Potty training nightmare - holding on to wees for ages!

[BarbaraP]

Please give me any ideas you can!

Started potty training in earnest on Thursday so now day 5. So far we have made progress in that my 32 month old daughter is now happy to sit on the potty even for long periods and when we suggest. But she never ever does anything in it. She holds on to her wees for ages and then starts getting desperate but still cannot release it. As soon as she sits on the potty the urge goes.

Today having taken a dry nighttime nappy off this morning she had one wee (accident though we caught most of it in the potty and praised her) at 1.15pm. Hopefully she may have done one in her bath! I've tried everything I can think of to increase her fluids but basically she only drinks when she wants to.

Not sure what to do she is very keen on big girl knickers and I would have a battle getting her back into nappies or pull-ups anyway.

First thing to say is try and be relaxed about it. I, like you, started focusing on it so much that my daughter ended up holding in her poo for so long that she was in agony with stomach pains for some two days. What you don't want to do is end up with her getting an infection because she refuses to pee.

You could put on those pull-up pants and remind her that the potty is there - and she can I have a sweet/surprise/whatever- if she pees in it. Not letting yourself get too upset if she pees in the nappies instead.

Do you have to get her potty trained for anything ie:nursery. Otherwise, I would say, take it slowly. Your daughter sounds like she has a mighty strong character and will do it all in her own time.

Good luck
own time

ooh, don't know how that 'own time' ended up there at the foot my message. Doesn't mean anything!

It's nothing new, but star charts worked wonders for my DD 6 months ago. Speaking to a friend of mine with a daughter the same age, I was both comforted and amazed by the fact that like mine, her DD can go 5 or 6 hours without peeing. They're like camels!

i can't help merely add to your worries - i am failing to potty train my 33 month old girl - and they say girls are easier - dreading my baby boy therefore. She knows what it's all about but just doesn't seem to realise she is about to poo before she does one - a bit better on waterworks. It is all so frustrating I feel I have left it to happen naturally for long enough now. Help

DS1 did this- after not going ofr 40 hours we ended up at the GP's It passed though, I stopped postty training for a couple of weeks and then tried again with no problems.

I know she is contentious, but the Gina Ford book on potty training really did help us (star charts and all that) - though it still took longer than a week!

This probably won't help but I too am at the end of my tether trying to potty train my son now 3yrs 4 mths. I have been trying for the last 5 months and he is still having several accidents a day (poo and wee) some days he is fine others not at all. I just don't know what to do. It is very embarrasing taking him to somebody's house and has often pooed in toy shops while playing. I am beginning to wonder if he has a medical problem. Anyone experienced anything like this?