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Potty training

Is your child ready for potty training at nursery? Here's the place for all your toilet training questions.

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Original poster

Let's begin...

101 replies

Clumsybashful · 28/03/2023 20:10

Potty training!

Me and DH work full time and really want to potty train our 2.5 year old. We gave the Oh Crap method a go back in December but found the temperature and the general routine quite gruelling.

We don't have a lot of time all together but were thinking of trying again over the long Easter weekend. I'm so reluctant because I'd love to spend this time unwinding a bit and enjoying our time as a family.

I wondered if anyone had tips for more gradual methods?

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Setfiretotherain1 · 19/04/2023 13:07

Hooray! So happy for you @TheBirdintheCave. We’ve been doing well, dry most days with the occasional accident!

TheBirdintheCave · 19/04/2023 14:39

@Setfiretotherain1 Thanks! Sounds like it's worked out for you too :D Now I just have to think about how to tackle our holiday in June 😂

Teapleasemilknosugar · 19/04/2023 16:29

@TheBirdintheCave wahoo! That's such good progress! Hope it went well at the childminder's too 💪 June is a long way off, just keep on doing what you're doing 😊

@Setfiretotherain1 wahoo for you and your little one too!

DHsPoorBack · 19/04/2023 16:32

Following

smizing · 19/04/2023 16:37

TheBirdintheCave · 19/04/2023 14:39

@Setfiretotherain1 Thanks! Sounds like it's worked out for you too :D Now I just have to think about how to tackle our holiday in June 😂

It'll be fine. We have our first "no Nappies" holiday in June as well.

TheBirdintheCave · 20/04/2023 08:50

@smizing What are you planning on doing for the plane journey? Ours is 3 hours to Sicily. I've read differing opinions on whether to go back to nappies for just the journey or risk it without. We already have a carseat/buggy protector which would work great for the plane seat so I was thinking we'd just stick with his regular underwear and take him to the loo every hour or maybe try the slightly more padded Bambino Mio training pants for a bit of extra protection.

smizing · 20/04/2023 09:12

TheBirdintheCave · 20/04/2023 08:50

@smizing What are you planning on doing for the plane journey? Ours is 3 hours to Sicily. I've read differing opinions on whether to go back to nappies for just the journey or risk it without. We already have a carseat/buggy protector which would work great for the plane seat so I was thinking we'd just stick with his regular underwear and take him to the loo every hour or maybe try the slightly more padded Bambino Mio training pants for a bit of extra protection.

We're gonna risk it without nappies but we're gonna be as prepared as possible. Our flight is about 2 & 1/2 hours and we're planing on just keeping him in pants. I think the bambino mio is a good idea for some extra protection. We'll encourage him to pee just before boarding and then encourage him to pee every 45 mins or so during the flight. He's actually really good with telling us if he needs to go but sometimes needs encouragement. I'm gonna pack some spare clothes and as you've said some protector sheets for the plane ride, seats, buggy. I'm also bringing some disposable protector sheets for the hotel bed as well. If he has an accident we'll just deal with it as we have been doing at home. Personally I feel like it will set us back if we go back to nappies even if it's just a week.

TheBirdintheCave · 20/04/2023 09:25

@smizing Oh definitely yeah, I wouldn't do nappies for the whole trip. I'm already working out how to fit the My Carry potty into our luggage 😂 I guess it will now fill up the side of my son's suitcase that his reusable nappies use to go into 🤔 And there I was thinking I'd have more packing space 😂

This is our protector by the way: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Close-Waterproof-Multi-use-Protector-Stroller/dp/B096XHVNHR?th=1

It folds down small and can be chucked in the wash if necessary 😊

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Close-Waterproof-Multi-use-Protector-Stroller/dp/B096XHVNHR?th=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-potty-training-4773280-lets-begin

jeepjeep4 · 24/04/2023 13:20

How is everyone doing?
DS is great when reminded every hour or so to try and go on the toilet. The problem
We're having is getting him to recognise himself and tell us he needs to do. If we forget, he has
accidents but if we keep on asking him he can be dry days at a time.

Is it usual for it to take longer for him to understand the feelings of needing the toilet himself?

TheBirdintheCave · 25/04/2023 22:33

@jeepjeep4 My son is similar. 90% of the time he's got it down, especially when he's reminded to go to the toilet every few hours or if he's out and about with us and can see us carrying the travel potty, but if he's at home and distracted with playing or is tired he definitely won't remember to go without prompting.

I guess it's normal as they're learning :)

trampoline123 · 10/05/2023 08:06

How's everyone going?

I'm going to start 1st week of June both my boys...wish me luck!!

What did you do for rewards if you did them? I've seen the charts but not sure they will be overly keen so was thinking chocolate reward or some stickers/small animal toys etc.

