My son is in he middle of potty training. When he was wearing diapers all day, he doesn't seem to notice when he is wet, but when he is underwear, he is rushing to the potty! We decided to not use pullups because of this since pull ups will feel and absorb more like a diaper than underwear. We live in a area that does not have much around, and often drive a hour into Savannah. I read a suggestion online to put a pull up on over the underwear when going on long car rides or out in public (so the child can still have to same feeling of the underwear are getting wet). Anyone ever try this?
Pullups are nothing but glorified diapers. Putting a diaper over his underwear is not going to accomplish anyhting except confusing the hell out of him.
Accidents are going to happen, at home, on car trips, on shopping trips. Bring a change of clothes everywhere you go.
I use pull-ups over the undies as the step between beginning potty training (compliance to a pottying schedule, actually using the toilet, staying dry at least 50% in between hourly potty trips) and fully potty trained in undies alone. The child will feel the discomfort of wet undies, without the giant mess for you to clean up. After 10 years of potty training daycare kids, I can attest to this working. I also use this method as a "just in case" at nap and bedtime until they have control while sleeping or can wake to go potty.
That said, if he's already in undies alone, adding a pull-up now would seem like a punishment to him. Besides, you want him to be potty trained everywhere, not just at home. He needs to learn to tell you even while out or in the car and you need to learn to keep to a consistent potty schedule while out too. If you have an hour drive, you go before leaving the house, make a pit-stop halfway and go again when you arrive. Regular check-ins (Do you have to go potty? Remember to tell me if you do.) and regular bathroom breaks when leaving and arriving places will teach him to use the potty whenever and wherever you are.
Good luck!
Flaming Turnip, if I peed my undies I would definitely feel them beneath my jeans. I'm guessing after one accident he would, too. Besides, if he isn't used to the pull-ups, I doubt he would differentiate them from another "outer" clothes, like shorts, that goes on over his underwear. It's definitely worth a shot. My son doesn't mind his diaper being wet either, so I tried with training pants. Unfortunately, he didn't mind that either. Oh well, some day he'll get it!
How would that help? He knows when he's wet at home. If you can't stop to let him pee along the way you are just making him uncomfortable for no reason. What does he learn? There is nothing either of you can do.
I put my grandchildren in pull ups for shopping trips. They still were able to sstay dry at home. I suggest training works best when we're flexible. My granddchildren adjusted to knowing when they had to pee even with pull ups.
Learning is a process. No need to make them uncomfortable when there is no remedy. He says he's wet during the drive. What would you do? I suggest you might be teaching him to tolerate being wet.
Some kids feel the pull-up or diaper and their brains and bodies tell them that the feel means it's OK to "go" when they like. The idea of putting on a pull-up over the underwear is more for your convenience for clean-up than to teach him anything about pottying. I would put a plastic liner (the kind you use for diaper changes, with one absorbent side and one plastic-coated side) in the car seat beneath him, and have wipes and extra clothes right there on the seat next to him, and scope out all the rest stop and restaurant bathrooms between your house and Savannah. It's only one hour. He's learning to potty. To me, the pull-up plus underwear would seem to send a confusing mixed message to a child who's learning to use the toilet.
You also can carry a portable potty in the car. We used to have a station wagon when my daughter was small and she could get on the potty in back of it if we stopped for a potty break and used it then and there. You can do the same in a minivan, I'm sure; not sure how it would work in a regular car but to be frank, you can put a plastic sheet over a seat and put the potty on it if you must! You line the inside bowl of the potty with a couple of plastic bags to catch the urine and poop, then throw it away when he's done (and yes, if it's the middle of nowhere, you tie it up and put it in another bag until you get to a bathroom). Or put a clean, opened diaper into the potty if he's only peeing and dispose of that later.
It's much more hassle than putting a pull-up on over his underwear so I can see using the pull-up; it just depends on how you feel about consistency with having him use a potty or toilet every single time. It won't destroy his potty training if you do the pull-up, I'm sure.
Is he urinating more than once an hour? That's a LOT. If he can't stay dry for that long maybe there's a medical issue?
when mine were training we stayed home for 3 days .. then we went limited places.. kids should be able to hold it one hour.. if they go potty right before you leave and go right when you get to the destinatioin.
and do not let them drink water in the car.
pull ups are expensive.. and I think they confuse the child.. if they are training they should be in panties. all day every day.. pull ups for night time if they are wet at night.
For a one hour drive, why not have everyone use the restroom before you go and as soon as you arrive? If he can't wait one hour, then plan to make one stop along the way. I bet he can wait an hour.
If I was in the middle of pottytraining and routinely took hour long car trips, is try it! Or at least put a pee pad under him in the cars eat and leave a change of bottoms on the car.
I did this while potty training at home. Just so he could feel the wet and be uncomfortable enough to want to change and not sit in it, and the mess was contained because of the pullup. I don't think I would do it while travelling, then you are having to rinse wet underpants wherever you are going.
I'm with Marda on this one... When my DD was potty training, and I knew that we would be in a situation where I couldn't get her to the bathroom fast enough, I would just put her in a pull-up. I felt like it was mean to make her sit in her pee until I was able to get her where she needed to go. It is itchy, wet, and extremely uncomfortable. I would wait to take trips in underwear until he is able to hold it for at least 10-15 minutes... Giving you time to at least find a gas station or a place to pull over.
That said, I might go ahead and try putting underwear on him once you get where you are going. Find a bathroom, and change him. If you are worried about him having an accident, you can try the pull up over underwear so he can feel the wet, but isn't forced to sit in it... That way he at least has a chance to make it to the bathroom first.
Yes, we have done this for long car rides and flights. It gave me peace of mind that I wouldn't be cleaning urine off the car seat or having to deal with a screaming toddler who couldn't go potty during flight turbulence. As long as there are no accidents, you can reuse the pull-ups. My kids didn't have accidents due to the pull-ups. The thought of wearing wet underwear didn't appeal to them. Good luck to you!
I did it when we went in the car after she was first trained. I figured this way she would still feel wet and I wouldn't have to clean up the car seat! We never actually needed it, but it was peace of mind for me.
Not going to work. When you are wearing jeans do you consciously feel your underwear? Yeah, neither will he with a pull up over his underwear.
