can you advise me what to do next please?

[mad4mybaby]

Ds (just 2) has sort of started to potty train himself and im not really sure what to do next as it is all new to me. When we are home i keep his pull ups off and he will use the potty to wee and today he did 2 poos on it, the thing is he sits on the potty like a chair most of the time so hard to tell if its pot like or not. He is virtually dry when he wakes up and does alot of wee once we are up and downstairs so pretty sure he is ready. Im just not sure what to do and want to be more confident about it as am dreding it esp as im pg! I was going to buy some feel and learn pants and see how we went with them for a week and then put his pull ups on at night....

any other tips or suggestions?

I would give him some getting dressed/undressed practise, then go and choose him some nice pants, and then introduce the big boy pants at home instead of bare bottomed. Then when he's mastered pulling them down for a wee/poo add in some track suit bottoms or shorts that are easily pulled up and down and you've cracked it. he may also get dry at night, in which case you could try ditching the night nappy, but be warned any excessive tirdness (eg late night, or new things eg play group/nursery) and the bed may get wet, or swap the pull ups for something like a Minki Yoyo which is washable.

I have been reading a child development book, so bear with me. We all learn best if we have a "model" (i.e. demonstrator) and we are more likely to put into practice what we've learned if we see the model being rewarded for something. An 80s book "Toilet Training in One Day" starts the day with the child teaching a doll how to use the toilet/potty and rewarding (not overboard, mind you) the doll for pottying. Now of course toilet training in one day won't happen if your child doesn't have control over bowels and bladder.

We started potty training our DS "early," i.e. 14 months, and he's not yet 17 months now and is asking to use the loo, took himself to the loo at 3:30am the night before last, but still has accidents of course. I don't consider him "toilet trained" but rather see toilet training as a long process of continuous learning. This is poles apart from the "conventional" view of toilet training, but it is working for us, and what more can I ask but something that works for my family?

Our laid-back approach to toilet training included:

• nappy changes in the bathroom for room association
• seeing us use the loo (modeling, if you like)
• one-on-one time with books/toys while he's on the toilet, telling him "there's the wee" or "there's the poo" when something happened, and ALWAYS letting him come off as soon as he asked, which was sometimes before he even got on.
• responding every time he asked to use the loo, even if it was the 5th time in 10 minutes (practicing a new skill)

When home and when his poos were fairly predictable, I'd put him into undies most of the day. I managed to find Y-fronts with a pocket up front that fits a soaker. It saves an outfit change when he does have an accident, but is slightly wet on contact to alert him that he's done a wee.

ches Where did you get those pants? Sound ideal for my 3yr old who refuses to give up nappies.

I live in the US and got them at Wal-Mart and Target. Have a look in the toddler section at your nearest baby/clothing shop. I use a "diaper doubler" as a soaker, but keep meaning to cut my microfibre dish cloths to fit.