Potty training is driving me potty!

[cupcake78]

Ds is 2.9mths and now has a dry nappy at night. I have started him sitting on potty last week after months of resistance it went really well so we moved on to pants and he did so well the first day (only two accidents) he was so proud of himself, and the stickers sweets etc we used worked wonders!

But then.....

That was it, he began to enjoy pants but also began to enjoying wetting them, he is now flatly refusing to go on the potty or anywhere near the toilet and thinks wetting his pants is great! As for poo's well he can hang on for dear life and keeps asking for nappies.

Today was the last straw, he was sick this morning so I put him in pull ups because I thought it best under the circumstances. After making a miraculous toddler recovery, he then began to do small wee's in his nappies and asking for new ones or big boy pants and, yes wee in them also. I am trying my best to not get cross (not successfully tho) and am wondering where I went wrong and what to do next. I have tried eveything I can think of from no attention with accidents, to telling him to tell me when he needs to go but he is just adamant not to play the game. HELP!

[beesonmummyshead]

if I were you I would start from scratch.

Go to a sweet shop with him and let him choose some "potty sweets" telling him that he can only have one when he uses his potty. (you could let him have a few on the way home so he knows how good they are)

Go home and take off all pants/trousers etc, and stay in for the next 3/4 days, leaving him totally bottomless.

If he has an accident, be breezy, say "oh dear what a shame, no special potty sweets for you" and clear it up.

NB Only do this if you are sure he can use te potty and is just being a tinker, don't do it if he is having difficulties getting to the potty or you feel he perhaps isnt ready.

If he still hasnt got it after 3/4 days i'd give up and try again in a couple of months.

Oh and dd had dreadful poo witholding, after a week and her becoming quite ill, we let her poo in a pullup. (we had different better reats for poo on the potty, like a small glass of forbidden cola). When she pood she'd often be heard to mutter "dont poo in your pants, do it in the potty"

The wee was sorted almost instantly, but the poo took a good month, with her pooing in her pants (not pullup) when we were out and about (hideous to clean up, carry a pullup with you) but we got there in the end and she has now been fully trained for 6 months.

Good luck

[beesonmummyshead]

should have said, for the next 3/4 days let him poo withold, he might not be able to manage forever and might surprise you (and himself). I would only alow pullups if he's making himself ill.

[cupcake78]

Thanks for your help.

We have tried the special treates thing, daddy sweets and lollypops seemed to work really well as sweets are a very rare occurance and usually he'd do anything for one.

I think i've decided to forget it for a while (4-5 weeks) back in nappies tomorrow and we'll try again later. DH and I both think maybe he's not fully ready and its really grandparent pressure and tbh interference that has started it all. We went away for a child free two days which was bliss to return to ds who had been half potty trained (without our consent) and had a few other things done including the home hair cut from hell.

Potty training obviously didn't work, ha! Sorry but it really pisses me off.

[jem1980]

I think you are right to leave it for a while - there is no rush and it's such an emotional thing for you and the child.
Our children's weeing and pooing are among the things we can not control - if you have given him the opportunity to be in pants and he has not "clicked" with it, then a break is probably a good idea. In my (limited) experience, it sounds like it is a typical toddler "control" point - however much you try not to react to accidents, they know that they are in control and they know that they can choose whether or not to do what you want them to - -typical power struggle!
The first day is often successful followed by problems the following days, because the novelty wears off.
Good luck, it would be great to hear how you get on with it in the coming months (I have an almost 2-y-o boy who I will need to train at some point - not yet!)