We know she can hold it, now what?
EverydayMommy09
member
So I started PTing DD just yesterday, and it wasn't too bad. She wet her underwear a couple of times, then held it for a long time and actually peed in the potty. She then held it again until bed time, and finally peed in the potty after another 30-40 minutes of on/off sitting.
Today, she held it all morning. 8am-almost 1pm. She was bare bottom or had underwear on all morning. She kept wanting to sit and a couple times she said she had to go, and I figured she was right because it had been so long. I took her to take a nap. I put a pull-up on her (regretfully because I figured she would just go in it). However, she didn't. I left a potty in her room and told her if she had to go she could pull down her 'underwear' and go. So I left, cracked the door so I could see her. About a minute later she is trying to get on the potty/ peeing on the floor. She is very sensitive, so I am trying not to make a big deal about accidents, just helping her to get on the potty.
I am assuming this is the learning curve, but I didn't know if anyone had any suggestions on helping her to empty her bladder more readily. TIA
Re: We know she can hold it, now what?
Try M&Ms (or some other small candy/prize) as a reward. It sounds like she is doing really well and it's awesome that she got out of bed and tried to use the potty. It sounds like she is having a hard time relaxing (because she feels that she has to go then can't) so maybe get a book or something to let her read/play with on the potty. Also, we call our DD's belly button the "tinkle button" when she is in the potty. When we know she has to go and she is resisting (like when we are about to go in the car and I know she has to go because it's been forever and she's had a lot to drink) I'll say "ok, mommy is going to help you by pushing the tinkle button" and I gently tickle/poke her belly button. It actually works pretty well. We also went through a period at the very begining where telling her her lovey had to go potty would work too (basically I would hold her rabbit over the potty and make a peeing sound and then tell her it was her turn). The goofy stuff we do to get our kids potty trained
I know what you mean about your LO being sensitive, my DD was/is too. I would just say "it's ok, accidents happen. We just have to try and go in the potty next time."
Have to confess, my first reaction was "why is she asking? she just started PT yesterday!"
I guess my thought is, it's gonna take a few days, or more likely a week. And even once she gets it down she may go through little phases of not being to crazy about using the potty. But this is all normal and no big deal. Just give yourself and her a lot of patience, but don't worry about anything for the first week!!! She and you will figure it out together. Give her more fluids to drink and expect more accidents. You're on the right track! But don't worry about "suggestions" to "help her" until you pass the 7 day mark.