Toilet training. What did you do?

I am planning on starting toilet training in the next few months. DD will be 2 in July and she already tells me when she's done #2 most times. She has watched me on the toilet a few times and is very curious.
I am just not sure how to go about it. I was thinking a potty first, set up where she can see it. Then move onto one of those seats with the steps that go onto the toilet. A friend of mine suggested to skip the potty and go straight to the step seat, but I'm not sure about that. I imagine she'd find it a bit daunting at her age. I don't want to scare her.

So what did you do? Did you skip the potty?

Oh and also, is just a cheap all plastic potty better than the fancy padded seat that you can take apart and clean?

TIA :)

We have had a few stops and starts as DS1 was not quite ready but he is now showing us its time. He wont use the potty and will only use the toilet for which we have the steps up to the seat.

We had planned to start tomorrow but he seems to be night training before day training all by himself. He tells us hhe has poo (he has the words the wrong way round) and after a few random successes in the past month or so we last night had 3 wees and then this morning a poo on the toilet all from his own indications. Our biggest challenge has been him recognising the need to go before he does it.

subbing as starting to think about ds toilet training too. not yet, but soon. he grabs his nappy & tells me when he's done a poo/wee. he has also been 'playing' with the toilet for weeks. telling me he wants to go, sitting on there (with his clothes still on), hopping off, getting toilet paper & popping it in, flushing then washing his hands. I think it's just playing atm, but he's nearly at an age where I would watch for signs I guess. and he seems interested enough.

DS1 was toilet training by 2, but I had put a plastic $5 potty thing in the bathroom for a while so that when he was showering/bathing he would sit on the potty after nappy was taken off and go for a wee (or not lol) but he slowly than started progressing to having undie free time and I bought another potty for the lounge area and he started going on that.

We did have accidents when he was tired in the evenings for awhile but he really did a great job. Poos were essentially the same. occasional accidents, or on purpose hiding in a corner, but all in all an easy kid to toilet training cuz he was ready. I don't think you can rush these things.

I have had the $5 potty and also a Boon potty (I got second hand but probably about $90 RRP) and I don't see a difference. the plastic one was just fine. the boon one may have been slightly more comfortable to "rest" on when he is pooing for a while lol.

Subbing here too.

We have a potty and a plastic toilet seat and seem to go between the two. No success (no accidents either) yet but not really trying full on either. He seems to want to go to the toilet/ potty after he has done it. He comes up to me and pulls me to the toilet/potty. Crazy thing is on the way to the toilet he runs into his room to grab a book first :o Not too sure why or where he got that from as DH and I dont use books while in there.

I know he is still a bit off yet but he will happily sit on there. I have been putting him on the bathroom potty while I run the bath. Its a little padded Elmo one I think. He usually goes as soon as he sits in the bath so I know he does one then. I have even tried dunking his toosh in the water and pulling him out to pop him on the potty. I just dont think he understands he has to pee in there. I think once he does one the light bulb will go off.

I wanted to start with the potty as I had read that they can access it quickly whereby getting on to the loo can be an issue by themselves. DS will usually want to go on the loo though with his book so will just see how we go. I dont want to confuse him. For me, I need to work on him undressing his lower half. He is not one of those kids that seems to like taking their clothes off at random times lol. I dont know if I am ready to encourage him to take his clothes off.

Some of the kids at our childcare are training already but I guess they are a bit older than DS.

I swing both ways with toilet training. It would be nice to be over the nappies, but its easier than the "Mum I need the toilet" in the middle of Woolies. When I was doing child care I kept a potty in my boot for that reason. Our public toilets are streets away :)

Ask her which she prefers. And be prepared for her preference yo be a nappy still.

Liebling was aware of what was going to happen before he was 2 and able to use a potty. But as he preferred nappies, he would ask me for a nappy so he could do a wee, then take it off afterwards. When he decided to use the loo (age 3.5) it was really easy. It was just a long time for his preference to change.

My lot were the same at the same age in regards with interest to the toilet and telling me when they needed a new nappy. However none of them were ready to actually toilet train before 2.5yrs.
Dd1 had a potty, but refused to use it. Dd2 and 3 used the normal loo with a kiddy seat on it. When they were starting to get ready to learn I took them shopping on their own to look at seats and little steps and bought the ones they liked best. Then it was a week at home with no nappies on. After a couple of days you can tell if they are ready to learn, they start to get the sequence of events. If after a couple of days they weren't seeming to get it, I would stop and start again in a few weeks or months.
You can tell when they are getting it. They start to tell you they have had an accident, or they will tell you they need to go, etc.
Personally I have found that following their cues to toilet training has made life a lot easier, there's no point forcing it. Be prepared for regressions.

Honestly......I'd wait!

