Tips on potty training

Mrshaworth2b

What the title says really, lo is 2 and 4 months, has a wee after a bath in the potty so around 3 times a week. He is pretty predictable for poo in the mornings but I'm just wondering about any tips or best practices you may have had.

I'm currently pregnant with my second, we have around 16 weeks before he will be here and ideally (I know it's my ideal and not my sons ) he would be dry during the day by then.

Also would help when he is starting nursery the beginning of next year also. I've read a lot online about knowing the ready signs and some suggestions but I'm open to everything.

iwannabeonthebeach

my daughter is 2.4 and told me 3 weeks ago that she wanted to wee on the potty. she's been out of nappies since. I would say just try a nappy free day and see how you get on. Prepare for accidents and prepare that it may not happen. (I think boys are generally later than boys)
we have a potty downstairs and one upstairs. once she's weed, she comes with me to the toilet to get rid of it so she can see the process of what happens

Armchair23

Both my two were a bit reluctant about the whole potty training thing.

Son got his act together when he realised he was the only kid at playgroup in nappies that was around 2 1/2. And he really didn't like that.

Daughter wanted to do 'baby ballet' again at least 2 1/2 we said great but you can't do a nappy in a leotard, that was an overnight potty training incident. She's always been a force to be reckoned with !

Back then lots of things were excluded if you weren't potty trained. I know when son started playgroup I was given 6 weeks and if he wasn't trained by then he was out.

Sometimes it's much easier for a carer to keep a kid in nappies rather than go through the mopping up and accidents stage. It can be hard work for a few weeks.

Like learning to read it's one of those things that once you've mastered it nobody could care less when it happened !

Best of luck X

Armchair23

Sorry realised my earlier post is not at all helpful when you're trying to get this sorted, you don't need to hear about my kids !

Summer is good, clothes, bottoms and wet patches dry quicker.
Potty training in a snow suit is a nightmare.

As hard as it is to be 'relaxed' about this try to be if you can. Star charts, treats and the like help. But if you make them too big and important it becomes less helpful.

If you look at the kids in reception year they're hopefully all toilet trained so it will happen, maybe just not when you would like.

Other toddlers and grandparents can be a big help. Something you try might be ignored but another kid or a Nan saying something will work like a dream.

fabforty

Does he have an awareness of needing to use the toilet yet, as that is the first real sign and it won't happen successfully until then. Otherwise you end up taking him to sit on the potty at regular intervals, hoping something goes in. Compared to other children, DS trained late - he was nearly 3 and a half, but he showed absolutely no awareness of his bodily functions until then.
I had a few unsuccessful attempts before that but he simply wasn't ready. One day he suddenly announced that he needed to pee, and held it until I could get him onto the toilet (he wouldn't sit on a potty). He was dry in just two days - during which time he had two accidents and one of those was my fault (I forgot to unlock the baby gate).


Because he was older and ready, it was a relatively quick, painless exercise. It might be worth getting a boys potty book to read to him - my son loved Pirate Pete, which we read at least once a day for a while. Good luck.

Mrshaworth2b

He tells me when he is pooing and sometimes weeing, I'm most worried about will he take time out to go and sit and wait for it to happen, rather than carry on playing like he can with a nappy. He doesn't like to miss a thing like most at this age.

I'm going to give him some naked days over the weekend and see how we go. If we have to wait off for a while we will. A perfect world would see him potty trained and sleeping on his own all night by the time the next baby is born..... oh what a dream!!

fabforty

That's good, but does he tell you or indicate when he needs to go - i.e. before he actually does anything? That's the key. Even when they are trained, they tend to leave it until the last second anyway.

pandora205

Some good tips here already, especially about dressing light (or not at all) and training in the summer. I'd add to this, don't do it by halves. It's very confusing for a child to use a pot (or the toilet) sometimes and then to be put back in pullups or nappies for going out. So that means either not going very far, or taking a pot with you (and a change of clothes) wherever you go.

And those story books are quite good too - I want my potty etc. and the 'big boy' pants idea (going shopping for the special grown up ones).

onlyroz

Just put them in pants/knickers and let them wet themselves. They'll soon get the hang of it.

anmarj

My wee one had been doing it on and off, I was on holiday a couple of weeks ago and just took the nappy off and bingo it worked. He has a dry nappy at night as well. We had to use pants and pull ups on a long journey not that long ago and he freaked out at having to wee in the pants as we could not stop. He has not figured the poo part and will often do it before telling us, and hates having poo in his pants/trouser leg.

REEN

A potty in every room so you can respond quickly, no pants days so the consequences of not using the potty are immediately obvious, and don't change nappies as soon as they are soggy, let them become uncomfortable. Towelling nappies are best for that, maybe you could 'run out' of disposables and use an old cut up towel? Have really cool pants ready and waiting as a reward for when he is dry.

A lego potty for a favourite toy seemed to help. When he turned his back we popped a little stone or something in and praised the toy!