Should I stop with potty training - advice please!

[ubwlondon]

Hello - my DD is 2.8 years old, very articulate but also quite headstrong. We tried to start the potty training slowly, rather than going cold turkey, but then decided to give it a go on holidays with the in laws. Can't say that my daughter was asking to be using pants, it was definitely our idea rather than hers. Had initial success, followed by lots and lots of accidents every day. Things are particularly bad at nursery, she returns with 5 wet/soiled pants every day. She wees on the potty when taken there, but doesn't seem to realise herself when she needs to go. Poos total catastrophe, made worse by the fact that she is currently teething (yep, late teether, all four molars still to come). I know that the general advice is not to go back to nappies, but getting very stressed about this (and so stressing her as well), should I just give up and start again when she shows an interest/inclination herself? Surely if she was ready she would have got it in three weeks? Any advice much appreciated. PS am very fed up of all my smug mummy friends going "oh, my daughter got it in a weekend"!

[notnowbernard]

Your friends are saying that because their DC were obviously 'ready'

Don't worry about it, she's still little

If I were you I'd definitely go back to pull-ups and wait a couple of months

5 accidents a day is a lot... too much hassle! Especially if she is not voluntarily using the toilet or potty

2 DC i know both showed zero inclination to use the potty in any way until they had just turned 3... they literally got it in 1 day. The parents just left it for them to initiate

[Ryma]

When she in the nursery ask teacher to remind her to go, she is doing her best, just need little help!

[KristinaM]

you are right, she's not ready

cut yourselves some slack and go back to nappies

[AnyFuleKno]

my dd was like this for oooh...a couple of months. But we stuck with it because frankly I prefer washing clothes to changing nappies, and just didn't get stressed about it. Then one day it seems to have clicked and she has been asking to go to the potty. She is dry most of the time, unless she gets absorbed in what she's doing and forgets.

The nursery teachers need to take her frequently as ryma says - once an hour maybe? And when the other children go.

[Roo83]

We started to get stressed out with my ds, and ended up putting him in pullups for a few days (I know not recommended by most) but carrying on as if he was in pants. It gave us all chance to relax, I backed off and stopped asking him every 5mins if he needed a wee/poo, and hey presto, a few days later he was asking me to go to the toilet....back in pants and although he still had a few accidents (a couple a week) for a while longer, we were both happier and progress was a lot quicker

[pigletmania]

Go back to nappies! She is not ready, you are not too, and she is getting really stressed. Its only going to cause more issues. Wait a few months, I did with great results.

[maria1665]

She sounds like my DD2 - 2.7 also bright and headstrong. I tried 8 days with only one potty success. We compromised by saying she could wee on the stones outside if she wanted to, which she managed a few times. I have no given up and we are all much happier.

I did get a new book, just out this year, called LouLou's loo. Got it from Amazon for a fiver - it is wonderful - interactive, telling the story of a girl moving from nappies to toilet. She loves it, and it did make her a bit more interested in her potty.

[ubwlondon]

Well, week 5 and we have been doing a little better at home but as soon as we leave the house it is a nightmare. We have to ask her if she wants to use the potty every half hour only for her to wet herself five minutes later. Deeply fed up of running after toddler with portable potty, so now putting her back into nappies for venturing out, but it is sooo frustrating and I feel myself getting really cross against all better judgment. :-(

[blueskybumblebee3]

Very similar situation with our DS 2.11. Been potty training for 2 months now, again had some initial success but though he can wee on the potty when taken there he doesn't tell us in advance and often denies he needs to go when asked - followed by accident 5 mins later. We've had 4 accidents this afternoon (I wanted to see what happened if I wasn't pre-empting it the whole time), I think I'm going to give us a while back in nappies 'cos I'm just getting annoyed about it now.

[JaimeR]

I've just gone through the same. Everything. I ended up in tears and have gone back to nappies for a month before trying again. My stress levels were too high and when she asked me 'mummy, naughty?' I knew she was reading all my frustrations. It was too much for me. So will try another time. Good luck