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Mumsnet users share their best potty training tip or trick with Huggies Pull Ups

321 replies

EllieMumsnet · 09/08/2018 09:37

This activity is now closed

Potty training can feel like a daunting task that consists of tantrums, tears and mess. With so many different products and advice out there it can be difficult to know where to start. Potty training is a great milestone to be celebrated as your child takes a big step towards become a big girl or boy. The potty training experts at Huggies® Pull-Ups® would love to know your best tips and tricks for an easy transition to the toilet.

Here’s what HUGGIES® have to say: “Trusted by millions of parents and carers around the world, HUGGIES® Pull Ups® Potty Training underwear supplies all the features you need to train in a safe and consistent way. Take a look at our steps to potty training success here”

“Perhaps the biggest achievement in potty success is recognising the need to go. To help little ones on this journey, when little accidents happen, the unique learning layer in Huggies® Pull-Ups® briefly mimics the feeling of real wet underwear, before quickly drawing the moisture away. It’s a feature of the product that many people don’t realise exists, but it’s one of the best tips for helping little ones learn wet from dry in a protected environment, so that they ultimately learn to stay dry on their own and can progress to pants quicker.”

Perhaps you’ve found training pants to be your potty training saviour? Maybe you have a potty both upstairs and downstairs so that you’re ready for anything? Or is your biggest tip to just let your little one take control?

Whatever your best tip and trick for potty training, share them on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one winner will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

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Mumsnet users share their best potty training tip or trick with Huggies Pull Ups
OP posts:
lyssie29 · 10/08/2018 18:34

Wait until they're ready and never push it on them. I tried too early with my eldest and somehow she developed a phobia of going without a nappy on and I basically had to deny her nappies with her panicking until she had no choice but to sit on the potty and it was awful. She was almost 3.5 and due to start nursery so had to do it then. With my youngest who is almost 3 I've been very relaxed about it. Sometimes she'll do it other times she asks for a nappy but because I haven't really tried she has just explored it herself. I just ask her if she wants to try and if she says no then she says no.

Queenofthedrivensnow · 10/08/2018 18:37

That the advice 'once the nappy comes off you can't put it back on' is bullshit. Yes you can.

Also you can't force it. They can either have bladder and bowel control or they don't. You can't discipline this into them before they are ready.

Lastly - no one gets a medal for potty training the earliest. Really

duck22 · 10/08/2018 19:07

Use an egg timer. Initially set it to every 20min and then make it longer. This gets them used to going on the middle of play and getting used to the sensation

Belmo · 10/08/2018 19:22

We went commando for the first couple of weeks (well not we, ds!) till I was sure he has the hang of it. Felt pants were just confusing. Never used pull ups in the day but still using them at night.

fishnships · 10/08/2018 19:32

Never get annoyed (or show it if you are) but try to stay calm and give loads of praise. Try to make it fun and ideally during the summer.

BellaVida · 10/08/2018 19:44

With all of my DC we skipped the potty and just use the toilet with a child seat and step. Made it easier in the long run and I'm convinced they were quicker to learn, as they knew we couldn't just magically produce a potty exactly when they needed it.

I would also say don't rush into it and if possible do over summer, to reduce the amount of clothes and layers you have to battle with and wash!
The final thing is once you decide get rid of nappies in the day time, don't go back on your decision. Get loads of cheap pants and stick at it. Reward every wee/poo on the toilet and ignore the accidents. Clap, sing a song, so sticker charts, but just keep it positive.

MiconiumHappens · 10/08/2018 19:45

Carried a potty with us at all times in the early phase.

We had a song that we sang...DD went wee wee on potty. We kind of marched around all together and sang it, worked wonders.

SusanWalker · 10/08/2018 19:50

Don't bow to pressure and try to potty train too early. Both of mine wet the bed until they were quite old. I found the disposable bed mats really useful to help keep the mattress clean.

UpOnDown · 10/08/2018 20:44

Start with them going commando.

CremeDeSudo · 10/08/2018 20:48

Don't nag them! DS was 2.8 months when we trained. When I kept offering the potty he refused and kept having accidents. Day3, I told him he had to tell me as I wasn't going to ask all day. He held it til 2pm, panicked when he admitted he needed to go, never looked back!

NeverTwerkNaked · 10/08/2018 22:06

Wait for a time when you and they are ready

Nursery/preschool- mine really learnt a lot from their peers; and they would spur each other on (plus it is a break from the relentlessness for the parent!)

A few bribes / treats! Mine would get little incentives if they were having a “blip” (eg my son was too nervous to go for a poo at one point)

Stories about it. “I want my potty!” Was a favourite here

Hopezibah · 10/08/2018 22:16

i stressed myself so much about moving straight to proper pants to avoid 'confusion' with my eldest that the stress of all the accidents made potty training a nightmare. Then used pull ups the next time around and OMG how much easier things were - less stress for me so my son learnt potty training so much quicker!

