2.8yrs and still in nappies - is this really slow?

[xenabelly]

hi all

Am a bit fed up lately, my little girl is 2.8yrs old and still in nappies all the time. She just seems to have NO IDEA when she is going to do a wee or a poo. We are regularly encouraging her to use potty or toilet and doing the whole stickers and big cheers but she just doesn't seem to know when she is going to have a wee in order to tell us - so we've not been hassling her too much cos we thought she would just do it in her own time.

Some of the signs are there, when we're out shopping she always asks me if she can sit on the toilet 'like mummy' (which we do but she never does anything). And she has started asking for her nappy to be changed or just taking it off when it's wet or dirty herself so I think she's getting there but just a bit slower than my friends kids.

However,my MIL is driving us nuts, saying we need to put her in knickers and just let her wet them so she will feel 'uncomfortable' and that we're 'not trying hard enough to train her'. My hubby has been on my side all the time, saying to ignore his mum and we'll do it when we're ready BUT yesterday he suddenly decides that his mum is right and she needs to wear knickers or she'll never be out of nappies.

I gave in cos we were going to his mums for tea, so I thought right well lets see what happens. Anyway, sure enough, she went through 7 pairs of knickers in one evening !! She understands that she needs to tell mummy 'if I want a wee' and 'I need to say mummy, I want a wee' but she just doesn't seem to know. Fortunately my MIL changed all her knickers (I sat smugly in corner!).

She's in Pull Ups this morning because I just can't face changing her knickers and pants every 5mins.

This has turned into a bit of a long one but just wondered what you all think. Is she really old to still be in nappies? Does this knicker thing work? Does it sound like if we leave her a few weeks she'll get in herself?

Am so gutted that my hubby has 'swapped sides'

Help!

p.s - I DO want her out of nappies aswell but also want to keep my sanity!
p.p.s - I love my hubby and MIL to bits most of the time.

Xena, as someone who tried to train my eldest ds when he "should have been" ready as opposed to when he was actually ready I'd have to say, hold off.
Ds1 was a very bright articulate boy who fully understood what was required of him. But somehow he just couldn't get the hang of it. He just didn't know when he was going to wee, I thought he must know when he was going to wee, listened to bad advice and it ended up being a major performance that lasted for a year and a half.
With ds2, I waited till he was 3 and he got it within a few weeks. I will be doing the same with ds3!

I've read this thread with avid interest - getting a bit of pressure from DH about when DS (2.6) should be being potty-trained. Like some of the other DCs mentioned, he is very good verbally but can tell he can't make the physical assessment that he needs to go. You've given me the confidence to keep him in nappies happily - thanks X

xena- dont push DD, ignore your MIL, you really dont need that pressure thats just so unfair on you.

My DD is 2.7 and I am not potty training her yet, however she will sometimes go and sit on the potty for a wee and a couple of times has done a poo. Let your DD become aware of her bodily functions and the potty, she will lead the way.

It is hard to not compare with other kids but what would you prefer? spending months pushing your child or spending very little time when they are older and clearly showing signs and are interested.

If MIL is pressuring you, tell her where to go (in the nicest possible way!). Goodluck!! x

DD is the same age as your dd. 3 weeks ago i tried the potty thing and she was having none of it. Then 2 weeks ago she just started oing on her own. She goes every time, without prompting. I left her till she was ready and she's proved me right by doing this.

Leave her a few weeks, occasionally letting her have nappy free time and leave the potty around and she'll get there