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Potty Training...HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  Does anyone have any advice on potty training? We have a baby coming in September and I really wanted to try and have my 2 1/2 potty trained by then. I know that I can't "make "it happen..he has to be ready but......HELP!!!!

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by corrin on 30th July 2008
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  We started way earlier. I'm not sure how boys are, but we started our daughter around 7 months old just sitting her on it and encouraging her to go. We would take her every few hours and after naps to see if she would go. She did and we would make a big deal, lots of praise and hugs (never candy or anything like that). She'll be 2 in September and has been completely trained, even over night, for over a month now. I stopped buying diapers about that time and never looked back. We never forced her to go, just explained to her what it was for and made a 'psssss' sound the first few times until she understood that's what it was for. She had maybe 5 accidents total since switching to just panties, but she told us that she had to go but we'd be on our way home from somewhere and she just couldn't hold it that long.
  
  For your next one, around the time you start introducing a sippy cup you might want to introduce the potty. They can learn things very early if they're given the chance. I think kids get used to going in their pants so they don't want to learn anything different until they're ready to move on. The way we tried it, she learned what it was very early and never got that sense of 'I don't want to use THAT'. Now she tells us when she has to go and I do keep spare panties and shorts/pants with us just in case, but it's just another normal thing to do now so she holds it if I tell her we have to wait a minute.
  
  My aunt has an almost-4-yr-old son that refuses to do anything in the potty. He goes and gets a pull-up, wipes, and lays on the floor to be changed. I hear boys are much harder to train (the whole aim thing) but if our next is a boy, we'll be starting around 7 months again just introducing, sitting on the potty and encouraging to go.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Marcia on 30th July 2008
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  Hi corrin-
  
  I don't have concrete suggestions for you, but words of support and encouragement. Boys, or at least my two boys, just don't seem interested/willing to potty train as early as girls seems to be. My two are 22 mos apart, so when I was ready to have my second, I decided that there were enough transitions for my older son, and didn't push him on the potty training. So, he ended up not showing interest or going on the potty until he was 3. My theory is that he enjoyed a little bit of one-on-one time on the changing table. My second son, who is 3.5 now, just got potty training a couple of months ago, and he really resisted it. We were in the process of moving across the country, so again, we decided not to push him towards another change if he wasn't ready. Good luck, and I hope things go well with the new baby and balancing with your older son!

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Traci on 30th July 2008
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  My sons are 1 and 2 and while the younger one shows some interest in the potty, the older one has straight out told me, "I like diapers. I no use potty." :S
  
  I know you want to have just one in diapers, but it`s really not that bad. You learn to cue them up . . . put them both on the bed to change at the same time, etc. And I think you`ll probably have more luck if you wait, especially with a new sibling on the way. They say big changes like that can be very stressful for kids and I know when my littlest one was born, the older one wanted to be treated like a baby again . . . so even if you do manage to potty train before then, be prepared for regression.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Genesis on 30th July 2008
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  When I was expecting my second, my first was around 18 months and had been showing some minor interest in the potty. On one of her checkups we brought up potty training with the doctor. Her advice was to wait since potty training at the same time as adjusting to a new sibling might be too many changes for her. We took her advice and didn't push. When we decided it was time, it was a piece of cake. That's not to say it works the same with every kid, as we are all well aware, they're all vastly different.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by mommydee on 30th July 2008
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  On one hand, I'd suggest starting right away because it's summer. You can put cloth underwear on your son, bring a potty and lots of spare undies, and go outside for a long play. Talk about the potty and what he's supposed to do with it, then let him play. Watch closely so you can "catch him in the act" when he has an accident, draw his attention to it mid-stream, and show him what he needs to do (walk to the potty, pants down, sit, etc.). Try to do this when you have lots of time - a couple days or so is best - so there are plenty of opportunities for him to learn what does & doesn't work as far as staying dry. I've found this to be the most stress-free way to go. Accidents are easily rinsed away, wet pants dry in the sun, and a lot of learning is going on.
  
