Hi folksI've done loads of reading on the Internet and seen loads of different potty training techniques. Just looking to get a general idea of what really works and any helpful tips. The boys have literally just turned 2 but my MIL has been telling us to potty train from around the age of 1.5.🙄 They aren't massive talkers yet - a few words and phrases and they seem to talk to each other in their own language but I wonder if that's important as how can you communicate, although in saying that they understand us ok....when it suits them.🤣 Anyway, please let me know what worked for you guys?
Thanks as always!xxx
Written by
Cinderella5
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
My advice is don't rush it! We were led entirely by our daughter and the nursery. We waited until the summer before she turned 3 in the September and after a week she got it and other than one or two accidents has been fine and was dry overnight almost immediately too. Other parents I know tried to do it too early and they weren't ready which led to lots of frustration and accidents! There is a huge amount of pressure to get them out of nappies and each child will get there in their own time. If you do start it and it isn't clicking it is okay to stop, give it some more time and try again a bit later xx
We are all good thank you. You will know when the time is right and summer time is best as they can just be half naked and that is hoe they know when they need to go. It's all good fun 😂 xx
Yes I'm hoping for then but knowing out luck it be Xmas!😂🙈 Not sure if good fun comes into it🤯 but I'm sure looking back it'll just be more happy memories!🥰 Glad to hear you're all well.xxx
Probably goes against what you’ll read but chocolate rewards worked for us! As did starting when the weather was warm for being comfortably naked on the bottom half. Two potties. Stay in for a few days whilst they crack it and try to power through and not give up/put them back in nappies as this sends mixed messages. We waited until they showed signs, hiding behind the curtains to go and telling us when they had or needed to go. Hope it goes well!
Ha ha ha I'm not against treats either!!😆 Whatever works, just works. I read about this method as in naked from waist down and go for it, hoping they'll be ready in summer buy might be a hit soon. Thank you as always.xx
hi cinders, can’t believe the boys are 2 now! Time is flying! If they aren’t huge on speaking - can you do some baby signs for ‘nappy’, ‘wee’ or ‘poo’? So before you change their nappy - tell them that via sign language, if it’s a wee, tell them etc.
Not sure about your boys but mine loves to come into the bathroom when I’m doing a wee, so then I show / explain to him what I’m doing (mummy’s doing a wee wee, now I’m going to wipe and flush, now we wash our hands) and now he walks in and yells ‘mummy wee wee’ lol so I think that’s helping prepare him although I don’t think he’s quite there yet (he’s 19 months). He’s quite the chatterbox and sometimes says ‘poo poo coming’ so I think I might get a potty in the next few months so that he can get used to it and see if he likes to use it (with no pressure)
From what I’ve read, most toddlers are ready around 2-3 so don’t feel pressured to start before they are ready. Otherwise I think it’ll be quite stressful until they are ready! But you (and they!) have got this!
Also there is an potty training course by just chill mama (on Instagram) which I might get in a few months but it covers readiness and how to do it etc if that is also helpful xxx
I know, don't know where the time had gone....its crazy!! Yes, I never get a wee in peace....plus the dog of course!!🤣 We thought we had it cracked, they were saying poo and getting it but all of a sudden they've lost interest again. Guess they just aren't ready. It's more the MIL that makes me think to push on....apparently its nonsense they aren't ready.🙄 Says her kids were out of nappies by 1.5.🤯 Thank you, sometimes just need reassurance.xx
oh gosh, if she’s so keen - why doesn’t she potty train them! 1.5 is definitely on the early side - great if she did it but not the norm at all. Don’t second guess your mama instincts xxx
Also we’ve reached a new stage of no privacy, my boy has learnt bum bum and now is v keen to pull down my leggings and look at it and also announce I’m wearing a nappy 🤣🤣 xx
I would leave it a bit longer until they can actually tell u when they need the toilet. My little one nailed it and we wer just before her third bday. The oh crap it’s potty book is really good xx
I’m soooo sleep deprived. Hubbie and I have covid and our youngest has been waking every 30mins the past two nights. It’s killing us! 😅🤯 apart from that wer good lol.
