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When it’s time to potty train and transition into training pants, you don’t have to give up on using cloth. In fact, most experienced moms will tell you that it is better to stay with cloth when you move your toddler into training pants. Disposables can actually slow down the potty training process. Many moms have learned the hard way that what they thought would be more convenient was actually just the opposite because it added months to the process.

The reason that disposables slow everything down is that they have a tendency to make a toddler too comfortable when they urinate because it keeps them too dry. With cloth training pants, a toddler is more likely to feel uncomfortable in his/her pants when they are wet and hopefully, this will trigger a faster response next time he/she feels the urge to go.
 

 
The first goal is to help them to recognize that the urge to pee or poop is coming. When they do, the next step is helping them to become independent enough to run to the bathroom, pull their own pants down and pull their own pants back up.

I should also mention here, that toddlers often have a tendency to use their new skill to remove their pants entirely. They like this! It feels good! If mom doesn’t watch closely, this is when the slip-ups will happen. Why is the couch wet? What is this puddle on the floor? Or worse…

This is where the importance of finding the right cloth training pants comes in. The right training pants are going to be comfortable and easy for your toddler to learn with while they transition from diapers to big boy or big girl undies. They will also make life easy for mom because the right training pants are going to keep furniture dry, the floors dry and the baby aware of when they have to go.
 

 

There are a few things to consider when you are looking for training pants. This may sound silly at first, but the print is going to matter. Your toddler needs to be excited about this transition. One way to do that is to make it visually appealing to him/her. Luckily you don’t have to look too far to find something that will suit your toddler.

Comfort is going to be a close second or running neck in neck with the print. If your toddler isn’t comfortable, the pants are not going to stay on and the search will continue.

Your toddler should be able to pull them down and back up again without a struggle. If they are too tight, your toddler will not be able to get on the toilet in time. If they are too loose, you are going to have leaks or your toddler will take them off entirely because they are sagging and annoying.

Water-resistance is also something to consider. Some brands have a PUL (polyurethane layer) underneath the outside cover layer. Others have a PUL cover on the outside. This is more of a personal preference with the appearance of the training pants. So long as there is a layer of protection somewhere within the training pants, it is up to you to decide which option you find more appealing.

Finally, washability is important because these training pants are not cheap. You want them to last and you want them to hold up during the training process. You might even want them to hold up through a couple of additional siblings later on.
 

If you’d like to learn about cloth diaper cleaning, start with our Cleaning Cloth Diapers Properly – Super Easy, Super Helpful Guide article.

If you do your homework, there are so many wonderful companies out there that make cloth training pants. It shouldn’t take too much searching to find a good match for your toddler.
 

 

 
Moo Moo Baby has a variety of prints, they are not extremely expensive and they seem to get a lot of good feedback with regard to absorbency, comfort, washability and pull down/pull up ease.

Thirsties have some of the most adorable varieties of prints. They also seem to have the most comfortable padding and absorbency near the legs and at the waistband while still being easy and elastic enough for your toddler to pull down and pull up again. They are a bit pricier than other brands but they are a high-quality training pant and mommies give them good overall ratings.

Lil Learnerz are moderately priced and get good feedback for absorbency, comfort, fit and washability. The prints are a little more mom friendly than they are toddler friendly. The only problem with these is that the sizing tends to be too small.

Blueberry and Me are moderately priced and come in a variety of beautiful prints for boys and girls. These tend to have thicker lining around the legs and waist, but a more streamlined appearance. It could be that the more streamlined appearance was a lack of absorbency. Some of the online feedback expressed some disappointment with these pants not being entirely waterproof.

Gerber is one of the oldest companies out there for baby products. This might be the reason that these are less expensive than some of the competitors. Overall ratings in comfort and absorbency are good and there are a large variety of prints available.

Nicki’s has some unique prints. The most obvious difference with Nicki’s is that all of the training pants look more like cloth diapers than a transitional training pant. They are a little thicker and there is more cinched elastic around the leg area and the waist. They look more like a diaper than a pair of training pants. The overall feedback on fit and comfort is good. A few moms mentioned that they had problems with leaking.

GroVia My Choice Trainer are some of the most aesthetically pleasing training pants. They just look super soft and comfortable. What sets this brand apart is that they are solid colored- no print. These trainers would serve more to color coordinate with outfits and dresses without all of the busy shark, ice cream cone or cat, and dog themes. Even the color names are sophisticated: abalone, basil, cloud, marsala, rose, and vanilla just to mention a few.

Ecoposh OBV is known for the OBV (organic bamboo velour). These trainers look more like undies than diapers and they look soft and comfortable. They come in solid colors and the waterproof layer is hidden under the outside covering of the trainer. They are moderately priced and their ratings are good with the exception of the fact that they tend to run small. So, if these are attractive to you, it might be a good idea to get them a size bigger than what you would normally buy.

BestBottom is a moderately priced and comfortable cotton trainer. Overall, moms felt like they were easy for a toddler to pull up and down. The only downside is that many moms found that there was a problem with leaking without additional liners added into the trainer.

iPlay has okay overall ratings. Some mommies felt like the sizing on these are not accurate. They tend to come in two-packs with a solid and a print. They are designed with 3 layers with a waterproof interlining. They are comfortable and easy for toddlers to pull up and down and they wash well.
 

 

Like anything else, all of these products have pros and cons to them. Overall, they will all serve the purpose of transitioning your toddler out of diapers into those big boys or big girl pants.

You’ll have to find what works for you based on your preference and personal needs. Most of these are comparable in price, so it would be easy enough to buy more than one brand at a time in a two-pack or a three-pack and try them out to see if they suit you and your toddler.