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Original poster

Anyone else starting potty training? Moral support needed!

105 replies

feedthegoat · 17/10/2008 21:50

Started potty training with serious intent today with DS who's 3 at end of month. I've been using potty with him for a while and find that he uses it fine if leave him naked but feels no need to bother otherwise. Have decided the only option is to go straight to pants and have started today. I sense a long road ahead and just wondered if anyone else out there who fancies sharing there experiences with me.

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firststeps · 18/10/2008 09:58

hi feedthegoat - we have just started this morning with DS1 who is 2.10. He is currently on his 5th pair of pants with 3 wees and a poo in them so far this morning and nothing in the toilet!!! I feel that he is ready but just isn't bothered about his pants or clothes being wet. Have decided we're going to try it for 3 days and if there is no improvement go back to nappies for another few weeks. How are things with you??

Alishanty · 18/10/2008 16:04

Hi we started potty training ds who is 2.3 a few wks back. To start with he would only use the potty if his lower half was naked but if we put him in pants and trousers he would wet himself. As it's getting colder and I don't want to have the heating on constantly we put him in pants and trousers and repeatedly tell him that if he needs a wee he must ask us to help him get his trousers down. Most of the time if he is not really distracted he will ask but he has to remove the pants and trousers completely and then put them on again afterwards, but at least he is saying. Our problem is, he will not sit, just stands with his legs astride the potty and aims it in!! We are just carrying on like this for the time being until he can perfect his technique!

Original poster

feedthegoat · 18/10/2008 21:29

Hi to both of you! It's been a long day. again he's fine if naked but just not getting it in pants! Thought being wet might help if felt uncomfortable but he's really not bothered, infact actually asked to keep wet pants on!In fact sounds much like yours firststeps. But we had a trip to supermarket and he used toilet and stayed dry so thats todays moral victory. I was so proud when he did poo in potty till I found rest scattered round bedroom.

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empressorchid · 18/10/2008 21:39

Hi feedthegoat

I potty trained my DS (then 2.8 months) in May, and I felt much like you do now. Luckily the weather was glorious and I could just have him in pants with the potty somewhere nearby. He peed in his pants or on the floor next to the potty for the first three days and I was continually washing to make sure he had pants for the next day. Miraculously it all started falling into place about day 4/5 and he started using the toilet (not potty). I found Gina Ford's Potty training book invaluable (although I didn't follow all her suggestions).

It is frustrating but hang on in there, it's a lot for them to learn when they have been used to going in a nappy. I was ready to give it up after day three and my darling neighbour (who doesn't want/have kids) said hang on in there, and she was right.

Now I just have to tackle the nights

Original poster

feedthegoat · 18/10/2008 21:47

Thanks empressorchid! I really do want to stick with it because I tried for a few days in July and went back to nappies but he showed no sign of knowing what he was doing then. Now I think if you can do it naked you can do pants! Don't want to completely confuse him. Bit worried about my washer though, was making very strange clanging tonight. Now is really not the time.....!

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littlebadbunny · 18/10/2008 22:39

Hi, I started potty training on thurs, ds is 2.6. While he was naked on bottom half, he got it staight away, in pants took 12 pairs of wet ones, but we only had 2 wet pants today and a pooy one. Just wouldn't go for a poo in potty. I'm following gina too, seems to be working

Original poster

feedthegoat · 18/10/2008 22:49

That sounds reassuring! I haven't read gina on potty training. Tbh I read one of her books when DS was born and she scared me abit Might have to take a look.

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bythepowerofgreyskull · 18/10/2008 22:53

can I join you... DS2 has started himself on this road..
He takes his nappy off and if I put it on and he has to wee in it he panics and cries.. however he is yet to have a wee on the potty or in the loo.

I am going to go with it mainly because he seems so determined to not wear his nappy - he takes it off at night and afternoon naps..

If anyone has inspiration I would love your thoughts.

Original poster

feedthegoat · 18/10/2008 23:07

Please do! The more the merrier. You're one up on me that he wants to do it off his own back! Don't know what to suggest to help mind.My DS started wanting to sit on toilet after watching me (he never shuts up so follows me everywhere).

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bythepowerofgreyskull · 18/10/2008 23:16

thanks..

he loves sitting on the loo, he loves telling me he needs a wee but seems to get performance anxiety so will say no wee wee and we start to leave the bathroom and he wees all over the floor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We sit for longer and no wee.. we get off then he wees all over the floor.... you get the picture.

he is still young and part of me just wants to put masking tape on his nappy so he can't take it off but he really wants to do it..

Hope you make some progress soon

Original poster

feedthegoat · 18/10/2008 23:20

Yes that sounds familliar. I've had lots of Do you need potty? No. Are you sure? Yes - swiftly followed by a puddle! Plastering a smile on my face and saying nevermind alot at the moment

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bythepowerofgreyskull · 18/10/2008 23:21

did that phase last for long?

DS1 was a breeze he just wanted to do target practice in the look all the time.

Original poster

feedthegoat · 18/10/2008 23:27

Don't know if my DS best example cos he's a stubborn monkey when fancy takes him. I know it's not everyones cup of tea but we use stickers and get a small treat when gets 10. That got him motivated but backfired when he was trying to use potty all time to get stickers but couldn't go. I managed to calm that down by incorporating other things into chart that I wanted to encourage. I suppose this depends on age of your DS and your own personal feelings about rewards/bribes!

