Would you put back in nappies?!

Heckythump1 · 2023-09-20T11:19:06+00:00

Hi, please help, I'm at my wit's end! DD was 3 at the start of the month, successfully fully potty trained for about 4 months. Until about 3 weeks ago, she is barely doing anything on the potty anymore! She usually only starts a wee in her pants and will finish in the potty, can't remember when she last had a poo on the potty. She had a better day yesterday, only one accident all day, but that was with a lot of reminders and making her sit on the potty. She was telling us and taking herself until recently! What do I do?!

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Leftphalange100 · 20/09/2023 12:20

I would persevere if she has been doing it fine for 4 months.

Bemyclementine · 20/09/2023 12:20

I wouldn't. Check any medical issues to start with. Carry on with regular reminders. Tell her to go and try rather than asking if she needs to go.

comedownwithme · 20/09/2023 12:20

Have you had her urine dipped?

Totaly · 20/09/2023 12:22

Take her by the hand a lead her to the bathroom and tell her to wait where you get fresh clothes- do not speak - make this the most boarding thing and time consuming thing in the world.

Go back and undress her slowly - clean her up and dress slowly.

She will hate being in wet clothes and the time it takes and soon reside that having a wee is much quicker -

W pick her up - make her walk in it.

RiceR1ceBaby · 20/09/2023 12:26

Agree, don’t go backwards and rule out any medical issues.
Sticker reward chart? Toilet seat and steps rather than potty? Try not to pressure with reminders, but ‘let’s see if there’s a wee hiding’ worked briefly with mine until she got bored of it.
solidarity because potty training can be weird and confusing.

Caro678 · 20/09/2023 12:28

Any major changes at home or childcare?

Caro678 · 20/09/2023 12:29

Something that could be stressing her, I mean, like a change of carer or routine.

PerfectMatch · 20/09/2023 12:31

I wouldn't put back in nappies in these circumstances.

cocksstrideintheevening · 20/09/2023 12:32

Totaly · 20/09/2023 12:22

Take her by the hand a lead her to the bathroom and tell her to wait where you get fresh clothes- do not speak - make this the most boarding thing and time consuming thing in the world.

Go back and undress her slowly - clean her up and dress slowly.

She will hate being in wet clothes and the time it takes and soon reside that having a wee is much quicker -

W pick her up - make her walk in it.

Please don't do this.

I wouldn't put her back in nappies , I would get her urine dipped

Original poster

Heckythump1 · 20/09/2023 12:49

I've started a new job, I wasn't working before and she's now doing afternoons at nursery instead of mornings, but all of this changed after she's started having all the accidents, she's also not been at all phased by the changes, loves nursery and is always keen to get in!

I've tried sticker charts, smarties for successes etc but nothing seems to help.
She drinks a lot so we've tried cutting that back a bit (she constantly asks for drinks) also tried making her already very weak orange squash even weaker. Again doesn't seem to make any difference.

I will make a doctor's appointment tomorrow as I'm just off to work, definitely think it's worth checking if there's anything going on. I was going to make an appointment the other day but my Mum said she's just being lazy 🙄

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comedownwithme · 20/09/2023 13:08

Totaly · 20/09/2023 12:22

Take her by the hand a lead her to the bathroom and tell her to wait where you get fresh clothes- do not speak - make this the most boarding thing and time consuming thing in the world.

Go back and undress her slowly - clean her up and dress slowly.

She will hate being in wet clothes and the time it takes and soon reside that having a wee is much quicker -

W pick her up - make her walk in it.

OP please ignore this awful 'advice' - leaving your child in urine wet clothing longer than necessary and punishing her with silence is a horrendous thing to do and won't go anywhere to biking toilet if confidence. All it will do is make her miserable, fearful and left felling confused by your silence.

KnittedCardi · 20/09/2023 13:13

I think three is quite old to still be on a potty. Have you tried a step and toilet seat insert? Much more suited to being a big girl. Perhaps it will give her an incentive. I am sure they don't use pottys at nursery for that group?

Buy absolutely don't put her back in nappies. Like others, perhaps she had a slight infection, worth checking out.

Original poster

Heckythump1 · 20/09/2023 13:36

KnittedCardi · 20/09/2023 13:13

I think three is quite old to still be on a potty. Have you tried a step and toilet seat insert? Much more suited to being a big girl. Perhaps it will give her an incentive. I am sure they don't use pottys at nursery for that group?

Buy absolutely don't put her back in nappies. Like others, perhaps she had a slight infection, worth checking out.

She has a step with seat thing attached as well, we only recently got the potty back out due to all the accidents to see if it would help.
They do have potties at nursery (she's at a school nursery and all ages are in one room together, if that makes a difference) she's tiny for her age so I think the little toilets are still a bit big/scary for her 😛

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CattingAbout · 20/09/2023 13:58

Constipation can cause daytime wetting so I think the doctor is a good first step.

