bottom time
I let my son potty train at his own pace, for the most part. Got him a potty around 18 months and tried to give him opportunities to use it. Eventually started giving him lots and lots of diaper-free time. Yes, he peed on the floor a few times, but it didn’t take long before he was almost always using the potty when he was diaper-free and needed to go. Shortly after his second birthday, he finally started telling me when he needed to go if he was wearing a diaper. A few weeks later, he was being consistent enough (with reminders from me at strategic times) that I was comfortable moving him to cloth training pants. He’s two and three months now and is mostly potty trained.
My tip is to wait until your toddler is ready.
My tip is to wait until the child shows interest… starting too soon just makes for frustration!
I learned that it was impossible to force my son to use the potty if he didn’t want to. I remember a specific time when we were leaving the house to go to a restaurant and we insisted our son go pee before we leave the house. He is stubborn and did not want to and a big fight ensued. We needed to let it be his decision because battles never end well!!
I always just take her with me to the restroom when I go and throughout the day. I try to watch ques…I am not good at that yet. Ha!
Use flats in a 4.0 at night once your child is day-trained. You can hand-rinse in the morning and hang dry, then just wash once per week with towels.
We have been trying not to be too pushing with our toddler. Always asking and encouraging him to go on the potty.
Lots of naked time at the beginning. If I put undies on my LO she would pee on the floor, but if she was naked she would start to go and then freak out, stop, and we would run to the potty. After a few days of that we were then able to introduce undies. She is still potty training, but accidents are becoming fewer and fewer. We haven’t mastered public restrooms yet but mostly trained when at home. Would love to win these to use when we are out of the house!
Start scaffolding the idea of potty as soon as you can. Have a small potty in the playroom, have him watch you use the potty, have him help flush poop from diapers down the potty, LOTS of books that explain the idea. When your kid finally shows signs of readiness or willingness to use the potty, it’s not a foreign or scary concept to them.
I plan on potty learning with the 3 day naked toddler. My son has a sudden interest in the potty, so we will probably do this next month.
My approach is probably to wait until he shows signs of being ready, rather than forcing him to start too early.
when LO shows interest, START IMMEDIATELY! Miss that window and it is a tough road ahead!
We started early with elimination communication. My best advice is run your child to the potty when they are pooping! Even if you only catch half of it, it’s still easier to clean up and you’re teaching them to take action when they’ve gotta go!
We have potty trained one and ended up using the Bumgenius shells as covers for the underwear during the night, at naps, and in the car. He loved the “red” one. Right now the second kid loves to copy her big brother so we are hoping that she decides to give it a go earlier and these covers would make it easier for the daycare.
I don’t know why, but I keep postponing potty training. I have anxiety even thinking about it, despite REALLY wanting my son to be potty trained before his second birthday! I think he’s ready, as he tells me when he goes ‘pee’ or ‘poop’, and will even say that he needs his diaper changed. I guess I just need to tackle it…
I’ve heard positive reinforcement
We haven’t started potty training, but I plan to start this summer and see how it goes. My plan is lots of naked time!
I knew my son was physically ready to potty learn when he would wake up in the morning with a dry diaper. We rushed to the potty and I knew his bladder was strong enough to hold it. I’d say no rush….
we will take it slow and wait until LO is ready.
I’m hopeful that my daughter will lead potty training. I plan to follow cues just as I do with her daily.
We went cold turkey for daytime potty training. But for night time, we havent mastered, she’ll be four soon and we’re waiting for the bladder control! Any advice? We limit fluids after 6pm. Potty before bed and again at 10pm. But shes still wet in the morning.
I’m going to wait until she is ready with the other kids who are much older it was a thing if they were not potty trained by 2.5 years the doctor and other made a big deal so my oldest took forever. I think he was forced when he wasn’t ready. My tip wait until they are interested in the potty.
We are preparing to have the potty chair in the main bathroom, next to the big real one. So when we go, she goes, and hope that it clicks with her. We won’t stress over it, she’s only two right now. Slow and steady wins the race. She’s smart, I have full faith she’ll catch on quickly.
Try the once upon a potty book and dvd it helps kids understand.It explained it better than i could.
I haven’t potty trained yet, well, we’ve tried, unsuccessfully many times. I am about ready to try the let them go naked for three days route!
were just starting now with my oldest… its taking a lot of patience and making it fun and not a drag!
Just keep on going and don’t get frustrated. Makes everyone happier!
