Somebody has just started potty training at Zephyr Hill! Erik received a complimentary Smart Bottoms Lil Trainer in the guitar print, size small, to test out. He’s 2 years old, slim and short, and about 27 pounds. Here are the approximate weight ranges for the two sizes that Smart Bottoms offers:
Small – 20 lbs – 30 lbs
Large – 30 lbs – 45 lbs.
The trainer consists of a cotton print outer and 6 layers of organic cotton inside. There is a hidden layer of waterproof PUL in the wet zone to help catch a small accident. A snap-in pad is included. When there’s just a tiny leak, the pad can be washed and the trainer re-used. The pad can be removed as your child advances in his learning.
The Smart Bottoms Lil Trainer is available in four prints right now: Guitar, Polka Dot, Rainbow and Jungle Jane; the latter will be retired soon.
Since it’s made of cotton, you need to wash this trainer at least once before using; it will increase in absorbency after that. Keep in mind that The Lil Trainer is not a highly absorbent trainer. It’s only meant to contain a small accident. My favorite things about this trainer are the adorable style and the softness of the cotton. The elastics are very gentle and Erik is able to pull these pants up and down with a little bit of assistance. Because it snaps into the trainer at both the front and the back, the soaker stays in place at all times. It’s also a very well made trainer, with high-quality materials and durable construction. The retail price is $17.95 and you can buy at many online cloth diaper retailers. Inserts can also be purchased separately.
The only improvement I would suggest would be snaps at one side of the trainer, or both. Because it’s difficult to pull down when there’s a #2 mess, I put this trainer on Erik after he’s already done his “business” for the day. Most toddlers are pretty regular, so this is not difficult.
As far as sizing goes, the small has been almost perfect for Erik. I say almost because the rise is very low and starts to sag after he’s been wearing the trainer for any length of time. This seems to be a common issue with pull-up trainers that have elastic waists. They love to sag down just below the classicly round toddler tummy.
As mentioned before, he’s small for a two-year-old. You might size up to the large if you’re on the fence about the weight range. Because Erik’s legs are skinny, I opted for the small to make sure we got a good, snug fit in that area. Keep in mind when deciding on size that this trainer will shrink up about 10% when you first wash and dry.
It’s lower in the rise than other trainers (and diapers) so this helps it look and feel more like underwear.
In addition to the Lil Trainer, we’ve also tested out the Smart Bottoms Born Smart newborn AIO. Has your baby tried Smart Bottoms yet?
Love the review! We haven’t tried Smart Bottoms yet and didn’t know that they made trainers.
And there are still a few more things we need to try as well! ~Anne
Great review. Smart bottoms has great products. These are adorable. We were blessed to be able to receive a used pair just for the cost of shipping. Although he’s not quite ready to potty train we give it a go every other week.