Night time accidents are frustrating for mothers and children alike, and they can be an issue long after day training has been achieved. This is the case with Susanna, our 4-year-old. Over the past year we’ve tried a lot of different solutions:

• Disposable pull-ups: They work but it’s money down the drain. In just 6 months we spent almost $100 and now they are sitting in a trash heap.
• Cloth trainers: They are reusable, but not absorbent enough for night time.
• Pocket diapers: At 4 years old, every diaper we own is too small for her. Even the brands I consider to be very roomy are not big enough and dig into her legs badly, causing pain and discomfort.

We have found a solution for Susanna with Super Undies. Great company name, don’t you think? We received a pair of Nighttime Undies to try out in exchange for an honest review.

Based on Susanna’s age, weight and measurements, we chose Size 2 with cotton as the absorbent material. Super Undies surprised us with the pretty “Rainbow Bright” print:

Super Undies nighttime pants are made with four layers of absorbent fabric inside (choose cotton or microfiber), water-resistant fleece leg and waistbands and a fully waterproof PUL outer layer. Sizes go from 1 (age 3) to 4 (ages 9-10+), but for the best fit you should go by their sizing chart. Prices start at $29.95 each.

Inside of the pants you’ll find a soft mesh pocket which is open at both ends. There’s a partially-attached soaker pad which you tuck inside the pocket. To help guard against leaks, you can see how the absorbent cotton insert (when tucked in the pocket) does not touch the leg openings or waistband.

I prepped the pants 3 times before use since we chose cotton.

PERFORMANCE: Susanna is average and about 3/4 of the time, the pants have done a great job at holding everything in. Over several weeks of testing, she’s only over-saturated them 2 times, and that was on nights where she either drank more than usual or slept in later. With that in mind, I have now started adding a small doubler in the pocket, whether or not she’ll actually need it.

I’m impressed that they have worked so well “as is,” without any additional absorbency. If you have a heavy wetter Super Undies recommends adding a doubler to the pocket (my personal recommendation is hemp). Keep in mind that when you stuff an extra insert into the pocket it will make them fit a little tighter so they won’t pull up and down as easily.

The majority of the time, the insert has not agitated out on it’s own in the wash. I don’t like pulling the soaked insert out of the pocket with my fingers so I’ve just laundered the pants with the insert still in the pocket. I asked Super Undies about this and was assured that it will get sufficiently clean while still tucked in the pocket, since it is only a few layers thick and only partially attached. For a boy, it might be more likely to pop out on its own since you would likely be folding the insert in half and positioning it more up front.

FITt: With cotton inside, the pants shrank a little after prepping so I’m glad we bought size 2.  Susanna is 4 years old and around 40 pounds. She’s on the curvy side so I wanted to make sure the trainers were not constricting.

Susanna wears “real” underwear all day. So when we first put these on her response was “They’re too puffy.” I explained that they were thicker than underwear to help keep her bed dry. She accepted this, and then told me that the Super Undies were very soft and the rainbow colors were pretty. After that initial objection, she hasn’t been averse to wearing them at all. In fact, when bedtime rolls around and her Super Undies are still in the wash, she will say “Mama, I need my rainbow pants.” She puts them on herself at night and removes them in the morning. The only thing she will sometimes need help with is smoothing out the insert at the back opening of the pocket.

I like that there are no snaps on the hips. This was a big problem with other trainers and diapers I’ve tried to squeeze onto Susanna. They would dig into her skin really badly. Since she is a veteran learner, we don’t have to worry about #2 messes, so the need for size snaps (usually important to me) is a moot point. Plus, the lack of snaps help make Super Undies look less like a diaper. This can be important psychologically for an older child like Susanna who continues to wet at night.

That the Super Undies pants are bulkier than your typical cloth trainer is something I would expect. After all, they are meant to last all night, a daunting task. And if all you and your child have experienced are ultra-thin disposables, then naturally there will be some adjustment. As long as the pants fit and keep the sheets dry, I’m happy. It’s a plus that Super Undies colors and prints offered aren’t babyish at all and appeal to toddlers and older children.

Personally, I think these pants are very cute and look forward to picking out a few more for her.

DURABILITY: Here’s the Super Undies warranty: “We are committed to making a product that will stand the test of time. Our standard warranty covers all parts of the garment for 60 days, but beyond that Super Undies services their products. Pertinent pieces of the Super Undies pants can be repaired free of charge for the life of the product.” The only change I’ve noticed after washing and using our Super Undies are loose threads/fringe around the edges of the cotton soaker. But it hasn’t affected performance, and nothing is coming loose.

VALUE: With the $100 we spent on disposable pull-ups, I could have bought 3 pairs of Super Undies and saved myself (and Susanna) a lot of time and hassle. Changing and washing sheets every day gets really old! Lesson learned. I will be adding a few more to our stash (just found two of them on a cloth diaper swap site today), because I have two more children (Erik and Ingrid) to go. The investment will be well worth it. If the price still seems daunting, then you might try starting with just one pair and then add one or two more over time, or do like I did and buy used. Compared with other nighttime pants on the market, Super Undies are priced very fairly.

You can purchase Super Undies directly from their website. Follow on Facebook for news, sales and promos!

Giveaway CLOSED Super Undies is giving away one pair of nighttime pants in a gender neutral color. Winner chooses size. Enter to win below and good luck!