Potty Training Challenge - Accident-prone group

Hi, I've been assigned this group and am going to drag my son Jacob into proper potty training from Monday whether he likes it or not.

Jacob is 30 Months old and although I've half heartidly tried potty training, it only lasts a few hours and the nappies back on because i'm fed up.

Jacob is my 2nd little boy, My first Thomas I started potty training at 2 years old dead on and he got along with it straight away. After a few days Thomas was dry, how easy was that or so I thought. Unfortunately and unexpectedly after 3 months of being totally dry in the day he started weeing again, all over the floor of M&S to be exact.

After that performance it took another hard month to get him back to being dry again. My mother said it was because I started potty training him too early and he wasn't ready, I'm not sure that's true but I think that's why i've been slower and less patient with Jacob.I really don't want to rush him into anything, however enough is enough he needs to start trying. Made for Mums has given me the nudge I needed and Monday's the big day.

Good luck to all the mums and toddlers who are going to be giving this a go! Now to go to Sainsburys and buy some Vanish carpet cleaner in preparation.

Hello fellow potty-training mummies!  My name is Michelle and I am proud mum of Oscar, 22 months old. 

We started potty training after nursery started offering Oscar the chance to sit on the potty at each nappy change in April.  I had read a few books "Potty training for Boy" and "The no-cry potty training solution" earlier in the year to start getting my head around it all (I love a bit of research before embarking on any new project!!)

So armed with my new-found knowledge, I brought a cheap potty (which was left it in the bathroom  for a long time before encouraging Oscar to use it), started taking Oscar into the bathroom with me and explained that mummies did wee-wees on the big potty and also brought some "potty themed story books" and slowly started to introduce the idea of using the potty to Oscar. 

Oscar showed no interest at first and did not actually sit on the potty for a good few months.  He did his first wee on the potty 30th April and I remember thinking "he's got it, finally!".  I decided that we were going to go for it and ditched the nappies during the daytime and for the first few days he was nappy-free at home.  I started off by "suggesting" he use the potty when he woke up and then pretty much every hour thereafter until bed-time!  He would always use the potty 20 mins after having a drink/ meal and ALWAYS before going out in the car!

The nappy-free method obviously wouldn't work long-term and especially not on the mornings he was at nursery so we went out to buy some "big boy pants", that we allowed Oscar to choose himself.  He chose Thomas the Tank Engine, of course and he was sooooo excited!!

I also got a 2nd potty for downstairs and got some reward stickers. For the first few weeks Oscar would get a sticker everytime he did a wee-wee on the potty and it worked really well, he was so proud of himself.  He soon lost interest in the stickers and was happy to use the potty without a "reward", which was great as we were running out of space on the potties! 

By this stage we thought it would be a good idea to introduce the toilet, or big potty as it is known in our house!  We brought a fab trainer seat insert and he was away!  Infact he prefers using the toilet now!!

A couple of weeks ago he had 2 days full of accidents and I wondered if we'd started too soon.  But I'm glad to say we stuck with it and the following day he was back in the swing of it.

So here we are almost 6 weeks later and he refuses to use the potty to do a poo-poo (he's managed 4 poo-poos on it so far) , and still has the occassional accident.  Most recently yesterday, whilst we were in toys r us and I hadn't taken any spare clothes with me, arrrrrrrgggghhhhhh!!  Never make this mistake!  He was distracted by an aisle full of cars and tractors, but I thought we'd cracked it

 I really would love some tips on where we go from here as I feel he's come so far already and I'm not sure whether we should put it on hold for a while and try again in a few weeks?  Or should I stick with it?  I also really need some advice on how to get him to do a poo-poo on the potty.  I'm the only mum in my circle of mummy-friends that have embarked on the potty-training trip and I'm looking forward to swopping tips with other mums going through it too! 

 Wow I didn't realise I had so much to say on the subject!  Promise to keep it short and sweet from now on!

Hi all , My name is Susan and my little girl Amy is 30 months old. We have been using pull ups for a few months now as Amy would keep asking to go on the potty when we were at toddlers and the other kids were going . The problem is that as soon as we are at home she is not interested. A few weeks ago she was sitting on her potty and she did a poo , she got really upset and very frightened by it and has lost all interest now.

 People say not to use pull ups as they just feel like a nappy but I'm not sure whether she is ready for nothing yet. I have to change her pull up every time she has a wee but we've tried nothing on in the house and she just wees every where. She doesn't seem to get "the feeling " yet.

So its bite the bullet time , everything is crossed and we are ready to go !!

