This mama needs your help!
And by this mama I mean me. And by help I mean please just tell me what to do and I will try it. (Within reason!)
We have a diaper and potty training issue. Actually it is my son with the issue. We have taken a toddler led approach to potty training, meaning I offer the potty chair and discuss the merits of using the potty, but do not pressure him. Well, it appears some of my words have sunk in, but not all. My son turned two and a half last week and has decided in the past two weeks that he no longer wants to wear cloth diapers. This would be fine with me, but he also decided he did not want to go in the potty chair either. I am not talking about a couple accidents each day. More like 20 each day. Or each hour. He seems completely unaware of when he is urinating. He does not even look down or pay any attention when he goes on the floor. Or the bed. Or the couch. Or the chair. Or me. Child loves his water and leaves the byproducts on every piece of floor and furniture in the house. This of course would be less of an issue if I covered our furniture in plastic slip covers 1960’s style!
The day proceeds as follows: We get up and begin the daily WWF style wrangling to get him out of the overnight diaper and into a morning diaper. He screams and thrashes since he all around hates having a diaper put on him. In fact, he often just takes it off five minutes later and pees in the doorway. This is all contingent on whether he woke up with a diaper on at all. He has fallen into the habit of stripping naked during the night, which again, would be fine by me if he did not proceed to flood his entire crib. A waterproof mattress protector can only do so much. Eventually the lake of pee is large enough that it seeps over the side and soaks into the mattress. (Side note: I need to go mattress shopping again!) This is an even worse scenario when there is poop involved since he does not have solid poops yet. The poor child gets diarrhea from EVERYTHING. I tried putting pants on over the diaper and he just unsnaps the diaper under the pants. Even if we can get him potty trained during the day, I know night training is nowhere near for a kid who sleeps 12 hours straight. I look forward to the cool weather and zip up footie pajamas again.
Since I had waxed on and on about how cool it was when big boys no longer wore diapers and could wear underwear instead, I decided I really needed to put my money where my mouth was and purchased a pack of 2T briefs in colorful cartoon prints which he picked out himself at Target. He does not fight me when putting on underwear like he does diapers, but he has no qualms about wetting them all day. Like I said before, he seems to not even notice when he is going, so I don’t think he is ready to train.
What else to do for a kid who no longer wants to wear his diapers? We have pockets, fitteds, and flats, but he doesn’t care which one I present. He fights them all and takes them off. He sometimes tolerates training pants like Super Undies, but since he isn’t into training, he also floods them. The real kicker? He has no problem with disposables. He will leave those alone. Ironic for the kid of a mom who is all about cloth diapers!
I wonder if even though he is not ready to train, he doesn’t want to wear them since the baby wears them.
Any suggestions or thoughts before I have to throw out all of the furniture and replace my floors?
You poor thing! I’m a cloth mama,too, but in your case I think I would just switch to disposables until he’s trained. Still cheaper than replacing all the furniture!
It is definitely a conundrum! Thanks for replying. Right now footie pajamas are doing the trick. I am just glad it has been in the 40’s and 50’s so he doesn’t get hot in them!
I totally agree. 2 1/2 years of cloth diapering– you have done your best and done a wonderful job. This is a phase that he’ll moved past. Don’t feel bad slapping a disposable on him for a few months. If it makes you feel better, go out and buy those 7th generation diapers. they’re a bit more eco-friendly.
Oh my! I also have a little one who decided no more diapers. However I was not a cloth mama yet. She was only about 20 months when this happened. I did not want to use Pull-ups for months and months. We use the Gerber undies during the day at home. I take her to the potty OFTEN. Every few minutes. When we go out or when I am not able (or in the mood) to take her so often we use the Super Undies. I would say the pull on version since not only are they most like big kid undies but they are more absorbent. At night I can use the pocket version with a prefold inside. Or you can try to use the pull on ones with an insert in the front pocket. The foot-y PJ’s are great for holding on a diaper! lol! good luck!
I might have to get more Super Undies then! I just wish trainers were not so pricey. Since he does not protest undies in general, I might just break down and get some of those Gerber cheapies with the padding.
If your not opposed, I might suggest Seventh Generation disposable training pants. They pull up like underwear so they don’t really think they are wearing a “diaper”, but they are pretty absorbent until he gets to the point where he is making it to the potty. It’s such a long, challenging process that I’m in the midst of as well, good luck!!
Thanks Sarah. I may just need to get some for car trips and long outings with the stroller at least. I am all about using reusable as much as possible, but i also have more than one child and life just gets in the way sometimes!
Our older son (age 3) has been doing the same, maybe slightly more advanced than your son. We used pull-ups for daycare and then one day I asked if he wanted to wear Super Undies (Justice League 4T underwears) and he did and he listened when I said we couldn’t pee or poo on Batman. But he still won’t poo in the potty though. Pee, just fine. We will get there. We will. Or I’ll have to explain to his future GF how cloth diapers work.
Ok, that was a good laugh at the end. 🙂 I just remind myself it won’t last forever.