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Is your child ready for potty training at nursery? Here's the place for all your toilet training questions.

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Is your child ready for potty training at nursery? Here's the place for all your toilet training questions.

Potty training

First week of potty training, not a single poo in potty/loo, should I give up?!?

32 replies

GlummyMummy · 10/04/2017 19:39

My daughter is nearly 3 and we just started potty training, day 4 today. We seem to have nailed the pees, dry pants every day, though she does drink very little (but that's another story!) and she isn't asking to go, I'm just taking her every 30mins-1 hour......so maybe "nailed" isn't exactly right!😂

On the poo front, it's another story. I've basically not let her out my sight, following her around looking for tell tale signs of poo coming but she's managed to do it in her pants every day, and still not got her to do it in the toilet or potty. And while I'm on my hands and knees cleaning up poo, she's getting excited and asking for her sticker and treat for going!

Does this suggest she's not ready and we should give up for now? Anyone any tips on how to deal with the poo problem?

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Wolfiefan · 10/04/2017 19:40

Sometimes they get used to pooing standing up and find it hard to sit on the toilet. Raising feet up can make it easier.

GlummyMummy · 10/04/2017 19:58

That makes sense Wolfie, certainly when she's been doing it in her pants she's been up running about. She's just going so quickly so we have no warning or time to prepare/grab potty/pull pants down!

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BellyBean · 10/04/2017 20:06

I'm in a similar position to you, op, so no pearls of wisdom, sympathies! DD is recently 3 and happy doing wees on the potty, but never a poo.

I don't think there's a magic bullet. I've been taking her upstairs whenever she poos, getting her to fetch a pair of clean pants from her drawer, then cleaning her up in the bathroom, wash her hands etc. Taking my time, whilst saying, where does poo go? Just think, if you'd done it in the potty you'd be playing again by now.

She's always seemed surprised when she poos, caught one because she was doing smelly farts and had her sit on the potty for a while just in case, but not usually much of a sign. Good luck!

Sadly not sure nursery would be happy cleaning pants 1-3 times a day so pull ups x4 days and pants when she's home with me.

BellyBean · 10/04/2017 20:10

My view is she'll never 'get it' if she stays in nappies, so pants it is. I give her the choice and she'll usually choose pants so we're persevering.

I have a bucket by the washing machine with hand wash powder and water, bung all th dirty clothes in there and do a short wash at the end of each day. No swilling pooey pants this way.

GlummyMummy · 10/04/2017 20:15

Thanks Belly Bean, that sounds just like us!!! How long have you been trying the potty training? Does your daughter tell you she needs to wee?

Thank goodness the weather is good just now as I'm doing 4 loads of washing a day!

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teaandbiscuitsforme · 11/04/2017 08:59

Have you tried no knickers? Apparently underwear can give them the feeling of security like they're wearing a nappy so they feel like it's ok to poo. We followed the Oh Crap potty training book which recommended no knickers for the first few weeks. She also recommends raising their feet to make it easier to go.

GlummyMummy · 11/04/2017 09:31

Not tried that tea and biscuits, mainly because it's not been that warm! Plus when she has pooped over the last few days, it's been during the only hour of the day we've actually been out so she's obviously been fully dressed! Maybe I just have to not leave the house at all!

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teaandbiscuitsforme · 11/04/2017 14:11

Sorry, I meant no knickers but wearing trousers. I definitely wouldn't have done no bottoms at all for 3 weeks!

GlummyMummy · 11/04/2017 18:34

Haha!!! Yes, tried just trousers no pants, she still poops in them! Today we've not let her out our sight, had her on the potty most of the day, constantly on poop watch and what do you know, I let her play for 5 minutes by herself after tea and she pooped herself! No idea what else to try!!!!! 😭

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GlummyMummy · 11/04/2017 18:53

Meant to say, the frustrating thing is we know she can poo in the toilet as she surprised us before Christmas by asking to get out her bath and use the loo. Potty training attempt didn't happen at that time but she did do it in the toilet a few times then

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BellyBean · 11/04/2017 20:14

It's been 3 weeks I think, did 4 days, then it's been the long weekends since. We had quite a steep challenge as she was v opposed to the potty, politely saying no thank you and holding wees for up to 7 hours at first.

So we've got to the stage where she's willing to wee if I ask and she says she got one, but not at all reliably being proactive. Not sure about nursery.

