Once a baby becomes a toddler, many moms start to feel a sense of relief. They know the days of babies are slowly behind them, and that means diapers. Now is the time to potty train, which means the days of diapers, changes and rashes are almost over. However, many toddlers don’t always immediately transition from diapers to underwear, and many go through a transition phase. This means that mothers can rely on pull-ups to help their children get through.

Pull-ups can be great because they are absorbent like a diaper, but they have an elastic waistband, so they give the appearance of an undergarment. They can help a toddler get used to wearing underwear while providing some protection against accidents and leaks while working on the toilet. However, these need to be changed, and mom may wonder if she should change them as much as the diapers, or if her child can last a little longer while wearing one, especially if they are dry.

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When to make the switch

Let’s first see when toddlers are usually ready to move on to pull-ups. According to Today’s Parent, toddlers are ready for pull-ups when they’re ready for toilet training, so this answer may not be the same for everyone. Children will always develop at their own pace, which means they will be ready for pull-ups at different ages. Most moms will change their toddler into pull-ups when they are 2-3 years old.

Advice from other parents

Sometimes the best advice will come from other moms and what they’ve noticed and experienced. On a community forum on Baby Center, some moms posted their thoughts on how often a pull-up should be changed. Some moms have said that pull-ups aren’t as absorbent as diapers, so they need to be changed more often than mom would change a diaper. Diapers are designed to keep a baby comfortable by wicking away moisture from the body, but pull-ups just aren’t designed that way. If a child frequently pees in their sweater and mom notices that she needs to change it every hour, then the child may not be ready for toilet training yet.

Why change it?

We’ve made a lot of claims that pull-ups are a lot like diapers, and that means toddlers can still get a rash if they’re in a dirty pull-up for too long. According to What To Expect, pull-ups are made from the same material as diapers, which means they’re not the most breathable and can cause rashes in children. If a child sits too long in a wet diaper they may get a red, painful rash and that is why it is so important for mom to change the pull-up as often as possible. If mom is really ready for no more changes or rashes, she might want to switch to full underwear as she will likely change pull-ups as many as she diapers.

Sources: Today’s Parent, Baby Center, What To Expect

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