Here's my potty training plan - may be good for a laugh

[HonoluluMom]

I've never had ANY experience with potty training. I've been reading through the forum, web, and a book or two about potty training and I think I've got a plan. I understand my plan may fly out the window depending on how DD responds, but I'm the type of person that needs a plan, so here it is:

- Around 1.5 years, have DD start sitting on the potty (she's getting the Baby Bjorn potty chair for Christmas) once a day to get her familiar/comfortable with the potty. If she's shows a lot of unhappiness sitting on the potty, I'll drop it and re-introduce the potty in a few weeks.
- After she seems comfortable sitting on the potty once a day, slowly increase the number of times I have DD sit on the potty.
- After I've worked up to having DD sit on the potty regularly throughout the day, put DD in training pants for a couple hours in the morning and continue to put DD on the potty throughout the day.
- Once DD starts to have some consistency in peeing/pooping in the potty, put her in training pants for the entire day and perhaps only diaper her for naps/night.

Here's a list of things I'm planning on buying in the near future:
- Gerber training pants
- Baby Bjorn toilet trainer
- disposable toilet seat covers (for when she has to use a public bathroom)
- carpet cleaner for accidents

I already have books for DD to read: Potty byLeslie Patricelli, My Big Girl Potty, and Everybody Poops.

I don't think I'm the type of person that can do the naked training.

I'd appreciate any critique or suggestions. Or, I have no problem if you have a nice laugh! Can you tell I'm a little anal. :)

[smiles33]

I PT'ed DD1 but do not consider myself an expert at all. My advice is to consider BOTH the Bjorn toilet trainer and the small potty chair. I bought just the trainer as I figured why offer the chair if I'm going to have to rinse/clean it after each use. DD1 was too small to comfortably use the toilet trainer for BM (her feet dangled). So I ended up buying the Bjorn potty chair, too.

Also, we did ultimately end up using rewards to encourage her to sit on the potty later on (in the beginning it's a novelty and fun). We tried stickers but cookies were most effective. :)

Good luck!

[ArizonaGirl]

We must be cut from the same cloth :ROTFLMAO: because DS is about to turn 2 and I have had a similar plan since about 18 months. Dont have ANY idea if it is gonna work yet, but he is getting training pants, undies, step stool, and a Bjorn insert for Christmas and his birthday. (Oh and I'm asking for a carpet cleaner too!!!).

We will see how delusional my plan really is :hysterical:

[AngelaS]

I was far more successful at about age 2.5 giving them the big kid talk and doing the 'train in a day method.' It worked great w/two of mine. The first one I eased into and she took f.o.r.e.v.e.r to train. :)

[JBaxter]

What has worked for me in the past is around 18 months do what I laughing call Potty Orientation Start reading books about potty sit on potty at bath and other times ( like if she need a diaper change and YOU need to go to the bathroom etc. I have 3 potty chairs and the toilet ring. Start to when you have a poo'd diaper walking into the bathroom and dumping it in the toilet and waving bye to it ... so the idea of poo goes in the potty gets introduced

Take her along when you go and have her sit even with her diaper on. Keep a stack of books in the bathroom also.

When I start seeing more signs we do potty boot camp Seems to hit my boys 27-29 months. Week naked and lots of drinks & frequent trips to sit for "incentives"

[chozen]

imo the fisher price frog potty chair is better then the bjorn. we tried the bjorn and for some reason her butt would stick to it and when she stood up the insert part would rise a couple of inches. so we bought the frog potty chair (very similiar to the bjorn and only cost $12.99) and for us it seems much better. we also liked the price of the frog and since we wanted one down stairs, upstairs and one for the car that saved us around $50.00 total.

[LMPC]

We did a lot of what JBaxter is talking about....letting her come to the bathroom with us, talking about what we were doing (nothing like providing a running commentary LOL!), reading potty books, and having her own potty available. I think in the end, you just end of doing what works for you and your DC.

[wellyes]

That was my plan. Didn't work out, but hope it does for you!
Just want to say, I'm not too upset that DD isn't potty trained. Logistically diapers are a whole lot easier. I

[smiles33]

I forgot to include the list of PT'ing books and DVDs we used:

Potty Power (a DVD with real kids--some of it is cheesy bad though)
Go, Potty, Go (animated DVD)
A Potty For Me (book by Karen Katz so it has her trademark cute illustrations)
Once Upon a Potty (book recommended by a friend who PT's her boys--there is a boy version and a girl version, the only thing is that the illustration of a potty looks like a flower pot!)

[AnnieW625]

I almost fell out of my chair (no offense of course), but a detailed plan for potty training a 16 mos old?:rotflmao:


That was my plan. Didn't work out, but hope it does for you!
Just want to say, I'm not too upset that DD isn't potty trained. Logistically diapers are a whole lot easier.

:yeahthat: DD1 was taking her diapers off the minute they got wet when she was about 15 mos. old, so a few months later I bought the Bjorn potty toppy, interest stopped, picked up around 2 again, but slowly went away as soon as I bought a little potty for the bathroom. DD1 didn't train until she was 3 yrs., 1 mos., and at 4/1/2 is still not night trained. It's not one of those fights I wanted to pick, but then I am not the a typical BBB mom either. So glad I have a friend here Wellyes!

[Katigre]

I actually think it's good to think about potty readiness stuff when they're younger b/c it helps them be ready to catch the earlier 'windows' for potty training (the first one seems to open between 18-24 months). Both my kids pt'd fully early - DS at 25 months and DD just did at 22 months. We used cloth diapers (the old fashioned kind so they felt wet/dirty when they went) and also gave them naked time most days as toddlers, and we also did part-time E.C. with DD (basically she peed on her little potty first thing in the morning and sometimes another time or two during the day).


- Around 1.5 years, have DD start sitting on the potty (she's getting the Baby Bjorn potty chair for Christmas) once a day to get her familiar/comfortable with the potty. If she's shows a lot of unhappiness sitting on the potty, I'll drop it and re-introduce the potty in a few weeks.
I'd start this earlier - once she can sit on her own. First thing in the morning and after naps, and if she wants to when you're on the potty. It's a really good thing for her to be in the bathroom with you and see you go in the potty.


- After she seems comfortable sitting on the potty once a day, slowly increase the number of times I have DD sit on the potty.
This is really optional - once or twice a day is sufficient for her to get the idea until she's ready for full-on potty training (between 18-36 months for most kids).


- After I've worked up to having DD sit on the potty regularly throughout the day, put DD in training pants for a couple hours in the morning and continue to put DD on the potty throughout the day.
Naked time will be better than training pants. It's really helpful for kids to feel the 'gotta go' and then see the pee come out. If she's in training pants she'll feel wet but won't quite get it as much.


- Once DD starts to have some consistency in peeing/pooping in the potty, put her in training pants for the entire day and perhaps only diaper her for naps/night.
I think you'll find that once they're ready the whole process condenses into a few weeks (except some kids seem to need a diaper at nap/night for longer - but you'll see how she is). Once they potty train I put them in diapers only for nap/night until they are dry for a week and then I ditch them but put a waterproof pad underneath instead.


I don't think I'm the type of person that can do the naked training.
You don't have to leave her naked all the time - but having her get the idea sometimes is helpful. Even if you let her pee in the bathtub before you run her bath can help.

[Katigre]

Start to when you have a poo'd diaper walking into the bathroom and dumping it in the toilet and waving bye to it ... so the idea of poo goes in the potty gets introduced
YES - this is really helpful. Since we CD'ed we always plopped their poop into the toilet and once DD was older she would help by opening the lid and saying 'plop!' as it went in. I think it helped her get the idea that poop always goes in the potty.