From diapers to underwear

We started potty training the girls yesterday. They have each peed in the potty at least once but we have had a lot of accidents and peeing when they have diapers on (sleeping and taking the dog for a walk in the stroller). I know that this isn't going to happen over night but I also don't have any friends who have potty trained this way so there is no one to go to for advice on when to stop trying.

So...How long should I try for before I give up and let them go back to diapers? They will both sit on the potty no problem but they are not regularly telling me when they have to pee. Mia told us last night in the bath that she had to go but that has been the only time. Emma went this morning but that is only because she sat on the potty for over an hour refusing to get off.

Any and all advice is GREATLY appreciated! Thanks!

 

When they are truly ready, it can be overnight. There is no magic number of days. One of my boys trained at 3 years 4 months, and the other at 3 years 9 months. Both were in underpants from the time they were 3 years 2 months, because the preschool told me they would rather clean up accidents then have them in diapers.

Honestly, is sounds like the probably aren't totally ready for potty training, and I would keep them in diapers, but start asking at regular intervals if they want to try. I big key of readiness is being able to go for 2-3 hours without wetting, and if they aren't staying dry, maybe they aren't quite there yet. Once we did go to underpants, the only time mine wore diapers/pullup was nighttime. I just packed extra clothes for our outings--and on occasion had to purchase a new outfit.

 

I agree with Sharon completely. It sounds like they aren't completely ready.

We tried a potty-training "boot camp" where we picked a time that we'd be home for 72 hours and we made a big deal with underpants and stickers. We knew we'd clean up messes but we only used diapers for bedtime and naps. The rest of the time they were naked. We had a bunch of accidents but by the end of the time DD was almost completely potty trained and DS was not. DS took another 9 months of struggles. This was around 2yrs 10months. I thought DS would never get it. All kids, even twins , are different. It is a trial and error process. Good luck!!

 

With dd I put her underwear and there has been only a handful of accidents and all of those were from being away from a potty too long (long walks, playing at park, etc). I litterally came home one day told her she would be in undies and to start using the potty, and she did!!!! I was truly amazing, so obviously she was ready. She still wears a diaper at nap and bedtime.
I did the same thing with ds and he has yet to pee on the potty <_< So he is obviously NOT ready.

If I were you I would remind them to sit on the potty every hour until there are no accidents then play it by ear. Lots of praise when they go.

 

My oldest DD was dry by day 3 and that was it. With Emilie, I would say it was about 4-5 days, but that was also with me taking her to the potty every so often. With Trevor he's been in underwear for about 6 weeks now and he has about 3-4 accidents a week. I think it really just depends on the child. Good luck.

 

When we first started, we would put them on the potty every 1 hour. Once they started going in the potty regularly, we took the diapers away during the daytime, including naptime, and used training pants and rubber pants. Once they started being dry at night, we pulled the night time diaper and have not gone back. Yes we have had accidents, but they know going back to a diaper is not an option and they caught on pretty quickly. We have not had an accident in a little over two weeks and always tell us when they have to go now or they just go and put themselves on the potty.

Good luck!

 

I'm not sure whether to answer 2-3 days or 6 months...

You see, my boys naked trained themselves early. They are extraordinary strippers and could be fully nude within seconds long before their 2nd birthday. My carpets were paying the price. When I realized that this meant they could use the potty unassisted so perhaps it didn't matter that they wouldn't communicate need, that they were often holding it to go after they took their clothes off, and perhaps their resistance to timed potty intervals was about control rather than readiness, life became a whole lot simpler. I put the little potties where they play and told them not to go on the floor anymore but otherwise let them run the show. Fantastic success and fully trained pretty much immediately... but only when nude. They'd forget all about it when dressed. I bought some underwear, put it where they could see it, and told them they could wear it when they were ready. I hadn't planned to start until age 3 and they weren't even 2 yet so I saw no need to push. 6 months later, they dropped their diapers to use the toilet and those diapers were fully dry. I put them in underwear that minute and made a big deal of it. There were a number of "forgot I was wearing underwear" type of accidents and then they were done. That's not to say they never had an accident after those first few days but they never had one when they were paying attention (like when we were out in public).

It's so different for everyone and I'm glad I quit listening to all of the well-meaning folks who told me they weren't ready because they wouldn't tell me when they needed to go and wouldn't go when I put them on the potty. Really, none of us can tell you if your kids are ready. Heck, the kids might not even know! Keep it light and if it doesn't take, wait a while and try again.

 

My taylor got it within a day she was just ready. Payton on the other hand just doesn't get it yet and is still in diapers. I say it can totally happen overnight like Taylor and if they aren't ready go back to diapers for a while and then try again later.

 

I am currently potty training mine as well. . I have to say it really depends on the kid. EVERY child is different. I definitely wouldnt give up after only 2-3 days. If they go on the potty some times, then I would probably just make the effort to take them more often and see if they use the potty more, or if they stay dry during shorter intervals.

My DD is pretty much day trained. She will sometimes have an accident during nap, but she is getting really good about telling me she has to go, rather than just going when I take her. Sunday we were out and about, and she was wearing a pull up, and she said "I have to go potty" . . So we stopped at a store so I could run in and take her potty and sure enough she was still dry and went on the potty. So, she must also be learning to hold it. It has taken her about a month to get to this point. Today is the first day she will be in panties all day if she doesnt have an accident. (if she does have an accident she will get a pull up).we have been using pull ups for the past month.

DS, who is her twin, is totally NOT interested. He is just too busy to want to go potty. I will usually take him first thing in the morning, and he goes and he smiles when he goes in the potty b/c he knows it makes me happy (and Im sure he's proud of himself), but he will not usually go any other time of day if he is playing or anything else. Im hoping something will 'click' for him soon. .

ETA: you can try training them while they are wearing diapers/pullups, if you dont want to clean up so many messes/accidents. I choose to use pullups b/c they are easy for them/us to pull up and down like underwear but it catches the pee when they have accidents. I would be way too frustrated if I went straight from diapers to panties.. .too much laundry.

 

There are certainly kids that are ready to pt at their age, but at this point I would definitely take their lead. I wouldn't switch to underwear now, though. If they're having lots of accidents then that would likely stress all of you out, and may turn them off to using the potty at all. I'd go with the flow and encourage and praise them, but not push it. It's a great sign that they're going to the potty already!

 

My DS potty trained in 1 day, no pull ups right to undies. One day he told me he had to poop and that was it, no more diapers. I was so not prepared I only had 2 pairs of undies in the house but I went for it anyway. I knew once he could tell me he had to poop he was ready to use his potty. He's had a few peeing accidents here and there but mostly when we're not around to take him to the bathroom. He was 2.2mths when we did it and it's been 3mths with no diapers, it's awesome let me tell you. I still have my twins in diapers but 1 less child is great for me.

 

Just a quick update - Mia has peed on the potty a few times. She is telling us when she has to go but has also had a few accidents. Emma is OBSESSED with peeing on the potty and I have to make her get off every time but she has yet to pee. We are thinking of letting Emma go back to diapers because I am concerned about bladder infections for holding it. We actually have a doctor's appointment tomorrow so I am going to see what she thinks but I think Mia is ready not so sure about Emma.

Thank you all for your advice/stories they are much appreciated and really help a lot.

 

My guys went a good 5 days or so before they truly got "it". And I did mine at different times. A.J. trained in January and Ben just trained this month. We skipped the pull-ups entirely and I think that was the key. I say to keep at it. Give it a good amount of time before you think they aren't quite ready yet. There is lots of laundry, but really when isn't there lots of laundry with twins.