K.B.
Take the Pull Ups away! Those only delay the process for day time training.
You're going to find different ways of doing things so take in the suggestions from people and then find what works best for your child.
First, you're going to want a good potty chair. I liked the Bjorn chairs because they had an oval insert, built in splash guard, wide rim for less mess and no pinching, high back for comfort and rubber bottom for less sliding. The splash guard worked as a handle as well. They run about $25 each, and well worth it! They didn't have pink when I used them, but I had blue, green and yellow for my triplets.
http://www.babybjorn.com/en/American/products/Bathroom/BA...
Later, I got the Bjorn toilet trainer that went over the big toilet seat. They're rubber edged for non-slipping. There's a clamp on it but with my toilets being oval the clamps didn't fit on mine but didn't matter cuz the rubber kept it from sliding. Had built in handles as well with rubber. I had one on the upstairs toilet and one downstairs. They were easy to put on and off. Those ran about $20 each, I think.
http://www.babybjorn.com/en/American/products/Bathroom/BA...
I suggest not using Pull Ups for training during the day. Use regular panties and let your child pick them out. Pull Ups are too close to diapers and they don't feel the wet as much. Pull Ups will just delay the process. Have them sit in the morning when they wake up. They'll be wet from the night before. Use a baby wipe to clean them and then sit them down. Have them sit down about every 15 minutes. Explain not to wet their panties and all that. Never punish when they wet or poop. You can reward them with a sticker, M&M or Skittle every time they go in the potty. Act like they won the lottery every time to pee in the pot. As they start doing well with every 15 minutes, which can be quick or take quite a while depending on the child, spread the time out. Have them dump the urine in the toilet, rinse the insert in the tub and replace it. You can disinfect the inserts at the end of the day with Lysol wipes. Have them potty before and after each meal, before and after nap and bed time, before baths, before and after everything.
There are some children who have to be naked from the waist down in order to train during the day. I had heard about this for years from others, then when I had the triplets one of them needed this. If he had even a shirt brush across his privates it would stimulate him to pee immediately. So he did much better naked from the waist down.
For clean ups from accidents, on wood or tile, dry with a paper towel, then use Lysol spray to disinfect and wipe up the residue. Have the child help and then wash hands with soap. They should always help with clean up when they have an accident, in some way. It's their mess, they need to take responsibility. For messes on carpet, use pet urine cleaner spray and soak up with paper towels. Have the child wash hands after helping with clean up, even hand sanitizer.
Let the child wear diapers at nap and bed time until you start noticing them staying dry or less wet at nap (or night). Usually nap time is when you'll see dry times first because it's a much shorter length of time. Once you see them having a dry or less wet nap, start using the Pull Ups at nap. Once they have 2-4 weeks of dry naps in a row, start switching to panties at nap. Always use waterproof mattress pads to save the mattress. I use these from birth to well after potty training stage. Just saves the mattresses.
I prefer the Pull Up brands because they run a bit bigger and the sides open up and can close right back up easily. Some of the other ones don't open at all or you have to rip them open and can't be used again. If a Pull Up is dry from a nap, use it again the next day! Keep using it until the inside becomes matted, usually 3 days for my kids. They cost enough so use them again when you can!
Night time training can happen quickly or can take many months! This is not unusual for it to take much longer than day training. A child can have some control while they're awake but they have no control while they're sleeping. It all has to do with how strong their bladders are. They may be able to hold their urine during a nap of 2-3 hours, but to have their bladders lasting 8-12 hour stretches is a lot to ask so don't be surprised if it takes many months for night time training on some.
When going out, it'll be a judgment call on your part if you should put a diaper on them, which may make them pee automatically out of habit, or to put a Pull Up on them so it's more like panties. I would suggest not taking them out of the house as little as possible when they're potty training during the day so you don't have accidents in the car and they may start reverting backwards. Make sure you put them on the toilet before you go out, as soon as you get somewhere put them on the toilet again, and so on. This lessons the chance of accidents and then they won't feel like they've failed. They love it when they succeed and at this age they love to please!
There will be accidents at times where they seem to go backwards but just adjust your training to match and they'll go forward again. They'll train at their own pace. Just remember, they won't be wearing diapers in college, lol!
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
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