Archive for the ‘Potty training skills’ Category

Bumkins AIO diaper

  At Crackerjack’s Underpants we strive to keep the newest products available for cloth diapering parents.  To keep up with the changes in the cloth diapering world we frequently move old style, old color or old versions of diapers and other items to the clearance area on our website.  These items are in no way defective, they are just the old versions.  So we reduce the prices on them to make way for the newest products.  This is a great area to shop if you are new to cloth diapering or if you are and old pro and are looking for some awesome deals!  Brands of diapers in the clearance area include: bumGenius, BabyKicks, Bumkins, FuzziBunz, GroBaby, Happy heinys and Kushies.  Check out our clearance area now!

  Many times a child will be potty trained during the day, but not at night.  It isn’t uncommon for a child to wet the bed for a while after being daytime potty trained, sometimes even into school years.  Some parents who have children with disabilities have to deal with nighttime bed-wetting for years and years.

CowHide Happy Heinys trainer

 There is a fun solution to having to get up in the middle of the night and change a wet child and bed.  Meet Happy Heinys Training pants; a waterproof training pant that comes in cool colors and prints.  Happy Heinys training pants are truly waterproof without being heavy, hot and uncomfortable.  The PUL layer that makes them waterproof is lightweight and flexible.

  The Happy Heinys training pants come with 1 micro fiber insert, but you can add absorbency as needed since these come with a pocket for stuffing.  The pocket allows you to change the amount of absorbency you need without a lot of hassle.  The snaps on both sides of the trainer make for easier stuffing and if there is a solid accident, easier removal without dragging it all the way down your child’s legs.

  Happy Heinys trainers come in various sizes; from XS to XXL.  The XS fits very young children weighing about 15-24lbs. and the XXL fits up to 65lbs.  The sizes are generous, but the leg openings tend to be tight after a few washings.  We advise that you line dry your trainers to keep them fitting snug, but comfortable.

Happy Heinys Trainer

 The inside of these trainers is made with custom milled micro fleece, so they are super soft against that sensitive skin.  They breathe, so they don’t feel hot even on those warm summer nights. And all the elastic is covered with a stretchy binding so that they don’t leave red marks.

  The array of colors and patterns make them fun for you child to wear.  Making the colors bright and patterns fun helps your child want to wear these and keep the sheets dry.  The Happy Heinys trainers are easy to pull up and down, so the help foster independence.

  Once you try these wonderful trainers; you won’t want anything else for your child.  You can find happy Heinys trainers at Crackerjack’s Underpants.

Cloth diaper escape artist

Do you have one in your house?  Some toddlers have found it fun to rip off their diaper and streak through the house.  What can a parent do to keep the diaper on?

 One simple solution that has worked for many families is to always keep clothing on over the diapers.  A layer of clothing like pants, a skirt, or shorts can decrease your child’s awareness of a diaper and cut down on streaking incidents.  Some toddlers are not deterred by a layer of clothing; so wearing overall style shorts or pants can make it more difficult for the toddler to take off a diaper. 

 There are some versions of cloth diapers that work better with cloth diaper escape artists.  It appears as though escape artists have the easiest time with Velcro-like closures.  Using snap closures like on the FuzziBunz diaper, Flip hybrid diapers or Kissaluvs marvel covers can help deter a toddler who wants to take off his diaper.  If your toddler is determined to shed his diaper he or she will eventually figure out the snaps. 

 Some parents have had put the diaper on backwards so the fasteners are at the back.  This works sometimes, but it isn’t a permanent solution because cloth diapers are not made to fit backwards.  It can help with the situation while you obtain a more tyke-proof cloth diaper option. 

 Another consideration is that your escape artist may be ready for potty training.  Does your child tell you when a diaper is wet or soiled?   Is your child removing the diaper just after it is wet or soiled?  If so, you may be seeing signs of readiness for potty training. 

 Whether you need a temporary or a permanent solution there are some things you can try to deter your little one from removing his diaper.  Check out Crackerjack’s Underpants for cloth diaper options suited to an escape artist.

Time to Potty

Samara potty training at 2

2) Make it fun and exciting.  Aside from making sure they’re ready – this is the next most important advice. Have a special rewards system in place for acknowledging their successes. Try to encourage their success and don’t be too focused on the “accidents”.

3) Chose the system that best suits your child. Some children prefer their own potty chair; others like to use the big toilet like mom and dad.   Keep a couple short books handy (potty books are especially helpful), some pictures of things they enjoy, etc… a step stool to make getting on the potty and washing hands more accessible/easy.

4) Remember – accidents happen.  Do not punish your child for an accident – these are bound to happen. It’s difficult for our little ones to unlearn their previous potty habits; before it was completely acceptable to go potty in their pants. If accidents occur far too frequently – then take a break and try again later as your child may not be ready just yet.

The purpose of potty training is to teach your child to recognize the connection between feeling the urge to go and then ultimately going. I personally employed the bare bottom approach in the initial stage – as the child becomes more aware of their body and their elimination needs when there’s nothing on their bums. This is easiest in warm weather as you can let your child run around in a long t-shirt and nothing else. If they have an accident – they immediately feel it and recognize their body’s signals faster when bare bottomed.

This is the million dollar question among parents when taking on the potty training challenge. Once you’ve taught your little one to recognize their body’s signals – you must decide whether they should wear standard underwear or some form of trainers; this is entirely up to you and what your little one will respond best to.

True training pants are not diapers and are designed to contain accidents but are not typically waterproof (only more absorbent than standard underwear). However, not all trainers are created equal. Some trainers have no waterproof barrier – but are made with a thicker cotton than standard underwear while others do include a waterproof barrier such as Happy Heiny’s training pants.

Evaluate how your child reacts to underwear and/or trainers. If your child treats the trainer like a diaper, then it would be best to avoid them.

Overnight dryness may take some time. Therefore, it’s highly recommended not to tackle nighttime training until after your child has mastered daytime dryness. Even then, some children have issues with bedwetting (a condition called enuresis); this is more common in boys than in girls, and is considered medically normal/acceptable until approximately 6 years of age.