Though traditional wisdom would tell us that potty training usually happens sometime after your baby turns 2 - and is wearing a size 2T or larger - that's not always the case. Sometimes, even after your baby is 2, she or he is still wearing an 18-month size. Sometimes, a baby just decides that he's ready to use the toilet well before he turns two.

Regardless of the situation, you have to decide what your baby will wear while they're potty training once you (or your baby) decides they're ready to get started potty training.

In our case, we wanted specific potty training underwear and found there's a real need for potty training underwear that will fit a smaller frame. Though mass-marketed styles like Gerber are widely available, out experience taught us that even the 2T was way too big for our daughter. Tipping the scale at around 19 pounds when she decided she was ready to train, we had to find a solution. That's when I was introduced to the Potty Patty and Potty Scotty training pants. What a wonderful product!

Please keep in mind that there is actually an entire Potty Patty toilet training system ... that is not what I'm here to review. I'm focused solely on the potty training underwear themselves. So, with that said, let's get on with it, shall we?

The Pros of the Potty Patty and Potty Scotty Training Underwear

Two different styles: A non-waterproof, all-cotton training pant and the 2-in-1 training pant which couples a thinner inner core with a PUL outer are both available to meet your training needs. Potty Patty also offers a rubber pant that is designed to be used with the all-cotton style if you so choose.

Both types have advantages, but only one comes in a size small enough to accommodate the youngest of potty trainers.

The all-cotton training pant is available in an extra small, which, according to the Potty Patty calculations, will fit a baby as small as 22 pounds. Based on baby clothes size "averages," this would put your baby somewhere in the neighborhood of 12-18 months of age. In our experience, these training underwear fit a baby even slightly smaller than that. Either way, for younger potty trainers, this size provides a fantastic fit.

On the other hand, the 2-in-1 training pant is available starting at a size small, and accommodates babies starting at 24 pounds - still within the 12-18 month age range, based on standard sizing.

Super-absorbent core: both styles feature an absorbent core and also give your child the sensation of being wet, which makes them uncomfortable enough (in most cases) that they'll want a change. And even without the PUL or rubber pant over the all-cotton style, I found the training underwear to be thick enough that accidents felt only slightly damp on the outside of the underwear.

Ease of use for independent babies: both styles are also extremely easy for babies to pull up and down. Stretchy elastic waistbands and leg holes give plenty of wiggle room.

Durability: anyone who's ever potty trained anyone knows that accidents will happen and frequent washing is often necessary. Even after many, many washings, these training underwear remain in great shop with no fraying, fading, or visible wear.

Trim Fit: particularly if you're a cloth-diapering family, these will seem trim as can be. When we moved from cloth diapers to these particular training underwear, we had to go back down a pant size because all of Ella's pants were too big in the waist.

The Cons of the Potty Patty and Potty Scotty Training Underwear

Price: if you've been shopping mass-market potty training underwear, you've probably been looking at Gerber because they're the most common and widely available brand. That means that the Potty Patty and Potty Scotty line is going to give you a little bit of sticker shock. Coming in around $10 per pair, it will be an investment to stock your baby's potty training arsenal with these. However, they are well worth the investment. Even after multiple washings, they still hold up extremely well. With a trim fit, these can be worn until your child transitions to "regular" underwear.
Styles: if you're looking for "cute" potty training underwear, these are not it. It's not that the Potty Patty system is ugly, it's just not filled with dinosaurs, trains, flowers, or cupcakes. In fact, the only thing it is filled with boy-cut underwear with the Potty Patty signature logo in red or the Potty Scotty logo in blue. In case you're wondering, this amounts to a cartoon character.
Availability: again, not mass-marketed, there are a few select places you can find the Potty Patty training underwear. Amazon, the Potty Patty website, and boutique retailers across the United States, Canada, and Australia. In short, if you think you'll skip in to your local baby store and grab a pair "just to try," you'll likely be out of luck.

Overall, the Potty Patty and Potty Scotty training underwear are some of the best I've seen. Yes, they're a little pricey, but if you look at my list of the best potty training underwear for babies, you'll see that these are actually quite affordable. Unfortunately, underwear for very early trainers seem to be a specialty item of sorts and are therefore just a bit more expensive. Plus, there's just more material in these which lessens the impact on actual clothing should there be an accident. To me, less baby laundry is always a good thing.