In need of serious help with Potty Training

Ok, we have been at this for a long time, we have good weeks, we have bad weeks.

Lately, I feel like she is regressing.

If I have her diaperless (naked), we have no accidents, she goes on the potty, no problems.

We put her in pull ups, diapers or even big girl underwear, she just goes right in there. Then says whoops, and wants to be changed.

I really don't know how to break this.
The last few days, I have had her in underwear, she has gone through all 3 pairs that I have and then after the 3rd one, I put her back in a diapers (which even putting diapers on her is a battle)

If I bring her into the bathroom it is a screaming match, she won't even sit, if I try and put her on the bowl, she arches her back, throws herself around, etc. I don't know what to do anymore. She knows she is supposed to do it and she wants to wear underwear, but I just can't seem to get to the next step with her

Please advice would be great! Thank you!

Re: In need of serious help with Potty Training

I have no advice, but wanted to offer some hugs and bump this for you

Re: In need of serious help with Potty Training

Sounds to me like she is not completely ready. My DD is 2 1/2 and it is hit or miss. I don't force her on the potty, because in the end this is one struggle that I will not win. I learned with my son, just keep the potty there as an option, encourage it, but don't force it. It is really frustrating at times since they will go and seem to have a series of good days and then the next day its accidents and refusal all day.

I'd take a break from it. When it becomes a power struggle, you will definately lose!

On thing that really helped us when we were at this hit or miss stage was the "Potty Power" video. Nothing like kids seeing kids on TV acting all grown up and getting rewards for using the potty. The peer pressure goes a much longer way that the mommy potty pressure!

Good luck!

Re: In need of serious help with Potty Training

How old is she?

When I thought they were ready, I just never went back to diapers. We went into underware full time. I stayed in all weekend and went thru tons of underware, but after the second day they got it. There was accidents for about 4 weeks, but there were more times on the potty then accidents. I made them go every 15 mintues in the beginning and they got a m&m when they went. I also bribed them to poop with trains and that worked for them.

Good Luck, she just might not be ready, so maybe trying again in 2 weeks might be better.

I also acted like they split an atom everytime they went, since my boy's loved the encouragement and they beamed when the other said good job brother!

Message edited 3/30/2009 2:45:35 PM.

Re: In need of serious help with Potty Training

How old is she?

Why dont you stock up on more undies - that way you wont worry if you run out and accidents are going to happen so unless you want to launder every hour you need more than 3 pairs.

Tell her she is a big girl now and that you are throwing out her diapers that big girls wear panties.

Use pull ups for night only and I dont even call them pull ups I call them night panties - I dont want her to associate anything with diapers or pull ups - she wears panties now and thats it.

We never had to do the reward thing with her but I did sing a potty song every time we went and she loved it. I know rewards work for some we just didnt use it - we were very matter of fact about and it worked.

Why not let her use the potty in the living room or kitchen until she gets more comfortable going? If she is that resistant to going in the bathroom I would not fight her on it.

I started my dd when she was 2 1/2 and I dont know why but she did so well so quickly. Yes we had accidents but I expected them and told her to try to tell me quicker the next time and she used to start yelling at me "mommy the pee pees coming" and she got it.

Have you bought her any potty books to read?

I cannot think of anything else right now. I know from friends of mine who nearly went over the edge how frustrating it can be but she WILL get it in her own time so you just have to pack up your patience reserve and know that this too will pass.

Lots of luck

Re: In need of serious help with Potty Training

What if you have her "change herself" when she goes in the underwear/pull up. Hand her the pull up and underwear and tell her she's a big girl and if she's not gonna go potty she has to chan ge herself. Another thing you might wanna try is making a "reward chart" Let her earn a sticker when she goes potty and after 3 stickers give her a treat. Good luck!!!

Re: In need of serious help with Potty Training

She will be 3 in June.

I am planning on buying her more underwear...but with her going through at least 3 in a row, do you think she will get in if she goes through lets just say 8 in a day? I just feel she doesn't get it.

I think she knows the process, but it isn't all clicking, ya know.

About her cleaning herself, she is all about that. She doesn't like me to do it

About the reward chart - did you make one? How do I go about making one?

I know I need to go and get Potty Power, we got it from the library a couple months ago and she kept telling us to turn it off
But maybe I will go and get it again this week and try it again.

Oh about going into the bathroom, she will go in there when she has to go, it is when we are trying to keep on top of her about going in there. Our bathroom isn't that far from the living room (where she spends most of her time), so it isn't about going in, it is about going in when she has a diaper on

Thanks for all of your advice, everyone!!

Message edited 3/30/2009 3:38:57 PM.

Re: In need of serious help with Potty Training

Well I don't know the whole situation but I would just put her back in diapers all the time. My ped told me that going back and forth was no good and confuses them. Now not only do they have to think about going potty, but what they are wearing at that moment. Just too much. I hope things get easier for you.

Re: In need of serious help with Potty Training

Get more underwear and just do it. Don't look back and don't put a diaper on. I just trained Lauren, and it sounds just like your DD in every way, but all of a sudden, like on day 3, it just clicked for her.

My DD is fiercely stubborn. She didn't want to be told when to go pee pee. When I left her alone and didn't remind her all the time, all of a sudden, she was coming to me, telling me she had to go.

It was a battle - lots of tough love with her, and I did sit on the bathroom floor and cry one night (she was just not wanting to poop when I knew she had to!) We used a sticker chart and if she got 10 stickers, she got a Barbie doll we picked up and put on a shelf for her to see and want, but not get until she got those 10 stickers. Then we did a second goal after 20 more stickers. She was fully trained in about 5 days. Nights too, its incredible that she goes all night and wakes up and tells us she has to go.

Hang in there. I have a small tote bag I keep in the car and have with me at all time. An extra set of clothes, clean underwear, socks, etc. Just in case she has an accident while we are out. Never had to use it yet

Re: In need of serious help with Potty Training

I agree just go for it. I will be training Kerri in April when I am off for a week and a half...hope it doesn't take that long but I don't plan on putting her in a diaper again for anything!

Re: In need of serious help with Potty Training

I guess letting her run around naked is out of the question?

I would stick with underwear. Going back and forth is too confusing. What if you find those plastic pants that go over the underwear so if they do have a mess it is contained. Or let her sit in it for a little while. May sound mean but that is an uncomfortable feeling for them.

Good luck I am going to just put Jaidy in undies on Good Friday since I have 3 days off. She started going this weekend whenever she was naked (feeling your pain) and when the diaper went back she stopped so I am hoping in underwear she will go on the potty all the time.

Re: In need of serious help with Potty Training

Posted by Marcie

She will be 3 in June.

I am planning on buying her more underwear...but with her going through at least 3 in a row, do you think she will get in if she goes through lets just say 8 in a day? I just feel she doesn't get it.

I think she knows the process, but it isn't all clicking, ya know.

About her cleaning herself, she is all about that. She doesn't like me to do it

About the reward chart - did you make one? How do I go about making one?

I know I need to go and get Potty Power, we got it from the library a couple months ago and she kept telling us to turn it off
But maybe I will go and get it again this week and try it again.

Oh about going into the bathroom, she will go in there when she has to go, it is when we are trying to keep on top of her about going in there. Our bathroom isn't that far from the living room (where she spends most of her time), so it isn't about going in, it is about going in when she has a diaper on

Thanks for all of your advice, everyone!!

Message edited 3/30/2009 8:01:48 PM.

Re: In need of serious help with Potty Training