Hi all
i'm Lorna & i am preparing to be 'committed' to potty train my 2nd child Marley from Monday.
Marley is 27mths old & is one of 3 pre schoolers in the house so sole-child attention is difficult here
i potty trained my daughter at 2 years with no problems in fact she was dry at night as well from this age, but with Marley i am finding it really hard.
Every time i think i'm getting somewhere, he pees on the sofa or poos on the floor & treads it round the house.
My youngest is 13months so having potty's lying around as well is difficult as she is facinated and i am paronoid of her getting to a 'successful wee in the potty' before i do.
Marley is more successful when he is left without any bottoms on at all. If i put him in pants, he just wees as he would in a normal nappy.(rubbish!)
Anyway its got to be done and Monday is the day we say goodbye to the nappys.
wish us luck i think we may need it!!
All good though & feeling positive about it all.

All set to start the potty training - loved the sticker on potty reward trick idea from michelle as if i get a food treat out for one they all want one so it defeats the specialness of it all so stickers at the ready
also just remembered that monday is a nursery day so started to think i couldn't start it then
but then thought - i'm just putting it off again so will chat to nursey tonight & tell them that we are starting monday & what do they need from me. (ha ha they will earn their money that day!!)
should i tell nursery how i want them to deal with his training or just let them get on with it? Any advise please?
kind regards
lorna

I' d tell the nursery what you're doing at home.It's better if you're all singing from the same songsheet hee.It's not fair being told one thing at home and another at nursery.All too confusing for a little one.

Might also be worth finding out how the nursery deal with potty training too,so you can do the same at home.They may just say this is what we do,as there may be other little ones doing the same,as they've probably dealt with it so many times they have their way of doing it.

Hi, My name is Yvonne & I am Mum to Ethan who is 20 months old.

We started potty training in April when he kept telling me when he was using his nappy. After a couple of weeks I thought I better do something incase he lost interest & I missed an opportunity.

We rapidly progressed and he is quite happy using the potty or toilet & all is well until I put his clothes on and he seems to forget all about it!

I started using trainer pants as they were easier than nappies.

I now need to find a way of getting him to tell me (when he has his pants/trousers on) that he needs the toilet in enought time to get him there. He does this when running around naked!

Monday is D-day for us with a new start again day! We have been out and bought Pirate Pete's potty book, some stickers & some brightly coloured paper to put the stickers on! I thought I'd put it on the bathroom wall!

We will aim to spend as much time at home as possible and see if we can master it so we can venture out towards the weekend!

Feeling positive & it's great getting advice & suggestions from all you other Mum's!

Good Luck everyone!

Try with just pants first,for a couple of days at home.If he has an accident clean it up,remind him in the potty ,not his pants and no reward.Maybe remind him to go and help him take his pants off before he does so he has the opportunity to "do it right" and get his reward.Also encouraging them to help you dress themselves helps them practice getting the clothes off quick when they need to.

We had a lapse when Matilda first went into clothes again,so we first went back to no clothes for a day,then just pants,and when I was sure she had worked that out we moved on to trousers.They've done the hard bit,they just need to get the last bit.

Good luck with it and keep doing what you're doing.

Jacob Update: Well we started at 7am with the Postman Pat pants he choose in the shops yesterday. It's now 10:00 and we have had only one pair of wet pants so far, although that's been the only wee. None in the potty yet.

Jacob hasn't ever managed to go in the potty yet, so hopefully today will be the day.

I'm happy with only one accident so far. Last Monday we had about seven pairs of wet pants by lunchtime, so a definite improvement.

Hardest part is trying to keep him off my brand new leather sofas. I've tried putting a blanket over the seat but he just keeps pulling it off, so now he's forced to sit on the carpet until he can stop doing it.

Ethan update.

We had a poor start to the morning with a poop on the floor!

However I am very pleased to say we now have 4 stickers on the chart & he is still in the first pair of big boy pants so far!

We have been out!!! Ventured a walk, went to the play park & to see Grandad with no mishaps!

Now he has gone for a nap so hoping the afternoon will be as good.

Managing lots of praise & he absolutely loves " Pirate Pete's Potty" - I can't recommend it enough! The stickers are also going down very well.

Hope everyone else is getting on well & look forward to your updates!

 Oscar update....

Oscar refused to go on the potty when he woke up this morning, which is very odd as he has been going no problems for weeks?  Typical!!

Anyway turned out that he needed a poo-poo, so I asked him if he'd like to where a nappy to do it in and he said yes.  Nappy on, he did it within 5 mins!  So poo-poo out of the way he has done 2 wee-wees on the big toilet today. 

Some nights he has been waiting to have his nappy put on for bed and then doing it.  I suppose rather that than on the carpet, but I still don't seem to be any closer to cracking the poo-poo issue??? Help please!

