Started potty training today - anyone else want to give / get a bit of moral support?

[Biscuitsandtea]

Hi, DS is 3 and we've started potty training him today. We were hoping to wait until he woke up one morning and said 'I'm done with nappies thanks very much Mummy - let's go wild with the pants', but this hasn't happened so we thought we'd just try him with nothing on at first and then pants and see how it goes.

Just wondered if anyone else was starting too and wanted to go through it together?

We've done various bits of nappy free time for months with varying amounts of success, but only ever an hour or two here and there with no consistency to see how he was doing and whether we thought he knew when he was weeing or pooing. It's only recently that I've thought that he actually does know hence deciding to give it a go today.

We had a quiet weekend so thought 'no time like the present!'

Now a couple of times in the week we'd had no nappy on and a fair bit of success in the potty. Wednesday = lots of mopping up wees but a few 'hits' at the end of the afternoon. Thursday was better with no accidents. but this was still doing everything bare bum!

Today we were doing pretty well this morning. Everything going in the potty and no accidents, so after lunch we thought we'd try adding pants into the equation. previously pants = accidents (I wonder if he would forget it wasn't a nappy?) so we never persevered with them, but we have this afternoon. Certainly more accidents this afternoon, which is I think a mixture of being tired and the 'pant effect' and we had a very rough few hours between say 3 and 5. Then we've had a few more wees on the potty and going a bit better this evening.

We're planning more of the same tomorrow but we have a birthday party to go to in the afternoon and I'm in a bit of a predicament about that in as much as I don't want to go back to nappies and confuse / demoralise him, but equally don't want loads of accidents at my friend's DDs party so as yet we're undecided. I think at the moment we'll be erring on the side of a nappy as it's just not fair if he has an accident in the middle of the party?

Anyway, anyone who wants to join me for the ride, please come aboard :-)

I'll have , and to help the journey go along!

Poo in pants

Had a chat about getting to the toilet / potty even if he feels it starting (rather than just going quiet and letting it come out in pants) and he said 'and get more treats!' So am hoping he does better for the next one. Monday was 3 poos in close succession in the mornin, and yesterday afternoon 3 all close together so hoping we have a bit more pol activity to practice with

So far 1 accident but now he is using the potty dh was not happy when he saw a wet floor but hey all apart of learning

Can I Join?
I have started trying this week with dd. This is our 3rd attempt. She is 2.11.
So far this morning she hasn't done anything. I have decided to go for no pants this morning as when she has pants on she seems to wet or poo in them. So this is a new approach I am trying.

Sounds just like how we started Blackcat - pants seemed to confuse ds and he'd always have an accident. I think a few of us have started bare bum and then introduced pants later (which still resulted in a few accidents but not as many and some signs of improvement!)

Good luck and let us know how you get on

Day 5 and wee'd still going ok (well, really good in fact as he's doing hem without prompting and every (touch wood) time. Poos - . It's harder with poos because he doesn't do as many so not as many opportunities to remind....

'Scuse typos

2 accidents so far dh has took him out but in pull up as there is no toilets where they have gone so might have to start over again

Morning everyone! Biscuits . But great news on the wees - they are what causes us the problems so far!

Blackcat - yup same here - totally fine without pants on but in pants she gets confused. She is 22 months so her understanding/communication isn't as advanced as some but I have been reminding her about puling down pants etc today. She has only done 2 wees this morning (But wasn't up til 8:45 - she is quite a late sleeper but this is an hour later than normal as she wouldn't have a nap yesterday - but was in her cot). One wee she was in highchair having breakfast and said "mama", I took her to the potty and pulled her pants down and she weed. Then we had an accident two hours later (which in itself might mean she is learning to hold it for longer - although she is drinking less this morning). We were building blocks and I asked her if she needed a wee - she said no as she was very excited about me building a huge tower. Then started to wee. Finished on potty but I think I should have ignored her "no" and put her on it. However, when they go rigid and refuse to sit down it's fairly impossible!

Shaz - don't worry - that's only 2 in a morning - not bad at all! What about getting a travel potty to use when out?

good morning ladies! this all sounds very successful this morning!
DS has had 2pees in potty (no poo at all) so am ever hopeful for this afternoons adventure out. I was hoping to purchase a travel potty before we went but the only place near enough is Argos and they don't have one... luckily DH is off so he can take the potty in a carrier bag (it's sort of the same thing! )
keep up the good work and lets get these little darlings trained!

Just deposited DS at pre-school. No wee accidents - several successes this morning. Only poo activity was the accident earlier. Hope he gets on ok at pre-school, but he knows where the loos are. It's just the poo thing......

Just checking in. we have had no wees, no poos yet . I will have to put her in a nappy soon as we need to go to a food shop and I couldn't face her having an accident while out.(Don't feel ready for that yet).
Will check in later if we try any more today.

Hiya BlackCat - Good luck!

Well today is not going very well, I think the 2 days at nursery has done nothing to help except teach him how to hold it in until he is literally bursting!

We went with a pull up for the Dentists but that came off totally dry - We've had no less than 8 full on tantrums but not one wee or poo - I think there is a link there though!

He's at nursery again tomorrow then spending the day with my Dad Friday - I told Gogog that I'm not picking him up until he's trained ha ha

Man alive today is difficult!

