*lurking* little question.

Moozilla11

So I have seen some mention of the 3 day potty training? What is it and how do you start? DD is showing signs of being ready but im not sure how to go about it. TIA

Momma2Michelle

I was so nervous about potty training.  Everything from how to start it at home, to what to do in the car, to how to handle public restrooms with a girl.

So here is my best advice, 6 months post potty training, take it or leave it, hope it helps:)

 1) Go out and buy a foot stool and a potty ring for the big toilet. Like this one:  https://www.pottytrainingconcepts.com/Soft-Potty-Seat-SS.html.  Unless your dd seems really freaked out about sitting on the big potty,  then skip the little potty all together, because it's more mess to deal with, and then when you get done training them to the little potty, you have to retrain them to the big potty.

2) Rewards work. We gave 3 m&m's for each pee, and for poops, I had a small bag of prizes she could choose from, with stickers, cheap coloring books, matchbox cars, small toys, etc.

3) Make a big deal when you, DH, grandparents, siblings, etc go potty.  Make sure to announce you are going and when you come out, cheese it up big, act SUPER excited that you went pee-pee in the potty! For female family members (boys will just be confusing) that are comfortable, just have dd go in with them so she can see how its done! 

4) SKIP THE PULLUPS, at least during the day.  Seriously, they are just overpriced diapers.  They don't work.  They will still pee in them. We continued to use them at night and for long car trips, just in case.  That way we could pull them down easily like undies, but if we couldn't move quickly enough (or if she slept deeply), we had less mess to deal with.

5) Buy a waterproof pad for your carseat.  They are about 10 bucks and much easier to take out and wash than taking apart the whole carseat.  We actually never had to take ours out and wash it, but we stayed close to home for the first week of this.

6) Expect some accidents. When they happen, just clean dd up, clean the accident up, and say "It's OK! We'll work hard to get there on time next time!" Pee training went more quickly for us, poop took a little longer.  Nightime took a couple more months.

7) Except that it will take some time, don't rush it.  Read dd's cues, take her to the potty often, hydrate her well, and party every time she is successful.  

Lastly, if she seems ready, and you start trying, don't get discouraged if she completely refuses.  Don't traumitize her by "forcing" her to go on the potty.  She will get there I'm telling you, I will never regret waiting until dd was 2 1/2 before even attempting this, because her ability to understand what we wanted from her, and her willingness to try was so much better for us, than for many of my friends that tried right at 2.  

 As far as the public restrooms, I was pretty freaked out about it.  I even thought about buying some of those fancy potty toppers that go over the whole toilet, and down the front, but yikes they are expensive, like a buck a peice! So now, I have a method for covering the potty with toilet paper in the public restroom! I take 2 long strips and cover the middle part, so its hanging down the front of the toilet a little.  Then lay 2 pieces across the front, 2 across the back and a few down the sides.  Sounds like a lot of work, but once you've done it a few times, its just routine and takes like 20 seconds.   And it's free

 

Good Luck!

 

Moozilla11

Thank you! I really greatly appreciate the advice  

Momma2Michelle

No problem! Good luck!