We introduce the potty first and when ever some one needs to go we take the kiddo with us. Once we start seeing signs of knowing what their body is doing we convert to big boy/girl undies. We trail it and if they are intrested we go if not we wait another month. We try to stay encouraging and avoid rewards. I have other kiddos and it just would not work for us. Once we knew we were pretty much their they did get a dollar store trip 🙂
I haven’t potty trained yet, but I’m thinking I’ll go with one of the fast methods…a friend used How to Potty Train in Less than a Day, and I just finished reading it. I think we’ll probably give it a try!
Still in the process of potty training. Sticker rewards seem to help as well as reading books and watching shows that talk about going potty.
Tip: don’t rush your little ones. It’ll just make it harder if you get frustrated and angry about it! They WILL get it, let them have a little bit to figure it out.
We are waiting to start till our daughter is ready. I want to make it a positive experience so she doesn’t feel like it is a punishment but a cool thing that big girls do.
I will start by just spending time on the potty!
I bought a potty chair and I ask my LO every once in a while if she needs to use it. She is only 22 months, so we are taking it slow. 🙂
We recently started potty training. He is excited to use the “big toilet!” My potty training advice is just to be consistent and keep at it. And allow 20 minutes for each potty time. He’ll get there eventually!
I’ve introduced him to the potty. I usually make sure to have him sit on it while his dad or I are using the restroom. However, he keeps telling me he doesn’t want to use the potty when I ask. I ask him if he likes his diapers and he says yes. Toddlers are funny!
We had set up a little potty in our bathroom and would ask if our son wanted to use it. After learning that his friends who go to preschool do, he decided he would, too!
We started elimination communication when my daughter was 9 months old to at least get her comfortable with the idea of using the toilet. We give her opportunities on the toilet each morning, after naps, before bed, and anytime she tells us she needs to go. Now she’s 18 months old and is about 50% potty trained for number two. Now if only I could further encourage her to let us know when she needs to pee…
We have done ECing with our babies when they are little, which got them out of diapers before two years old. Once the get mobile, lots of naked time gives them the independence to take care of pottying all by themself. It is a longer process, but has worked well for us.
It really helped our kiddos to have nakey time around the house.
Even if you’re ready for your child to potty train, they may not be! Don’t push the issue or let others tell you that you need to PT. Follow your child’s cues.
My daughter is two and we have another on the way and she is always telling us when she’s wet, just not “poopy.” With the trainers, we’re just going to try going to the bathroom once or twice an hour until she :gets it.” She loves being a “big girl!”
We are so close to starting potty training and would love Flip trainers, we already love Flip covers.
It has really helped us to potty train kids outside when it is warm. Little boys love to pee on trees 🙂
Don’t push it and wait until they are ready. Don’t put pressure on them about it and make it fun with rewards! It’s not like you have to get them out of diapers at 2 years old or they will wear diapers their whole lives!
I’m not a good person to ask for pt tips. My twins were well over 3, and their little brother was about a week shy of 4 when they were finally trained. But, I used disposables for the boys, and I’m hoping that the awareness that comes with cloth diapers will help make it quicker with little sister! I live the idea of cloth training pants. No more pull up s!
I remember how stressful potty training was with my first.. This time around, I’m not getting started as early. I’m going to wait until she’s ready and showing a lot of interest!
We’ve been trying to help our 3.5 year old learn to use the potty for months and we’ve made very little success. so I’m not sure I’m the best to give a tip. We’re hoping he is finally ready to figure it out soon! lots of people tell us to wait until he’s ready so we’re trying to be patient.
We’ve started by having him potty at certain times and when we change his diaper
Definitely wait until they are ready! Otherwise you waste a loooot of time trying in vain!
I think it’s important to be continually encouraging and patient about potty training. I believe that little ones are excited about growing up and doing things more like adults, but when they find out they have to put effort into grown up things like potty training they might become discouraged about it.
I want to let my daughter lead as much as possible!
We are starting to train. Right now our son is only willing to potty when he is naked. As long as he has anything on he won’t try to potty in the pot. I am thinking of trying a schedule thing. Essentially putting him on the pot every hour. Good luck to all mommies potty training.
We are in the process of potty training or 2 year old. She pees on there like it’s no big deal and always asks to sit on the potty… pooping on the other hand is proving a whole other situation.
We’re planning on doing the naked 3 day thing I’ve read about on the internet. Probably next month some time, but it depends how the kid’s doing
I have just been putting him on the potty but not forcing the issue. He’ll learn when he’s ready.
Im currently teacher my son about the.potty hes 18months and goew whenever we sit him down but is still learning . He wont say i.have.to pee or pee hell just strip down
We are going to try to just sit him on a little potty every time we go into the bathroom so he can get used to it.