Anything aside from potties you found useful to buy? I was hoping to avoid the training pants as they are expensive and just use normal ones:

TheBirdintheCave · 10/05/2023 09:09

@trampoline123 We just went with normal pants in the end which definitely seemed to work better as my son had cloth nappies so I think the cloth training pants felt like nappies to him.

We used a sticker chart for the first week and then 'swapped' it for a balance bike at Halfords at the end of the week as a reward which my son was thrilled about. The stickers were dinosaur ones and my son had fun choosing which sticker to add to the chart :)

Other than potties we bought: a step stool for access to the sink for hand washing, a travel toddler toilet seat which folds small and comes in a little carry case and a washable car seat liner just in case of accidents in transit.

I also bought this pencil case with lots of compartments which we now use as an extremely downsized 'changing' and out and about pod. It can contain our son's toddler cutlery and straws (which fits so nicely in the slots for paintbrushes), two changes of pants and leggings/shorts, one change of socks, dry cloth wipes and a medium sized wet bag for storing any dirties.

At the moment we're still taking the My Carry Potty with us when we go out in case of unexpected emergency wees.

Whyisitsosohard · 10/05/2023 09:52

We used the oh crap method with our 22 month old. Took 3 weeks to have no accidents. It's intense initially so we started over a long weekend and made sure grandparents and nursery were on board. We did pants off for ages and mostly bottomless for the first 4 days. No rewards but it did happen with perseverance.

Setfiretotherain1 · 10/05/2023 09:57

We did chocolate buttons then when we ‘ran out’ I bought a Bing (bloody Bing but she loves him) toilet training book with stickers in it that’s worked well.
No training pants here, just nothing on the bottom the first 3 days and then she wanted to wear pants so I used that and said she could if she had no accidents. Haven’t bought anything else other than a potty, and recently a toddler toilet seat as she likes using the big toilet sometimes.

trampoline123 · 10/05/2023 16:23

They're not allowed back to the childminder unless they are on minimal accidents and we've been doing it for 5 days so hope they both pick it up ok!

Love the swapped the bribe to a balance bike haha!

Teapleasemilknosugar · 10/05/2023 20:41

@trampoline123 good luck! Toddler is totally dry in the day now, even arrival of newborn baby hasn't caused setbacks (2.5weeks old).

We did a celebratory 'potty dance' for successful use of the potty as a reward. Just whoever is home/present in the vicinity to loon about with us jumping around in circles waving arms around singing tunelessly 'potty dance, potty dance, potty potty potty dance!' - totally free and we'll never run out of stock.

We bought a My Carry Potty for out and about, and also 2 x Koo-di Oopsie Do car seat protectors - one for the pushchair and one for the car seat, it was the brand recommended by our car seat manufacturer when I contacted them to ask (Axkid).

trampoline123 · 11/05/2023 07:54

How do you find the mr carry potty? Is it worth the money?

TheBirdintheCave · 11/05/2023 07:57

@trampoline123 Yes. I love it for the peace of mind it gives me when we go out. We basically never have to use it but just knowing I have a lockable container for emergencies is brilliant. We'll be taking it on holiday with us too as we have a few days when we're out in the sticks looking at historical sites so I can't guarantee there'll be a loo at short notice for our son.

Teapleasemilknosugar · 12/05/2023 09:43

@trampoline123 yep we love it. We take it with us wherever we go out as we often go places without accessible facilities for the toddler. It's good to keep in the car boot as well for unscheduled stops on longer car journeys, "Mummy I need a boot wee!" 😆

trampoline123 · 01/06/2023 10:34

Day 1...here we go!

I've got 6 days off work to focus on this.

Eldest is 3 in July and little one is 20m - going to try and do both of them considering little one copies everything the eldest does but no pressure on either of them.

Wish me luck!

TheBirdintheCave · 01/06/2023 10:52

@trampoline123 Good luck! :D

Teapleasemilknosugar · 02/06/2023 09:47

Oooh that's brave @trampoline123 good luck!!

trampoline123 · 02/06/2023 11:14

I gave up on the youngest quite early on, he's definitely not ready.

trampoline123 · 05/06/2023 14:37

Need any tips or advice on poohs.

We're on day 5 and all going well, no accidents for the past 2 days and he's asking for the potty by saying wee come out.

He's not done a pooh in one and only had 2 poohs over the 5 days in his bedtime nappy.

Is that pretty normal? He hasn't had one since sat eve.

Teapleasemilknosugar · 07/06/2023 21:42

@trampoline123 I spoke to pharmacy as my toddler was witholding poo completely and clearly uncomfy/bloated not having been for almost a week, they gave us Lactulose to soften things, we gave a small dose and had a bedtime nappy poo that night. We gave another small dose and watched 'poo goes to pooland' (videos recorded of an app) on YouTube and didn't have any problems since then.

Good luck