My 25 month old daughter has recently started removing her pants/PJs and diaper when I put her down for a nap (before she falls asleep) or when she wakes up in the morning. When she does this she says, "All wet. Change my diaper." She's not wet, except for pee in her diaper. I'm thinking she's realizing she is wet & is uncomfortable & wants a new diaper except she does not act like this at any other time---only at nap time/morning wake up. I have been trying to get her to use the potty with gentle encouragment (our MD said not to push), but she doesn't have much interest. She's had a few successes peeing on the potty & I've made a big deal out of that. She does seem to know when she needs to both pee and poop & likes to put her stuffed animals on the potty as well as pretend to change their diapers, but most of the time she does want to use the potty herself. Has anyone else experienced the clothing/diaper removal thing? The behavior doesn't bother me, but I'm wondering why she is doing it &, if it is related to learning to use the potty, if I should be doing something different to try to encourage toilet use. Any advice/stories would be much appreciated.
If you don't think she is ready to potty train - go to www.cheekeebaby.com - THIS SAVED us when my son kept taking his diaper off and wetting his pj's/bed every night!! It's something that goes 'over' the diaper to keep them from taking it off!
Good luck :)
I see there as being two things going on here LOL She is getting ready to use the potty and she has just learned that she is able to undress HERSELF! Very exciting for a two year old, learning something that she was not able to do just a little bit ago. Her independence is showing and so starts the 'terrible twos' God bless and enjoy as your daughter learns how to be 'big' and do all kinds of wonderful things for herself by herself. They grow fast! I suggest that you talk to her about the potty, let her check it out and she will do it on her own when she is ready, but make sure she knows it is there for her and how to use it. All three of my kids undressed in bed at about this same age - they did outgrow and I am not sure if it was realted to potty training or not, but once the kids learned that they could do these things for themselves the independence that they development lead them to many other activities - like the potty, changing of clothes and letting me know that they could do it themselves LOL. A wonderful time for both parent and child.
Ditto what Nikki said.
It's a combination of things.
Before potty training... there is a "pre-awareness" of them not liking to be wet...and/or of "knowing" when they peed/pooped. But, it doesn't always mean that they "want" to go on the potty or are ready for training.
My son was like that from 18 months old....he'd always tell me when he peed in his diaper or pooped. But, he's 26-27 months old now, and is not interested in the actual "potty training."
I tried, but he's just not wanting to. So that's okay.
Some may say that this is a "window of opportunity" to try and train them. But, for me, it's a time when you can acclimate them and just show them, but not expect it. As your Doc said, don't push.
She is also at the age, when they "pretend play." This is normal development, and is not always the beckoning to actual potty train. But, IF SHE SHOWS INTEREST... you can introduce it perhaps. She is also aware now, of what the potty is for... but not necessarily for herself directly. Let her pretend play with it.. and her toys... that's great she is "role playing."
Most toddlers goe through the phase of taking off their own clothes and diapers. Its just a thing they do... my friend, her son used to do it even in PUBLIC! Eeek! She really had her hands full with her rascal son. But it was not potty related.
Just use your judgment... potty training is so gradual a process... over a span of months and years. **And, might I add...for a child to become COMPLETELY error-free in toileting and "accidents" (ie: wiping themselves & after #2, no pee accidents even when sleeping etc.) ...YES, it DOES take time...and a couple to a few years. TO ME, this encompasses the WHOLE gamut of "toilet training." It is NOT an over-night-error-free-accident free-instant- success- thing-overnight. EVEN if the child is ready. But yes, when the child is ready, then it is easier to "teach" them and by then, they are usually mature enough to just get it quicker.**
Usually by the time they hit preschool or by 4 years old, they will have gotten it wired. So IT IS A PROCESS.... and complete dryness without night-time accidents... is another separate "phase" in itself.
No rush though. Some kids, and boys are not really "ready" until about 3 years old. And it also depends on their own maturity and comfort.
The way I see it, your girl is just in the "pretend play" and "role playing" phase of development per her age group. And with this is the awareness of them simply knowing "when" to change their diaper (as part of a waking routine because that is what Mommy does) and that they can "say it" now, to tell you. It's good she's communicating. Her expressive language seems great.
For my son, once I take him out of the crib from naps or sleep... he knows that is when I change his diaper and he will actually go and get a diaper and his cream and then lie down "for me." It's so helpful! They know full well what "OUR" routines are for "them."
All the best,
Susan
Potty training is NOT a long, drawn-out process! It does not take months or years. If it does, you are doing something very wrong. Your daughter doesn't show much interest because she is not ready to potty train. 25 months is too young to begin potty training, even for a girl, no matter what success stories you hear. There is usually untold trauma behind those stories. Wait until she is ready and you will not have to deal with these issues. You have a very smart daughter with a problem. She has a first time mom. :0) Hey, we have all been one! If you wait until a child is ready - for girls, the earliest should be close to the third birthday - potty training takes a few days and is the easiest thing in the world. Sure, you will hear stories about babies who were potty trained at insanely early ages - but that should not be your goal. Early potty training is not fun or easy for anyone involved. Just because a child is aware of the need to pee or poop does not mean they are ready to potty train. Put it out of your mind for 9-15 months, then introduce it again. When a child is ready, it happens so quickly you will be amazed.
