Potty Regression

I hear about it all the time, but I just don't get it, and I did not think it would happen to us. Once you know how to go on the potty and do it consistently, why stop? There's been no drastic changes around here, no new babies, etc.

My daughter just has no interest anymore. I know the only solution is to give her a break. But we were so close, and I don't want to! How can she just stop. She doesn't want to be bothered with it. And when I try to get her on the potty at times I know she has to go by using a timer or some other 'fun' approach, she refuses.

She used to go all the time on her own and it seemed like she knew when she needed to go on her own. I never used the timer when we were training, she just seemed to get it on her own. I did a few days of naked training, and she pretty much had it since October. She'd still have an accident or 2 a day, but she'd also have many days with none. Now she doesn't go on her own, seems oblivious when she has accidents, and refuses to try.

I'm curious if anyone that has done the 3 day method had any kids you thought were potty trained, but then regressed and you had to go back to diapers? We didn't use that method, but I just wonder if things would be different if we had. And I'm not sure how to approach it the next time around. Ugh. We were so close. I really don't want to give up!

 

I still occasionally bribe Alice with candy to keep her interested. Maybe once or twice a week she'll get an m&m for peeing at our house (she's not regressed at school, only at home) so by not making it a standard treat, I think it makes it more interesting for her.

 

DS just did that and I thought it was because of the holidays until I realized DH had just shown him how to pee standing up so he was protesting me trying to get him to sit. He would stand there and pee in his pants right in front of me, telling me he was doing it! Then I let him stand on the stool and now he's been great. You never know what's in their heads! But for your DD, I agree with Bex. Try giving some type of reward occasionally when she does go so she doesn't expect it every time but maybe it gets her interested in going again. We did the 3 day method and had great results for months and then had a few slip ups, too. It seems like every once in a while one of them will just have a bad day but they usually get back on track pretty quickly.

 

As I was exclaiming our success with the 3-day method over the holidays, my coworker assured me that we would probably see regressions. Way to rain on my parade

Anyway, when her daughter regressed, she found that giving a high-value reward (in her case, a scoop of ice cream) after dinner when her daughter had a day with zero accidents worked and she was pack to peeing/pooping in the potty.

Might work?

 

I thought we had my son on a good clip with PT-ing until he pooped a couple of times on the potty and freaked out. He did not mind sitting on it after that but would not do anything on the potty. He eventually got to the point where I put him back in diapers and he would hold his pee and poo (while still in the diaper) until nap time and bedtime and after several floody diapers...we did the 3 day method back in September. I won't say that that method completely PT-ed him in 3 days but it got him going on the potty again and I would say 4 months later, he's about 95 % Pt-ed (we are still working on him standing while peeing, using the big potty versus the toddler one, and not being afraid of public potties). I hope the regression passes fast for you!

My DD has been pretty much PT-ed for a while now (3 months or so) but she is still afraid of our big potty & public potties, but I still make a big deal about her going in the potty and giving her high fives. I think it helps to keep her motivated.

 

I agree on keep on motivating her. High fives, stars on a chart, whatever. My dd regressed the week my ds started pooping on the potty - we were making such a big deal about him the she wanted attention.

Then recently I started a calendar chart where I draw stars on it when they are dry on waking up in the morning, and from nap and if they stay dry all day. I haven't promised anything, but just the thrill of us drawing stars on the chart! it was more for me to see their progress.

PP mentioned ice-cream... that actually was my ds's motivation for pooping on the potty. I had a whole ice-cream chart... where whenever he pooped in the potty we drew an ice-cream cone on it... after a week we went out for an ice-cream family date! anyway, the charts seem to work for us, and they are a FREE motivation for the most part. (I didn't even do stickers... just the drawing stars & ice-cream cones!)

 

I've decided to keep her in pull-ups (though I hate the idea of her thinking it's ok to pee in a pull-up) and just totally leave it up to her. So far, she's been going about half the time on her own. I figure it's less stress on the both of us for me to just stop harping on her and asking/begging her to go.

I talked to my mom the other day and I know she had lots of issues potty training me as well. I was severely scared of the big potty and would only go on the little training one. I still remember it, and I remember feeling scared, but I did not understand why I was scared - wasn't afraid of falling in or anything. I just didn't want to do it. My mom said I was still having accidents at 3.5 and beyond because of it. My daughter doesn't appear to be scared of it, but she is extremely stubborn. And she takes after me in every other way - personality wise. So I guess I get to re-live what I put my own mom through!