How essential is the bare bum stage of potty training?

[wishIwasonholiday10]

We are giving potty training a go this weekend and was wondering how essential the bare bum stage (which seems to be recommended for a lot of potty training methods) is? The Easter weather is a bit cooler than I was hoping for so worried DD will be cold without leggings on and it’s not very comfortable on wooden floors without anything on the bottom.

We didn't do it either as it was winter. We did leggings with no nappy/pants for a few days and then once they were confident, we added pants too.

I would add downstairs is usually 17-19 degrees but I could crank the heating up if necessary. It would feel too chilly for me without something on my legs.

not very long if I remember but it's not essential, just easier!

We did it as I found it too hard to see when they needed a wee with clothes on and took too long to remove them. Maybe if they’re a bit older it’ll be ok and you have a little longer to get them there.

Also you could pop a longer nightie on?

nighty socks and crocs. You can rinse the crocs in the sink easier than shoes stinking of wee.

Not at all if you follow the Curlew Lazy Approach. Which is to wait until they say “ I don’t want to wear nappies any more” and you say “OK-here are some pants and there is the loo.” It might mean a few more months in nappies, but it’s a real saving in carpets!

Not at all necessary, I’ve trained plenty of children and none of them have needed bare bums.

I've not done it with my kids. I put them in underwear and kept the potty close by.

I’ve never done it either. I just bought a really good supply of pants and cheap shorts/joggers and accepted that the first day or 2 I’d be changing them several times! Maybe the faff of having to stop and change the wet clothes helps with the whole learning process, thinking about it. As after the first couple of days they very rarely wet themselves (only at times where they were drinking loads and having too much fun to stop, like at a soft play party or something).

Also don’t start them too early. I think you can introduce a potty to the room from as early as you like, let them sit on it and have the occasional wee. But prob don’t start the actual process until nearer 3. I think all mine were about 2yrs 10m/11m and done in a day or 2. Other friends started really early and had months of accidents to deal with.

Best of luck

Not necessary at all time. Didn’t do it with either of my DC or any I’ve worked with. Just another step you have to add in later imo that you can teach right away and save the bother. I thought the same about potties and went straight to toilet as well. Better if they have an accident they feel wet too. Peeing on the ground has little consequence and probably just prolongs things.

I went straight to knickers as I thought going bare bum would just leave me another hurdle to jump. Knickers, sweatshirt dresses that are a bit warmer, socks and crocs😆

We didn't do it because we are a busy family, work full time and there was never even a full day we could spend at home with dc half naked.

Yeah my youngest has always hated a bare bum/ bare legs so we never did. Luckily he also hates feeling wet so he learned very quickly!

I did it with DD just because I was following the Oh Crap method to the letter. She pissed on the (wood) floor just once then exclusively in the potty thereafter, so it did work. Will probably do it again for DS when D-day (P-day?) arrives.

Not essential.
just use old, easy to change clothes for a while.

No. 3 DCs & no bare bums here 😆.

I’d rather wash wet leggings than run the risk of stepping in an unexpected wet patch on the carpet.

I didn't do it with either

This wasn't a thing at all when I was training my first two who are now teenagers, I don't know anyone who did it. So I'd say not essential.

This is what I did.

waited until one day “I need a wee”

do you? There’s the toilet, you get a chocolate button if you can do a wee on it”

job done.

eta I don’t even think it made a difference waiting. They were reliably dry at roughly the same time as same age peers, I just didn’t have the months/weeks of accidents and wet clothes.

No bare bums here. Just waited until they were old enough, went out to choose nice pants and lots of praise for wees and poos on the potty.

I think cloth nappies help as disposables are so absorbent they don't feel uncomfortable.

2 DCs, never used bare bum method

I didn’t do bare bums either. Got some cute character knickers and put her in those from the off. I don’t think there’s any harm in feeling wet. I had potties everywhere and always made her aware where it was.

I never did it, sounds unnecessary anyway