Good Advice Potty Training

[kellym]

Hello Ladies.
Today marks the first day of my potty training. Just wondering if there is any good advice, tricks you'd like to share. I'm doing the 3 day potty training, following the book, ha ha.  My dd is very receptive and I think has been ready for a while. I had to wait for things to die down because I also have a 6 week old. Oh, dd is 21 months.  I have 30 pairs of panties and pullups for naps, only 2 accidents today. I'm pumping her FULL of  fluids and trying to take her every 15 min. If there are certain things you've tried that you think work really well, I'd love to hear! Thanks!

[neasyc]

i found pull ups confused my kids they feel like nappie so that how they used them so i just went stright to pants day and night they were both full clean and dry day and night in 5 day my oldest was 24 moths and 2nd was 19 months

[Me2mommy2b]

I've also been potty training Ariella.  I put on the panties during the day and take her to the potty every 20 minutes.  I THINK she's getting it.  Now I can't wait for her to start asking to go to potty.  Hopefully it'll happen soon. I'm so tired of diapers.  Oh, and on a totally not related topic, AF showed up today for the very first time (grrr).  I'm 3 days shy of 16 weeks PP.  If you remember, I got it exactly 16 weeks PP with Ariella.

[DollChina]

Kelly, what book are you reading?  I want to train Gavin too but not sure if I should now since there'll be a new baby coming in 8 weeks.
Me 2, how are you?  Are you still nursing?  How's everything?

[tiredbuthappy]

what made you think she is ready? 21 months is pretty young. i've only seen one or 2 kids (out of over 50 i helped train) that were ready that young. my best advice is to be prepared for lots of accidents. when they're that young, it often takes a very long time to be poop trained. keep it casual and stress-free.  good luck

[cantwait4baby]

I think it depends on each baby.  I hear girls are easier then boys.  My dd is only 14 months old and she already goes in the corner where she does not have to look at any of us when she goes.  She need privacy and that is one of the signs she may be ready to be trained.  I have crazy summers - work, shore now a 1 year old so I am not introducing her to the potty until September but I do believe she will be fully trained before she is 20 months old - (Christmas).

Another funny thing is when we go away or out somewhere - she tends not to go - #2 that is.  She goes every single day always has but if I am away somewhere overnight she will not go.  (I am like that - my body is strange)

So we try make it a happy time (pooping that is) so that she is not shy and happy about going.  haha  --  Keep us posted.  2 more months and I will be asking a million questions.

[kellym]

Me2-Hi, Oh, something to look forward to, you know we BOTH got our AF last time at 16 weeks PP. Ugh, well, DON'T USE JUICE TO FILL THEM UP WITH LIQUIDS :(
I totally submerged her with juices and now her but is SOOOO sore & red, I feel terrible. The blood curdling scream, oh poor baby Lily.
Dolly, send me your e-mail and I will e-mail you the on-line book. It's really short like 10 pages. I don't agree with some parts but you'll get the drift.
Tired-she's been telling me Poop everytime she poops for weeks and I haven't been able to focus on her. She has had the potty chair out for a couple of months now and will go potty on it every now and again. She actually did poop on it today, well, diarrhea from the juice, but that was a first :) My sisters was potty trained at 19mo's and girlfriends at 18. I do have a new baby so it is a bit hard to focus 100% and I know thats what she needs. Well, I will resume tomorrow, going to give her bottom a rest and Aquafore the heck out of it tonight.

[peekawho]

That is young, but they say that girls are often ready earlier than boys.  Just don't scold or punish for any accidents.  Don't pressure her, either.

I had a big goldfish bowl of potty prizes.  They were all just small things, Matchbox cars, toy animals, little age appropriate things that were wrapped.  We made a big fuss over the prizes, and it was explained that they would get one each time they "went" in the potty.  The goldfish bowl was then placed up on the fridge, and nothing more was said about them except to repeat (when he clamored for them) that he would get one each time he peed in the potty.  
If he wet his pants, there was no punishment at all; just a sad face and a "next time, maybe you'll get a prize".  

