Potty Training

Deirdre - posted on 07/15/2010

I started potty training my son when he was 2 and 4 months, for a few weeks before I told him his nappies were going in the bin and he was going to use big boy pants. he has different colour nappies for bedtime so this worked. When he was in nappies I would ask him if he had done or was doing a wee or poo when I say him stop and concentrate. he asked for his pants and we never looked back. i tried pull ups to go out and about but he called them nappies and wouldn't use the toilet when out. so I am now using them at bedtime and big boy pants everywhere we go. I also carry his potty in case he dosn't want to use the big toilets.
I am trying to pretend to forget it now, so he has to use the toilets. stickers are fantastic and a reward chart for doing a wee or poo on the potty. Don't use sweets as they expect and can go backwards when u stop dishing them out. I now only use stickers for using toilets when out and about and for using toilets with hand dryers, as he is scared of hand dryers. Again the stickers are a heaven send.

Valentine - posted on 07/09/2010

Hi there! I started potty training ny son when he was 2 and 4 months. He started complaining about diapers and had bad rashes on his bum, it was time! I did it with my mum over a week that she was there, it was the best help! the best advice I got from her, and many other friends was to just STOP diapers altogether! we let him be bare naked butt all day and sit him on the potty every half hour. the 1st day was a terrible mess of course, he peed on himself a lot, and as soon as he started we grabbed him and put him on the potty saying "pee pee goes there!" and he held his poo all day. the 2nd day, we just forced him to stay on the potty until he peed, we read books, watch cartoons, even gave him breakfast while sitting there, and it just came! we made a huge deal about it and he was so proud! and that was it! he got it! there was still accidents, but he actually went on the potty when he felt like peeing! for naps and bedtime, we put a pullup, not diapers, to reinforce the fact that there were no more diapers, because he's a big boy from now on. the hard part was poo... the 1st time he did in his potty and saw it, he freaked out, and after that, he was scared of pooping! that resolved itself within a month, with the help of daycare. I guess seeing the other kids doing it helps a lot!
so there's my advice, just go blunt, and if you decide to do it, take a few days for the challenge and just put the diapers away altogether! charts and stickers every time he did helped a lot too! underwear with his favorite heroes and potty with stickers all over it...

Stephanie - posted on 07/05/2010

my son is 2 1/2 years now. i have been potty training him for 3 weeks.. and he now uses the potty on his own he brings it to me so we can both go and empty it into the toilet.. i know he cud spill it.. but he likes to carry it himself. he used to be really sly go into another room take his nappy off and wee or poo on the floor.. after a while i started to get annoyed with this.. and told him off for it. nothing changed.. so i decided to just ignore him when he did it.. once he knew he wouldnt get a reaction he went straight to his potty and had a wee.. i made such a big fuss he thought it was great. so now everytime he uses it he has to bring it to me or his dad and show us so we can make a big fuss. my son likes to run around with nothing on and i think that helped too. also remember your child wont do it unless he or she is ready. you will know when this is though. my son was having dry nights all the time and hated wearing his nappy he also knew when he needed to go to the toilet. i hope this helps a bit

Sarah - posted on 06/12/2010

let him run round with nothing on just a vest let him get uses to not wear a nappie when you are in the house, then when he is almost potty trained in the house then start putting pants on him my little boy was fully potty trained through the day by 23 months of age, just try and see how it goes if you keep putting if off the it will be harder as he gets older the get more bossy

Beth - posted on 06/10/2010

My son is also 2 1/2yrs old and has no interest in potty training. We talk about it & read books but when I ask him, he is not interested. He is the only one of his friends that hasn't started but the best advice I read was to not stress and that when they are ready they will start.
If your son is not on the verge of growing out of 6's right at this moment, give it a few weeks and reintroduce the whole idea to him with books, etc. That will give you a chance to plan how you want to go about it (words you want to use that will click with your son, rewards, charting, etc.).

Candice - posted on 06/08/2010

My son will be 21/2 years next week and I can tell you that he is almost fully potty trained. The only place he wears diapers is at the mommy and me classes we go, and of course nap and bed time. I started the process right afetr he turned 2 took diapers off and put underwear but since I put so much presure on that he ended up hated them and also his potty chair. I started all over again when he wasl like 2 and 3 months, again stopped using diapers and bought him underwear with his favorites tv movie Toy Story. Since then he started wearing undies and for the potty had to play with him while he was on the potty. Of course at the beggining there were so many accidents to clean up since he was without diaper, but was all worth it took him like 2 weeks maybe to start asking to go pee or poo in the potty every time he wanted to go. For me the stopped using diapers is the best thing to do!. Hope it helps

Rebecca - posted on 06/07/2010

making potty training fun is a good idea. treats for going like candy or stickers. also singing a song or something while he's in the bathroom might help. one thing that i do is give my daughter the option of using her princess potty or using the big potty as well as if she wants to be by herslef or wants me with her.

I have a 2 1/2 year old girl who is almost potty trained when it comes to peeing but not pooping.

she loves to wear her undies and pullups but then she has her days where she only wants to wear diapers. i put her in the undies or pullups if she likes it or not and put up the diapers so she cant get them. the only time she will wear a diaper is nap time or bed time and if we are going to be out for a long period of time.

it could be that the child is not use to the material of the undies and the way it feels for they would be a little tighter then the diaper that's why he doesnt want to wear them. maybe try having him run around without nothing on - might make him change his mind to wear the undies. Also the one thing I've noticed with my little girl is when she is in her undies or pullups and she has an accident she puts her head down and starts to cry. i tell her its ok and that it happens - she smiles and wants a new pair.

when my daughter screams and cry over undies or pullups sometimes i give in and put a diaper on her but no matter what she is wearing im asking and taking her to the potty like every 30 minutes to an hour. it can be hard for them to tell you that the need to go or they might not even know they need to go.

for the size issue - not really sure what to tell you for i dont have that issue. maybe next time you are in the baby isle look to see if there are any other options out there.

Hannah - posted on 05/27/2010

I too am having the exact same problem! My son was thrilled at the idea of wearing big boy undies and getting a potty chair... When I explain to him what to do he says "No Mom...I poop in my diaper"... Wish I had advice for ya... Hoping to get some advice on this too... Maybe we should just wait a few weeks n try again...idk