Second attempt going same as the first!

[Leweslady]

My daughter is 2.10 months and last weekend she annouced she wanted to wear pants. This filled me with horror as 3 months ago I spend 4 very stressful days trying to get her to use the potty. I gave up when she got so distraught that she was holding it all in.

You can't ignore a request like that so I got out the pants. 5 days later we have had 2 wees on the potty and that is it. At nursery she is OK. She goes down to the toilet, sits on the potty quite happily but has only done a wee twice. They sit there with her for ages, she does nothing then gets up and 5 mins later does a wee in her pants.

At home she point blank refuses to use the potty or toilet. Luckily she it at nursery 4 days a week but tomorrow is Friday and my day off and I am dreading it.

I cannot go through this stress again. The 'do I go on or give up' dilemma sent me over the edge last time so much so I downed a bottle of wine to my self one night.

I just don't know what to do....surely she must be getting it by now??? She verbally very bright and clever child.

Any help welcome.

Antonia x

Lewes, we have just been through a similar experience with DD who turned 3 this week.

I tried twice in the last year, resulting in a lot of frustration, wet knickers and a carpet that smells of wee. She was interested in potty training and made all the right signs, but after sitting on the potty or loo for ages she would get up, time after time and wee on the floor minutes later.

This third attempt she, like your DD really wanted to. The first week was a disaster, but was determined not to give up. Then on day 7.... a miracle....2 or 3 wees in the potty. She has gone from strength to strength and two weeks on she has had the odd accident, but think we have got there.

The things I found that helped were.....
Making her sit on the loo or potty for ages after each meal and drink...when necessary plonking her on the potty in front of Cbbebies for 45 mins . After 3 or 4 definite successes she started to get ocnfident and has been getting better and better.
We have made a huge song and dance about every success which we are gradually trailing off now, and I bought her some more new knickers. Ignored the countless accidents.

You sound like me two weeks ago....she might not be ready, but if you think she is then I would say just keep at it.

Interested to know how you make sure she sits on the potty? My daughter is so stubborn. At home I can't even get her to sit on it at home. Peppa Pig sometimes works but I don't want her to become reliant on PP for wees!

Peer pressure is a big thing with her. The reason she does it at nursery is that the others are doing it. Short of stealing a child and bringing her home at some point she will have to go on the potty alone.

She does want to but I am not sure how much. Maybe I should give in to Peppa for when we are at home tomorrow. She tends to wee every 3-4 hours so I could time it so that she gains confidence. Thanks Hackney - good advice

Basically I used bribery for about a week and let her watch what she wanted on tv as long as she sat on her potty. She doesn't normally watch tv all that much so worked a treat. This week its been going well so have not really needed to use it as she keeps telling me she needs to wee and will do one after a few minutes of sitting on the loo/potty rather than holding it in for ages as she did before. The first few days she was sitting on the potty for about 30-40 mins each time.

DD sounds similar to your DD, she is fine at nursery as most of her friends are in knickers.

One thing that did work, which a friend suggested, was basically filling her up with a few glasses of water/squash then sitting her on the potty as her bladder was full, she would do a wee each time which made her more confident.

Good luck and keep at it!

Breakthrough today....1 wee on her portable potty in the park! Got to run...more later!

They really sound alike. Isabel doesn't watch much TV so this is a treat for her too.

She hardly went yesterday but she does have really good bladder control. She did one accident in the playground then didn't wee until we got to the park. I knew she needed one as she was so fidgety and for some reason she agreed to sit on the potty at the park. I have no idea why...but she was dead chuffed when the wee came out.

We had one more accident later but I was watering the garden so I am not surprised.

We also had the first poo accident yesterday. She hadn't been for 2 days! I knew when she went off to hide it was coming. She got really upset but point blank refused the potty or toilet - ah well try the wees first!

Not expecting much more this today...