Can a child hold in wee to the point of damage?

[pjsgalore]

My DD is 2.5, and this is my second attempt at potty training her, as she's being showing signs of being ready for ages - ie telling me she needs a wee/poo or has done one.

I stopped the first time (a few months ago) as she seemed to find sitting on the potty/loo traumatic and she's still young. I am trying again now as she seemed ready.

The other day (before I started) when she just happened to be naked, and without any prompting, she rushed for the potty shouting, 'I need a wee I need a wee,' and happily went on the potty.

However, since then, although she won't wee on the floor, or poo, she will literally not wee AT ALL from the moment I take her night-time nappy off in the morning (this morning 8am) until her nap - 12.30 today. And then again this afternoon from 3pm until I've just put her to bed.

This seems (particularly for me who goes to the loo constantly! have a pea-sized bladder) very VERY long periods between weeing. It makes me feel desperate myself! And also she only poos in her nappy.

It could be my imagination, but I feel like since we started, she's been in a weepy bad mood. But could also be molars.

Anyway, my question to my lovely wise mumsnetters is, do you think she could she be making herself ill from not weeing? My dad who's a doctor said you can't hold wees really - eventually you would wet yourself, but I want your advice!

I agree with your dad, although she could just be making herself very uncomfortable. Could you give her extra drinks and see if that encourages her to use the toilet?

I don't know about the damage question but my DD is also a bit like a camel not needing many wees. She's nearly 3 and we potty trained in September. She will happily go most days from morning until lunchtime without a wee and then from lunchtime until bedtime. I can't understand it as I have a mouse bladder (especially at the moment at 38 weeks pregnant...) but she rarely has accidents and will use the potty/toilet of her own accord.

It's quite hard to trust them and I do try and make DD sit on the potty before we go out/before naps etc or if it's been more than 3 or 4 hours but she hates being asked to go. At the beginning I used towelling training pants to help with my anxiety about accidents out and about as they absorb most of it but I think I am just lucky with a child who doesn't wee much or has excellent bladder control. My friend's DD wees about every 20 mins!

The pooing only in nappies is very common from what I've read. Although it's not an issue we've had (unusually DD was much better with poos than wees when initially training) I would follow her lead on it. Some children are a bit scared of poos. There are some good kids poo story books on Amazon which could help?

This! Last weekend DD did most wees and one poo on potty (she's 3.10). Went to nursery Monday and has only done tiny ones since. She literally will hold it overnight through to nap time (in nappy) and then pees again in nappy overnight.

She's clearly desperate - dances about, but cries if we suggest actually peeing.

She's super stubborn but oh my... So no advice but am so relieved someone else has the same problem!

I would only ever wee 3 or 4 times a day myself, so this seems fairly normal to me.
As long as she's drinking plenty and doesn't show any signs of a urinary infection, I wouldn't worry.