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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Potty training this half term

22 replies

Hulababy · 23/01/2004 08:47

I am sure my 21mo DD has been ready for potty training for the past couple of months and now even more so. However, having never done it before, I could do with some advice before I start. I am planning on giving it ago at half term when I will be at home for most of the week and can just stay in with her, her pants and a potty.

Can anyone recommend a good, simple book to give me some clues? Is the GF Potty Training in a week any good (heard it mentioned on a thread before)? Never done GF before but willing to try anything that will work!

She wears Pulls Up now but I have been advised not to use them for training so I ahve some proper little training pants. Aren't they expensive?! Hope this is right after forking out for them.

I was also going to get some nice stickers for her and every time she manages to go on the potty let her have one - straight onto clothes as don't think she'll understand a chart.

What else do I need to know? I am sure MN can help out here....

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Epigirl · 23/01/2004 09:01

Hulababy, have just left a Sheffield question for you in 'chat' but that's another story.

Have started potty training 25 month old dd this week, am only on day 4 so far. I have gone stright to using normal (big girl's!) pants, cheap ones from Asda. I didn't follow any book but took advice from mumsnet and stayed in with dd, potty & pants as you suggest. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent cleaning wee up but yesterday she seemed to have grapsed that she needed to ask before the wee came and she had 8 or 9 successful potty wees and no accidents. Can only hope this continues.

I have also used stickers on clothes/hand and have bought a Teletubbies sticker book which she can stick a sticker into each time she has a success.

I must admit that, at the end of day 2 I was feeling very dismal that it would work but since yesterday...fingers crossed. I have felt very stuck in though as I am used to long walks out but I guess it will be worth it.

Don't know if this is of any use, hopefully so.

Original poster

Hulababy · 23/01/2004 09:12

Have answered the other thread now.

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking of getting her choose some big girl knickers of her own - maybe something with Tweenies or similar on as an incentive for her. I willl look out for a sticker book thing too in case she gets fed up of stickers on her top!

I will remember what you say about the Day 2 downer too. I felt a bit like that when we did CC recently but on day 3 it really improved. Hopefully this will be the same.

I have to wait till half term really so I can stay in more. Rest of time I work 3 days.

Good luck with your DD!

OP posts:

LIZS · 23/01/2004 09:50

which other thread Hula ?

May join you as plan to try with dd next week when my dm is here to help. Interestingly she does know when she has peed in her pull ups and will change herself whilst ds was never bothered. She will still poo in them but immediately head for the toilet to dispose of it and change herself.

We only used the cloth trainer pants for long journeys with ds - otherwise a straight transition. Buy plenty of pants I think we started with a nice pack of 7 from mothercare and I was soon at the cheapo shop bulk buying more (we had over 20 pairs in the end) !

My main worry is the timing with dd. We have a ski holiday next month and the thought of leaving her in the creche and then having to find toilets and strip her off in time is daunting to say the least. If she doesn't decide to do it quickly may postpone to Easter when playgroup etc will be off for a few weeks.

good luck,

Original poster

Hulababy · 23/01/2004 10:00

Half term is my first attempt; if it doesn't work will have to wait until Easter holidays.

DD knows when she is doing a wee in her pull ups and before she does a poo. She can undress herself too. She can also sit long enough, has the understanding and language to tell us. And she undersatnds what her potty is for.

I am just not sure how to approach it all really.

Going to go into town this afternoon so am going to pick up some pants - one pack tht she can chose; and then some cheap ones too.

Will also look in Waterstones at some books.

OP posts:

Epigirl · 23/01/2004 10:04

Echo the point about volume of pants, I ended up at the market on Wednesday buying cheap pairs in bulk! (I even got a discount off the stall holder!)

Original poster

Hulababy · 23/01/2004 10:12

Looks like a trip down The Moor then to get lots of cheap pants!

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LIZS · 23/01/2004 10:24

I think GF (who I never bothered with otherwise) advocates getting them to sit on it before bath/bed as a means of introducing it. dd refuses point blank! My dm ,I think, would go for the regular intervals in the day method. ie. starting every half hour whether they think they need it or not !(get the egg timer ready), gradually you extend it until they are able to anticipate and take themselves as and when. With ds I just let him run naked and moved him to potty as he started or needed to go (quantity of choc buttons etc as a reward!)rather than being regimented about it. If it were warmer I'd probably do the same with her but flat is rented so would like to minimise carpet damage.

dd is just so strong willed though. If she does n't want to she won't and I refuse to fight with her over it as it would backfire I'm certain ! By easter she would be the age ds was when trained so would make a far more concerted effort but as I have an opportunity now may as well try.

Original poster

Hulababy · 23/01/2004 10:36

DD likes her potty and will sit on it with/without Pull Ups but she has just never used it properly yet. Luckily we have laminate flooring and no carpets

I just have no idea on the best way to go about it - just naked and watching them, regular intervals, etc.