FreshHerbs · 10/08/2018 22:51

My little one turned 3 end of July and I vowed from then to have him fully trained by the time he goes back to nursery as a pre schooler. I started on pull-ups but like others after a few days it dawned on me it was too confusing for him so ditched them altogether. So every half hour I would take little one to the toilet, most times he just liked the feeling of pulling his trousers up and down so felt like most visits were pointless but after a day or so off this palava he decided to do a wee. Had loads of accidents in the meantime but also lots of occasions where he did it in the toilet too. A week later he did a number 2 and today has been the first day where I haven't had to prompt him to go instead he's told me when he has needed to go to the bathroom. To say I am over the moon is an understatement. Now all I need to conquer is any night time bed wetting that might occur. It's taken a little over 3 weeks

mothmother · 10/08/2018 23:24

We still have trouble with accidents especially if engrossed in play or tv (not that dc watches much tv) so my biggest tip is to get a couple of washable seat pads ('kylie' pads) for the sofa or any other places that are really hard to clean wee off!

BaconCrispsGone · 11/08/2018 06:13

wait til they're ready, so much quicker and easier

clopper · 11/08/2018 09:28

Potty train outside so much less cleaning up! Also start early as pp said and just make it part of a regular routine.

JudgeRulesNutterButter · 11/08/2018 09:40

Bribery! Chocolate buttons all the way.

And stop if it turns out they’re not ready. DS was showing all the signs but we had to abandon our first attempt because he was not remotely getting the hang of it. No pressure no blame, we’ll try again in a couple of months.

itsonlysubterfuge · 11/08/2018 11:04

We put the potty in the hallway and encouarged her to sit on it because at first she was afraid to sit on it. We just encouraged her to sit on it whenever she would and then we focused on the peeing. We had a potty that sang when you did a pee or poo, so once we got her to sit on it we poured water so she could hear it singing. Once she figured out how to make it sing by weeing, she was off and loved using the potty!

Summerdays2014 · 11/08/2018 12:22
  1. Chocolate buttons to encourage poos - one for each done in the potty.
  2. Travel potty for out and about - one you can put over the regular toilet.
missymousey · 11/08/2018 16:18

Start early; the potty is just part of life from babyhood. Then when toddler is noticing that he needs to go (eg squatting down behind the sofa, it's time to ditch the nappies. Out of nappies means out of nappies - no confusing pull-ups, sorry!

Twinkie1 · 11/08/2018 17:13

Do day and night at the same time. Once mine have had,the realisations n when they need to use the toilet they've always woken up to go. I did wake them when I went to bed and put them on the toilet and we had minimal wet beds.

purplepandas · 11/08/2018 18:42

Find the right incentive, it's not a one size fits all approach. It is not infallible of course as it depends on whether the child is ready.

JustDoOne · 11/08/2018 19:34

We've trained 5 DC. Can't say I enjoyed it much but my tips would be don't do it before they're ready. Try not to stress and compare them to friends DC etc, they all get there when they're ready. Similarly, don't be put off by other people's DC who 'get it in one day'.

We didn't bother with a potty and just went straight to the toilet, with a step and training seat. It didn't make sense to me to add another step.

Buy lots and lots of cheap pants. Expect to have to change/throw away lots of pairs a day.

When in the car etc and worrying about them peeing in their car seat etc, I put a pair of pants underneath a pull up. That way, they still felt like they had pants on, rather than a nappy, and if they pee'd, it still felt wet but didn't cause too much hassle for me.

Don't expect them to be dry at night as soon as they're dry in the day cause that usually takes a bit longer.

Mmmmdanone · 11/08/2018 20:46

Don't be pressured into it- the older generation seem think they had all their kids dry in the womb 😂😂😂. Wait for signs.

PitchBlackNight · 11/08/2018 21:03

Some kids can't learn early but plenty can. I think it's worth trying earlier rather than later and giving it a really good go rather than faffing around waiting until they 'are ready'. I happily admit to pushing my kids to be toilet trained as soon as I thought I could. I was lucky that it worked for my kids. It wasn't crazy early but around two and two and a half.

I used to give them loads and loads to drink so they had plenty of opportunity to feel what needing a pee felt like.

Obviously it didn't work perfectly and we occasionally had accidents but generally it worked well for us. I think that it is much nicer for the child if they can learn as early as possible. Pull ups and nappies must be really uncomfortable compared with wearing pants. It's also nice for the kid to feel grown up.
I know that some kids can't and won't be rushed but I think it's worth trying to toilet train earlier rather than later.

Just to be clear. I DONT judge any kids who are older and still in nappies as I know that some kids aren't capable of being toilet trained early.