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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

How long did you stay home...

80 replies

titsmcghee43 · 09/01/2025 22:41

...when potty training?

Planning on starting with my 2 year 9 month old in the next few days but feeling a bit overwhelmed with the prospect of staying home for days on end. We try to get out once a day even if just for a walk. She also won't nap unless in the car or buggy so I know it's going to be testing on a number of levels.

Also the fact that I'll have to watch her like a hawk so won't actually be able to get on with anything at home like tidying or cleaning while she'd usually be playing within earshot, because I'll have to be with her and checking she's not secretly pissing anywhere lol.

How did you navigate leaving the house when you were in the early stages? I'm feeling quite dismal about it all but I know it has to be done.

OP posts:

Anni23 · 10/01/2025 07:44

We didn’t use any method or stay home much but I was sure he was ready and I think that was key. He was almost 2.5 and had done some wees in the potty already. We read ‘No More Nappies’ a lot and got some potty training sticker books before starting.

Started on a Saturday afternoon (so could go out in the morning), nappy and pants off and stickers for going on potty. Stayed home Sunday morning doing the same and then went out and about as normal! He did get poorly on the Monday so I put nappies back on for a day or so but straight off when he was well. It was half term so he was home in the week but was fully potty trained within the week and by the time he went back to nursery.

A portable potty was a life saver for going out. Nappies for nap time for a while too (as often naped in car) but now only at night.

Fontainebleau007 · 10/01/2025 07:53

I stayed home with mine for a couple of days at most.

NatalieH2220 · 10/01/2025 07:53

We stayed in for the weekend then back to normal on the Monday. My two picked it up easily and that was enough, day 1 no clothes, day 2 pants only and day 3 fully dressed. I had a carry potty for the car and when we went out initially whilst they were learning to be able to hold for longer periods but otherwise were at nursery so had a toilet nearby. Once we started they only used pull ups for bed and naps although naps were a rareity by 2.5.

Monsterstogo · 10/01/2025 08:05

I took a week off just before 2.5. We started over the weekend and then we had a couple of short trips out in the day and I took the potty everywhere Later in the week we went to London and went to a restaurant! A successful week off and eventually she refused to wear nappies at bed a few months later. She had a few accidents but generally fine.

I think 10 years ago people in our area were more around the 2.5 age due to fears of UTIs but I think people are potty training earlier again now. Trends change!

Menton1 · 10/01/2025 08:25

I followed the Oh Crap method, which is just bare below the waist for a couple of days at home and then trousers with no pants on. It took my 2.9 year old, 1 day to get the hang of it. My just turned 2 year old took 3 days of lots of accidents, then suddenly mastered it on day 4.

Get a sticker chart from Amazon. Good luck, I thought it was going to be a lot harder but it really wasn’t bad. Pooing is the tricky bit 😅

MinorGodhead · 10/01/2025 08:29

I don’t remember staying home at all. I think leaving it till he was absolutely ready was key, because he got it immediately. I think he had one accident, ever, and was also dry at night within a day or two of starting — I was quite taken aback it was so effortless! We did it when he was about two and a half — in October, when he was going to turn three the following April.

Pointpoint · 10/01/2025 08:29

For the first few days I made an alarm on my phone every hour to try for a wee which helped me be able to get on with some chores while they played / not watch them all the time.

Then I used a porta potty outside the house, we didn’t use it often but it’s handy to keep in the back of the car / beach trips etc

Thewholeplaceglitters · 10/01/2025 08:33

I didn’t stay home at all - 2dc, both potty trained before 2.5.

I have always insisted on ‘travel wees’ ie go to the loo before we go out and on the first couple of outings planned where we were so I could sit them on the loo every 30 mins or so. Never carried a travel potty around or went back to pull ups etc. I appreciate mine trained pretty easily / were ready (dc 2 was dry at night before age 2). But it is easy to overthink it as well.

BeensOnToost · 10/01/2025 08:36

We just got on with things and packed for accidents. When using the pushchair I put a towel in there - you can probably get a waterproof one. You can get absorbent pants now which might be helpful on car journeys. We just tended to avoid places where we didn't know where the toilets were or could get to them quickly, like shopping centres.

We also always tried for a wee on the toilet before going out and initially did short trips.

crumblingschools · 10/01/2025 08:40

Think we used pull ups for journeys in the car for the first few days and at nursery (quite a long commute to nursery) and had a portable potty for trips nearer to home.

Took about a week to be pretty reliable and reasonable time period between wees (first couple of days seemed to wee every 5 minutes!)

Nighttime was longer but I know that can be down to hormones, so had to have pulls up then as was about 5 before reliably dry at night

HPandthelastwish · 10/01/2025 08:44

Well most people pee on a schedule
They wake up, you sit them on the toilet and read them a story.

