Potty Training Methods: My Experience

In The Beginning

I began using potty training methods with my daughter when she was seven months old. Yep. Soon after she could sit up on her own.

I hadn’t originally intended to, but I had heard that you can start potty training methods this early and I was intrigued and challenged.

I find it fascinating what people are capable of when challenged and properly encouraged.

I didn’t push the issue with my daughter, I just began to introduce the little training potty to her and helped her to use it.

When she was 12 months old and began walking, I noticed that sometimes she got up from her nap and walked to the bathroom. She had used the potty many times at this point.

Toilet Training Turbulence

When she was 16 months old, we moved. Moving put a quick halt to the success of our potty training methods. I spent much of my days getting moved in to the house and noticed that I wasn’t thinking a lot about her training.

My daughter, I distinctly noticed, quickly lost interest in using the potty. I tried, even amidst working to get the house in order, to encourage her to train. But, I was afraid the changes just had its natural effect. I had heard that moving, or any changes, may hinder potty training.

Over the next year and a half, I made attempts to get her back to practicing the potty training methods. Sometimes she would use it, but she never showed interest in being trained and getting out of those diapers for good.

The older she got, the more anxious and pressured I felt. I kept hearing from family, friends, and doctors, “She’ll let you know when she’s ready” and “Don’t push it, wait until she’s ready.”

I agreed and for that one and a half years, I rested on that.

Pressure Point

On the day of her routine, two-year check up, she also visited the dentist. The lady looking at her teeth asked if she was still in diapers. I said, “Yes”.

She responded in disbelief and with a bit of scorn (though trying to maintain expected politeness) she said something like, “Alright, Mom. What’s going on?” As if to say, “shame on you”. Like I was neglecting my child by not having her in underwear.

I wanted to say something like, “Give me a break, she just turned two. I’m sure all of your children were completely potty trained BY 24 months.” (Assuming she even has any kids.) But, I just let it go.

From age two to three, the pressure to get her potty trained mounted. So did her lack of interest.

Left and right, children her age were going from diapers to underwear. Some weren’t, of course, but remember, I had started potty training methods with my daughter at seven months old. I didn’t want to be average, much less below average. That’s just my personal desire and challenge in every area of my life.

Finally, a few weeks after she turned three, I figured out what I had to do. I realized that “waiting until my daughter was ready” was not acceptable anymore. Maybe at two, but not so much at three.

I had two important realizations:

1. My daughter had simply grown accustomed to going “potty” in her diaper. It was just a habit. I knew my daughter well enough to know that I had given her enough time. She was only using her diaper because it was there and that’s all she ever knew.

2. I needed simple, supplemental tools to ensure my success.

Solution:

I bought a package of underwear and a package of vinyl covers for her. I used my own strong will to my advantage in order to execute my plan.

My Plan: Cold Turkey Potty Training

(Note: It has nothing to do with deli meat)

In short, put her in underwear and a vinyl cover and NEVER put another diaper on her again. In other words, act like diapers didn’t exist. Children will use what you give them.

Now, I know that this is not as realistic for some people with different schedules. Keep reading and you'll find out what I had to my advantage during my daughter's first week in underwear.

In Greater Detail:

She made a lot of messes and the vinyl covers don’t always hold in the urine well. But, the covers were just enough to give me the courage and help I needed to get the potty training job done. I knew that if I just bought those covers, I could do it.

With every week or so, I saw improvement. Remember, I stopped using diapers completely. Right from the start she wore underwear to bed. It wasn’t long before she was staying dry at night more often than not.

What was great to have had during this was the waterproof mattress in my daughter’s toddler bed. You can simply buy a waterproof cover for your child’s bed.

She progressed in phases. One phase was wetting the bed. Then, that died down. Another was having wet accidents often throughout the day. That faded out over a few months. Another was having most bowel movements in her underwear.

She is not totally accident-free, but she'll grow out of it. She may have one if she’s at a friend’s house and is too wrapped up in playing. Other times it’s because she waits too long and/or is having trouble getting unbuttoned.

UPDATE: Right at four years old. Her potty training is remarkable. It may have seemed like a long process, but she rose to each level in stages and each success just makes life that much easier.

I want to encourage you if your child is partially potty trained, but still has certain accidents no matter how you try to stop them. It is a phase that your child will grow out of. Keep working the potty training methods that work for your family... It's working, even if you can't see it, yet.

What I Had Going For Me:

I was able to stay home with her for the first six to seven days, straight. Actually, she spent one night at Grandma's house, but "Grandma" was totally into it and carried on with my plan.

It was rare, but that way I didn’t have to worry about taking her out in public so close to the beginning of training.

Always Grateful

I never complained about my daughter’s accidents or how much laundry I was doing. I was just so glad to not mess with diapers anymore. If only I had the foresight to do it when she was two… ;)

I hope my experience with potty training methods are helpful to you. Sometimes we just need to hear the true story of someone else.

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