Potty training! It’s the light at the end of the dark and winding tunnel of baby diapers that we as new parents are all destined to wander through for the first few years, but it’s also a daunting task in and of itself. There’s so many books and methods and between all the ‘how to do it in 3 days!’ and ‘how to handle potty training regressions once and for all’ Instagram reels, it seems like everyone is an expert—but then again…maybe we’re all just wingin’ it?!?

Of course, we like to recommend the approach of simply choosing your favorite method and giving it the best shot you’ve got. And if that doesn’t work, time to pivot—nothing gained, nothing lost…except maybe your living room rug and a bit of sanity.

However, there is at least one potty training decision we here at Coterie HQ feel qualified to help you think through. If you’re trying to decide between cloth potty training pants and disposable pull-up style diapers, then this is the article for you!

Many parents choose to start out with disposable diapers, but as their babies grow into needing fewer changes per day and start showing more signs of potty awareness, they might want to consider switching to cloth training pants. This could be for environmental reasons, or just to help ease the transition from diapers to underwear.

Other parents prefer to stay seated aboard the convenience train and continue on with disposables, but as their little ones prepare for potty training, a pull-up style diaper can come in handy.

Cloth training pants are reusable and made from absorbent fabric, or include liners that can hold minor accidents. Generally, they allow the child to feel wetness, which some schools of thought believe can potentially help them in the process of recognizing when the toilet is needed.

So, cloth training pant pros?

- They may become more aware of their bodily signals and be motivated to use the potty sooner.

- Cloth training pants create less waste compared to disposable pull-ups. You can rest easy knowing that at least you’re not adding to landfills—and having to take the trash out less, perhaps.

- The initial investment in cloth pants is significantly higher, but they can save money in the long run since you can reuse over and over

And cons?

- Cloth training pants necessitate a lot of laundry, as if you’re not already doing enough as a toddler parent. Not only does this up your energy bill, but it also takes a lot of energy from you (which, if any to spare… how? what’s your secret? please share).

- They aren’t as absorbent as most disposable pull-up style diapers and training pants on the market. So if you’re in for a longer outing or thinking about overnights, you could be facing some leaks and blowouts with these.

Take that for what you will, but if you decide cloth isn’t for you, you’re in luck. That’s exactly why we created our disposable pull-up style diaper, The Pant.

We hear a lot that parents love that it looks and feels more similar to underwear than a diaper might, but still has that trusty high absorbency you may want as your kid gets bigger (and so do the accidents).

And your little one will like feeling like a ‘big kid’ since they can pull them up and down by themselves. Three cheers for independence!

So here’s where we send you off, wishing you good luck and safe travels on your potty training journey. And if you try The Pant, we hope you love it (and we always welcome your love letters, thoughts, ideas, and feedback).