Daughter #2 has been taking an interest in potty training for several months now and will actually go on the potty a few times a week – she’s now just over 2 years old. I think it’s been slightly easier because she just wants to do everything her sister does. The other trick we have learned is to try to go by her schedule – like we always know she has to pee in the morning, so we try putting her on in the morning. And she gives us cues when she needs to poop so we try to encourage her to keep telling us even if we don’t always get her to the potty on time. There weren’t flip trainers when we trained #1 so we’re looking forward to trying them with #2!
My son is just starting to potty train. We give him a treat when he goes on the potty
With my older 2 I striped them down to just a t-shirt, put the potty in the main room and it was very easy. I think they each had a total of 2-3 accidents which were all in the first day. After 3 days they got the big girl underwear and we were able to confidently go out and about. They trained at 20 months and 18 months. My youngest is 18 months and I’ll start her as soon as schools out.
My parents used marshmallows as a reward so may do something similar! M&ms maybe.
We sometimes let our little one sit on the potty if she wants to or if I see her pooping, sometimes I will put her on quickly to try and help her make the connection. I’m thinking of waiting until she is ready to potty train (as long as she fits her diapers!) and following her lead. I’ve heard good things about the bare bum approach, but I think that would be too much for me.
My son started using the potty on his own, but I don’t know what else to do! I think we will stay home one week and just try non stop. :/
My best advice would be to wait until your child is really ready or you will just stress you both out!
I have no idea what approach I will try. I guess I’ll try to gauge when she’s ready to give it a try!
I put my oldest on the potty at 18 months to get her familiar going #1 & #2. Now she is 3 yes old and is potty trained. I am doing the same with my second daughter who is 15 months. With my help she has gone #2 four times on the potty. We make it fun with a potty dance and song.
I just watched for signs of readiness with my son. We have also done a lot of potty talk since he was an infant. At 12 months we got him his own potty and at 20 months he decided it was time to start using it. Now at almost 23 months he only wears a diaper for nap and bedtime. He still has accidents sometimes but we are working on that 🙂
Wait until your toddler is ready to start potty training, otherwise it’s a waste of time…and a l
Wait until they are ready!
well with our first we didn’t cloth diaper so to stop wasting disposable we let her run around in dresses without undies while at home.. that way she could feel the wetness down her legs when she peed if she didn’t make it to the potty. it worked pretty good cause the sitter also did this! 🙂
We haven’t started yet but I have had a potty out for a couple of months and am just letting our 2 year old get familiarized with it. I plan on doing trainers for everything but nap and bedtime and hopefully my little guy gets on board!:)
Pick your time carefully and don’t look back. No diapers!
I do a elimination communication type potty training starting at 12 months. It worked well for my kids that went from disposables to underwear. My oldest was fully trained by 18 months. My second was day trained by 22 months and night trained by 28 months. My cloth diapered child is being more difficult and I think it is the cloth diapers making her that way. She is currently 17 months and not cooperative.
My oldest daughter was totally capable of potty learning a long time before deciding it was something she wanted to do. I learned that you can’t push them. Even if you want to. We tried the potty training in 3 days and it was a disaster. She would have a melt down at the suggestion of a potty break so I just let it go. About a month after her 3rd birthday she finally decided she wanted to use the potty and hasn’t had but one or two accidents since. My second daughter is only 5 months so we have a little while to go until she gets ready but I definitely won’t push her.
We’re taking it very slowly. He doesn’t mind sitting on the potty, but he doesn’t really show much interest, either.
I’m not sure how I’ll tackle that yet. I know sitting her on the potty first thing in the morning for awhile. Maybe her seeing us (mom & dad) do it will help?
We’ve started giving my son a gummy bear every time he sits on the potty and tries to go and if he actually goes he gets three.
My approach would be to use trainers and hope for the best! My daughter is almost 2, and she’s my first. So I really have no clue what I’m doing!
I have a son – so I’m just gonna have my hubby show him how it’s done…. ALL THE TIME. Hopefully he’ll catch on and wanna be a BIG BOY like daddy.
Haven’t started potty training yet. I think we’ll train by timer. Every time the timer rings, we try going pee.
Slow and steady. Once he starts asking. Start getting excited about it. No stress just sitting as often you can.
Slow and steady. Once he starts asking. Start getting excited about it. No stress just sitting as
My daughter is the kind of toddler who weened herself and one day declared “Crib all done! Big girl bed!” and moved her clothes into the dresser in her big girl bedroom. I have a feeling (or maybe just a glimmer of hope?) that potty training will be done in a similar fashion. She’s nearing three and I keep hoping that one day she’ll announce, “Diapers all done!” Here’s hoping!