https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 20:41:31 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2800338 Sun, 28 Jan 2018 09:27:05 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2800338@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@turquoisemama: Good to know. We put undies on yesterday for a few hours in the afternoon when we were home. She went when we asked a few times and then I made the mistake of putting her in the high chair for dinner. She made it most of the way through but then peed at the very end and announced it to us. Oops. </p> <p>@Mrsbells: Thanks! We decided to try undies at home sometimes to help her get the idea. </p> <p>@Meso: Ordered one on Amazon yesterday! She's been asking for her potty watch constantly ;)</p> <p>@irene: This is pretty much where we are at, underwear for a portion of the day at home. Fingers crossed it works eventually!</p> <p>@Mrs. Tiger: That totally makes sense. With O's kidney damage she craves water and drinks A LOT at night, so I'm not expecting her to be night trained for quite a while. </p> <p>@maddyz: Thanks! So far so good-she can be resistant to using the potty if she's doing something fun, so I think undies and a few accidents will help give her more incentive. Hopefully she's over the UTI problem after her reflux surgery in September. But I figure being out of diapers can't hurt! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2800286 Sat, 27 Jan 2018 21:12:20 +0000 maddyz 2800286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If she is responding will to gentle reminder to go potty I would try undies. I fell like"potty trained" young ones can need help remembering to go for a long time. My ds has been out of diapers for ages and I still need to remind him often. </p> <p>It's a team effort! </p> <p>I bet it will make a world of difference with the utis. Ds had the worst diaper rash always and i was overt it. So potty training it was. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2800265 Sat, 27 Jan 2018 20:06:49 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 2800265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did this for D for a really long time (like, a year) and just made him switch to undies full time at 4. During that time he used the potty consistently, a mix of him volunteering and us asking (before we went out, before bath etc) It took him maybe 2 weeks with a handful of accidents at school before he was good. He's still not night trained consistently (wakes up wet maybe 1x a week) but I blame that on the g tube formula overnight. When we were approaching 4 I started getting nervous but he figured it out 😊</p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2800144 Fri, 26 Jan 2018 22:12:21 +0000 irene 2800144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Personally I hated that "no pants" 3 day training with a passion. It was so stressful for everyone and ruined the weekend completely. </p> <p>What absolutely worked for us was, like you, after DS was able to stay dry occasionally, I let him wear his underwear for, say, 1 hour each day. For us that time would be after daycare / before dinner. If he was able to remain dry and ask to go to the potty there would be a lot of praise. Then you gradually increase the time to 1.5 hours, 2 hours....etc. in a stretch of a few months. This way the child builds up confidence and gets a hang of it while we are not constantly cleaning up pee. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799842 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 23:58:59 +0000 Meso 2799842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Turtle: we got the potty watch at toys r us for $10. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799837 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 22:46:33 +0000 Mrsbells 2799837@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Turtle: Every child is different but I believe to get fully trained at some point you have to transition away from the pull ups to regular underwear. we combined this with vinyl covers to minimize the mess. They really feel very wet and uncomfortable in underwear and thats usually a big trigger for them to go more consistently on the potty </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799835 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 22:35:19 +0000 turquoisemama 2799835@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Turtle: it definitely took a couple of days of wet clothes to get her to register that she needed to go in the potty to avoid being wet. I would change her right away but it still helped for her to feel the wetness. Once that clicked, she didn’t have many more accidents. It was the physical sensation she needed to really figure it out. But we would still use diapers if we left the house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799830 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 22:20:57 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2799830@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Madison43: Totally makes sense. I think we are a little ways off from underwear but definitely getting closer.<br /> @petitenoisette: This is what I'm thinking-low stress, not a big deal. So far we've basically said she's just training herself. We are along for the ride.<br /> @looch: @erinbaderin: Thanks!<br /> @Foodnerd81: I expected a fear of public bathrooms! Every time she sees the bathroom door signs she starts yelling "MY NEED TO PEE ON THE POTTY NOW!" OK, OK.<br /> @nana87: O definitely thinks she wants underwear, but the couple of times we've tried them she didn't seem to get the difference and just peed/pooped in them right away. That was a few months ago now. I should probably try again.