They have breakfast and a drink and you sit them on the toilet 30 mins later.

You sit them on the toilet every 2 hours and 30 mins after meals and drinks, before you leave the house, before you leave the venue, when you get home, before they go to bed

Eventually they get a habit and you'll know when they go and she'll start recognizing the signs. I did this alongside pull ups the rest of the time and she declared herself "a big girl and no more nappies" when she was ready at 2.5 years.

The type of potty mattered though, she didn't like the hard plastic ones and had a padded seat with it's own little staircase / attached step stool on the toilet. And a folding one that goes over a public toilet seat to make it smaller - this was a pain though Asif it moved as you put heron it it sometimes pinched the back of her thigh.

Didimum · 10/01/2025 08:52

Stayed at home 4-5 days with my twins, doing them both together. They were always 2yrs 9 months. Did Oh Crap method. Worked great for them both.

‘Readiness’ is by and large a myth. And don’t sit them on the potty on a schedule, as it interferes with their ability to tell that they need to go.

makingdecisionsforme · 10/01/2025 09:05

Just one day on the Friday. On Saturday DC did a poo on potty and then a wee, so we went for a walk around the block and later on in the afternoon a longer walk. Sunday we went to Santa's grotto and a roast!

LoveBluey · 10/01/2025 09:08

With my first we stayed home for 3 days and then did short trips out.
With my second I had to do school runs and after school activities and other errands so didn't have that luxury so we just carried on as usual.
It did take a bit longer but I think that was because she didnt have my undivided attention in the way my first did. But still got there and we've only had a couple of accidents while out and about (and they weren't in the first few weeks!)

Original poster

titsmcghee43 · 10/01/2025 09:09

Started it this morning with a bare bum which I'm not overjoyed about as it's freezing! Tried popping her on the toilet a few times but nothing yet. She seems a bit afraid of it but I don't know if it's just because it's something new.

OP posts:

Motherbear44 · 10/01/2025 09:19

titsmcghee43 · 10/01/2025 09:09

Good for you for starting. It must be scary when you are suddenly held over a hole.

I gained empathy for children toilet training after my second. I felt my insides had been kicked about - and when I sat on the loo I felt like I had no idea which muscles to use to open my bladder and bowels. I genuinely had to get used to a different sensation for a while. Obviously children potty training do not have pain, but they are changing from opening bowels and bladder against a soft surface to doing it in what seems like mid air. It is different. Most get it quickly.

Make sure you praise success and say “never mind” when there are accidents. If you are consistent and still like this in a week you need to come back for more discussion.

B0xes · 10/01/2025 09:22

I went no nappies and then just had extra pants socks and bottoms and went about normal life. What I did do was set an alarm on my phone and take them to the toilet to "try" every half hour or so, if we were going somewhere or leaving, take them to the bathroom to try and they'd usually go then and it minimised accidents. Never looked back was very quick

LazyArsedMagician · 10/01/2025 09:32

I started mine off at about that age and they were constantly wetting, so abandoned it. Tried again a couple more times; same. At 3y 1m, got it. Could obviously identify the feeling of needing to go, so went instead of wetting pants.

Then it was just a case of very strategic trips out - I had potty training twins, a baby, and no car.

user2848502016 · 10/01/2025 09:41

A day or two when they were getting the hang of it. Then start going out with a potty or portable toilet seat, you can use a pull up for naps or the car to begin with.
Both mine were trained within 5 days so never had lots of accidents. Wait until they're ready and it's easy.

Original poster

titsmcghee43 · 10/01/2025 10:09

Well I left her on her own for two minutes while I put some washing in and when I came back there was a poo in the potty! Still no wees yet but I am pleasantly surprised for the first few hours!

OP posts:

TipsyKoala · 10/01/2025 10:15

Didn't stay home at all. We just made sure we had lots of spare pants and clothes, and encouraged the use of the potty before going out/getting in a car seat etc. We also had a fold up toilet seat insert so didn't carry around a potty. Even now my kids (8 and 10) will wait until they are desperate for the toilet before admitting that they actually need to go so don't expect too much notice from a toddler in telling you when they need to go.

justkeepswimmng · 10/01/2025 10:41

Never stayed at home, never ever wore pullups as they are the exact same as nappies so zero point..

Get puppy pads for car seats/prams.

Buy loads of cheap pants and leggings/joggers and keep them with you when you go out.

Original poster

titsmcghee43 · 10/01/2025 10:58

Ah, just had a wee on the floor but she did tell me straight after.

OP posts:

MrTumblesSpottyHag · 10/01/2025 11:12

We didn't stay home at all, they were both ready and had very few accidents out and about. Taught them to do wild wees very early on as we were always out in the country side on walks!

Annettecurtaintwitcher · 10/01/2025 11:16

No time. Just used pull ups until they were ready to go without. Why make things harder for yourself?

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