Recommendations for Training Pants

[posborne]

I have a 17 month old son who we have done part-time EC with him since he was 8 months old. Mainly after waking up in the morning and with naps. We also give him 10-30 minutes each night for naked time after a shower. Part of the time he will walk towards his pot if he needs to pee during his naked time.

Because of a history of diaper rashes even with cloth diapers and the work it often takes to put a diaper on him (he hates diaper changes), I would like to be a little more aggressive with EC training. I haven't been as motivated in part because I dread putting on a new diaper.

I have been looking at various cloth training pants available and feel a little overwhelmed. I am quitting my main job in the next week and am looking for cheaper solutions.

What training pants have you used? What did you like about the training pants? Are there training pants you used and didn't like?

Thanks for your help!

[Shanny2032]

I bought 2 different ones from ECWEAR and liked one but not really the other. I also bought organic trainers from Hanna Anderson which are a nice happy medium because they are thick but not too thick. Neither of those are an inexpensive solution though. Our best solution for my dd - now 18 months has been good old elmo or princess panties from Target. They are cheap and she loves to put them on so there is one battle down. I have also heard that Gerber trainers work well and are inexpensive if you are looking for something a little thicker to help lessen messes.

[Otterella]

I've always been happiest with the Imse Vimse's. They are just waterproof enough that he doesn't soak his pants, but still feel wet on the inside when wet. He's 3 1/2 now, been fully potty independent for over a year, but we just started using the again at night because of some bedwetting.

[GranolaMama7]

I skipped the super expensive trainers. Even the less expensive ones have this nylon cover that seemed really uncomfortable to me. I did buy one pair of the bummis trainers just to have - but I can count on one hand how many times I used it.

Here is what I did: I bought the Gerber training underwear and when we left the house, I put a regular diaper cover over them. I already had a big stash of diaper covers from cloth diapering him, so all I had to purchase up was a few packs of those undies. Another option is to purchase those pull up swim diapers (iplay is the brand). I know it sounds weird, but they are waterproof and they pull up so if you are in public you don't have to mess with the velcro covers. They run about 12 bucks, but you only need like one or two of them.

I put the swim diaper over the Gerber undies (just to clarify)

[riboflavin]

You could always try diaperswappers to look for gently used training pants. That way you could try all different kinds at a reduced price to see what styles work for you. They have an EC section.

You could also try making training pants to save money. Though it may become addicting and costing you more! Do It Yourself EC has free patterns for a variety of training pants and other things EC.

[posborne]

How much would you say it costs to make 1 trainer? I am considering making my own.

Thanks.

[riboflavin]

That really depends on how much you want to spend! If you make a non-waterproof trainer you could make it for almost free if you use repurposed materials. Take apart some cotton clothing and use that for the body fabric. A yard of elastic would cost maybe a dollar or so at Joanns?

It gets expensive if you end up getting addicted to sewing and buying super cute fabrics. Before you know it your cabinets are overflowing with fabrics and notions and snaps and you are like, "Wait, didn't I do this to *save* money?"

If you add waterproofing, the cost of that fabric will bring the price up. PUL can be expensive, around $8-9 a yard retail I think.

[dogretro]

It cost me about $5 a pair to make waterproofed side-snapping trainers for my older daughter when she was a baby. Most of that cost came from sending them out to have snaps put on (about 12 pairs, $20 total shipping & $1 each for snap setting). You can get a lot of cuts out of a yard of PUL for an infant. Less, obviously, for a toddler. I got organic bamboo velour from diaper swappers in the craft section, so that was cheaper per yard, and microfiber from the auto store.