<br /> @Meso: This is brilliant. I had no idea such things existed. I was thinking I needed to set a timer for myself but it's such a better idea for her to get the reminder. Plus, she'll love wearing a watch.<br /> @SweetCaroline: I guess if you count from when she first started peeing on the potty we are getting close to a year now. Luckily she started young, so we are still on the early side!<br /> @turquoisemama: Good to know, I'm going to try underwear again soon. She loves them and talks about wearing them, but in the past hasn't kept them dry at all. Now that she's keeping her pull ups dry some of the time maybe I'll give it a shot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799816 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 21:08:38 +0000 turquoisemama 2799816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Turtle: yes definitely. We had been putting DD on the potty to go number two since starting solids because she was so constipated and wouldn’t go in her diaper. Since then she was casually interested and we did it here and there and tried a few times to really go for it but it didn’t really happen until she was 100% ready. We bought some Minnie Mouse panties and that seemed to really help. We stopped putting diapers on her around 2.5 and she hasn’t had an accident in a long time. We still diaper at night though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799814 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 20:08:46 +0000 SweetCaroline 2799814@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Turtle: Our experience was similar to @nana87: and @erinbaderin: . I will say this method takes longer (seriously, I think it took us 18 months), but so much more low pressure. I think being potty trained in 3 days sounds dreamy, but as two FT WOH parents, if I get three days off with my kid, I want to go do fun things--I don't want to be stuck in the house. DD is finally wearing panties to daycare at 35 months and at this point I plan to train kid #2 the same way.</p> <p>ETA: My DH was also in an accident several months before she was potty trained that really rocked her world, so I think that impacted her timeline. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799802 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 17:44:25 +0000 Meso 2799802@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we were bad at remembering too, then we bought a potty watch that LO could wear. you can set it for every 30, 60, or 90 mins and it'll play a little song to remind them to try to sit on the potty. LO enjoyed it because it was like a game. but we did a slow training as well. for awhile, LO only consistently went before bath, and then one day we just put her in undies and gave her the watch. she probably had 2-3 accidents the first week and a rare one here and there for a month, but that was it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799796 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 17:04:15 +0000 nana87 2799796@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep! Lo1 basically used the potty when she felt like it and on her terms for over a year before she decided undoes were cool. Barely had any accidents though it did take forever because she went through a period of resisting/power struggle. I backed off and eventually she was just ready </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799791 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 16:26:07 +0000 Foodnerd81 2799791@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Turtle: we did the 3 day method with my daughter (which I knew would be better for her personality, but each kid is different). But for ages she was obsessed with different bathrooms and would claim she had to go every time we went anywhere. I have seen every grocery store bathroom in my area. We didn’t do pull ups often but would for long car rides and she just got to a point where she refused to pee in them even if we told her it was ok- like when she was crying she had to pee and we were stuck in traffic on the high way 😢 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799772 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 15:11:26 +0000 erinbaderin 2799772@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is absolutely how we trained B, and it worked so well and smoothly that I almost feel like he trained himself - one day his daycare just said they thought he was ready for undies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799739 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 13:37:33 +0000 looch 2799739@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>To echo the previous posters, it absolutely works. I think as with everything, children respond in different ways, nothing is one size fits all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799738 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 13:35:36 +0000 petitenoisette 2799738@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is basically what we did and then we switched to a new daycare where she was super into going to the potty so we moved her to underwear and she's barely had any pee accidents. We basically waited long enough that it clicked immediately for her. Poop has been a different story but that's improving too and we have just had to deal with some poop accidents. </p> <p>For what it's worth, I am so happy we did it this way, it's been so low stress for everyone and I am glad that I don't feel at all like we pushed her to do something she wasn't really ready for. