Re: nearly 4 year old nappies

Hi I wrote a little while ago about putting my nearly 4 yr old back in nappies and about how embaressed I was, since doing this 3 or 4 weeks ago she has been in a nappy 24/7 and our home life has been so stress free. We have given up talking about using the potty and occasionally she will ask to sit on the potty in her nappy and do her business, obviously not Ideal but it's a step in the right direction. She is quiet big for her age and looks more 4 1/2 so if we are out and she has a big wee I will change her as it shows too much but struggle with using baby changing rooms as she is too big for the mat, how Have other with older children managed ?, we tried pullups but they leak and she got terrible nappy rash. My other big battle is my mother in law, she is dead against her being in a nappy and refused to take her out for the day unless she was in knickers and left her dreaded dummy at home (a battle for another day)Reluctantly I sent her out in knickers thinking "you see what I have to put up with". When she returned home my daughter was wearing a nappy and with a new dummy I wasn't suprised! However despite her doing this she will still mention without fail about her being too big for a nappy or dummy! How have others dealt with negative comments about being too old etc?

[Poohbear2241]

I've just put my almost 4 year old back in pull ups, so glad to hear I'm not alone. It was a constant battle with constantly wet knickers and clothes. Didn't know whether I'd done the right thing or not but she's going to school in September and I don't want her in pull ups by then!! Such a struggle isn't it x

[Hidden in reply to Poohbear2241]

You using any particular pull ups? We've tried huggles but didn't get on with them.

[Poohbear2241 in reply to Hidden]

I use pampers for night, only ones that don't leak and just asda ones for daytime!

[Stressedmum2018]

I recently put my 4yo back in nappies during the day, he's nowhere near dry and doesn't enjoy nappy changes but it's much less stressful than wet clothing especially when going out.

[Hidden in reply to Stressedmum2018]

I know how you feel.. How do you manage changing when out? It's my biggest regret about going back to nappies as I find it embarrassing, also what nappies are you using as we are trying several different brands trying to find the best one that fits her and holds up to wetting ?

[Stressedmum2018 in reply to Hidden]

I use terry squares now and wish I'd started using them sooner

[Mum0fBoys]

My children are older now but my youngest son was poorly as a young baby. He cried and cried and cried. My mother went on and on about never using dummies and how happy we were blah, blah, blah. (Making me feel a failure). She came up to visit for a couple of days, when I had to take my eldest boy on a school trip... when I came back he was in the vibrating seat (which she didn’t approve of either) and she was holding the dummy in his mouth!!!

Try and ignore negative comments. Sometimes worried Grandparents make well meaning comments but it comes out sounding like criticism.

Raising children is hard and there is no formula for total success. Maybe ask her what she thinks you should do? Remember you don’t need to actually follow the advice.

With dummies we gradually reduced there use and then gave them to the ‘dummy fairy’ at the bottom of the garden, to give to the new babies!

But don’t try and do too many things at once!

Oh and... give yourself a break... so what your child is in nappies! Last year my son age 11, wet himself nearly every night... but this year, now we have dealt with the problem (constipation), he is dry.

I would try and get her sitting on the potty, without the nappy as a first step. Don’t worry if she does anything. Loads of praise... little steps!

Best wishes...