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Parenting

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Original poster

When did your child potty train?

132 replies

Usingthings · 30/12/2023 14:36

I have tried a few times now but he doesn’t seem ready. What I’m wondering is how I know when he’s ready - will he just ask to use the toilet or potty?

OP posts:

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2chocolateoranges · 30/12/2023 14:45

Neither of mine gave any signs of wanting to potty train we just picked a time where we were at home for 3/4 days in a row and went for it.

Ds was 2.2yrs old. He was dry during the day within a few days and dry at night within 6months.

Dd I tried at 2.2yrs old but we had a family bereavement just as I tried so decided to try the month after. She was 2.4yrs old and dry day and night within days. Refused to wear a night nappy when she had big girl pants.

I work in early years and have recently moved nurseries and I’m shocked at how many perfectly able 3 yr olds still wear nappies. These children have fantastic communication skills, advanced at activities they participate in , can come and tell you when they need nappies changed but still aren’t toilet trained.

cookielove · 30/12/2023 14:45

My oldest we potty trained when he was around 2 and half, he showed absolutely no interest in the potty and had done nothing in the potty till the day we started. We switched from a bog standard potty to an all singing all dancing Thomas potty which sparked his interest.

He was more open to that and was dry for wee's within the week. Poo unfortunately was a long drawn out process where he pooed his pants for around 4 months. Till he got a bad sickness bug and the cramps from diahorrea helped him recognise the feeling of needing to go. Then he was dry through the night at 7.

Youngest we had a potty out from a really early age and around 2 he started weeing on it after his baths. We started potty training a few months later but we lived further away from everything and of course had school runs and what nots to do so he was always being put in pull ups. Around 2.7 i said enough and just stuck to pants, he was dry almost instantly. And again a tummy bug helped him with poos. He has been dry day and night just before he turned 3.

Neither of my kids before potty training asked to use a potty.

Original poster

Usingthings · 30/12/2023 14:47

How do you know if they are ready, then? I have tried just going for it but it hasn’t worked.

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Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting Potty training

lorisparkle · 30/12/2023 14:49

With ds1 we tried too early and it was incredibly stressful and hard work. Ds2 we waited until he was about 3 and he was mostly dry within a week. Similarly with ds3 - we waited until about 3 and I can't really remember toilet training him. None of them were particularly bothered, especially if they were engrossed in an activity, so I had spare clothes for many many years.

However you can not train night time dryness - it is purely hormonal and it is normal for them to be wet at night until about 7/8. You can do things to help (but 'lifting' them is not one of them!)

Original poster

Usingthings · 30/12/2023 14:51

Not really bothered about night time but am feeling a bit frustrating by lack of progress with wees and poos. I have to admit it has had me questioning if he has some learning difficulties or other problems.

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comfyshoes2022 · 30/12/2023 14:52

Just under 2.5 years. Did not wait for signs of readiness - just went for it using the “oh crap” method and it worked beautifully.

cookielove · 30/12/2023 14:52

With my oldest we felt pressure from outside sources so we went for it when i had a week off work. I think my youngest was ready as he had being weeing regularly in the potty for a while.

I feel its almost like you need to catch them at the right time to get a wee on the potty so they understand what is expected.

How long have you tried before going back to nappies? And how old are they??

thedementedelf · 30/12/2023 14:53

Ds had just turned 2 and dd was 2.5.

Original poster

Usingthings · 30/12/2023 14:54

Thanks. So 3, but only turned 3 end of November.

I had him in pants for about a month and I just kept taking him to the toilet. He’d generally wee on it compliantly enough. But never told me I need a wee or showed any signs of needing to go. Made zero progress with poos, he just pooed in his pants.

OP posts:

thedementedelf · 30/12/2023 14:54

Both dry day and night in 48 hours so both were very ready.

Quickredfox · 30/12/2023 14:58

27 months and 33 months, both completely dry within 12 hours as we waited until they were ready (and therefore didn’t need any method). The signs of readiness are very subtle though. You can find lists online. They never came and asked, but were ready nonetheless.

