To think pull ups are just nappies.

[separatedornot]

I see all the time that people say 'we're potty training, he's in pull ups not nappies'

They're exactly the same thing.

Huggies have done an amazing job with the marketing.

I really believe it's why people are training their children later and later and struggling when they do so

Funnily enough, pull ups most often come up on mumsnet in the form of nursery staff complaining that they’re a pain in the bum to change (and they’re right!) It seems like some parents are using them long before potty training is on the horizon.

I’m one of them, as my youngest is awkwardly shaped so nappies either fall off or pop open when she bends at the middle.

I think the pull ups for potty training is a MASTERFUL marketing scam. At the end of the day, they’re just as absorbent as nappies and so there’s zero incentive for the kids to wait to wee in the potty.

My method for potty training has always been get poo down first, then switch to the training pants (the washable, reusable kind) as you know pretty instantly if they’ve had an accident, and you know accurately where you are in progress (whereas with a pull up, am I looking at one big wee or several small ones?) The pull ups just seem really counter intuitive over all.

This is absolutely true - my friend sells washable nappies, has done for years - her daughter is 25, and says that Pampers brought out the pull up nappies with the sole intention of keeping babies in nappies for longer (this was circa 2002, as birth rate was low. They spent a fortune on advertorials saying 'leave potty training till your baby is ready' and that's what happened, babies were put in pull ups and of course they still thought 'this is a nappy and wet it!
It worked too, the average age for potty training was 18 months in the 1960s, by 2000 it was just under 2y 3 months, and shot up to almost 2yr 8 months by 2004.

They just must have the sort of baby that lies there during nappy changes.

My son has been in pull ups whenever necessary since seven months old when he learned to crawl and immediately started fucking off during nappy changes.

Pull ups are the bane of my existence, I work in a nursery and the amount of children in them is ridiculous, some are as young as 10 months and there's absolutely no need.

Agree, I’ve potty trained 3 kids (the latest just a couple of months ago so I’m not outdated with my experiences!) and never once bought a pull up. I don’t understand their purpose. We just went from nappies to no nappies in the day, nappies at night gradually tapered off as they woke up dry.

You rip the sides, no need to take everything off at all.

But you still need to take trousers, shoes etc fully off to put a new one on. That'd why I never used them except at night. Too annoying.

How do you put a new one on if you dont take shoes/trousers off?

Fair point, I only used them at night too so hadn’t really considered the practicalities.
On the OP’s point though, I’ve not actually known anyone say they’re potty training because they’re using pull ups. Amongst everyone I know, potty training involves bare bums/actual pants. Pull ups tend to just be used because they’ve got a wriggly baby who won’t lie still for a nappy change.

Same here. Never heard anyone saying that pull-ups are not nappies. They are, just with a different closing mechanism. We'll be potty training in a few weeks and I've just bought proper potty training pants. They are still around and there is a wide range to choose from.

Yes they are just nappies but I’ve never known anyone who’s used them for potty training. Don’t people normally use them to make changes easier when babies have become more mobile/impossible to pin down to change?

Oh course they are nappies

Totally agree with this, both of mine were in pull ups (nappy ones) from being around 10mths old. Much more comfortable for active toddlers, much easier to change out and about for active toddlers who can stand up for changes. Rip down the side for poos and change the same as a tab nappy if needed.
Just altogether much more convenient and far nicer for toddlers on the move.

But I have decided as my son's mother that there is a need. He was crawling at 5 months and has been non stop on the move ever since. The tab ones forever came undone and have no stretch. They look so uncomfortable. I like my child to be as comfortable as he would be in pants.

We use the tab ones during the day, and the pull-up ones at night as a general rule.

I use them at night because they do seem more absorbent and don't move about or come undone. Baby seems to get less red marks on the skin too. (They sleep with their bum in the air like they just don't care).

I also find them easier to put on at night after a bath when baby can go from hero to zero very quickly because of tiredness, less risk of an accidental? kick to the boob if I use the quicker pull ups.
I had no idea you could rip them to get them off - I use scissors if I get the rare pooey one.

I have no idea why people wouldn't think they are nappies, they are just a different style.

What's the issue? Is this a nursery where the parents supply the nappies for use? Otherwise, they get ripped off at first nappy change, and then tab nappies used all day until they're picked up. No drama.

There's a thread currently running where someone is saying they're potty training using pull ups.

I'm not imagining it.

If people don't do this, who is buying these?

People getting very worked up here. We changed to pull ups long before potty training as I found they leaked less than tab nappies on an mobile kid and my daughter became more resistant to lying down to get dressed. I've never seen them advertised for potty training- they are far too comfortable when wet for that!

Huggies pull up are advertised for training, see above.

Pampers nappy pants aren't.

I'm talking about pull ups.

Just seen your latest post- these are specifically 'training' versions though. The other ones are marketed as nappy pull ups.

And what's different about the training versions?

Nothing but marketing.

Which is my point

Eg.

Training can be a complete pain in the arse for much longer than 2 or 3 days. No idea what you consider to be the "correct" way to do it but we tried to train my DD and persevered for far longer than 7 days and eventually had to give up and try again months later. No pull ups - just underwear and regular toilet trips but she just didn't get it.

My DS on the other hand was trained in about 3 days, but that doesn't mean that all kids are.

How do you get the new one on though?

I never got on with nappy pants, or standing changes though. I liked them pinned in on a changing table where they couldn't escape!

So I am in complete agreement.
No idea how you train with nappies on 😵‍💫

also agree pull ups were invented to keep kids in nappies. Like it’s not my theory or a guess it’s a fact….

we also potty trained in less than 1 week and I was pretty set on it happening and very much in the “there is no try only do” camp

That said we use these pants!!! at night. It means our dd can go to the bathroom “herself” also bluntly she’s only just 2 and cannot go 12 hours without a wee!” So needs them at night.