  I did this with my 2nd daughter at about 16 or 17 mos. Previously, she peed very often and I wasn't sure she was ready to go cold turkey, but I figured, what do we have to lose? She made a lot of progress on day 1. The frequency of her pees decreased considerably as she learned to control - first to stop herself, and then to get to the potty before peeing. So, I learned that children have more capability for bladder control than we give them credit for - they just need an opportunity to observe how things work. Within 2-3 weeks, she was diaper free day and night - though she has occasional mishaps like any child. Only thing is, this method takes serious commitment, because at first there are so many peed pants, there is a lot of temptation to give up.
  
  On the other hand, I understand what folks are saying about reverting with a new baby coming. This may or may not happen, but if it does, most likely it will be temporary. You might keep a stash of waterproof cloth undies to protect your rugs and furniture in case this happens.
  
  My concern with waiting much longer is that then, the "terrible twos" may be in full force, and attitude issues may enter the mix. Then it could be much longer before he is diaper-free. It's up to you whether you prefer to take a relaxed approach as far as that goes.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by SKL on 30th July 2008
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  I tried potty training my daughter when she turned two; I didn't really expect that she would be fully potty trained for a while, but wanted her to get used to pull ups, and the idea of it. She finally got potty trained around 2.5 years old (Thank God). Once her dad and I got fed up with diapers and having her change her own pull-up, we said enough is enough, and had her go commando, no diaper/ pull up or panties- while at home. She peed on the floor a couple of times, but she was so embarrassed she would say "I don't want to pee on the floor anymore". We encouraged her every time she went on the pot, and danced with her, we did sticker charts, but the only thing that really helped her was going with out a diaper, it took 1 week. We still remind her every 1-2 hours to go potty, she will say she doesn't have to go, so we ask her if she's holding it; if she is, then we have her go. She has only wet the bed a few times, but putting her in a pull-up once in a while is confusing, although we ask her, "do you want to wear panties or a pull-up to bed" that way it gives her security to know she has an option. She has been potty trained for 2-3 months now, and its a blessing. She is so proud of herself, she will say- "I have to go pee pee on the potty, all by myself, because I'm strong, look at my muscles"
  Good luck! being potty trained is the Best!!

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Becky on 30th July 2008
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  Do you see any signs that he is ready? Shows interest in the potty? Is aware he's wet and wants to be changed? Knows when he needs to pee (the need to poop is a pretty obvious feeling so I'm not including that)? Or my favorite, courtesy of the Girlfriend's Guide to Toddlers: does he seem capable of formulating a "plan B" eg. holding it until a potty can be found? With potty learners, it's never a warning, it's an announcement.
  
  If you're going to go for it I'd wait until you've got a long stretch of time where you can control his schedule and keep it very regimented. More for you than for him. It's harder than you think to remember to remind him to use the potty every couple of hours. Especially if you tend to flow through your days. I'd put a timer in the bathroom. If you son is in daycare, talk to your provider to see what support they offer and what they recommend.
  
  I'd also skip using pull-ups, aka stand-up diapers, and go for washable training pants. They don't catch as much but they feel cold and clammy when wet. And finally, set some parameters so that if he just doesn't seem to be getting it you can take a break.
  
  T. Berry Brazelton has what I think is the kindest methods on potty training. You'll find it in his Touchpoints 0-3 book.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Jenns on 31st July 2008
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  You ready for this?!?
  
  My boys were easy. We put on their BIG BOY regular under pants for daytime (pullups at night) and every 2 hours would put cherrios in the toilet and they got to SHOOT them down with their PEE! If they did it, they got a few M&M's that they loved! We had a few accidents, but for the most part they were trained in a week and had FUN doing it!
  
  Linda/CMAS, BS, RN

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by BizNurse on 31st July 2008
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  Hey corrin! With my son we kept him in big boy underwear, he was excited that he got to choose between cars, thomas handy manny etc but my son hates being dirty not poop dirty just dirty in general, in the pullups he just kept wetting himself because it was no different then the diapers so when we put the big boy underwear on him and he wet himself he got upset and came running to me crying "MOMMY EWWWWWWW MESS!!!" he did it two other times and then it registered, but he still needed a little incentive so we made a potty bank. Everytime he went potty we gave him some change it doesn't matter how much he just liked putting it into the piggy bank and shaking it so he can hear it. We don't give him money anymore for going potty it was just for the first few months to get him into the routine of doing it. I still have to ask him everynow and then when he starts doing the pee-pee dance but he would much rather watch little einstines or play then go potty haha good luck!!!

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Doms_Mom on 4th August 2008