in April 2022 Babies 🇬🇧

Potty training help!

Hi ive tried potty training my son multiple times since he turned 2. But he was really stressed out about using the toilet or even a potty. We haven’t tried since January and attempted again. Today is day 6 and he is really good with poop, but the wees are still accidents. I take him every 30 mins and have him sit for 2 mins at minimum but he doesn’t relax enough to let it out. The only wee he has done on the potty was once on day 1 and twice on day 2. Does anyone have any advice? I know he is trying to hide his wee in as I can see him fidgeting and showing all the signs but somehow he can’t seem to release in the toilet!! Is there something I can do to encourage him? We’ve already got a sticker chart, treats for going, toys that ive put oh a shelf for him to win if he goes on the toilet. Ive also started praising him for keeping his pants dry. But no success. Not sure if I should give up or keep pushing through? Should I do be something differently??

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I'm sure I read blowing bubbles helps them relax.

I’d say keep going if he’s doing ok with poos. My daughter got really stressed with the every 30 min tactics, and after a few days of it being ok just started to say no, she was holding it in too, I just had to cool my approach and not keep asking her. If I saw her fidgeting then id take her, otherwise I just had to let the accidents happen for her to start getting it. We’ve been going since end of feb, I think she’s only had one totally dry so far, personally I’ve hated potty training 🙈 and my expectations of the time it would take for her to get it we’re wildly inaccurate x

Also, I found giving her a book on the toilet helps her to relax x

@Jo this really helped with the poo but with the wees it hasn’t helped

@Shenel omg me too! All those videos on how people potty trained the toddlers in 3 days really had me thinking it would be the same for us Was she okay with having accidents? My son doesn’t get stressed about accidents he just asks me to clean him up.

@Shenel ive tried this but after a page or 3 he tells me to stop. Maybe I’ll get some new books in so he’s more interested in them

Appart from all the good advice above, I would say to nit ask so frequently to go to the toilet. My daughter is toilet trained but if I ask too often, she gets annoyed and then will definitely not go. Also 2 mins sat ln the toilet is a lot for a little one. I think this may be adding to the pressure.

@Conchi thank you for this! I didn’t think of that! How often would be an appropriate time to take him? And how long should he try for

Sometimes, my son will only go wee about 4 times in a day. He doesn't like to be asked/told if he doesn't need to. He holds it for a long time.

@Jo this may be the case with my son. When you potty trained what intervals worked best for you? Did you use a timed approach at all?

I don't think I can offer much help. My son had 3 accidents on day 1 and has only had a handful of accidents since.

@Jo that’s amazing! Appreciate you responding

Yes she was totally fine with accidents 🤦🏻‍♀️ she wouldn’t even bother to tell me, everyone kept saying to put her in knickers she won’t like being wet but literally zero f’s given 😂 I think it’s massively helped her that she’s moved to the pre school room at nursery tbh, she likes copying the older kids