M.L. asks from Clearwater, FL on May 26, 2008
How Long to Potty-train Without Pull-ups?
I started potty training my daughter Thursday afternoon after she expressively showed interest and stayed dry through the night. I feel like it's going fine, completely dry through night and naps, and only a couple accidents during the day, if any. However, mainly it's me telling her, okay let's go sit on the potty. Sometimes, she will tell me, but other times she won't and then pees her pants. We have no issues with the poop at all. So, my question(s) are: 1) Do I keep asking her if she needs to go potty, or let her start telling me, even if that means accidents and 2) If I keep telling her, how long does it usually take for her to finally not need me to tell her anymore? Just some info, we completely got rid of diapers and pull-ups, she is in underwear only and loves putting on her underwear and wearing it, so forth. No issues with her not being interested. Thanks!
So What Happened?™
Thank you to everyone who responded! I am happy to say that we are pretty much accident free, although I do have to remind her. Sometimes she will come to me, but I usually don't risk waiting, LOL. I have also picked up on her signs that she needs to go, she now grabs herself, so I know to run to the potty with her. Glad to hear all of this is normal. Now of course, she has stopped pooping on the toilet, but we are also having a little constipation issue, so I am hoping that this too will pass! Thank you so much!
Featured Answers
N.B. answers from Tampa on May 28, 2008
Hi M.,
Well the first week or so of my son being potty trained I asked him quite frequently if he needed to go potty. Until he said to me one day "Moooom why do you keep asking me that?". OK so maybe I was asking him a LOT! LOL So if I've noticed that he hasn't gone in a while I will ask, especially if he's really involved in something. That's when an accident will usually happen, for us anyway. If you're at home you might just want to let her tell you. Accidents are a part of them learning how long they can hold it.
Hope this helps!
Take care,
N.
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H.B. answers from Fort Myers on May 27, 2008
If she is that interested I would definitely go ahead and put panties on her throughout the day, especially if you are going to be home. It should only take a few days to get her used to them and realize that they get wet. I had a doctor tell me once to put pullups on over the panties to prevent messy incidents. Then the child feels the wetness right away. Don't fool with the pullups that are supposed to stay wet and let the child know when she pees. They don't work. Good luck.
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R.W. answers from Tampa on May 27, 2008
My Mom always told me, don't ask, just take them. That prevents lots of accidents. When children are young they get so involved in what they are doing they forget to go to the potty. It won't be long before she starts remembering to stop what she is doing and go potty on her own. But in the mean time she needs Mommys help.
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C.C. answers from Tampa on May 27, 2008
My step-daughter is nearly six and still needs to be reminded to use the potty sometimes, like before we get in the car to go somewhere, when there's a lot of distracting action going on and she might not think of it or before bed. Some kids it takes longer than others but you'll probably be reminding her at least occasionally for several years.
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R.H. answers from Tampa on May 27, 2008
Hi, I got my daughter potty trained in a few weeks. I did the same thing...underwear only. But, to answer your questions:
1) Yes - you should keep reminding/asking her to go potty. Young ones have the tendency to forget, even if they know better.
2) You keep reminding her until you see her starting to go potty on her own, or she starts telling you she needs to go. The time it takes her to catch on to the new routine & remember depends on the childs age, and just varies between each child. But, she will eventually get to that point. I think it took about 3-6 months until I didn't need to regularly remind my daughter anymore. However, I still need to remind her right before leaving anywhere to go potty.
Be patient, and never scold her for accidents, only praise her for going to the potty.
Good luck :-)
R..
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T.S. answers from Nashville on May 27, 2008
Like all the other responses said, it's ok to keep reminding your daughter to use the potty. They really do get so involved in what they are doing and forget to go potty.
One other tip - learn to watch your daughter for signs that she needs to go pee. My daughter will be 3 in June and has been potty trained for about 9 months now, but like most little kids, she gets busy and forgets to go potty. She does however start to show signs she has to go - crossing her legs more and even kind of grabbing herself. I always ask her at that point if she has to go pee and the answer is always yes. She just needed that little reminder that it's ok to stop and go potty.
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B.B. answers from Tampa on May 27, 2008
Nothing wrong with asking her, little ones get busy and your asking just makes her stop and think for a minute. If you are concerned that she will develop some kind of need to be told to go that she won't be able to believe me what goes in will come out. You may have some accidents along the way but it's part of the joys of potty training! It sounds like she's adapting very well already! Good for you for not using pull-ups while training her. They send a mixed message that sometimes it's ok to go in their pants as well as the fact all the moisture is wicked away from their skin making them comfortable. You certainly don't want her feeling comfy in her urine! Best of luck. B
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N.B. answers from Tampa on May 28, 2008
Hi M.,
Well the first week or so of my son being potty trained I asked him quite frequently if he needed to go potty. Until he said to me one day "Moooom why do you keep asking me that?". OK so maybe I was asking him a LOT! LOL So if I've noticed that he hasn't gone in a while I will ask, especially if he's really involved in something. That's when an accident will usually happen, for us anyway. If you're at home you might just want to let her tell you. Accidents are a part of them learning how long they can hold it.
Hope this helps!
Take care,
N.
1 mom found this helpful
A.G. answers from Punta Gorda on May 27, 2008
My note to you is a little off topic.... My daughters are 25 months a part. My oldest was very much like yours, potty trained easily, with reminders. When I went to the hospital to have baby # 2 she would not use the potty for anyone, my husband went out and bought pull ups. She came to visit me at the hospital and told me she had to potty when we went into wash our hands so she could try to hold her sister. She pottied again before she left me, and then peed all over herself the rest of the day. When I came home from the hospital she started peeing on herself whenever I was feeding her sister, or doing something that did not give her quality time. I let her have pull ups back and tried very hard after I was done feeding or changing or bathing the baby to give her 5 or 10 minuts of quality time. We played play-doh, we did puzzles, we went in the pool, just her time. I tried not to give her attention when she went in the pull up, and I praised her when she used the potty, she would not poop in pull ups she still useds the potty for that, THANK GOD! In about 3 weeks she wanted to wear big girl panties to go somewhere and no more pull ups. I just thought I would worn you since I saw you were expecting # 2 in July. Good Luck potty training now. I think reminding is a good thing, they have a very short attention span, it should not take long at all.
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