Months ago the cloth diaper world got great news when a few companies announced that they would be making reusable cloth trainers!  The trainer market already had a few but most were pretty clunky and even fewer were nice to look at.  GroVia is ahead of the style curve in cloth diaper land so I knew they wouldn’t disappoint.  I got my first in person peek at the GroVia My Choice Trainer when I attended ABC Kids Expo.  I was even more impressed with their function and style when I got to handle them in person.  My initial concerns included the sizing (would they get small enough for a baby who is potty training younger than the average American baby), the absorbency level (but you can add more to the pocket opening when needed), and how waterproof the side Flex Panels would be.  I’ve been able to test the My Choice on my 3.5 year old who is day trained but needs a trainer at night.  My review is obviously not a full review for this reason so please keep that in mind.

Ease of Use ✩✩✩✩✩ These trainers are truly easy up and down just like a disposable Pull Up. If your child can pull up pants or underwear unnassisted then they will likely be able to do the same with the My Choice. My son is older than when many babies would begin thir potty training adventure but he has no trouble with this (you can view him pulling them up himself in the video). The Side Flex panels make this process simple and easy, giving the young child a real sense of independence versus a diaper. For the parent, you can also easily pull them up for your child. If there is a big OOPS and your child makes a solid mess in the trainer then you won’t have to smear it down the leg. Unsnap both sides of the trainer and it comes off like a diaper. There is a 1 step rise that snaps down but this is simple to do and will only need to be done for a fitting, not every change.
Bang for the Buck ✩✩✩✩ The My Choice Trainer is $18.99 and GroVia is one of those brands that most coupons and sales won’t apply to so you can only get a “deal” if GroVia is running a special or if you find one used. In the grand scheme of things, if you go with reusable trainers in lieu of daytime pull-ups and you buy a handful then you will easily save money over pull-ups. There are cheaper trainers on the market but these make great trainers for outings because they are so easy on and off, which is the point of a trainer, yes?
Performance ✩✩✩ This is where it gets tricky. Everyone’s idea of what a trainer should do varies. Your expectations are based on your child’s needs as well. If you need a night time trainer for a full wetting (or more) than this isn’t for you. This trainer is really good for daytime outings for a child who still has accidents. It is good for daycare or pre-school as well when a child is MOSTLY potty trained. It is good for around the house when learning the potty. But overnight we had leaks almost everytime due to the side flex panels. Even after adding absorbency in the form of microfiber doublers or hemp inserts some moisture would make it out via the side. There isn’t a lot of area coverage there, so even though the panels have a hidden layer of TPU it wouldn’t work for us. Is that a deal breaker? Only if you need a trainer for overnight and the child is wetting the bed (not just having a small miss). Trainer is a word that is used for any up and down diaper but they are all designed differently and for different purposes. I find this a daytime trainer from my use.
Fit ✩✩✩✩ We reviewed the 1T-3T and this fit both of my children on the snapped down rise. Everett isn’t using them quite yet but they do fit his chunky belly and my super skinny 3.5 year old, which is perfect! The next size up goes up to 5T so there is a wide range or sizes. The trainer never left any red marks and the side panels were super soft on their skin. I love that there were no snaps exposed to their skin.
Overall: The design of the My Choice is very aesthetically pleasing to me. I don’t think having the colorful side panels to switch out is something that will make a younger child get excited. I like the color options and the way they look and I’m the one with the money, so there is that. They do look like real underwear for the most part so if your child has an aversion to “diapers” these could work.  The GroCool layer was a nice addition.  It lets the baby feel wet and this can expedite potty training.  I also liked that I could see the wetness so I could know he went to the bathroom, which would also be useful!
Where to Buy:

I am getting serious about potty learning now.  I started ECing (elimination communication- practicing infant “potty training” by reading a baby’s cues and catching eliminations) my son when he was 6 months old on a part time basis.  In the beginning we were excited about it and sometimes went a whole day with no wet diapers.  But I got busier in life and my son got busier and would rather play than sit on the potty and hang out with me.  We still did it, sometimes 1-3 times a day, and sometimes we would go days or weeks between using a potty.  To me, EC wasn’t an all or nothing thing.  The reason I wanted to EC was to save myself a few diapers of washing and to introduce my son to the potty at a young age to avoid that fear some children have.

At 18 months old my son is definitely not afraid to use the potty.  He has still not shown any signs before he needs to go.  He doesn’t tell me or sign, or go to the potty beforehand.  I am still reading his cues and going by patterns.

He pees after he wakes for the day and after naps.  He pees before his bath.  He poops after breakfast and dinner (usually).  I put him on the potty those times when I can.  I can tell he needs to poop when he passes gas.  If I wait for the “poop face” or grunting it is too late…. the deed is halfway or totally done.

My son practicing being diaper free. You may be able to see the pee in the potty.

Some people might think I am trying too early.  I see it as making him more aware of his bodily functions.  Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view) my son cares nothing about being wet or sitting in poop.  He would wear the same diaper all day with no complaints.  This makes it harder.  If he was bothered by those things I would assume he would be more interested in using the potty.

To me it is worth the extra effort.  The age for potty training is getting older and older.  I want my son to be on the younger end.  This means less laundry for me.  My son benefits by not having to wear diapers anymore.  He could also play in the Ikea playroom!

Even as I write this I wonder if I am crazy.  Running my son to the potty every time he passes gas…. but it is working for our family.  Even if it takes months of this before he begins telling me he needs to potty, I will still do it.  Plus, not having to spray a poopy diaper is a benefit I can live with.

Tomorrow I will be posting a list of cloth trainers, similar to my swim diaper post, so stay tuned!