My oldest son did this, too. It was quite a while before he potty-trained so I don't know that is necessarily means she is ready, but she is at an age when many kids are ready. I hear there is a huge range of normal for the ages when kids are "ready" (something like 18 mos. to 3 or 4 yrs.) It seems like they are aware of a full and uncomfortable diaper, so that must be a good sign!
In the meantime, if you want to keep her diaper on, here are a couple of suggestions. I have heard that some people put a onesie on backwards to keep their kids from getting to the diaper. My son got through that. What worked for us was using a diaper pin and pinning the zipper-pull to his jammies so he could not unzip his sleepers. We would pin it through the inside of his clothes to make it more difficult to get to the pin. It did make me a little nervous using a pin on him when his little hands were so curious, but they are "safety" diaper pins and he never figured it out.
Hopefully this helps!
my 32 month old has been doing that for awhile now..yep related to potty training so...he has to wear one pieces to bed..in the summer i had him in onesies in the crib but now that it's cold he has a zip up ..he knows how to take it off but he doesn't..so maybe she'll stop too after she sees you really don't want her taking off her clothes in bed
Interesting. My 19 month old KNOWS that he has to go and he is pretty good at holding it. He would grab my hand and drag me to the bathroom while saying "EEEEE". He also pulls his pants down if he is wearing one. Normally I don't put anything on him because he'll just take them off. Sometimes it is hard because he doesn't really let me know 100% of the time and ends up peeing on the carpet. Its just whatever he is doing, he would stop and sit in the corner and go. It is however very hard for me to take him to the bathroom about 20% of the time especially when I am in the middle of doing something for work. I think he is ready to go potty train and I'm NOT! I have always thought that they weren't ready until about 2 years old as what most of the articles I've read said...
I have been putting him in the potty whenever I get a chance to do it since he was a newborn. He would sometimes go and sometimes tries to strain himself and pushing himself to go even though he doesn't really have to go.
In your case, she seems to be very confident of her skills and wanting to do it the right way. Good luck and let us know of the progress.
Hi T.,
It sounds like your daughter is beginning to recognize her own body signals. That's great--I'm sure it means that potty training will go fairly easily for her once you really begin.
My son went through a period of time when he would occasionally strip himself of his jammies and diaper when he was twoish--I think it happened because he figured out that he could remove those items, and that was somehow a novelty.
Don't stress about potty training--all kids do it in time. Our pediatrician told us not to try before 27 months of age, regardless of the sex of the child--she said that their brains grasp the concept much better after 27 months and thus the actual training time will be shorter. But you know, all kids are different and so are pediatricians--just go with what makes sense to you and what you think your child can handle.
:-) D.
Everyone was on my case to get my daughter potty trained, except for her Dr. Who said "how many children do you see going to school in a diaper, she will do it when she is ready". We played at sitting on the potty every now and again, she had no interest but did understand what she was suppose to do.
She trained her self 2 days before her 3 rd birthday. She simply said "I don't wear diapers any more". I continued with a night diaper for 2 days when she again stated that she didn't wears diapers, one night time accident and she was trained.
It sounds to me like she's ready! I'd buy her some pretty underpants, and go for it. If you do put her in undies, though, never go back to diapers, it's too confusing. I would still put her in a diaper at nap and bed times, though until she's waking up dry. Good luck! :)
In my opinion she's definately ready... my daughter was doing the same thing since she was about 18 months and so I gave her a little more time to get used to the idea.. and 3 months before she was 2 she was completely potty trained. When we did start to potty train her she started freaking out --but you cant' blame them it's very scary for them.. and within 4 days.. yes 4 days.... we were done.. with #1 atleast.. #2 was much scarier and is harder for them and kids hold it and get constipated etc.. but it's ALL worth it... I have to say.
My mom pushed me to potty train her since she was 18 months... and honestly it was the best thing I did for her AND me. It's much easier and cheaper and they get the hang of it. I don't know it your child is in school yet or not but it's much better they're potty trained when they DO start rather than later.
Also... I agree with Joanna (below) on the steps to go about it.. that's what we did an d it worked well. and for a few weeks I kept her in diapers at night just in case.
My twins took their diapers off at bedtime too. It was not related to potty training. I resorted to putting on onesies, zip up pjs with the zipper pinned, or backwards zip up pjs so the zipper was in the back, and cloth diapers with pins and rubber pants to keep them from making such a mess. Mine were being naughty or maybe occasionally they were bored. I think at 25 mos. she is perfectly ready to start potty training. Especially given that she is vocalizing about it. Put her in undies, set the timer for 20 mins and do that all day. You're bound to have accidents but thats the best way to learn. If you dont think she is getting it, then stop and try again in a few weeks. Night time training takes a bit longer for most. But they all do it eventually!
