Real Mom Talk: How potty training affects laundry

Potty training, for us, means instantly less diaper laundry. Hooray! The potty training toddler is still having accidents, but it is definitely a huge difference to have only one baby in cloth when I was accustomed to two. I’m no longer having to run loads of laundry and stuff pockets late into the night because I’ve run out of diapers. Occasionally, the diaper pail wet bag is actually full before I run out of diapers!

While I’m really enjoying less urgency in washing my stash, I’ve also learned from the more experienced cloth diaper mamas that I have to be careful. Did you know that leaving dirty diapers (poop or pee, pre-sprayed or not) unwashed for more than 2 days can leave permanent smell in the cloth? I don’t want to lose any of my stash, so I have to keep a close eye on how long it has been since I washed last.

The potty learning child is doing much better with pee, but I have to say that pooping in the potty isn’t going so well. He likes to use his underwear, if you know what I mean. This is how I discovered a lesser-known use for the diaper sprayer. Did you know that it works just as well for toddler underwear? I can’t imagine what parents without diaper sprayers do for poop accidents. It can be really difficult to get things cleaned up! If you haven’t been convinced about diaper sprayers and you’re approaching potty training time - it’s not too late! The diaper sprayer will come to the rescue yet again.

These pants fit when I bought them, I promise!

Another unforeseen effect of a toddler wearing underwear: looser fitting pants! It is now that I realize the adorable fluffy cloth diaper bottom was holding up some of his pants. In his slim-fitting racecar underwear, he’s often sporting the pants-hanging-below-the-bottom look so popular with some teenagers. In fact, one of the pairs of swimming trunks I bought for him in spring now falls right off as soon as he gets into the water. So here’s a heads-up from me - potty training from cloth diapers might mean a new pants wardrobe for boys!

Overall, I'm really enjoying the laundry changes. Well, I could do without the poop accidents, I guess...

How about you? How has potty training changed your laundry routine?
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Jenny Bradford is a mom to two cotton babies, Little Sir born Oct. 2009, and Little Lady, born Feb. 2011. She lives in the Dallas, TX area with her husband, Christian, and can be found at Conscientious Confusion - a blog about living consciously, which often encompasses: green living, natural health, conscientious consumerism, cloth diapering, and living frugally.