Potty training pants

[Mamabear04]

Did anyone start potty training by just putting training pants on and seeing what happened?

We did, but my son just seemed to think they were normal nappies so he just wet himself all the time.

Think they work well for some but we used them for about a week then just tried with normal underpants and it was much better

We used the 'Oh crap' method and the basic principal of it makes a lot of sense - essentially, until you potty train, children have never before had to pay any attention to whether they need to pee/poo etc. So they need to go through phases of first, recognising the sensation, then, recognising they are about to go, and finally knowing that when they're about to go they need to go to the potty/toilet.

She says that techniques like letting them 'try' don't really teach them any of that, and if anything can get them used to the sensation of being wet/soiled in normal underpants. So she advises having a couple of days at home entirely bottomless, watching them, and as soon as they start to wee moving them straight to the potty saying 'You're peeing! Pee goes in the potty!" the idea is soon they start to recognise they're about to and go themselves - I'm sure it doesn't work for everyone but logic made sense to me and we did well.

Everyone I know who has just had the potty out/tried with potty if they wanted/tried with underpants if they wanted has had a much longer more protracted time training. I didn't do everything according to the book but the basic principle definitely worked for us.

@leakymcleakleak I have just started reading this book! I'm in a bit of a conundrum because my LO has started telling me she needs a poo and will actually go in the toilet (we have one of those fold down kids ones) but doesn't tell me when she needs a pee (unless it's with a poo) so I was wondering if she might figure it out if I put her in pants on account of she knows what the toilet is for. I was thinking of doing the oh crap method for pee's but I actually think using a potty would confuse her so I'm wondering how it would work since i can't keep her in the bathroom for a week!

@amz6219 thanks for the tip! Did your LO get the hang of it just by using pants?

[quote Mamabear04]@amz6219 thanks for the tip! Did your LO get the hang of it just by using pants?[/quote]
Yes, the first couple of weeks were PAINFUL! But he got there pretty quickly just wearing pants and it's brilliant once they are potty trained!

I think because the training pants were a little it bulky he just felt like it was still a nappy, but once in underpants if they were wet they were uncomfortable so he learnt quicker that way.

We just tried to not make a big deal of it if there were (inevitable) accidents and felt like a broken record constantly asking if he needed the toilet! :-D

We had a Pip and Posy book ('and the little puddle' I think it was called) and one called 'no more nappies' which really helped alongside the training.

Also currently using the oh crap method and it's working really well!

Oh we used the Oh Crap method with the toilet after the first few days, got one of those seats, so if they're happy to use the toilet go straight to that. The potty is just useful to get the idea, and for proximity. You could use a mix? But having them use the toilet is SO much better than cleaning a bloody potty. That said, if you have a travel potty they'll happily use too its great for out and about esp at the minute with so many toilets still not open.

@leakymcleakleak how did you manage to get your LO to the toilet in time or did they start telling you? I've only read so far as "use a potty it's better " (paraphrasing)

@zzzzfthg how are you getting on with potty training? How old is your LO?

@Mamabear04 she has just this month turned 2. We are a week in and she hasn't really had any accidents the last few days. (apart from one where i was in the kitchen and she couldn't get her shorts down so not her fault really). I did fully embrace the oh crap method though and we didn't really leave the house the first 3 days whilst I watched her like a hawk! She seems to be doing really well and we are now on block 2 with shorts or dresses but not knickers yet.

@zzzzfthg that's absolutely brilliant! Well done to you both - very impressive! Did she have signs she was ready? My LO sometimes is very interesting in the toilet and other times is so distracted by toys etc so I'm in 2 minds whether to try it now or wait a little longer. I'm also a bit apprehensive not to go outside because my LO loves being being outside and also we live in a flat. Usually we go out twice a day!

@Mamabear04
She is very good speech wise which has helped - she wasn't saying she needs to wee etc before hand (and oh crap book says you don't have to wait for this to start anyway) but did say if she had done a poo.
How old is your LO? Yes it's daunting thinking of not going out for a couple of days (unless they pick it up very quickly you may not need to! We went for a walk round the block day 3) and I was glad to have a garden but tbh it was actually quite nice! We did lots of colouring in, watching tele, reading etc and was quite nice to just focus on her for those few days without any distractions (barely can go on your phone as you're watching them like a hawk!) There may be other ways/methods but I've found it really helpful.

@zzzzfthg my LO is 21mo (almost 22mo) and isn't a huge talker yet but does say words to communicate. She even tells me sometimes if I'm changing her nappy if she needs to pee/poo so I think she is ready. She also has started to ask to go if she needs and see's me on the toilet. I think I just actually need to do it and accept we'll be inside for a few days. I think I'm just nervous I'll mess it up and also it will take longer than 5 days - I work x2 days a week (can't take any AL at the moment) and she is with my mum who I know will be fully supportive of helping....

@Mamabear04 sounds good - go for it and good luck! I was so nervous before I started too for some reason. My mantra was 'not on the floor, in the potty' and she now repeats it back to me