Waterproof Training Pants - a Review

Your toddler is finally starting to use the potty. You can't count on her to make it to the bathroom every time, though, so you need some kind of waterproof training pants. Which kind is best for you? I've reviewed five types of waterproof training pants below.

Gerber All In One waterproof training pants are cotton inside, with a polyester core, and vinyl on the outside. They are available in patterns for both boys in girls. In my experience, however, they have very little absorbency. Urine leaks out the legs rather than being absorbed. These training pants are sometimes available in stores like Target; you can also find them on Amazon.com.

One Step Ahead makes waterproof training pants in both daytime and nighttime versions. They are very absorbent and leak-proof, but when we tried them, the elastic irritated our daughter's skin, and she refused to wear them any more. These training pants can be purchased online from One Step Ahead.

Happy Heinys Pocket Trainers have an outer layer of polyurethane laminate (PUL) with a poly-fleece inner. There's a pocket between these layers, in which you place an absorbent insert. You can adjust the absorbency by using additional inserts, or by using different types of fabric for the inserts. The fleece lining helps keep moisture away from your toddler's skin (important for bedtime or naptime). These training pants also have snaps on the sides as well as an elastic waist, so they can either be pulled down at potty time or unsnapped and removed if necessary. These are generally available from cloth diaper shops online, although there are some baby stores that carry them as well.

Gerber's cotton training pants are not waterproof, but add a pair of Gerber's waterproof PEVA pants, and they are. The cotton training pants are more absorbent and more comfortable than the all in one trainers (although still not absorbent enough for naps or nighttime). The waterproof pants are made from 100& PEVA, a non-PVC, non-chlorinated product. The cotton training pants will feel noticeably wet to your child, which may aid in potty training. Both the cotton training pants and the waterproof pants are widely available in stores like Target, or online from Amazon.com.

Finally, disposable training pants are all waterproof. They're widely available in grocery and drug stores. You can choose from Huggies Pull-Ups, Pampers Easy-Ups, and many store brands. Huggies and Pampers are high quality, comfortable, and have fun designs (Disney characters, Dora the Explorer, etc. Brand-name training pants have re-fastenable Velcro on the sides; store brands often do not. Store brand disposable training pants, however, often cost half as much as the name brands, and they still get the job done.