Oooh that sounds rough!🤯 Hope you guys are all feeling better. We've also been ill, kids had chicken pox for the second time then a sickness bug or food poisoning for me. One of the boys has started growing himself out of the cot during the night so more fun times ahead in our house!😫xx
Hi i read something not yo start too eatly as it can take longer and 2.5 years is a good age. My nursery have helped massively and my lo is now in knickers parttime. Lmk if you want some tips
I would say don’t rush it and wait until they are showing signs they are ready. We thought we would try when Phoebe turned 2 as she’s a really good talker but she just wasn’t ready or showing any signs and it didn’t really go anywhere. We’ve left it since then and literally in the last week she’s asked to go for a wee on the potty every night after her bath so we are going to take advantage of the long weekend and try this weekend as we can do the 3 days at home and I’m pretty confident it’ll be fairly easy now! She’s 2 years 7 months xx
I honestly don't know how they are 2 either. The whole first year is a blur for crappy reasons but even this past 6 months has flown by....its crazy. I'm definitely getting from everyone that too soon isn't good and I do think it's too soon. Guess I'm just looking for a magic wand!😆🙈 Hope you're all well and thanks for the advice, it's juat nice to know I'm not getting it all wrong.🤗xxx
Agreed, defo don’t rush it. My guy just woke up one day at two and half and decided he didn’t want nappies anymore and he never looked back. We had a little portable potty in our lounge since about 2ish so he knew what it was for and could use it if he wished 👍
I hear life is much easier when they let you know when they are ready instead of training them.
Thank you, the advice is much appreciated. It's hard to know if you're doing the right thing or not....Nice to hear from everyone it takes till a bit older.xx
what until they are ready and talking. They all do it in their own time. Summer is ideal if it happens that way as then they can just be naked at home. Hope you are all good xx
Hey lovely! Thank you, yes was hoping for summet but think that's maybe ambitious....Xmas may be better as I'll have some time off. We are doing ok thank you.....hope you are too.xx
I started when my daughter was 2 and 1 month (because her Montessori school told me she HAD to be potty trained to enroll). It took me 2 weeks. She also didn't talk or say any words at the time, so the communication was not easy but I knew she could at least understand me. Most important rule: no diaper during the day. (She still had diapers overnight till a much later age).
Pick a week or 2 when you don't plan on going out much, traveling etc. Take them to the potty often but don't make them sit there for long if nothing is happening. Buy cute illustrated potty books for kids. They can look through them while on the potty. Watch them constantly and as soon as they are wet (they will have many accidents), explain that the goal is to keep pants dry not wet. They should understand wet and dry pants concept.
Put their potty in the bathroom next to yours and do it with them. Get mentally ready for tons of laundry and keep a portable potty in the car.
Good luck! I can't imagine doing this with twins lol must be double the work 😵💫.
Thank you, great advice. I think I'll leave it a bit longer....no deadline apart f4km the MIL 😂🙈 I'm just dreading it abit I guess. Well done you for nailing it so young!!xx
I'd wait until they are nearly asking or looking to use potty themselves to be honest. Otherwise you and they are in for some stress. Sure what's the rush anyway really. My little one is over 3 since March, I've decided to start when we get home from holiday June bh. She tells me when she wants a new nappy and likes trying knickers on. But she can't get her trousers or knickers up and down herself yet.
She will sit on the potty we have but so far nothing has happened 🤷.
We'll see how she goes in June, and hopefully over summer when we are all a bit more relaxed she'll get hang of it. I'm not expecting it to be smooth. My 9 year old really struggled and is one those that took until 6 to really be dry through the day.
So I've learned to be more relaxed and patient. It's a huge, huge change to a bodily function for them, no rush, they'll get there in their own time.
And with twins I guess they could have different timescales too.