The ERIC children's bladder and bowel charity website is fab as well

Original poster

Heckythump1 · 28/09/2023 12:47

Hi, me again 🙄
So she had a good couple of days, but she's now just getting worse and worse, will only wee on the potty if I physically put her on it, just wees wherever she is. Constant accidents at nursery as well.
It's genuinely starting to affect my mental health, everything smells of wee and i'm constantly doing washing. I also feel like I can't take her out anywhere for fear of her having an accident, it's just getting ridiculous.
I've messaged the local health visitor text service, but still waiting for a reply.
DH is absolutely adamant that we can't put her back in nappies, but it's alright for him when he's at work all day and isn't dealing with the all the washing and cleaning it causes!

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OneMoreCookieMonster · 28/09/2023 13:03

I'm sure you have ruled out any medical issues like diabetes or a UTI. Maybe speak to your HV or gp?

It's completely normal for kids to have a potty regression. Try not to stress or get angry in front of her. Make it matter of fact...oh you've had an accident let's clean you up .. talk about it, get her to you why we use the toilet/potty. Make washing hands a fun treat after using the toilet. Take her to choose some hand soap. Give her a but of responsibility for the accident.

When dc1 went through this at a similar age, after we did the initial clean up, dc would have to put the dirty clothes into the washing machine. Not as a punishment, but as a lesson in cleaning yp after an accident. We even talked about the environmental impact obviously done in a way a 3 yr old understands.

Amy71452 · 28/09/2023 13:16

When you say fully potty trained, no accidents at all?

For your and your DDs sanity I'd suggest going back to nappies and forgetting completely about it for a month. 3 is still very young and a lot aren't trained by then. She might not want them after a couple of weeks and it will go faster

Original poster

Heckythump1 · 28/09/2023 13:32

I messaged the local HV text service and they just said make her drink more to stretch her bladder.... she drinks loads already!

She wasn't having any wee accidents at all, just the occasional poo accident as she was scared of pooing on the potty.

My husband rang the doctor last week, but they never rang back and then she had a couple of good days, I will have to ring them again and see if they can see her.

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Amy71452 · 28/09/2023 13:35

Hopefully they can figure out the issue! Please in the meantime take the pressure off yourself however you can, you're doing nothing wrong!

Original poster

Heckythump1 · 28/09/2023 21:35

Also just wanted to add that she's started wetting the bed, she has literally never wet the bed since she came out of nappies, she was dry from day one.
She's wet the bed twice this week now 😩

Didn't hear back from the doctor today, hopefully will do tomorrow 😩

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Stichintime · 28/09/2023 21:40

I notice you said she drinks very diluted squash. I know certain squash irritates my bladder, and I can't drink it, otherwise I'd be up and down to the toilet all night. I find blackcurrant the worst.

Original poster

Heckythump1 · 28/09/2023 21:54

She only drinks orange and literally enough to colour the water. She was also drinking this before this regression started with no apparent issues.

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Potplant19 · 28/09/2023 22:12

We found potty training really hard too and like you our DD seemed to have real up and down phases, and I totally get the dread of going out and dealing with accidents.

Things we tried which might or might not help were a star chart - she got a star for a whole day with no accidents and then after five days could choose a prize. New pants with Elsa on. A timer so she went on the loo every hour. Watching something whilst sat on the toilet (soon backfired)

My friend put her ds in pants with a nappy over the top to make accidents a bit less disastrous when out and about - I wish we'd tried that!

We didn't go back into nappies, which I think was a good thing. She's nearly 4 now and is probably 85% of the way there. I think it does just take some kids longer and it's really challenging when you know they know what to do and just aren't.

Lily124 · 28/09/2023 22:16

If she's always thirsty/drinking lots and the accidents are new I'd be concerned about diabetes (or a urine infection), I'd try and get her to the GP as soon as you can. Wouldn't worry about needing to go back into nappies for a bit as the accidents aren't nice for either of you

Original poster

Heckythump1 · 29/09/2023 07:27

Lily124 · 28/09/2023 22:16

If she's always thirsty/drinking lots and the accidents are new I'd be concerned about diabetes (or a urine infection), I'd try and get her to the GP as soon as you can. Wouldn't worry about needing to go back into nappies for a bit as the accidents aren't nice for either of you

She's been a big drinker for quite a while but the accidents are new in the last 3/4 weeks. She was genuinely amazing before, would take herself or tell us if she needed a wee, now she doesn't seem to know until it's already coming.
I rang GP yesterday and got no answer, so contacted them on an online system, which said they'd get back to me within 24 hours, I'm in work from lunchtime though and not the sort of job where I can just answer my phone! Hopefully they will ring this morning!

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