Potty training can definitely be a challenging phase for both parents and children. In our case, we've been giving the Oh Crap Potty Training method a try with our 18-month-old daughter. Although this method comes highly recommended, it seems like our little one is still getting the hang of it. According to the book, we shouldn't leave the house until pee and poop consistently go in the potty, which should take 4-7 days, but it's been over a week and we're not quite there yet. However, we occasionally need and want to leave the house.
One of the main challenges we've encountered with leaving the house is the need for her to be bare-bottomed. It is of course inappropriate to go outside like this, especially given the freezing temperatures outside. Moreover, while the book advises against wearing underwear or diapers outside, we don't want to risk pee on the car seat or in the stroller.
After brainstorming and reflecting on my experience with sewing and using cloth diapers, I came up with an innovative solution. We could convert her regular clothes into cloth diapers, without making them feel like diapers. Our strategy primarily involves layering two pairs of pants - a pair of leggings and a warmer outer pair. The leggings, despite being thin, absorb decently due to being a much larger piece of fabric compared to a cloth diaper insert. Just make sure they are natural, as synthetic leggings would not to the job. We then add a waterproof layer on top. Let's delve into the three options we considered for this outer layer.
Wool Pants as a Water-Resistant Layer
I loved using wool pants when she was younger. They're great at keeping the car seat dry, especially when they are freshly lanolized. However, now that she's mastered walking, these pants tend to slide down and don't hold well. This issue might be fixable with elastics, but I haven't tried it yet.
Another downside to wool is its maintenance. Wool pants can't just be tossed in the washing machine, and keeping track of when to wash them gets increasingly difficult as she becomes more active. Despite these drawbacks, wool pants look stylish and often earn us compliments. You can see in the picture how pretty they are, and you can read more about them in this post.
Fleece Pants
The idea to use fleece pants dawned upon me when I noticed a pair lying around in her closet. I slipped them over the leggings, and voila! We had a warm, leak-resistant solution. Since we only had one pair and plenty of leftover fleece fabric, I decided to make another pair.
Fleece pants are convenient as they can be washed and dried without any special care. Plus, they look like regular pants and don't draw any undue attention. Make sure you are using synthetic fleece pants, as they are the kind that is water repellent (you can test this with tap water). On the left you can see the store-bougt fleece pants that I got for free from Facebook Marketplace, and on the right are pants I made using this pattern from this fabric.
PUL Pants
If the weather was warmer, I'd consider using PUL pants as the outer layer. These pants are made from the same material as diapers, making them waterproof. However, I don't think they'd be a good fit for summer use.
In conclusion, these are the three ways we've been layering two pairs of pants to create an effective potty training aid. While sewing pants with two layers attached together is another option, we found it easier to work with what we already have. Each family's potty training journey is unique, but we hope sharing our experience might help others navigating this challenging phase.