OP posts:

WedgiesMum · 23/01/2004 10:38

I knew this one was you Hulababy!!! :0 :0 :0

When I was training DS I used to put him on every half an hour to start with, and he soon got the hang of weeing in the potty - poos were a completely different matter!!!! With both of mine I went straight into proper pants and emphasised that they were very grown up now!!

If you are looking for pants this afternoon you might want to try places like Ethel Austin and primark, not all shops stock the tiniest size of pants, some only start at age 2-3, which for tinier under 2 bums are far too big and baggy (DD is still in those tiny, tiny pants but then she has no bum at all, just like her Mum ).

Good luck!!

Original poster

Hulababy · 23/01/2004 10:41

Thanks Wedgiesmum! Will have to have the longer walk then for Primark won't I? Can I justify the tram? (joking; it'll help the diet)

BTW I am just washing your DD's clothes - are you free to meet up sometime soon so I can get them to you?

OP posts:

WedgiesMum · 23/01/2004 10:41

Also forgot to say I was VERY BAD MOTHER and bribed DS with smarties. 3 for a wee and 6 for a poo in the potty

Well it worked .................. (mutter, mutter, mutter)

WedgiesMum · 23/01/2004 10:43

Ooops posts crossed! Yes free Mondays and Friday lunches as usual! And DD wants to know when she can come and borrow some of your DD's clothes......... (some kind of girlie swap shop I think.....).

Use the tram, go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on (little devil horns start appearing )

Epigirl · 23/01/2004 10:52

Laminate flooring is great when potty training!! Don't want to hijack your thread hulababy but wondered if the v experienced sounding WedgiesMum had any tips on how to get out and about again. What did you do when you first took them in the pushchair again? It's one thing when they can ask for the potty and it5's right there but what about if you're out?

Original poster

Hulababy · 23/01/2004 10:55

Well DD has to go out to the Derby meet on the Thursday of that week ragrdless. Might buy a travel potty from Mothercare to help with this.

Wedgiesmum - she can come anytime. Not sure which clothes would fit her though - maybe the Tinkerbell fairy dress?

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WedgiesMum · 23/01/2004 11:05

Hey I like being thought of as experienced!!!!

Out and about with DS I used to take a smaller potty with me in a carrier and whip it out (IYSWIM) as soon as he asked for it or if I thought he needed one (wiggling and holding himself generally) if there wasn't a very close by toilet. Then I used to pour it down the nearest drain and stick it into the carrier again after a quick wipe with a babywipe (and of course the baby wipe went in a nappy sack for binning later). for the first few times I also lined the pushchair with one of those caremat thingies so that I didn't have to worry about getting it dry again or DS sitting in wee. But once he'd got the hang of asking I never used it again and just relied on the potty which went everywhere with us! You can even do it in the car in my experience! (Oh and being a completely bad mother I saved up the smarties and gave them to him when we got home so sometimes he would end up eating about half a tube after a long trip!!).

DD was completely different as she is a smartypants know all and trained herself the week after her 2nd birthday. Took her nappy off, fetched the potty, weed and asked for pants please! And has refused to wear a nappy ever since, a few accidents but not many, and again the carrying a potty round trick worked well.

Oooh I could go on for days.....

Epigirl · 23/01/2004 11:17

Feel free to go on for days, it's great to hear from someone who's come out the other side

Epigirl · 23/01/2004 11:25

of potty training

Original poster

Hulababy · 23/01/2004 16:06

Well I managed to get 10 lovely little white pants with oink hearts on them in Mothercare sale - 10 for £3 which I felt was good.

Also we have a big bumper pack of shiny stickers which DD chose. I have explained to her how she gets them and she seems happy with that. I have now put them away until half term. But bless she is now sat watching her video sat on her potty - is she trying to tell me soemthing?

OP posts:

WedgiesMum · 23/01/2004 16:08

Bargain!!

Go on, take her nappy off and see what happens......

Original poster

Hulababy · 23/01/2004 16:10

She has already taken her trousers and nappy off, but at moment is just sat there watchng TV. She's happy though so won't disturb her. If she does do a wee in it it will probably shock her half to death anyway - at least she'll get her sticker!

OP posts:

marialuisa · 23/01/2004 16:19

Hulababy, if you can avoid it try not to go down the naked/no knickers route. Friends have tried this and ended up in a right mess. I think the casual knickers on, potty out in the evenings approach helped my DD grasp it.

Good luck!

Original poster

Hulababy · 23/01/2004 16:21

I was going to try putting her into pants. Thought I'd go with the training pants the first day or two and then onto proper pants if she is getting the idea. Not too bothered aout puddles/accidents as floor is wipe clean anyway.

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