To ask advice on what steps to take now?

[Toomanycarsontheroad]

I’ve been potty training DS for 2 months now, and we are making very limited progress if any. I contacted the HV team who said to keep going but still not getting anywhere (he’s 3.)

After 5 wet accidents today my washing machine and sanity may give up. I’m wondering if I should contact a GP or am I just being daft and anxious mum & leave for a while and if so how long?

Is he 3 years 0 months or 3 years 11 months?

I would leave it for a bit. You might have more luck as the weather gets warmer in spring/summer and it’ll be easier then too

People say this about it being warmer - what does it mean? In respect of laundry?

He’s 3 years 3 months so closer to 3 than 4. So that’s something. Just worried as everyone else I know seems to be trained.

I was always advised try for 5 days and if it wasn't working to leave it and revisit again a month later.

What is the situation with nursery / childcare? Is there a hurry to train him?

DC1 started at a pre-school attached to a primary school just a week after his 3rd birthday and a prerequisite was he 'had' to be toilet trained. It put so much pressure on me and in turn on my poor little one. He was fully trained when he started there but it wasn't a natural experience to toilet train him. There were a lot of accidents and a lot of time just spent indoors taking him for wee's that never happened.

I was much more relaxed with DC2 but always found it easier to train in the warmer months.

DC3 is globally delayed so all bets were off. She eventually trained aged 5.5.

Warmer months = wearing less clothes (so easier access or you can even let the child go bottomless) it's also much easier to get them to sit on a toilet (or potty) when it's not freezing cold. Plus yes less washing if there are any accidents and you can even let them in the garden whilst training.

He’s no problem sitting on the toilet or potty just without taking him he wets and soils himself. He soils himself anyway. I know there’s probably no rush but just feel a bit horrorstruck at back to nappies after over 2 months in pants.

If he isn't getting it after 2 months, he isn't ready.

I would by all means ask the HV for advice but there is no shame in going back to pull ups for a period then trying again.

I think it's fine, have a break and try again in a few months? All sounds totally normal

Idea re weather is that they can run around with less on and quickly access the potty, or just poo on the grass in the case of my child 🤣

He’s only 3, give it a break for a bit. All of mine decided when they wanted to use the toilet (but not after me going through 3 months of despair with my eldest before giving up, putting her back in nappies and letting her decide). Second they decided they wanted to use the toilet that was them, they didn’t need taken every 20 mins etc. Made it a million times easier, some kids just need to be ready for it themselves.

How old though? I just can’t imagine going back to this - that’s what’s so off putting as I feel like if I go back to nappies now we’ll stay in them for years.

It's so hard this stage, especially when other parents seem to want to brag that little Jonny was trained at 18 months 🙄. My eldest was a nightmare, wasn't far off 4 before he stopped wetting!

My youngest was just over 3 when I started training and mastered it in 2 weeks, but he was definitely ready for it.

I'd leave it for a few months and come back to it. Could it be that you're anxious and its causing him to not progress? I think that my was my issue with my 1st, I just think he picked up on my stress over it.

It probably is the case now. I’ve tried to be positive and encouraging but I’ve just got so fed up with it I’ve started snapping and getting cross which I know won’t be helping at all.

Try pants & then a pull up over the top. They still have the sensation of wet / soiled underwear to act as a deterrent but it saves on washing! Good luck, he will get there in his own time x

My DS is almost exactly a year older. We tried over Christmas and it just didn't work. We tried again over Easter and that few months made all the difference. He trained within about 48 hours and has had about 4 accidents since.

Have you tried pull ups??? Then when he gets the urge to go it will be easier for him to. Don't give up it takes some children different times to get the hang of it

Leave it a month or so then try again. One of mine was 3 yrs, 6 months when we finally cracked it and was dry day and night within a couple of days once ready.