Day 3... concerned re Withholding

[MuddyMoments]

We are on day 3 potty training my little boy who is 3y & 3months... he knows wee is to go in the potty, we transitioned him straight into his underpants and knows that pull up is for bedtime.
I was fully prepared for lots of accidents we've stayed in 3 days but I'm worried he is holding his wee too long. He doesn't look uncomfortable and I can now see when he needs to go! Day 1 we had two accidents nothing in the potty, Day 2 (yesterday) we had 1 success I noticed it about to happen and moved him to the potty for the 1 wee he did in 7 hours. I've heard of stool withholding but any advice for holding in wee, I'm shocked he can go this long. When in pulls ups he wasn't often wet so I don't know if it's just his norm. He's drinking his usual amount and still happily playing and being himself so it's not making him upset.

We are sitting him on the potty every 40 mins to an hour and will sit fine but says he doesn't need a wee, and when we ask him to try, he says nothing is happening. We've tried bubbles doing blowing actions, playing singing, watching his favourite programme when sat trying! He is always refusing to try the big toilet.

I know it's late to be training him but he has always got upset until now and told us he wanted nappies forever and if used to cry if we opened the underpants drawer! I'm so proud he is day 3 in his underpants.. I just don't understand why he isn't going

Try a treat for peeing.

I used magic stars for a wee. I put them in a little tupperware container and used to rattle the chocolates in the tupperware and then treat after a wee. Terribly like training a puppy to wee, but it really works.

You might be putting too much pressure on him? If he can comfortably hold for 7 hours without distress, I wouldn't make him sit on the potty that often. Try letting him decide to go, other than if you're leaving the house or before sleep. My daughter has been potty trained for a couple of months with very few accidents but can hold it for longer than you'd think.

And yes, use chocolate stars/buttons as a 'special treat' - we did that too then faded out and it really worked.

I potty trained my iron bladder DD at just before age 2 and had the same concerns about how long she seemed to go between wees.

I took the approach of not taking her to the toilet at regular intervals but instead I would say "remember to let me know when you need a wee" at regular intervals and that seemed to reduce the pressure and she would more frequently tell me she wanted to try, we had very few wee accidents after switching to this technique. Poo accidents were different as she did seem to withhold due to a fear of pooing on the potty/toilet so we praised and treated with a chocolate for every poo on the potty/toilet, which resolved it quite quickly.

Sounds like your DS is doing great just to get over his fear of underpants so keep going! It's a stressful time for sure but I can assure you it won't feel like this forever!

Thanks all for your replies. Definitely going to try today to not keep trying him on the potty every hour and go with a more remember to tell us if you need to try the potty approach. I don't want him to become distressed at having to sit on it.

I'm also prepared with some magic stars..

I definitely don't want to give up as like I say 2 months ago I wouldn't of even thought I'd get him in a pair of underpants and it's day 4 of him picking a pair and putting them on with no issues.

My son withheld (and still uses this as a power play now, fully potty trained) and he actually never ever willingly went on a potty. We got rid of the potty almost immediately and only went on the toilet. Kept things very casual. Still have to do this with him!