TT advice please? (long)

[Twin Sister]

I need some potty training and readiness advice. Please
Background info (sorry if long):

My DS just turned 2 in November, and with another baby on the way I am hoping to get him potty trained sooner rather than later if possible. We started putting him on the potty around 15-18 months and ever since then he's been really good about going whenever you put him on (though not neccessarliy able to tell me when he had to go).We were never very consistent though as we did not want to push the issue before he was ready.

At about 22 months he started telling us (95% of the time) when he needs to poop and we can make it to the potty in time if we hurry. He still doesn't tell me when he has to pee though. I have found though if I take him to the potty every hour his pull up will stay dry all day, even after naps, and often his diaper is dry in the morning. It has been this way for months.

I was giving him a small gummy treat for successful pees and a smartie and a temporary tattoo for successful poops, but now he only gets a treat every few pees (too much sugar otherwise).

I thought maybe pull-ups were holding us back so Friday we went and bought some cute underpants and put them on. He was really excited about his big boy underpants and proudly told everyone at playgroup he was not in diapers but underpants. On one trip to the bathroom he ran into the boys room by mistake and was very interested in the urinals. No one was there so I let him try pee standing and he was thrilled to be able to watch himself pee.

So the first day in underwear we had no accidents, the next 4 days in a row we had one accident per day (all at home, 30 min after his last potty visit) and yesterday we had 2 accidents (one in his bed, and one in the carseat, both close to the hour mark). Last night after his second accident he was crying and when I was redressing him he said he rather wear a diaper (so I obliged).

Today I asked him if he wanted to continue with underwear or go back to diapers and he wasn't sure, and since I have a butt load of laundry to do, I got lazy and put the pull up back on him for today.

I know we have not been trying for very long and I was not expecting instant results or anything, but my question is, do you think he is ready for underwear? Should I persist and keep it up or should I just go back to pull-ups for now? The accidents aren't really a huge deal for me to clean up and stuff, I'm just really unsure of what to do and don't want to push him into something he's really not ready for.

(last piece of info - we started with a small potty but now he uses one of the little seats that sits on the toilet. Would he be better off still using the little one?)

[~clover~]

I'd keep him in the undies at home & a pull up when out. With undies he feels the accident. In a pull up he won't really feel it, coz it gets drawn away.
They usually do get the poo's to register before the wee's, & there is nothing you can do to speed it up, but the more practise, the better
FWIW he's doing well I'd probably stop taking him every hour too. Let him figure it out for himself, rather than have you remind him.

[kylieb77]

Hi I don't have experience myself, but one of my friends found it easier for her daughter to be naked at home - she wouldn't have an accident, only when she had undies on - not sure if this is an option for you or not. Just thought I would throw it out there

[Twin Sister]

Thanks so much guys, I guess we'll persist. Nakedness is an option but it's winter here right now so pretty cold. Maybe I can put a warm fleecy top on him and keep him naked from the waist down.

[Mad Scientist]

We started with no pants on at home and a nappy whenever we went anywhere until I was pretty sure we weren't going to have accidents. I think the key is consistency. When you first start it's ok to be a bit more relaxed with it all but I think he's shown that he's ready so it might be time to persevere. It might be a little confusing for him if sometimes he has a nappy on when you go out and then other times he doesn't. Just keep it consistent and he'll get into the groove. I found that having the potty in an easily accessible place was great because dd could take herself if she needed to esp if she had a nudie bum. Good luck with it all. It really does sound like he's getting there

[Twin Sister]

I guess I'll bring out the little potty again and maybe I can put it in the kitchen right by the living room so DS can see it and go pee if need be. The only thing that worries me about a nudie bum is most of our house is carpeted and we don't have a steam cleaner. At least with clothes on not much pee reaches the floor. Maybe I'll check out smaller cleaners at Walmart today LOL

[Twin Sister]

Well nakedness is not an option. DS cried at having a bare bum saying "Brrrr my bum is cold, I want to wear pants". We've put his little potty in the kitchen and are doing so so. I still have to remind him to go and we are still having an accident every 1-2 days, but we are hanging in there.

[Mad Scientist]

An accident every 1-2 days is FANTASTIC! Well done little man! I still remind/ask DD1 if she needs to go even though I know that she will tell me so there's nothing wrong with that. Sounds like it's going really well! Good on you!

[Twin Sister]

Thanks It's exhausting. He pooped his pants today and yesterday but we are still persisting. both times he was very involved in playing and i guess didn't want to go and told me too late. He is better when we are out of the house, 99% of his accidents are at home.