Scared to try just trousers, at least pants keep the mess contained!

GlummyMummy · 11/04/2017 20:39

Was that your first attempt at potty training? It's hard going isn't it? I find I've got fixated on it already, the last four days I've spent all day waiting for her to poo, it's like I can't relax until it's done, then when she does go I just get stressed out about her pooping her pants and the resulting cleanup! Baffles me that she just doesn't get it at the age of nearly 3 when other kids I know potty trained themselves in a week aged 2!

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GlummyMummy · 16/04/2017 20:36

BellyBean, how are things progressing? We've had a few poos in the toilet but still regular accidents in her pants. Long way to go. She shouted me downstairs this morning saying "I did it! I did my poo Mummy" but it was in her pants!!! Seems to think as long as she flushes it down the loo after, it's ok to do it in her pants! 😞

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BellyBean · 17/04/2017 09:05

Still no poos in the potty. Driving me slightly insane. We're having the occasional break from pants, I'm 25wks pregnant and sometimes find it all too much! She's just not interested.

freakydancer · 17/04/2017 09:27

Have you read 'Oh Crap'? It's really good. Very simple to follow and we had great success with it.

She advocates going bare bottom - totally naked from the waist down - for a few days til they get it. We did this and just stayed home with the heating cranked up and lots of games to play.

It's the feeling of needing to go they need to start recognising, so putting them on the potty every 30 mins won't really work, you need to wait for the sign (dance/red face) or the beginning of a wee/poo and then put them on so they get the connection. If that makes sense. If they're naked and you're watching them (you have to watch a lot) it's easier to spot.

We did 2 days naked, 4 weeks in joggers and no pants and then we were away. Though obvs there are occasional accidents! Never a poo one though.

Good luck. I felt like it took over my life for a few weeks! But we got there eventually!

GlummyMummy · 17/04/2017 20:07

Have heard a few people talking about that book, will have a look for it, thanks. The issue we have is that there aren't really signs the poo is coming, it just comes on her very quickly !!!

Oh dear BellyBean, it's hard if they're not interested , can understand why you might want to give up. Maybe after new baby comes you can explain that you need the nappies for new baby etc?

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Theycalledmethewildrose · 17/04/2017 20:11

I'm in the same position. I find it terribly frustrating. My DD has used the potty less than three times successfully in over two weeks but for the most part is fine for peeing and is mostly dry at night.

GlummyMummy · 17/04/2017 20:17

It is frustrating wildrose. My daughter is dry for pees through the day, though not at night, but has only done two poos in the potty in 10days, the rest have been in the pants, and she doesn't seem to understand what she should be doing. I'm at my wit's end!

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Theycalledmethewildrose · 17/04/2017 21:54

My DD is the same. She seems totally oblivious to poo - before she has done it and after!

beela · 17/04/2017 22:02

My DS was dry, day and night, within a fortnight, at 2.5. However, it took over 6 months to sort out the poos (he used to ask for a nappy, put it on, do the poo, back to pants).

Dd is 3 in 2 weeks and is showing no inclination at all to potty train but that's another story.

He'll get there.

beela · 17/04/2017 22:03

She, sorry!

GlummyMummy · 18/04/2017 17:41

At what point did you all find your child was telling you they needed to go, rather than you taking them to the toilet?

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Theycalledmethewildrose · 18/04/2017 23:24

Today we stayed in all day and she told me she was going to use the potty and she did! Success! I made a big deal out of it, she got a little present. I'm not going to count my chickens as she said she was going to use it earlier today and she sat on it for ages before making wind! I'm not sure she really 'gets' it.

Tomorrow we have to leave the house. I think I will bring her potty with me with some anti bacterial wipes as she is definitely more comfortable using it.

GlummyMummy · 19/04/2017 07:43

At least she's recognising the need WildRose, that's definitely worth a present! It's easier in the house as you can just watch them like a hawk, but out the house is harder as they're easily distracted by other kids etc.

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Sweetpotatoaddict · 19/04/2017 07:51

My ds is the same however he's asking for a pull up when he's going to do a poo so we're just going with that at the moment. We'll figure out a tactic for getting poos in the potty at some point, or more than likely he will in his own time.
He's dry 90% of the time won't ask for a wee but he pretty obvious when he needs as he dances holding himself.

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