Family Forum / Parenting / Parenting / July 2004

Ds age 4 is down to only a diaper at night, and while previously a
regular heavy wetter, is waking up wet but not nearly as wet. We have
always used cotton diapers with him, only the occassional disposable, so
he is not very fond of the feel of disposables.

We're thinking a pull-up would give him some much needed independence in
the timeframe he is wearing the nighttime diaper. We fully understand
that he will stop wetting at night only when physicaly capable of either
holding the pee or waking up, so we're in no rush to push it. But a
pull-up will allow him to go to the toilet when he needs to without
assistance before he falls asleep, rather than calling us for help. And
in the morning, he could get himself up and changed into underpants
without a problem. He likes very mush being able to accomplish
independence in these areas, and with a newborn in the house, it would
certainly be a help for us!

Will any of the pull-ups  hold the amount of pee a doubled cotton diaper
can? Are there any along the lines of Tushies or other more "natural"
disposables, without the creepy gels and such, and that might not feel
as uncomfortable as he finds a disposable? I'm asking fo the moon here,
aren't I?!

Anyone from the camp of cloth usage have any recommendations? The diaper
service has some kind of cotton training pant, but it just looks like
glorified underwear to me. Maybe I need to just suck it up and accept
the creepy chemical pants for the time being?

Thanks in advance for any ideas and advice.

-Karen, mom to Henry 4 and William 2 1/2 months, still new-