Marley Update
all weekend i have left a potty out for Marley to use & left him trouser & pant free.
Well Monday is a nursery day so i packed a ( very large!) bag full of elasticated waist shorts that would pull down easily.
Tried to get him to have a wee before we got in the car but of course he wouldnt so grabbed a carrier bag & tea towel to put on his car seat & prayed for no traffic!
Luckily we arrived dry (hooray!! - 1st scary moment over)
Obvious nursery can't have a potty left out or a naked from waist down child so we agreed to continue with a sticker reward & shorts on but no pants - so he felt 'free' down below as marley ses pants as a nappy.
Marley also won't tell you when he needs the toilet so his keyworker said she would take him to the toilet every half hour or so. I wished them luck & lots of it & left.
I arrived to collect him at 3.30 & felt quite cross to find him in a nappy!!!! great support i thought)
Anyway it turned out he had only just woken up from a nap & was wearing the same outfit i put him in this morning!! YIPPEE!!
He had been excellent with no accidents at all.
i instantly took the nappy off (which was dry!) & took him to the toilet to try before the car journey home - and he went as soon as i put him on!! LOVE MY CLEVER BOY!!
Don't worry readers i am not silly, i know this is beginners luck but it has really given me the confidence to continue & not give up this time
Ps he hasn't pooed today yet so could still all go horribly wrong!!
will check in tomorrow to see how we are all doing but i would recommend the 'commando' pant-less trick for kids who think the closeness of the pants is like wearing a nappy as i have a whole day of experience in this & it works - so far!!
ooh & also thanks as well to theoldwomenintheshoe you are very wise x

Jacob Update:
I might try that pants free trick tomorrow as Jacob has gone through all of his pants today again. Have put a nappy on him now as he's had his tea and I know he needs a poo (sorry tmi). I'd rather have him do it in a nappy than have his constipated as I don't think he'd do it on the floor.
Still nothing at all in the potty, so hoping for better luck tomorrow.

Tracy i know how you feel having potty trained the first so easily its a real culture shock to have probs with the second. i thinks its hard because we cant give all our attention to them and their needs as easy as we could with our first born.
have you tried making a real fuss of your oldest when they go to the toilet or a teddy on the potty maybe then make a fuss of the teddy with lots of cuddles & kisses for teddy then see if he will sit on it - even if he dosent do anything on it - just so he feels it pleases you to sit on it & he gets a fuss made of him too.
just a thought - lets face it anything is worth a try if it gets them out of money eating world polluting nappies & of course means we can carry a normal sized bag too!

Tracy - I agree with loonie - get your oldest son involved as well as yourself!

Did you try sticker rewards or anything similar? Also sorry to keep going on about it but what about a book - the pirate one involves all the members of the family & my little boy has become obsessed with it & it really seems to have made the difference.

Remember tomorrow is another day & it does take time!! Keep persevering though as it will be worth it when you reach the end result!!

Hi my name is Natalie and mum to Jessica aged 31 months and Katie 4 months. 

I started potty training Jessica in January and it was all going well until giving birth to Katie in February and there has been quite a few accidents since. 

I have started a fresh today with the potty training, armed with new Hello Kitty Knickers that Jessica picked herself and a reward chart and stickers.

Well I tried to get Jessica on the potty when she woke up this morning and she kept shouting no mammy, no.  So i sat on the toilet and she sat on the potty and she managed to go, she was very excited and shouted 'Clever Mammy, Clever Jessy' So far so good.

We then had quite a long car journey , so she tried before we set off and she had another wee wee.    I popped her in pull ups for the journey and stopped at the service station she was still dry and she said she need a poo poo so she tried but only managed a wee.

We only got about 15 minutes down the road when she decided needed a poo poo.  We were about 20 minutes from the next services and asked her to try and hold on till we stopped. She was absolutely hysterical and the thought of having a poo in her pull ups.  I was so proud her of my clever little girl, she managed to wait and did a poo on the toilet.

After about a 2 1/2 hour car journey we got home she was completely, I thought we had cracked it in one day but it was too good to last.  I popped her down for her afternoon nap and when she woke up she was very clingy so I gave her a cuddle and she weed all over my leg and on the settee and all over the carpet.

Well apart from 1 accident today, Jessica has done really well !!!

Lets hope for the same success tomorrow. 

The poo thing is definately an issue with some children.They seem to not like letting go without the security of the nappy.It's a new way of doing it I suppose a new feeling.My fifth was bothered by it.It took a couple of days longer to master than the weeing.We had a few days on me knowing she needed to go but she'd avoid it.There were a couple of poo on the carpet incidents,but we cleared it up,just picked it up with tissue and put it into the potty.Reinforced the we do poo poos in the potty,not Mummy's carpet.Cleaned her,and dettolled carpet,actually easier to clean up than the wee cos it doesn't soak in.We then together flushed the contents of the potty down the toilet reminding her that's where poos go.