King I was thinking about getting one but dh said no as we have 2 potty's at home already, dh said while they were out ds said wee so he had 2 take him to the woods , he is asleep at mo so I will have to wait & see if his pull up is dry as he fell asleep in the car keep u all informed

Big toilet alert
My ds just came up to us & said he needed a wee so we said use potty he said no he wanted to use big toilet ? mummy is so proud

Well done Shaz2011 ds.

We had one wee accident on the carpet. Then I put her in a nappy as we had to go out, then back home at 4.00pm. Then I was cooking the dinner so have been too busy to try anymore.

Well, we've had lots of wee successes, only accident today was that poo this morning (but no more poo activity accidental or otherwise as yet).

He seems to have wees almost nailed (touch wood). They even said at pre school he did brilliantly and didn't need to be reminded or anything. Just wish we could have some more poos so we could practice them one way or the other!

Shaz - big toilet news - awesome . DS picks the potty over the toilet at home but seems OK holding himself up on big toilets when we're out.

Blackcat - one day at a time - no point fretting if you can't do it every minute of every day! Good luck tomorrow :)

Thanks girls I am very pleased I wish he could just do it when it comes to pants but try again tomorrow as dh want him 2 stay bare for the rest of the today but tomorrow he is not here so try again than

Hi everyone - sounds like a positive afternoon! I am in a bit of a quandary as not sure what to do.

This afternoon we went out and she didn't wee for 2 1/4 hours. (despite numerous trips to the potty). Got home and came and and then she went straight for the potty and started to wee but she can't pull her pants and trousers down by herself so tried and failed and ended up weeing in her trousers til I realised and came to help. Since then she has been bare bottomed and taken herself twice but slightly missed sitting square on the potty so wee on the floor. Are those accidents?!

Anyway so I mentioned to a friend whose son is a year older and was trained at about 2.5/6 ish. She said I was mad and why wasn't I waiting until she was older and could properly tell me she needed a wee and want to be out of nappies. Which disheartened me a bit. But she can't pull down her own clothes and doesn't really tell me she needs a wee (sometimes does, sometimes doesn't) - she's not a huge talker - she puts two and three words together but isn't talking fluently at all, whereas my friend's son was very advanced verbally.

So I am wondering whether I am mad doing it now and if I wait a few more months she will be able to pull her own trousers down and tell me she needs a wee more easily? (Equally am worried about "missing the window" and she is doing well now etc and when do I know it's time to start up again if she doesn't start asking for the loo etc?)

Any suggestions girls?

Hmm Kings - I would say don't necessarily be swayed by your friend - what was right for her DS isn't necessarily right for your dd. he might be better at verbal communication but that doesn't mean he understood when he wanted to wee / poo. My DS has just turned 3 and really didn't know when he wanted to wee / poo until recently.

So if your daughter is getting that now, then there might be no need to wait. Your dd can put a few words together and I'm sure she'll quickly develop some verbal signals that you both understand. She might not say 'Mother, if you could possibly spare the time, I'd be awfully grateful for the chance to eliminate my bladder.' but she'll find a way to get the message across!

Clothes wise do you have any options for really easy to pull down clothes? It is really hard when they struggle with that side and it probably means you'll need to be even more vigilant for a while . And if she gives the signals you'll have to help her. I guess getting her to help dress / undress herself perhaps would help long term?

I don't really understand girls clothes so can't offer any more specific suggestions! I always look for elasticated waist trousers for DS at the mo.

My opinion is carry on as she is doing well my ds can't pull his pants up or down that well, as long as she says wee or poo it shouldn't matter but at the end of the day it's down to you as for spilling over the edge of the potty I wouldn't class it as a accident

Don't forget as our mothers keep telling us - we were all potty trained super young so we must have learned to communicate that we needed it? Although our parents must have helped with physically undressing etc if we were only 12-18 mths? I might quiz my mum on these practicalities next time I see her.

Although I'm reluctant to show any interest or anything that might be interpreted as enthusiasm for her method, as she's bound to think I'm regretting waiting with DS....

Kings, as crap as this will sound... it's your decission. You know your child and your patience/ tolerance level best. And who can put a time limit. In my humble opinion, I think all the DC's are doing a great job (as are we btw!) Unfortunately, society seems to have put a time limit on when they should be done by and I reckon very few children fit "in the box"

So, here's our day...
3 successful pee's, no accidents, no poos and (despite running through the shops to the loo twice) no incidents while we were out.

So, tomorrow.... a trip to the out (sorry) inlaws.

I agree - not really an accident if she had tried to get there but either failed to undress fully or sit squarely in position.

Thanks Biscuits - you made me laugh a LOT with the asking for the loo phrase Perhaps I'll try that. At the moment it's "mama" or "weewee", but more often than not she goes by herself. If no clothes on the she just goes, if she is wearing clothes I tend to ask her and take her.

She is wearing really easy to pull down trousers/leggings but just isn't able to pull them down. She does try but pulls from the centre and it doesn't work. I am trying to get her to do it and help get dressed/undressed etc but she just can't yet, tbh she has only just started trying this week (she is currently trying to put my trousers on). So in that respect part of me thinks well if she isn't coming to tell you she needs a wee, rather just going and doing one, and can't do her own clothes then is it worth persevering or should I just leave it until she is more capable of doing both of those things?

I just keep wondering whether I am making it all harder for myself doing it now, whereas at 2.3/4/5 she might be easier do train. She also is petrified of big loos so won't go in one (meaning carrying the potty everywhere).

Argh it's so confusing. Part of me thinks just leave her bare at home and she can continue doing it and then pull ups when out. And keep getting her to practise taking her clothes down etc.