Dry Like Me for Potty Training

Potty Training Toddlers

We are about to embark on the potty training journey.  I know I have been there four times before with my older children and have successfully navigated the path to successful toilet training, but I'm still full of trepidation!  It's such a big step and is one of the stages of development that marks the end of babyhood.  

We are all ready to go.  We have even bought some Toy Story and Cars underwear from the Disney Store ready to entice Freddy out of the security of his nappies and into big boy pants.  But I know the path to being dry is littered with accidents!  I remember the numerous pairs of soggy knickers and trousers that we'd go through in a day! 

There is now a new product on the market, Dry Like Me.  It offers a helping hand during this often stressful time, providing peace of mind and another tool to assist parents through this stage.

Experts believe that the best way to train children is to keep them in their own underwear.  Clearly, this can lead to accidents resulting in wet clothes and lots of extra laundry! The feeling of fear at leaving the house in case of accidents can put parents in a very difficult position, worrying about their children wetting themselves away from home. Children can get confused by the expectations on them when they are making the transition from nappy to pants.  Because nappies and pull-ups are so good these days, children don't get that feeling of wetness and discomfort which can prompt them to toilet train, and switching between nappies and pants can delay the process.

The pads fit discreetly into underwear, so your child feels grown up but has added protection against accidents. The child feels wet for a short time, then the pad absorbs the liquid and feels heavy so they know they have been and make the connection they need to let them know when they need the toilet. They offer a degree of protection for clothing, car seats and pushchairs.  Two can be used at once for extra protection.

In trials, using Dry Like Me reduced the number of daytime accidents by 43%.  Less mess, less stress!

The Dry Like Me pads look disconcertingly like a strangely shaped Always Ultra...but once you get over that you realise that the design is perfect for the job.  They are a funky green colour with a mesh like top sheet.  A tab allows for hygienic removal.  A waterproof pouch allows you to pop one in your handbag to use if needed.  They are not just for potty training, older children who are prone to accidents can use them to boost confidence and give them peace of mind.  This can often give them the encouragement they need to overcome their problem.  Anything that can help overcome their embarrassment and give them some control is a real plus.  

The Dry Like Me pads are available nationwide at Sainsbury's, Wilkinson's, Morisson's and Asda Living as well as online at ERIC's online shop.  They are a unique product filling a gap in the market.  They cost £3.49 for a pack of 18 with a waterproof pouch included.

I will be reporting on our potty training journey over the next few weeks and I'll let you know how the Dry Like Me Toilet Training Pads make our journey easier!  Freddy will look fabulous in his Toy Story underpants and will be well on the road to being a big boy!

Fisher Price Ducky Fun 3 in 1 Potty for Potty Training

Potty Training Made Fun With The Ducky Fun 3 in 1 Potty!

Potty training can be an arduous task!  Making the step from nappies to the toilet can be perilous and must be quite daunting for a toddler.  Thankfully Fisher Price have come up with a product that is set to ease my son into this stage of his life.  The Ducky Fun 3 in 1 Potty promises to add an element of fun to potty training which will hopefully make the whole process a lot more inviting, keeping Freddy interested and eager to 'perform'!

The potty is made to look like a cute Ducky character (OK it is not exactly anatomically correct as it has four feet which my 8 year old noticed immediately....but if it had just the regular pair of feet, it would not be stable!!  Artistic licence is acceptable in this case!)

The friendly face really appealed to Freddy.  It certainly made the potty much less intimidating.

The potty plays a quacktastic tune when the child does a wee in the potty which rewards them and encourages a return visit.  It is really motivational and adds a bit of fun to the proceedings!

The potty itself is a really good size and shaped like a mini-toilet which was nice.  I think Freddy recognised the shape from the bathroom and seemed to understand exactly what it was and promptly sat on it!  He's been a bit reticent with traditional potty shapes up to now, so this was quite a breakthrough for us!

The potty comes with a removable easy clean bucket and splash guard.  The toilet seat part also can be removed and used as a trainer seat on a big toilet so that is a real bonus.  The lid then closes down making a stepstool for your child to climb up onto the loo.  It will take you through to the next stage of toilet training making it better value for money.

The potty takes 3 AA batteries to power the music which is activated by contact when the child uses the potty.  At first I saw it as a bit of a novelty item, but seeing Freddy's eagerness to get to know his new potty makes me think that Fisher Price have really come up with an excellent product.  The longevity of the product is also very attractive...it will be useful for years to come as a step up stool and trainer seat.  

"So is this instead of a nappy Mum??"

The 3 in 1 Duck Potty costs £32.99 which makes it a top end product in terms of price.  However it is definitely very unique and could be exactly the thing to make the transition to toilet training easier for your toddler, which to me makes it worth the money.  

It is definitely a fun way to tackle a potentially challenging stage!  We'll keep you updated with his progress!

*Freddy was given the potty to test so we could do a review for Mums Like You.  The opinions are all ours!*

Why parenting is not for the squeamish!

Part of being a mother is the sudden realisation that you can never again be squeamish.  Having a baby opens you up to a whole world of bodily processes that your adorable newborn bundle has no control over.  The contents of baby's stomach, whether from attic or basement will, at various inopportune moments, be expelled at high velocity.  It is our job to be on hand with babywipes to mop up either end, thus keeping our precious little one sweet smelling...unfortunately this does not extend to us mums who end up with possett on our shoulders and luminous yellow nappy overflows on our laps.  The amount of times I've found myself in public toilets stood under the hand drier trying desperately to dry off my attempts at washing off the latest offering.


As baby gets older, the expulsions of bodily waste have an altogether different set of problems.  Baby suddenly takes an interest in the contents of their nappy.  Nappy changes become fraught with a new danger...the grab!  So whilst picking up a squirmy baby by the feet, diligently cleaning the cracks and crevices, working quickly and under pressure in case of any further expulsions, we also have to be on guard for the slight of hand movement whereby baby grabs the soiled nappy and flings it across the room.  Worse still, the more dextrous baby with a firmer stool can go the whole hog and grab the nappy contents itself.  It takes a moment to register the fact that sweet gurgling baby is in fact moments away from teething on their own poop!  It's a horror moment in deed!


Toddlers take this scatology to a level that would rival a German Scheisser Movie.  We've all experienced the stomach churning moment where we realise that what we are seeing is not brown crayon, chocolate or clay.  Our little one has got creative with their bodily waste.  With the enthusiasm of an H-Block smear campaign, the nursery walls, toys, cot bars and indeed baby himself, become coated in thick brown excrement.  For us the phenomenon manifested itself when my angelic little girl decided to decorate her sit 'n' ride toy.  The assault on the senses was a slow burn fuelled by disbelief.  As the reality of the situation dawned on me, all I could do was gag and do the one thing that needed to be done...shout for my husband!

 

Don't think that it stops with competent toilet training either.  During the launch of the Playstation One, one of our offspring actually peed themselves because they refused to tear themselves away for a toilet break.  Then in another unrelated incident crapped his pants because he was playing outside with his mates and thought it would be embarrassing to tell them he had to go home to go the toilet!  Oh the logic!


So, don't ever get complacent.  As a mother you sign up to be a gusset scrubber forever more!