Obviously no one wants poo on the carpet but she was learning what it actually feels like pooing with nothing on,and there's really nothing to worry about,rather than putting the nappy back on which just reinforces that this is something to worry about,and doesn't really achieve anything..She also realised that wasn't where she wanted to be going,on the carpet,and found her way to the potty in time.I did sit with her to reassure her it was nothing to worry about,got very excited about every little bit she did and gave her a smartie for it too.The more he did it the more confidence she had.It was just a case of getting past that point to see there really was nothing to worry about.

Getting the older one involved is definately a good idea.Little ones like to be like their big siblings.Let them go with them to the loo.Let them see what they do,if your older one will let them.Also have your older one act excited,get them excited about helping your little one.I found some of my kids more obliging than others,but we have a ready made cheerleading team for Matilda's potty training.Sure the neighbours think we're all mad .

IN PARTS OF INDIA IT IS BELIEVED THAT IT TAKES 40 DAYS FOR SOMETHING TO BECOME A HABIT OR INDEED TO BREAK A HABIT SO AS WE ARE TRYING TO BREAK THE HABIT OF NAPPIES & START THE HABIT OF THE POTTY/TOILET DOES IT MEAN IT WILL TAKE 80 DAYS?!!!
ANYWAY DAY 2 & MARLEY STILL SEEMS RECEPTIVE TO THE WHOLE POTTY TRAINING REGIME.
WE STARTED THE DAY WITH 2 WEES ON THE POTTY WITHOUT PROMPTING (HE WASNT WEARING ANY BOTTOMS & POTTY WAS AVAILABLE ON THE FLOOR THOUGH) BUT FELT CONFIDENT TO PUT SHORTS ON WITHOUT PANTS AFTER BREAKFAST.
UNFORTUNATELY HE HAD AN ACCIDENT BUT I JUST TOOK THE SHORTS OFF & SAID TELL MUMMY NEXT TIME FOR WEE ON THE POTTY.
10 MINS LATER HE WAS BOTTOMS FREE BUT WEE'ED ON THE TRAMPOLINE (NICE!!)
HAD A PLAY DATE NEXT WITH A QUICK TESCO STOP SO SAT HIM ON THE POTTY BEFORE WE LEFT & HE WENT HOORAY) THEN STRAIGHT AFTER WE ARRIVED AT FRIENDS SAT HIM ON & SUCCESS AGAIN - ALTHOUGH I DID SLIGHTLY BOTTLE IT & LEFT HIM BOTTOMS FREE AGAIN WHILST AT MY FRIENDS HOUSE.
ANYWAY REST OF DAY WENT SMOOTHLY ALTHOUGH I AM NOW IN A RUT OF EITHER LEAVING HIM NAKED FROM WAIST DOWN WITH A POTTY AVAILABLE TO HIM TO VISIT AT WILL (NOT ALWAYS EASY WITH A CURIOUS 13MTH OLD AROUND) OR JUST PLACING HIM ON THE LOO EVERY 30-40MINS OR SO.
HE JUST WON'T TELL ME WHEN HE WANTS THE LOO WHICH IS A BIT OF A BUMMER!
ANYWAY ROME WASNT BUILT & ALL THAT & IF WE GO BY THE 40 DAY RULE THERE'S STILL ANOTHER 38 LEFT TILL WE CRACK IT!!!!
STILL FEELING POSITIVE ALTHOUGH TOMORROW HE HAS A GYM CLASS & A SLEEP OVER AT MY PARENTS SO LOTS MORE 'FIRSTS' TO OVERCOME.

Jacob Update: We had a bit of a disaster today as I had planned to stay home this week and concentrate on potty training, but today I had to go out unexpectedly so that all went out the window.

I don't drive and so go on the bus and walk everywhere, so couldn't just risk it to put Jacob in pants, so he had to have a nappy. Once we got home he was knackered, so too tired to even think about potty, so he had to write off today and will start again tomorrow.

Ethan update: We were woken up today at 06.15 with shouts of "pee"! Anyway I didn't really mind because when I took his nappy of he promptly had a pee in the toilet! He told me shortly after he needed a poop & took himself to the potty! (Bottoms free at the time). After breakfast he started to pee in his pants but promptly told me and managed to hold on until I got him to the toilet - must be a good sign?

The rest of the day was good - been out and about far more than I thought we would. His only mishap was when he had a very long nap in the pushchair & was wet when he got up. The rest of the day he has used the potty/toliet no bother - mostly when I have prompted him.

I am not very sure if I should keep 'toileting' him or just leave him & see what happens? Does anyone know if there is a good time to just leave him to his own devices?

He is pretty positive about the whole thing so wouldn't like to go backwards!

He is still loving the sticker reward & if he is alittle resistant to trying the potty reminding him about pirate Pete works a treat.