Toilet training can be an expensive business.
What we do know, is that we do not want to be replacing a mattress on a regular basis, as the cost is too high. We need to stop the wee hitting the mattress, so I want to look at two options – pull-ups versus a Brolly Sheet. Which option is the most cost-effective?
For the purposes of this study, I have researched large chain supermarkets for an average price of one pull up in three different countries (researched in 2018).
- NZD = $1.45
- AUD = $1.35
- GBP = £0.42
- USA = $0.35
When you start the night-time toilet training process, there is no way of knowing how long it will take. I have outlined three different scenarios using my own three children as case studies, as all three were quite different both in their technique and length.
Let's start with my easiest child (when I say easiest, I am referring ONLY to toilet training) This was my middle child. As far as toilet training while sleeping went, she was reliably toilet trained after 1 month. In that period we had a good mix of dry nights with the wet ones, but given that there was no way to predict which nights were going to be wet or dry - every night had to be covered. So let's take a 31 night month:
- NZD = $44.95
- AUD = $41.85
- GBP = £13.02
- USA = $10.85
Not bad, however, I am not a gambler, and I also needed those day time sleeps covered, which means you can double that cost. All this for a pretty quick toilet trainer.
Case study number 2. This was my first child. This one we had a bit more energy for, and not as many years of sleep deprivation had set in, so we used the ‘lifting technique’, which meant we lifted her out of bed at about 10.30 – 11.00 at night and put her on the toilet. Was it successful? Well after 6 months she became reliably dry right through the night, whether this was because of the lifting - I guess that’s a matter of personal opinion. But for the purposes of this article, let's look at the cost. 6 months = 183 nights
- NZD = $265.35
- AUD = $247.05
- GBP = £76.86
- USA = $64.05
Again you can double that to include day time sleeps. The amount is starting to add up!
Case study number 3, co-incidentally reserved for my third child. My gorgeous little boy, he took a little longer than his sisters – 1 year, and another year of the occasional accident. We kept it up because there were periods of dry in between the wet, so there was always hope. 365 - 730 nights
- NZD = $529.25 – $1,058.50
- AUD = $492.75 - $985.50
- GBP = £153.30 - £306.60
- USA = $127.75 - $255.50
Do you want to double it? I sure don’t!
So there is your average cost of using pull-ups for varying lengths of time. Now let's look at the cost of a Brolly Sheet, that come in varying sizes:
- NZD = $46.95 - $51.95
- AUD = $41.95 - $47.95
- GBP = £24.95 - £31.95
- USA = $29.95
There is no need to apply these prices to the three case studies, as with a Brolly Sheet, it doesn’t matter how long your child takes to train, You just keep putting it in the wash after a wet night, or leave it in place if it’s a dry night.
There will be plenty of other things to spend your money on – save it where you can!
Have a look through some of our free downloads to help you along the way.