It really didn't take long, but I had to ration out the prizes b/c each boy quickly caught on to it, and would only trickle a little in the potty, claim his "prize", and then 10 minutes later trickle again to get another prize.

[tiredbuthappy]

wow. sounds like she may be ready. aren't you lucky!

[mysty2001]

they say 50 percent of children across the world are potty trained at age one!! - Americans are lazy is the reason this may seem weird to you guys

21 months is NOT young

NOne of my siblings or children were still in diapers at 21 months

here is my advice - go to diaper free babies - get some tips
I NEVER suggest waiting beyong 18 months - because psychologically the child is ready around (often earler)  18 months - when you miss the window of opportunity it is harder - so if you see signs right now at 21 months - go for it

encouragement and patience are my suggestions

[kellym]

No, I would never scold....she does too many other bad things, ha ha..
I was giving her an M&M for every potty but then she started throwing a fit for
MORE MORE MORE....
Lazy, heck yeah, it's hard work..I'm exhausted. :)
I love it that she passes gas and her eyes get really big and she says POOP!
I would have to recommend the padded training panties to everyone, they catch more pee!  Other than that and a raw butt from all of the juice, I feel like I've learned a lot today and will tackle another day tomorrow.
I think it wears her out too!

[grammy64]

Hey Kel-

Sounds like you are doing a good job.  Poor lil Lily with her sore bunny!  Ow!  I have no good advice other than what everyone else already said except the fact that they usually all get potty trained one way or another.  My DS is 26 (years) and my DD is 23 (years) and they are BOTH potty trained, so I am happy 'bout that!! (and oh-so-proud!)

Good luck!
Lor

[Jenny100]

My first daughter COMPLETELY potty trained herself. Out of the blue. I wasn't even THINKING of starting yet, because she was only 20 months.
One day, she went in, climbed up on the potty and from that day on, went in it. I never did ANYTHING to train her!! It was the weirdest thing.
None of my others did that, just her.

[cantwait4baby]

I love the wrapped presents idea - I do know there are crazy people out there but it is just hard to imagine that someone would scold thier baby for wetting their pants.  That is so sad.  it would be like getting mad at them for throwing up.  I dont care if my 10 year old wets her pants we will just buy new pants.  :(

[DollChina]

Kelly, can you pm me?

[Me2mommy2b]

I grew up in Russia where our parents didn't have the luxury of disposable diapers.  Everyone was potty trained by the age of 1.  Yes, we did have some accidents but it's never too early to potty train.  If the child is showing signs of readiness, I'd definitely go for it.
Doll-I made the mistake of waiting until having the baby b/c I was afraid that Ariella would regress.  Well, trust me, it's a lot harder with a baby to potty train a toddler.  I would definitely start now and see if he gets it.  If he does get the point, great.  If not, don't stress yourself and him.  I am still nursing (exclusively) and it's been going ok.  I feel like my milk supply is diminishing but it's my own fault since I'm not strict with pumping.  In fact, I pump once or maybe twice a day.  It's just so hard with a screaming baby and a needy toddler to just sit down and pump.
Kelly- would you also email me the link?  I'm interested to see what it has to offer.  Thanks.  How are the kids doing?  I remember that we both got our AFs 16 weeks PP.  I'm interested in finding out if yours will come around the same time as well :)  THat is the reason why I am afraid of rewarding Ariella with M&Ms b/c she'd throw a fit screaming for more.  So I'm going with Stickers.  I bought tons of ballerina stickers and she's showing so much interest in them so we just do the stickers and get a language lesson out of it too.  I ask her what the ballerina has on her feet, head, body, what color, blah, blah, blah and she's having a blast.  I can't believe we're potty training our kids already.  It feels only yesterday we were talking about "how much milk/formula should they be eating?", "how much did they weigh at their last appt?".  Pretty soon we'll be saying "what activities to do on their spring/summer break from school?" :)

[DollChina]

Me 2 I can realate.  I was potty trained before I turned one.  I wasn't breast fed though so I had a pretty regular schedule.  Maybe I will try soon here.