Does this mean DD isn't ready to train?

[cntrymoon2]

DD will be 3 in Oct. She started showing some interest in potty training 5 months ago, went in the big potty and her Bjorn potty a few times and then lost interest. So we dropped it, until she showed interest again in late April. For the last couple months, she would use the potty on and off, but definitely showing regular improvement as far as success rate vs. using a diaper. Two weeks ago we tried a potty chart and she has done great! At least two or three times a day she will either ask to use the potty or sit on it when prompted, and is very excited to get her potty sticker and work towards her big prize.

My question is this: even with consistently putting her on the potty, she ALWAYS has a wet diaper. Or poop in her diaper. She's perfectly willing to go on the potty, but she doesn't seem to know when its time to go. And I always thought one of the signs of potty readiness was when your child stays dry for a few hours at a time- something she has never done. Never. She always has some pee in her diaper, even if its 30 min after her last diaper change or potty visit. We have not made the switch to underwear yet, mostly because of this.

Does the constant wetness mean she is not ready to train? I'm kind of thinking that her not catching herself when she has an urge to go will be corrected or helped when we switch to underwear, but the permanently wet diaper concerns me.

[mmommy]

I'd bet that if she never had a diaper in, she'd catch on quickly and stay dry, but since she has a diaper on she's using it.

[crl]

I'd bet that if she never had a diaper in, she'd catch on quickly and stay dry, but since she has a diaper on she's using it.

:yeahthat: I think I'd try naked or undies for a few days.

Catherine

[acmom]

We got to a similar point with my DD when she was a little over 2 and we didn't get past it until we finally tried the underwear (around 2.5). She had all the readiness skills (interested, able to do pants herself, language to say she needed to go, etc.), except for keeping a diaper dry for extended periods. But once we took that plunge to underwear, she only had 2 true accidents (on the first day) and then she figured out the feeling of needing to go or starting to go. She had a bunch of times where she peed a little in her underwear but was able to hold it and make it to the potty for the rest of it. She was pretty reliably trained in a week or so.

It was the same way with night/nap training, her pull-up was almost always wet (I think she often went right after she woke up), until we switched to underwear.

I would give the underwear a shot...if it doesn't work or becomes a battle, you can always take a break and try again later. HTH - good luck!

[citymama]

I would highly recommend doing the diaper-free method over a 3 or 4 day weekend. It's a commitment and requires that you stay home most of that time, make sure that she has easy access to potties (buy a cheap IKEA $5 potty or two) and try hard not to put her in diapers or anything while she is awake and at home. When you are out, try training underwear or pull-ups, or even diapers, but if possible, try and stay in. It's amazing how that helps to make the whole thing click. At the end of the long weekend *do not* go back to diapers during the day (except naps). So this requires that her preshool/daycare be supportive as well, if she goes to one. IME, kids do not tell you they need to go till around 3, and even then, it's usually minutes or seconds before they have to go. So that alone is not an indicator of potty readiness. But if you feel she truly is not ready then obviously take a step back and wait a little longer.

Oh, BTW, we are doing M&M rewards with DD2 (DD1 got stickers!) and man, is it effective. DH is ready to buy stock in the company...Not that DD2 is trained, by any means, but she went from fearful to super motivated almost overnight with the candy.

Good luck!