My son Nathaniel is 2-and-a-half and I've been trying to potty train him since before he was 2 with little success. He usually wears washable nappies - which firstly means he has to lie down to be changed and secondly, he knows when he is wet - so I was eager to try a pull-on disposable trainer pant to see how he coped.
The only time Nathaniel ever wears disposable nappies is when we go on holiday and I usually buy a brand name. However, after trialling Aldi's own-brand Mamia Comfy Up Pants, I would definitely buy and use them again – if needed – as there doesn't seem to be much compromise on durability and absorbency when compared with what is on offer for more money.
What we love
During the day, I didn't have to change Nathaniel as often as I thought I would, as the Aldi Mamia Comfy Up Pants were really absorbent and if he did show any signs of wanting to use the potty they were very quick and easy to get him out of.
As they are pull-ups, Nathaniel thought they resembled 'big boy's pants' and after the initial shock of not having to lie down to have his nappy changed and the reassurance that if he had an accident it would be all right as they weren't actually pants, he was quite happy to slip them on, and kept calling them “Nathaniel's pants”.
Being at the correct weight for the trainer pants helped, but they’re quite a good fit and I didn't find that I had to adjust them much once on. The elephant design and green and white styling make them a unisex buy, too.
At bath-times, Nathaniel felt very confident taking the trainer pants off by himself and almost couldn't wait to do it.
What to watch out for
The first night that Nathaniel wore the Comfy Up Pants, by morning he had sprung a leak and woke early. This didn't happen every night, but if your tot still has a bottle before bedtime it might be wise to try something different for night-time use.
Once, when I tried to reposition the pants on Nathaniel, the side tore. However, the tear-away side seams can make for an easier pant-change when your child poos.
I also found out too late that when Nathaniel did a poo in the pants, as he often did, the Comfy Ups didn't have the usual sticky tabs at the back that I could use to secure the nappy to dispose of it and contain the mess. Nappy bags are very handy when using these, as accidents will happen.
Who are the Aldi Mamia Comfy Up Pants best for?
Parents of toddlers wanting to move from a front-fastening nappy to an all-in-one pull-on version without breaking the budget.
The Aldi Mamia Comfy Up Pants are good budget-buy trainer pants that are easy to take off when your tot wants the potty. While they don’t offer the level of absorbency you could still need for night-time use, they’re well worth the price and a second purchase for day-time wear.
