Understanding the Potty

Hi E.,
This is mom! Potty training is all about consistancy. Routine is the best, in the morning after breakfast, before and after lunch, naps etc. She is a smart girl and will get the hang of it.I never used pull ups with you girls( weren't invented LOL). You will find as the weather gets warmer and she waers training pants the most beautiful girl in the world will be potty trained before you know it. Maybe Nana needs to take her shopping?

You might try the book "Toilet Train Your Child in Less Than a Day". It wasn't for our first son, but I think it will be perfect for our second. Anyway, we got some great ideas out of it, and it only took our son a few days. I have lots of friends who swear by the book, too. Especially for a first. GL

Hi E.! I just went through the same thing and believe me...I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing! We got a potty chair a long time ago, but my son was only interested in playing with it (gross) and not going potty on it. I didn't push it since he wasn't interested though. My grandma suggested that I sit on the regular toilet with him, and sit back as far as I can and let him sit in front of me and hold him so he doesn't feel like he's going to fall in. It worked great! I just made sure that I took him into the bathroom at some key times (after waking in the morning, after breakfast/lunch/nap, etc.). Sometimes he didn't have to go, but it was good to get him comfortable with the whole process. I just continued to praise his efforts and make a huge deal out of when he did go ("yay..that was so great, now why don't you help me wash your hands!" what kid doesn't love to play in the water?). I also bought him some "big boy" underwear (and made a huge deal out of those too) and didn't even bother with Pull Ups. Now...ta da! he is potty trained....and it is great! I've also been told that its not even worth trying if they don't wake up with a dry diaper in the morning, I guess their bladder muscles aren't under control yet. I've also been told that girls will usually potty train much earlier than boys.

Congratulations on your soon-to-be baby and good luck to you!
-Kelli

I think that it is great that you are already trying. I know a mom who had 7 kids and she got them all potty trained before they turned 16 months. I started potty training my daughter after one year and she is doing great. Just keep trying, encourage her, make it fun, and be patient.

E.,
First, I have four daughters the first 2 are 21 months apart
the third came 22 months later and the forth 30 months, they were all potty trained long before the next one came. So I really don't believe there is too early...I started with the
bowel movements, mainly because it was usually very apparent
what they were doing, I would take them to the bathroom remove their diaper and hold them on the regular toilet it was amazing how well this worked, my kids never had a little potty, I did not like the mess of it. You can also like someone else has mentioned, if she wakes up from her nap and is dry, take her immediately to the bathroom and let her go, but you have to stay with this once you start, you have an advantage that you are expecting so you are most likely getting to the point when you will have to go more often take her everytime you go, she probably will not go everytime but you are developing a habit. I don't think making everything a game is the way to go, but giving them a "good job" and acknowledging the fact that you are pleased with them when the have accomplished "the task" will go along way, kids want
to please their parents, most of the time(lol). Be patient and talk to her and you will diaper free soon, well at least till July. I do agree some kids regress when the next one comes, but I think it has to do with the moms now having a to split their focus with the new baby and sometimes forgetting to remind the older one if they have to go, it is a constant reminder for a while, and even sometimes when they say no, take them anyway if you feel it has been awhile because sometimes they really need to go but just don't want to take the time. I also found that using training panties, not pull-ups worked better during the day because they feel the pull-ups are just like diapers and can go in them, it is messier but less expensive. Good Luck with Phoenix and with your new bundle of joy.

15 months seems a bit early...although I know it works for some kids. I have an almost 2 year old boy (and I know it is different for girls and boys)...and he seems to like the idea of the potty seat and has great verbal skills to tell us after he's dirtied his diaper, etc...but his body doesn't seem to be ready yet. He doesn't know he has to go until after it's already started - or finished. Kids have to be physically ready - as well as emotionally/intellectually ready. I wouldn't rush her. It will happen. Even though you have another on the way, she might not be ready before then. I have also heard that some kids regress a bit when a new baby is in the picture.

As for the toddler bed... I have heard that it is a good idea to try to keep kids in cribs up to three years old, if they don't try to crawl out...because before then they can't really cognitively understand the concept of staying in bed and amount of time they should be there. Before about 3 yrs of age, they are just going to keep getting out of bed whenever they wake up...no matter what time. I have a friend who put her daughter in a toddler bed when she was two and she now ends up in her parent's bed every night (this has been going on for a year already!). This is a child who previously slept very well in her crib all night long. Now she knows she can go to mommy's room whenever she wants.

Just some thoughts....you should definitely do whatever you feel is best for you and your family.

I totally get what u r saying. having pottied trained 2 girls myself. What worked the best for me is when you gotta go then make a racing game to the bathroom. Make sure you have her favorite book readily available. Set her down on her pot and depending on how long it takes, read to her. Make potty time a fun time and not a chore for you. Remember that you may get finished with your duty first but if you can be patient and sit a little longer, you will be surprised!!Good-Luck!

Well, she knows where the potty is. That's about all you can do other than let her see you go potty as an example. Patience is a great thing. Currently, my daughter now tells me, "poo poo...go potty." So we go, she sits there a minute or two playing with the toilet paper, maybe letting out a little toot. She gets off the potty, washes her hands and then poops in her pull-up or on the floor. Progress! By the way, my middle child never would use a little potty or a potty seat...she ONLY wanted to use the regular potty just like her older sister...so whatever, we went with the flow of things...that's my best advice, just go with the flow!

E.,

After potty training 2 boys, I have learned that potty training children is a different experience for every child. If you feel she is truly ready, I found that taking off the pull up/diaper and going to big girl underwear for a couple of days helps them to understand what it truly feels like to have to go to the bathroom. They will not get it right away though, so you will have to take her to the bathroom every 15-20 minutes. There will be some accidents, but I found with my 2nd child, by the 2nd day he was ready to go to the potty. Again, every child is different. You will receive lots of advice, just stay consistent with whatever you try and think will work best for her. Good Luck.

You're starting off on the right foot. Does she show any signs of interest or readiness? (Like does she stay dry during her naps or does she tell you when she needs a diaper change? You can find a checklist on diaper websites or babycenter.com) If she is really ready, then I, too, recommend "Potty train your child in one day." It worked for us. If she isn't ready, there isn't anything you can do about it. And if you push her, she'll just push back by NOT using the potty. If she's not interested/ready, then bring it up again in a few weeks and continue to bring it up casually until she shows a lot of interest and then break out the book!

I had two kids in diapers for over a year and it was as fun as it sounds, but then they both potty trained within 9-months of each other.

If you push to hard know it will back fire, about a month before her 1st b-day let her run around with only a long t shirt on, no undies, diaper, pull-up. Then every half hour to hour take her to the potty, if she has an accident no big deal (get some carpet cleaner) have her help clean it up and let her know next time you hope she can make it, you are on the right road but getting her comfortable with the idea of 'Her' potty. I have managed to potty train most of my kids this way and by the age of 2, one other thing that helps if you don't find it to gross is to keep the potty in whatever room she is in so it is always in sight, and never to far out of reach. Good luck, just hold off a little on the training.

Hi E.

The most important part of potty training that I was told about is to be incredibly consistant. For instance have them on a potty schedule, every hour go try or every couple of hours. I know this really helped my daughter when she was little and she was born with a bladder defect that I knew nothing about until a year and a half ago. She is seven now and was still able to potty train with consistancy even with the birth defect. Also I have heard that having a potty party after they go also helps them learn to enjoy going to the potty. Good Luck!!!