This week we are taking the plunge (not sure that's the right expression!) into potty-training. We briefly attempted potty-training over the summer but I didn't even blog about it because it was a bit of a disaster! Chloe clearly wasn't ready so we left it until October half term, which thankfully is 2 weeks for me so hopefully enough time to practice before she has to go back to Jon's mum while I'm working.
I have been really reluctant to start training Chloe and I wasn't sure why! I think my experience over the summer made it seem an impossible task and I know of people who have had all sorts of issues. If I think about deeper reasons, I guess I also feel like this is yet another test of my parenting skills and one which people regularly compare (e.g - 'My daughter potty-trained in 2 days with only a couple of accidents!'). I am so driven by success that I really didn't want to 'fail' at this. I know it's a ridiculous way to think and my security in my parenting should be based on much more important things. But I'm sure I'm not the only one to have thoughts like this!
Anyway it's actually been going really well! This is how we are starting...
We prepared Chloe by getting her some pretty pants (and lots of cheap ones of Primark too) to get her excited. We also talked regularly about the fact that she would be learning to use the potty. We were given a book which explains the potty-training process for toddlers which Chloe loved and this also got her used to the idea. We originally bought a cheapo potty from Asda but she refused to sit on it for any length of time because it 'hurt' and left red rings round her bum. Although some people warned us against it, we ordered a potty-chair off Amazon which is much more comfy for her and has a pot in the middle which you remove to clean. This worked wonders for getting her to sit on the potty in the first place (and she is now happy to use the cheap potty as an extra one upstairs which is a relief!).
Monday was day one. I took her nappy off after we'd had breakfast and I was showered, dressed and ready to supervise her (around 8.30am). We planned to have the whole day inside with just the two of us so that we could give it a good go. Chloe went until 11.30 without a single wee! In this time I regularly put her on the potty (probably about every 30-45 mins). I wanted to avoid using tv to get her to sit there, as this was something I had tried during the summer and all it meant was that she kept saying she needed to potty so she could have the tv on! This time we did use the tv but I limited it to one episode of Peppa Pig from a DVD (which is about 5 mins). I find tv helps as Chloe is so active that just sitting still is really hard for her! At the start of potty-training it seems toddlers don't often know how to control their wee very well on demand, so Chloe often needs a few minutes to relax enough to go. I do also read to her, give her snacks or (her favourite) make up stories about 'princess Siena'!
(Back to Monday) At 11.30 we had our first accident on the floor. Chloe was a bit upset by it but I put her on the potty and encouraged her to try and do some more. She didn't. 10 minutes later we had another accident on the floor! Again I put her on the potty in case she still needed it and she produced nothing again. It was then lunchtime and I assumed she was all empty so didn't put the disposable changing mat I had been using under her. Bad move! She weed all over the high chair!
Chloe then had her nap (in a nappy) and I had a well-earned rest! After naptime, the day continued the same with me putting Chloe on the potty regularly but with no result. Feeling it was hopeless and I should give up, I admit that I had a little cry (Chloe noticed and kept telling me to 'not be sad' which made me cry more!). I felt like a failure and I was upset that I had to keep nagging my daughter to do something she clearly couldn't do.
But then!!... Chloe did a little dribble of a wee in her pants so I put her on the potty and she did some more. Again it was only a dribble but it earnt her a sticker and chocolate button for her efforts. She was very happy and it was only 5 minutes until she told me she had to 'wee again'. Again she produced another dribble and had another sticker and chocolate. 5 minutes later and another dribble in the potty. I told her she had to sit for longer and do a 'big wee' to get another sticker. Chloe wasn't happy with this but eventually gave in. This resulted in our first 'proper wee' in the potty! I was so happy! And also impressed that she seemed to have learnt some control over her 'wee muscle'.
Day two and day three (today) are going well, with no proper accidents yet. Just one occasion where Chloe started to go and then made it to the potty before any went on the floor. We are continuing with a sticker chart and chocolate buttons. Chloe seems to be able to hold her wee for ages which can be disconcerting! She seems to go at 11.30, after her nap at around 15.00 and then at 18.00. I took her out yesterday to the park in pants straight after she weed after her nap and it went without a hitch. I think if I can get her to go 'on demand' then I'll feel happier about longer trips out because I can make sure she 'empties' before we go.
We haven't had any progress with poo yet but thankfully no awful accidents! I have heard that you should concentrate on wee and then the poo will eventually follow. Haha I apologise to anyone who doesn't have kids reading this!
We also aren't attempting to have Chloe in pants for her nap or night sleeps yet. Again, I've heard that children will normally go dry at nights by themselves and then you can get rid of the nappies. For now, it's quite a relief to put her in her night nappy at the end of the day!
I hope this account of my experiences will help anyone who is about to potty-train. I don't think I have the 'correct' method but sometimes it can be reassuring to hear other people's success/failure stories. I would advise that if you start and have to turn back then that's not a bad thing! It's what we had to do in the summer. But be prepared for a stressful start and lots of cleaning up before things do improve :)
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