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onceinalifetime · 18/10/2008 23:29

My ds started showing signs of being ready a month ago at 2.3 - spends three days at nursery where they encourage him - potty is fairly public and they use it through peer pressure. Most of the time at home he wants to be naked so we just kept asking and walking him by the potty. Had one major moment which would have to be when friends were round when he decided do a giant poo on our terrace!! However, apart from that he's just progressed naturally from nappy to potty to toilet. Couple of weeks, same as our dd, where he wanted to put a nappy on in order to poo but then decided it was ok to use the potty. Now using toilet 80%, potty 20% and dry at night - well, in the sense of getting up once at night to wee and going back to bed.

Quite relieved with progress so far - not sure if this is early, late or normal - but thought it would be more difficult with a boy and it hasn't been so far.

bythepowerofgreyskull · 18/10/2008 23:31

happy to bribe and reward as long as you get to the end result
DS2 has just had his 2nd birthday and his main love in life is chocolate and stickers so it may work.

Original poster

feedthegoat · 18/10/2008 23:43

Me too! onceinalifetime - that sounds good to me at his age. My problem with my DS is that he's happy to use potty when he fancies it but he's 3 week after next. Whilst I'm not into forcing development that they're not ready for I know what he's like and he's quite happy to go with the status quo! When I first mentioned big boy pants he replied with "no thanks mummy, nappys are fine"! The fact that he can manage it naked tells me everything is working sensation wise so I think its time to move on especially as he also resisting nappy changes. He just unfortunately doesn't seem to be so keen!

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onceinalifetime · 18/10/2008 23:51

Quite hard isn't it? I suppose you really have to try and relax and not push it but that's not always easy or convenient. The only consolation for us is that we moved inbetween dd and ds doing potty training and we need to do building work in our new place so wrecking the floor/carpet is ok. Ds just started saying 'no nappy' - we weren't sure about what to do at night but wearing pants or pyjamas seems to work better than naked (which he prefers!) as wet pants or pyjamas are a lot more uncomfortable.

His nursery gives stickers for poos and he's very proud when he gets one.........good God, now that's a sentence I never imagined typing!

Original poster

feedthegoat · 18/10/2008 23:54

I cringed for myself in toilet cubicle gushing praise on DS. Sounded like a wee obsessed psycho!

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firststeps · 19/10/2008 10:00

hi feedthegoat - well I caved in at 1pm yesterday after 9 pairs of pants!!! kicking myself today though and wish I had kept going. I'm not sure if he is ready as he couldn't tell when he was about to have a wee and couldn't tell me when he'd had one despite his clothes being soaking!!! he did realise when he'd had a poo (both in pants). He did do 3 wees in the toilet though but I think this was more luck and just catching him at the right time. I'm going to follow this though as might give it another go next weekend. How are things with you today?

Original poster

feedthegoat · 19/10/2008 12:26

I know how you feel firststeps, I caved after about 4 or 5 days when tried in July. We have had 2 small accidents today but thats all so far so quite pleased. Like you though its worrying me that he hasn't actually asked for potty yet so i feel like its more luck than judgement. Also my washer has broke down completely today. My mum lives nearby but think this is really going to test my resolve.

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empressorchid · 19/10/2008 21:31

firststeps - I'm not potty training now but did back in May and I know how you feel. Ds went through 8 or 9 pairs in a day and it feels sooo demoralising. He may realise that he has done a wee just doesn't want to say to you. I eventually ended up bribing Ds with chocolate buttons (one button for a wee in the potty and two for a poo!!) I'm not sure f it was the chocolate or perseverance or it just clicked with him but after about 4 days of peeing on the floor next to the potty he started using it. Hang on in there, follow your gut instincts (if you think he is ready go for it) and try out Gina. She has some pretty odd ideas but her basics are pretty sound.

Good luck to you all

firststeps · 20/10/2008 13:09

hiempressorchid - thanks for the moral support!! We bought a potty and a story about a little boy who goes on a potty at the weekend and that seems to be doing the trick. He has been asking to go onthe potty this morning and even got 1 wee in it!! Thought I would keep him in pull ups this week but keep getting him to go on the potty then try again nappy free at the weekend.

How are things with you feedthegoat - if it's working you might spur me on!

littlebadbunny · 20/10/2008 13:25

Hi all you fellow potty trainers!
We're on 5th day, ds was ill yesterday, but sill managed to ask to use the potty which was good, although I have admit to putting him in a pull up as he was dozing on sofa most of the day, but he didn't wet himself once! Today all wees in potty and he'll pull his own pants down, but sady no poos. i know he's hanging on to it, he just can't seem to release in potty or toilet. Gina can't help me with that one unfortunatly
Hope you are all gettng on ok and your dc's are doing well!

Original poster

feedthegoat · 20/10/2008 23:18

Hi everyone. I've had a great day - I've been at work Actually though DS has been with my MIL and she says he's been really good. Actually started asking for potty which is a first. Only had one major accident when started to poo but apart from that only the odd dribble when asking for potty. Being brave and sending him to playschool in pants in morning because I don't want to confuse him. I need to try and pluck up courage to go out washer shopping too! All friends at work who had potty trained in last 2 years all agreed first few weeks are awful but all thought worth giving it a couple of weeks so feel quite positive after today. Glad we all seem to be getting some positives and hope everyone has a good day tommorrow.

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littlebadbunny · 21/10/2008 14:57

Hi feedthegoat,
Glad your feeling positive about it, I think that makes a difference, gf reckons the parents have to be ready as well as the child, and to some extent i think this is true.
We're doing well, 1 accident today cos i've moved the potty to the bottom of the stairs. Still no poo's in potty though, in pants, he looked like that guy off ace ventura who was pretending to be a woman....(i'll have to google it now) when he is discovered!!

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