Thanks everyone :) I think I will just buy a cheap potty and give it a try first and see how she goes. I'll just pop it somewhere and see if she's curious. We have floorboards so that will help with accidents lol. If she's not keen on the potty I'll try the big seat. Aldi has them for $15 next week :) I do like the idea of a potty in the bathroom. I'm thinking the sound of the bath filling up could encourage a wee??

That was always my though Tasha!

I remembered tho I did have one of the steps but it jus have been dodgey quality cuz it was horrible. Never felt stable and my DS hated it cuz he couldn't figure out how to turn around on it so he was sitting face out? It become more of an obstacle and when ur learning to wee on a toilet u don't need anythin slowing you down!! Lol

My DD is slowly getting interested but she isn't quite ready yet- I ask her every now and again and she says no.

I bought an El cheapo ages ago, it sits between the bath and the toilet so she sits on it most times I go to the toilet, either with clothes on or off, then jumps up and says "wee" but there's never anything in there lol. She did a wee in it once in summer out on our deck and we made a massive deal of it but never again. We also have a toilet seat which she sat on once and loved and has never touched again haha.

I wouldn't push it too hard, I am just letting my DD decide. She definately has a long gap between wees then does a massive one and she tells me when she goes. We also found some potty books at the op shop which she loves to read. She talks about wee and poo all the time too.
One reason I am waiting a bit is because she started in occassional care 3 hrs a week this year and it triggered a bit of seperation anxiety and regression (wanting to go back in her highchair after she had moved on to a booster chair etc) so I am just giving her a bit more time to grow up so to speak.

My MCHN said the average age is 2.5 years, so 2 is quite young to me. But you can always give it a go and if it doesn't work, wait a few months. Good luck! (I do wonder if life will be easier without nappies!)

Wait until she asks to use the toilet. Then there's no 'training' needed.

The earliest of mine trained at nearly 3, the other 3 kids all trained after 3 or after 4 (DD1).

They weren't interested however, so I didn't try to make them interested - and changing nappies has never bothered me that much, however I can't stand mopping up pee and poo from the floors LOL

I've only got 1 in nappies now, and I must say its nice compared to when I had 3 in nappies!

5 days in we have had fantastic success, today he had kindy (daycare) and only had 1 accident. He has now figured out how to get on the toilet using the step by himself and will take himself to the potty if he needs to go. I definitely support wait till you are sure they are ready

Mumma T, that is great news :) How did you know he was ready? What signs did he give you? I just can't picture dd on the toilet doing a pooh! :lol:

Sorry i dont get in so much these days.

He was telling me when he needed to go if he was in bed. It was happening almost every day. Most of the time he had already done it but one or two times it was before hand.
He is actually sitting on the potty waiting for a poo at the moment lol. We still get 1-2 accidents a day but i can certainly live with that because i know he is improving.

I was just at a friends and her 2.5 year old has a potty out. Dd went and sat down on it within 5 minutes od being there! (It was clean) and she continued to do it on and off. I told her 'poohs' when she sat and then she started saying it too :)
Definitely getting a potty this week.

I was just talking to a friend from mothers group (well her husband actually) and they toilet trained their daughter over three days following this 'program' thing they have. He emailed it to me, it's pretty strict but apparently has a high success rate, although she says it's for over 22month olds.
I'm tempted to try it soon, al though it does night training as well and says not to give drinks before bed or overnight. We are still BFing at least once overnight (there was no mention of breastfeeding overnight of course) so not sure how that would work. Might need to night wean first although I have been saying I it'll do that for about a year and I am still too lazy.

Anyway, have you got a potty yet?
If you want me to send you the toilet training system they used, just pm me. Might be worth a read. It worked for them and their daughter barely speaks and only just started waking ie is a bit delayed in everything, but he said she has pretty much got it with only a few accidents here and there.

Saffy, yes I bought a potty last week. I had it out and let her go nappy free for about an hour before bath time. She sat on it a lot, but sat on the rug for 5 minutes (while I was on my phone!) and did a wee on the rug! Then sat back on the potty. I have only had nappy free time a couple of days after that. I need to be watching her and have nothing else to do so I can keep an eye which is proving very hard!
I wonder what kind of toilet training 'program' your friend is using? I'm not in a huge rush to have it established here, but if I have troubles or she just doesn't get it I will might give it a go (so keep a copy handy :lol: )

Ive heard of that 3 day program. A few girls from here have done it. I think there was even a thread about it here.

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...method-174837/

Not sure what it's called but will keep it on hand, I only had a quick flick through it.
Worth a try!

Oh good one, thanks

Any updates, tasha?

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Any updates, tasha?

