Potty training a camel!

[Loops81]

We're three days into potty training our 2.5 y/o and it's going well in some ways - she understands what the potty is for, has had a couple of successful weeks in it each day and only one accident. The problem is she is a camel! She can go hours without weeing, and holds it in till she's absolutely bursting, despite us sitting her on the potty, reading, singing, whatever, at regular intervals when we can see she needs to go. I'm trying to give her lots of fluids but she mainly just sips things. I know she will go eventually, but because she's still having a big afternoon nap she tends to just do a lot of wee and poo in her nappy then, or overnight. I feel this is going to be a verrrrry slow process. Has anyone else had an experience like this - how did you get them to stop holding it in?!

[Sanch1]

She might not be holding it she might just not wee often. My youngest was like this but she's been trained a year now and still only goes a couple times a day. It may be normal for her.

[NannyR]

I've just trained one like this - what worked for us was buying some squash that she didn't normally have, so it was a bit of a novelty and filling my water bottle up at the same time and having a competition to see who could drink the most. She got the hang of it in the end and she still only wees two or three times a day.

[Doje]

I had one like this! I made the mistake of giving him a straw to drink with (a novelty in our house). He then weed every time I left the room!

I changed tac after that, no more straws. He wouldn't need a wee all morning - I made him wee before nap, and after nap,and then before bedtime. This way was fine - very few accidents. Why make them need a wee of they don't normally need to?!

[Loops81]

I'm fine with her not weeing loads, it's just that after a while I can see she needs to go (she's hopping around holding herself) but she holds it in for as long as possible. I'd love her to go before/after naps etc, but she just won't unless she's popping. I suppose it's early days and she will get used to knowing her own signals - I'm clearly going mad in the double lockdown of Covid + potty training!

[WorryWartOne]

@Loops81 how’s it going now? We’re on day 5 and my DD (almost 3) is exactly the same as yours... hopping around with her legs crossed but then sitting on the potty for half an hour with nothing happening! She says ‘the wee’s not coming!!’ All upset and anxious sounding 😬 She just wee’d in her bedtime nappy whilst asleep and the shock of it woke her up 🤦🏻‍♀️

Any tips or advice gratefully received!

[Loops81]

@WorryWartOne it's going well now for wees at least! We realised she is really just super stubborn and so decided to just back off, respect when she said no or wait for her to tell us (knowing that even if she had an accident that would be part of the learning process). Although I think what really got her was saying very casually, like we didn't care either way, that she couldn't go to the park with her sister until she had been for a wee... same for putting on her beloved Elsa dress - of course she couldn't bear to miss out. Also lots of praise and a gold star when she went. Gradually, over a week or more, she started going whenever we took her to the potty and now tells us when she needs to go. However, she has yet to poo in the potty, just goes like clockwork in her naptime nappy every day! She'll get there when she needs to though. I hope some of that helps - it's so frustrating when you know they're bursting! Good luck!