Original poster

Usingthings · 30/12/2023 14:59

What signs were they @Quickredfox ? Lots of different information out there.

OP posts:

Natsku · 30/12/2023 14:59

3 and a half for both my children. I wanted to train in the summer as in the winter there's just far too many layers of clothes to get through when they're in a rush (live in a cold country) and neither of them were ready in the summers ther were 2.5 so waited until the following summers. Was dead easy at that age, they got it straight away.

ivfbabymomma1 · 30/12/2023 15:02

We waited until Ds was 3, and apart from through the night he was trained in 10 days.

This was very useful....

The Whizzer by Kiddiwhizz | Dragons Den Travel Toilet for Toddlers & Kids | Award-Winning Portable Solution for On-The-Go Potty Training | Unisex Holiday Essentials & Suitable for Up to 8 Years (Blue) amzn.eu/d/iFg2wBF

Mammyloveswine · 30/12/2023 15:05

Ds1 was around 2 years 10 months-was non verbal (since has a diagnosis of asd).. got it really quickly!!

Ds2 was around 3.5.. thought he was never going to get it!

Original poster

Usingthings · 30/12/2023 15:06

Thanks, we have a travel potty but I think because we aren’t getting ‘I need to have a wee’ it’s just totally reliant on us taking him intermittently. He does seem to hold on sometimes but we do have a few wet accidents and he always soils his pants.

OP posts:

ReindeerShelter · 30/12/2023 15:07

2yrs 3mos. We followed the Oh Crap method.

Being “ready” is a misnomer.

Original poster

Usingthings · 30/12/2023 15:08

I have heard that too but then if they just keep weeing and pooing their pants what do you do? I really don’t know whether to persevere and just accept it’s going to be a long road or switch back to nappies.

OP posts:

cookielove · 30/12/2023 15:10

They definitely are reliant in the early days, i mean these kids are so little. They aren't trying to work out the feeling of needing a wee or poo they just wanna play. Early days it is almost always mum and dad taking them for a try.

Original poster

Usingthings · 30/12/2023 15:11

We’re quite a few weeks in though? So would have thought he’d be saying I want a wee. But maybe not.

OP posts:

Superscientist · 30/12/2023 15:12

We started at 2.5 with an hour without a nappy on days we were at home. We built up our language for potty training together as certain phrases just enraged her! Once she got to 4h at a time she got the offer of nappy or knickers in the morning and after a nap. At the next bank holiday week a few weeks later we went for only knickers. She got wees quite quickly and was completely dry during the way before she was 3. I can't remember exactly when though. She has had issues with poos due to toddler diarrhoea and had frequent accidents until 3y3m when it clicked alongside some positive reinforcement

caringcarer · 30/12/2023 15:16

My DD was 18 months and my 2 DS were 2 years and 2 years 2 months. I used Terry nappies so they could feel when they are wet. If You use disposable nappies they never feel wet so take a lot longer to train. I'd wait until the spring.

Lizzieregina · 30/12/2023 15:17

We tried with DS when he was about 2.3 and it was a nightmare so we abandoned ship completely.

When he was 3.5 he told me he wanted to wear his big boy underwear and that was it. No accidents. Pee and poo in the potty and done at night also (although we kept something on him for a month).

That worked so well, that we let my DD do the same thing (just over 3) and it was the same result. No constantly asking about the potty, she went herself, everything in and dry at night.

Our youngest was 2.5 when she decided to do it (I wasn’t ready!) and it took about 3 days for her to get the hang of it.

Bluelightbaby · 30/12/2023 15:18

My own DDs were both done by 2. I was a childminder and potty trained loads - mostly 2-3yrs

PremiumPork · 30/12/2023 15:18

DD was trained at 2.5 and dry at night straight away.

DS is 3.5 and I've unsuccessfully tried twice. I'm now waiting until Feb half term before I try again. He gets extremely angry and upset at poo in his pants or having accidents. It got to the point where he screamed when I got the potty out. It was awful. I've had comments from nursery but I cannot force him to be ready.

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