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I haven't had much of a chance to let her go nappy free. And when I have I don't have the time to follow her around and watch her! So we have only done nappy free a few times. She will sit on the potty and say 'poohs' and 'wees', but has yet to do either in the potty. She did wee on the rug though, she was sitting playing with toys so I didn't notice until later! So yeah, it's really hard when you don't have all day to follow them around. So the potty stays out, but the only time we have for nappy free is before her bath. But I'm happy to just do it every now and then for now as I don't think she is ready yet.

I know this is an old thread but I thought I would revive it. DS has been telling me for a while when he does wees and poos. We have dabbled with the potty but no success. When changing his nappy first thing this morning I noticed that his nappy was pretty dry and then he said to me "potty". So i took him to his potty and he did a massive first morning wee on it. His first ever wee on it. I was so surprised and had a bit of a sob whilst trying to do a happy dance. He seems so grown up all of a sudden. I think we will be starting toilet training tonight when we get home from work/day care. I have the next three days off so will give it a red hot go. Keep the momentum going.

How is everyone else going?

That's so cute & upsetting, vic! What a big boy. We have noticed a real leap in ds over past few weeks - he's really grown up.

I'll be stalking to see how you go, good luck! Xx

Thanks Andie :)

How timely. My DD did the hold her nappy while doing a wee dancy/bounce thing this morning. For a little while she has been bringing new nappies when she needs to go. She isn't 18 months yet and I don't know how to train her so haven't done anything yet but I'm just about to research it. Not sure how I feel about my little baby growing up.

At daycare yesterday he sat on the potty but no success but I was not really expecting it. I would have been surprised lol. Last night we had an accident but it was my fault I should have put him straight on the potty when I took off his nappy. This morning we had an accident as dh didn't get to the potty quick enough. That said I am home today with him and we are working it out. I have learned that he goes potty every hour and forty five minutes. This morning we have been successful and had two wees and no more accidents. I have learned his clues and have moved the potty into the lounge room. He runs up to me "mum, mum, mum and I tell him to sit on the potty. He sits and then gets off and wanders around and then we repeat the process a couple of times and finally I leave him to it and he does his business. He knows he needs to go but panics a bit. Its so cute. I am pretty happy with our morning. I am surprised by how long in between wees. I was putting him on every 20 mins which drove him nuts. Now at the 1 and a half hour mark I whip off his pants and start asking him if he needs to go. He looks so cute in Jocks :)

No joy here! My stubborn DD refuses to enter into a discussion about it still, she's going through a rough patch at the moment so not pushing it or mentioning it very much, everybody few days I will just tell her about some of her friends who now wear undies and go to the toilet. Hoping it will sink in eventually :wall:

She likes to watch her mates on the toilet when they come round to play though :ROFL:

I am sure she will get there Saffy. We just went cold turkey and have not looked back. He still has accidents at childcare, usually 1 a day as he cant seem to get there quick enough. He tells them but by the time they get organised its too late. At home we have not had an accident in over a week and have been out and about. Last Sunday he held on for over 4 hours whilst out and about. I kept offering the toilet but he kept it for home and really let go lol. Its nice not changing nappies through the day but its more stress thinking about it. I am surprised how quick its happened. When we are about to go out the door I now dont even mention it. Just hold his hand and start chatting away about something he loves, usually trains, walk to the potty, put him on the potty, wait for the business, pull up the pants, take care of said business, wash hands and move on all without mentioning whats going on, just listing Thomas the tank trains etc lol. If i ask him he would say no and then we wont get out the door. And then i would stress he would want to go half way through the journey!

Vic that is excellent pogress.

We are waiting for warmer weather before we do completely no nappy. But have started slow, no nappies from the afternoon to before bed (that's when we're home). If he says he needs to go when he has a nappy on we take him also. We got two potty books and one has srickers for reward. DS loves the books! Our issue is when he's really into something he's playing with he doesn't want to stop to go potty. Only #1's so far tho!

Thats great J.Bear. Its an interesting journey this toilet training. We have not had any accidents since Fathers Day which is over a week and a half. All good at day care and at home now. Even being out and about is not an issue, he seems to be able to hold it till we get to a loo (or a bush lol) I pretty much just leave him to tell me now, unless its been over 2 hours and then i just steer him to the bathroom and he jumps on. We still use the potty at home as its easier for him however I am over cleaning it and emptying it so will soon consider switching to the loo. He uses the loo when we are out and about. Has not done a #2 in a loo yet though. He still wears a nappy to bed but am considering dropping the afternoon nap one as its always dry. His night time nappy is usually dry too but everything 3rd or 4th night i can feel his has been in it. I will wait to warmer weather to start the night time tt. I was not planning on starting but he decided he was ready so I just went with it. 6 weeks in and I think we should have waited that bit longer as it took 4 weeks of having the occasional accident where maybe if he was a bit older it would have been a bit quicker. Now, if only he could get his pants off himself and start taking himself :)