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799737 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 13:25:26 +0000 Madison43 2799737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Turtle: she was dry a lot of of the time (60/40 maybe?), and when she wasn’t, I felt like it was bc I waited to too long to encourage her to go and she was too young to “get” that she needed to go on her own before it was too late. So one weekend we switched to undies and the first day, I set reminders for myself to encourage her to use the potty every 30 mins or so; the second day, I stretched it to an hour, and after that, we were pretty much fine. For a few months after that, I still had to encourage her to go every hour or two, and before leaving the house. That worked for us - I think at that age, they are still to little to understand that waiting too long leads to an urgency to go that they can’t really control yet, and that’s when accidents happen. I also never forced her to go to the bathroom, just reminded her that she should try. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799724 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 12:55:41 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2799724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Madison43: When did you know to switch? Was she basically dry all the time at that point? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799722 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 12:53:41 +0000 Madison43 2799722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Turtle: for sure! That’s what we did and my daughter was day trained by 2.5. The only little push we gave her is one day I just switched to undies instead of diapers or pull-ups bc i knee she didn’t need the safety net anymore </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799717 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 12:46:11 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2799717@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaBear87: Thanks! We aren't in a rush, but she's so ready. And with her history/risk of UTI, it would be nice to do away with diapers!<br /> @KT326: Good to know! We have been terrible about remembering to have her go often enough, but when we do she's pretty dependable. We even made it through an hour car nap, grocery shopping and a lunch stop with a dry pull up last week. She loves public restrooms (weirdo) so always wants to go everywhere we go.<br /> @kiddosc: She was nervous about it at first but then she almost pooped in the bath one night and I caught it just in time to get her on the potty. Since then she's been more willing to try (but doesn't always get the timing right). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799711 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 12:39:36 +0000 kiddosc 2799711@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is the way we trained. We both WOH FT and didn't have days at home to devote to potty training. When we were home, we asked often if he wanted to go and definitely took him if he ever asked. Daycare followed that same lead. He was a bit older, probably around 32 months. But it didn't take long for him to be able to wear underwear and stay dry reliably. We struggled with poop training because he was scared to go on the potty, but that doesn't sound like it's become an issue with your LO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799708 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 12:37:38 +0000 KT326 2799708@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Absolutely! We did that with my son a few months after he turned 3. We never did naked time or no pants because he absolutely refused. So we would just have him go potty at certain time intervals and eventually we were able to move to underwear after about 4 weeks. He had a few accidents that first week but after that he was fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799707 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 12:36:56 +0000 MamaBear87 2799707@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is what were doing with my little who is the same age. I think as long as you don't care how long it takes they will eventually get it. That said we haven't gotten at all serious yet so who knows if it will train her entirely </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/slow-and-steady-trainingdoes-it-work#post-2799703 Thu, 25 Jan 2018 12:33:40 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2799703@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have been casually "training" O for the last few months. Actually, it's probably more accurate to say she's been training herself. She's only 26 months, so we haven't felt any need to push it, but she wants to so we just go with it. It's hard to do the pants-less in the house method when we have other kids coming in and out, social workers, etc. So we have mostly just encouraged her to go sometimes, definitely let her go on the potty whenever she asks, and talked about what a big girl she's getting to be. It is starting to work-she's staying dry for longer and longer and is peeing on the potty at least 4-5 times every day and has pooped on the potty a few times. We got pull ups for her (I was skeptical thinking they'd feel too much like diapers) and they actually seem to be working as incentive to stay dry. </p> <p>So I guess my question is, do kids get fully trained using this method or do they need a last little push before they really get it 100%? Because of her personality and also her early trauma, this is not something we want to become a power struggle in any way. If she senses pressure, she will definitely push back. So I'm tempted to just keep at it and see if eventually she gets reliable enough for underwear. Is that possible? So far I'd say she's maybe 50/50 using the potty vs. diaper. </p>