Ps cannot believe they are 2!!! I can't believe my little one is 3- the dark days of infertility seem so long ago now, thank God x
Yes, those days are long gone indeed....its terrible to say but it doesn't seem so bad now does it?! Yes thr boys defo go at their own pace but sometimes it helps to bring the slower one on depending on what the task is. Thanks for the advice, think we'll hang fire a bit longer.xx
I often say that to my husband "ah my experience of ivf wasn't too bad" and he says " Mary that because it worked out well" Kinda like all the pregnancy discomfort and labour pains, we just forget once we are handed the lights of our life. It pushes all the dark shadows away 🤷
Best of luck with the potty training, no doubt they will be pee sword fights really soon and you'll miss the nappy days!!!
Highly recommend the book Oh Crap Potty Training. We had had a potty out from when my daughter was two, but she went from interested to refusing to sit on it. Just as she’d started to say ‘done a wee’ when she’d done one I read the book and thought I’d give it a go. Took about a week , she still wears nappies at night. We followed exactly what the book said - naked bottom down, then commando, then started trips out. From my experience don’t always think you can be guided by your nursery, ours were hopeless and it took longer for her to be out of nappies on nursery days. They had no potties in the age 2-3 room and no immediate access to a bathroom 🤯
We are starting potty training this weekend 😬 I’ll be honest I’m dreading it but he’s 3 in July and we’re due little sister the same month so hoping to only have 1 in nappies!
We’ve been reading potty training books to him - No More Nappies and a Paw Patrol one that he’s really taken to. He’s now announcing he’s too old for nappies so we will see! No tips as haven’t started yet but we’re going with the naked for a few days, then commando, then pants method and hoping for the best. We’re in a flat so have just got a potty for the living room and also a travel one but I’ve seen recommendations to have one in every room if you’re in a big place. We’re leaving nappies at night, naps and in the car for another time! Good luck xx
Oh heck, how did it go? I'm also dreading it but suppose it comes to us all and once we come out the other side it'll be great. All the best with the new arrival....you must be so excited for your little girl coming!!💖xxx
Surprisingly well! Can’t say it hasn’t been stressful but he hasn’t had an accident for 4 days now which is much better than I expected. Something I wasn’t prepared for was how upsetting he found the process - not having a nappy on really bothered him the first few days and there were a lot of tears but he’s quite proud of himself now which is cute to see. And thank you! Yep definitely counting down the weeks now 🙏💖
Aww that's amazing, well done the man!!👏👏👏 Mine don't like not having their nappy on either. I did start introducing the potty to explain what it was for and they sat on it fine....wouldnt sit on it without trousers nevermind without a nappy!!🤣🤣xx
Hi Cinders! Thanks for asking this. In the same boat. 2 year old twins (although 2 months early so I'm giving them some leeway). We have just started sitting them on the potty as soon as we get up in the morning. They watch us go to the loo all the time, but I still don't think they fully understand why we're getting them to sit on the potty. They don't have many words yet so communication is going to be a problem, but being told by many people of the previous generation that everyone was potty-trained by 2 years old and what are we doing?!?! Even though everyone I know has not potty trained their children by 3, never mind 2, so I'm trying to not feel rushed, but at the same time want to get going.
Lol, I think back in the day kids very potty trained so early because they didn't have disposable diapers. No parent wanted to be out there washing diapers for a 3 year old. I think my Mom had us potty trained by 19 months old. It's a pain to get started but once you do it, the diaper freedom is priceless. Good luck doing it with twins though!
Ha ha ha mine also watch us go to the loo....one tries to help you pull your trousers etc up.😂🙈 Like you, not sure they really get it. I dont think the twin thing with not many words helps the situation.....they seem to have their own wee communication going and understand loads but that's selective!!🙄 Do annoying when the oldies tell you you're way behind. I know they aren't ready but it will come in time I'm sure. Lovely to hear from you.xxx
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
I'm back! Sensitive post warning pregnant again. 
Think I'm losing the baby.
When is it too old to have a baby?
Pregnancy and constipation. 