https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Jul 2026 02:03:51 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2325226 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 06:44:12 +0000 Pumuckl 2325226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Another non formal training mom here. He started using the potty about a year ago (he's 30m) and has been going on it mornings and night. We introduced underwear and let him run around in it. He's otherwise in pull ups because every so often he'll ask to go the bathroom and then he can do it himself. Seems he's pretty much done with diapers now (not quite calling it yet).</p> <p>We don't use any rewards, it's kind of intrinsic for him to go so he doesn't need anything except for a well-done and a high five or fist pump 😜 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2324696 Sun, 18 Oct 2015 09:09:51 +0000 ALV91711 2324696@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We aren't doing a formal method. At about 18 months I got DS a potty and he would sit on it before his bath. About a month ago at 2.5 he started to regularly per on it before bath. A week and a half ago I gave him a sticker chart and put him in underwear for the couple hours after daycare. Last weekend we started underwear at home and taking him to the potty about every hour. He had some accidents. Yesterday he started taking himself to the potty. He had one accident but he was already in the bathroom. </p> <p>Daycare has been putting him on the potty at diaper changes for about a month but only this last week has he started to pee on it. </p> <p>We haven't had a poop on the potty yet though and are wearing pull ups when we go out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2324688 Sun, 18 Oct 2015 08:38:47 +0000 JerricaBenton 2324688@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It never really occurred to me to use a formal method. Lo was interested in potty training around 18 ms and I got her a potty but didn't push or even encourage cuz honestly I wasn't ready! At around 2 yrs 5 ms I felt she was ready to really do it so I let her pick out some undies and put them on her. Within a few weeks she was going pee and poop on the toilet all the time. No drama, very few accidents. In the first few weeks we did use a reward (stickers first pees, m&amp;ms for poops) just to keep her motivated to stop playing and go to the bathroom but within a few weeks we didn't need them. It seems like if they're ready, they don't need a strict method. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2324628 Sun, 18 Oct 2015 00:07:22 +0000 Grace 2324628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: Haha! I got some pullups to use on weekends for exactly that reason. So much easier than wrestling with diaper. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2324326 Sat, 17 Oct 2015 15:23:58 +0000 looch 2324326@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was determined to have my son trained, but he was of a different mind and didn't respond to rewards, so we just waited it out and when he was ready, it was uneventful. I think the key for me was to not make a big deal out of it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2324268 Sat, 17 Oct 2015 13:25:18 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 2324268@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had great success just following his lead. Starting at 24 months, his daycare teachers would offer the toilet at diaper changes (every 2 hours) but it was very low-key/no pressure. We noticed him peeing in the bathtub every night a few months later so we got a little potty &amp; offered it before bath time and he would go (or not). At about 2.5, he was nearly always dry in his diapers, even after nap, &amp; consistently using the potty for pee (still pooping in diapers), so his teacher suggested we choose a weekend and switch to undies. We offered the potty every 30-60 minutes &amp; he had some poop accidents the first few days, but then he was fine. </p> <p>I think every kid is different, but his daycare teachers said that most kids show clear signs of readiness like our son &amp; it's better to decisively transition to underwear during that time. She said doing it too soon or waiting too long is when she sees lots of issues. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2324257 Sat, 17 Oct 2015 12:46:37 +0000 Foodnerd81 2324257@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For all of you who successfully followed your child's lead- did you take them to the potty every time they asked, even early on? C has been expressing interest sometimes, and did actually say she had to poop, then actually poop in the potty, once. But most of the time she sits there, we read a book, and she's done, no pee or anything. So sometimes I just don't feel like taking her diaper off and going in and sitting on the bathroom floor, but I wondered if I'm just doing the exact wrong thing by not taking her right away? </p> <p>I'm leaning more towards a 3 day thing where I roll up all our rugs and have her bottomless for a few days, but just don't have the energy for that right now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2324192 Sat, 17 Oct 2015 10:06:53 +0000 Mamasig 2324192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ultimately I'm just taking DS1's lead. For the last 6-8 months, we've "tried" potty training, but not forcefully. He was anti-potty for so long and it felt traumatic. He turned 3 last month. Two months ago, he started trying at school (that took months). He sometimes tries at home. I bring it up but don't force it. At his 3 year well visit, the doctor said children can control two things in their life. What goes in their mouth and how it comes out. He'll do it when he is ready. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2324176 Sat, 17 Oct 2015 09:35:19 +0000 hitchhiker 2324176@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We let our daughter take the lead and she is recently fully potty trained at 31 months. She has had a little toilet since 18 months and would go on it when she was interested. She has pooped pretty much exclusively in that toilet or the "real" toilet for 3 or 4 months, but didn't seem particularly concerned about peeing in her diaper. We would occasionally have her hang out in undies at home, and she would inevitably pee on the floor. At daycare's suggestion, I put a pair of underwear on under her diaper (ostensibly do she could feel the wet more), but since the first day we put on the undies she hasn't had an accident. We don't offer rewards other than lavish praise. Well, I also let her pick out her own underwear at the store after the first dry day; as a result she has boy Thomas the train undies that she adores! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2323851 Fri, 16 Oct 2015 17:39:51 +0000 catomd00 2323851@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our plan like most everything else we do is to just follow DDs lead. When she is ready, she is ready. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2323823 Fri, 16 Oct 2015 16:59:33 +0000 Kemma 2323823@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We took the long route and didn't follow any sort of method. We introduced a potty at around 16 months when I noticed that Miss A could wee on command when in the nude outside, we bought the potty because it was getting too cold to pee outside before her bath! We kept the potty beside the bath and A would use it before her bath most nights.</p> <p>My Mum bought A some undies when she was around 27 months so when A decided she was ready to wear them we decided to follow her lead. I explained that wearing undies meant that she had to use the toilet or potty (and I knew that she could physically do it and knew how it all worked) and we introduced "special" nappy pants for when we were out and about during the first couple of weeks. Miss A was old enough that she knew the difference between undies and nappies so it wasn't a point of confusion with her. We did a couple of play dates at a friend's so she could practice wearing undies away from the house and using other toilets and after 3-4 weeks she was completely out of undies during the day.</p> <p>Miss A has just turned three and although we have had periods of refusal and regression (mainly related to her new brother and her personality), I'm confident that she is now day trained and she only requires the occasional reminder, she also does well managing her own toileting at preschool. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2322139 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 15:32:05 +0000 mediagirl 2322139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't use any type of structure and potty training worked great for us. We waited until she asked to use the toilet. Then we would sit her on it when she wanted to go. We asked her to sit on it at bedtime every night to start a habit. And it just went from there. Seeing other kids go on the potty REALLY helped her want to go on it, as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2322128 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 15:30:12 +0000 Mrs. Twine 2322128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Coming out of semi-retirement to say ABSOLUTELY. You can absolutely do it that way. I did it that way with both girls, and both are now in underwear. Very little drama, very little work on my part, other than making things available and giving support and encouragement. I'm a firm believer that "methods" only truly work if the child is basically there anyway. A kid who isn't ready for underwear isn't going to be just because you read a book and implement some ideas. It's possible that a kid who is ready might do the lazy thing and continue to use diapers without some push, but sometimes pushing can lead to other issues. As a general rule, I find the best results combine child's interest and desire and readiness with parental support. So pretty much just what you are talking about. My oldest was in underwear full-time at 24 months and only had three accidents ever. Lorelei is 3.5 and has been in underwear for a little over a month. She's a hellion (a cute and loveable one, so no worries) and was "ready" in terms of skills for quite a while before she was ready to be in underwear. For example, we had a period where she would revenge pee on sister's floor; so she clearly knew what it felt like to need to go and could choose where to do so. But once she decided to not use a diaper it was super easy. She's had a few accidents, but she's doing really well and we're happy that we are no longer a diapering family. Nights are another story. Oldest didn't need a diaper for sleep after about 2.5, but Lorelei is still in a nighttime diaper. I'm confident that she won't need one for much longer, but one diaper/24 hours is pretty sweet! Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2322074 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 15:09:59 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 2322074@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't with DD1, and we'll follow the same approach with DD2. I just went with their lead - there was progress and regression, but she was potty trained by the time she was 2 yrs old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2322070 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 15:08:47 +0000 Raindrop 2322070@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So my LO was not potty trained at 3 and still isn't fully potty trained at 3.5. We are doing this because it was recommend by our pedi.</p> <p>At his 3 years appointment I talked to our pedi about how he's not potty trained and asked him about the 3 day method and he told me he would not recommend it unless I was in a hurry like going on vacation. He thinks the natural approach is so much better. Which is what we are doing and it's working for us slowly but surely. Just like you rolls of good days and rolls of bad days. But it seems to be getting better. :)</p> <p>Good luck! You are not alone. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2322006 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 14:45:56 +0000 hummusgirl 2322006@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It could work! Just depends on the kid. My BFF's son basically trained himself so I kept waiting for my LO to do the same. We tried following his lead starting around 24 months, and he took to it some at first but then started refusing. After about 10 months he still was totally content in diapers (and potty-averse) so I read Oh Crap, we did it in a couple days and he was exclusively in underwear within two weeks. I was glad we didn't just keep waiting for him to do it on his own because he would have easily waited until he was 4. He needed a push. But you could definitely try letting her do it naturally and bust out a "method" if needed later on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2321959 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 14:25:47 +0000 sarac 2321959@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ok well, I'm a person who did it just following their child's lead. I don't actually know anyone who had success with a three day method - I'd personally be inclined to think that they don't really work unless a child is already ready, and then why push it so quickly? But instead I'm just content to know that whatever works works. </p> <p>But yeah, I totally just followed my daughter's lead. At 18 months we bought a little potty and started talking about what it was for. Around that time she started asking for disposable diapers instead of cloth, so she was clearly starting to be more aware. Then for the next year she'd sometimes tell us when she had to pee, or when she had. Then around 28 months it finally clicked, and one day she told me that she had to pee, successfully held it for 30 seconds while I ran and got the potty, and then peed in it. We just went from there, letting her run around naked mostly and cleaning up some accidents, and in a week she was pretty much accident free in the day time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2321901 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 14:10:35 +0000 daniellemybelle 2321901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So, I'm one of those people that is going to answer your thread even though I'm from the "other side." :silly: </p> <p>The reason we did Oh Crap is because I think every single person I've talked to about potty training in real life was not able to successfully potty train but just following their child's lead. They were like halfway potty trained and they did have to move to underwear or go diaperless or do SOMETHING to push them over the edge. As long as they have a diaper, they would use it, is what friends/family told me. Potty training stressed me out so I personally did not want to have a long drawn out process.</p> <p>Having said that, I think plenty of folks are okay with taking the longer route and if that works for you and your LO, that's fine! But I feel like at some point you have to bite the bullet and ditch the diapers. Some parents just do it right away and others wait until their kid has mostly mastered it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2321021 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 09:38:29 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 2321021@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I read the basics of three day and mixed that with all of the things I've read over the years and did what I felt was best. Now it didn't magically work, but I'm not sure whether a strict method would have made any difference. We are still chugging along... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2320994 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 09:32:02 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2320994@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@illumina: chocolate coins for pee and magic clip dolls for poop. After ten pees we went together for cupcakes. After ten poops we went to buy lip balms (her favorite.) After a week she didn't need rewards anymore. Also did a sticker chart. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2320953 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 09:20:58 +0000 Mamaof2 2320953@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@illumina: yep, DS got m&amp;m's and DD got stickers </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2320947 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 09:18:56 +0000 illumina 2320947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: @oliviaoblivia: thank you! This is reassuring :heart: I couldn't believe it when she started asking to go and then did a #2 no problems!</p> <p>Did you ladies use any kind of rewards? MIL was shocked when she asked me what I rewarded DD with and I said "...praise?" lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2320902 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 09:03:36 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2320902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That's how we did it. I just set some time where we'd be home for a few days so she'd have a chance to have a lot of success without the stress of public washrooms.<br /> It actually ended up being easier than I thought it'd be.<br /> She was fully trained day and night at 30 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2320892 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 09:01:07 +0000 Mamaof2 2320892@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@illumina: That's how we did it at home, however both were in DCP and they had them going every 2 hrs.</p> <p>I also didn't want to deal with numerous accidents a day. My kids were in diapers until they were PT'd - never did pull ups either.</p> <p>I introduced the potty at home around 18 months.</p> <p>DS started on the little potty then moved to the big one<br /> DD refused the little potty so went straight to the big potty.</p> <p>They both peed and pooped in the potty at the same time - never had any issues with poop like I hear so many people talk about on here.</p> <p>DS was in underwear at 2 yrs 9months<br /> DD was in underwear at 2 yrs 11 months</p> <p>My goal was before age 3 so we succeeded! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/potty-training-without-a-formal-approach#post-2320874 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 08:57:15 +0000 illumina 2320874@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Has anyone had any success/experiences in potty training without a rigid approach? (i.e. not using the 3 day method/oh crap book or anything like that). </p> <p>DD is 25 months and sporadically will ask to use the potty for a #2. She might successfully do it a few days in a row and then not ask or want to try when asked for a few more days and then will go back to using it etc.</p> <p>I don't honestly like the idea of a structured approach in a timeframe or letting her run around the house without a nappy on etc. and my gut is telling me to let her lead and not push her. </p> <p>Will this work or am I kidding myself?! </p>