Hi all. We decided to try potty training this long weekend, with nice weather to help. DD is 2.5. She seemed keen in advance, and she knows what the potty is for. However, she is extremely anxious about weeing or pooing and can hold it for hours on end (she's usually fine so long as nappy is on).
On day 1 we had a few successes where she'd be hopping about, would get on the potty and release, but then stop again i think because she was a bit worried, but would be happy and excited that she'd done a wee in the potty. Day 2 holding it all in again, unwilling to sit on the potty at all, multiple accidents which would make her really upset. We're now on day 3, same thing. She's gone about 5 hours with no wee, clearly in extreme discomfort, but won't go, even in the paddling pool.
Any advice? We feel conflicted about the best approach. Stop and try again another time (although this is not the first time we've tried so i am worried about stopping and starting too many times). Remove potty and have lots of bare bum time in the garden to try and get her used to going? Or keep going with potty available? We're really trying to remove the pressure, but I'm sure she's still feeling it regardless. Should we just never even mention wee, poo, potty etc? And how to behave when she is clearly uncomfortable and as a result very grumpy? I hate this!