Potty Training Tips – How My Toddler Was Trained in Three Days!

This post is sponsored by Cottonelle, but my love for their flushable cleansing cloths is all my own!

I eagerly started potty training my daughter at 18 months because I wanted her to be trained by age 2.  As you may have guessed, that didn’t happen!  She sat on the potty and peed right away.  Yay, right?  Wrong.  She immediately started screaming because it scared her. *big sigh*

I tried again a few months after her second birthday.  This time I had a spiffy potty seat and was ready to dedicate three full days to potty training with the naked method.  I was pregnant and getting bigger by the day so I didn’t want to have to chase her all over the house dripping pee {or worse!} so we confined ourselves to our small office to play, color, and sing.  She wore a tank top and that was it.  We had fun but she never peed.  I had an alarm go off every 15 minutes and I would get really excited that it was time to sit on the potty chair.  I thought the potty chair would be quieter than peeing in the big potty and perhaps less scary.  She complied and we had a good day….but she never peed.  Not once.  All day.  Seriously, the kid held her bladder for 6 straight hours and she drank A LOT!  As soon as I gave up that evening and put a diaper on her she peed.

Day two of naked potty training didn’t go as planned either.  We did the same thing as day one but I upped her drinking even more.  For lunch we had watery foods, I kept her favorite Minnie Mouse cup full, and she could have all the smoothie drinks she wanted {which are usually reserved as special treat}.  We sat the timer over and over but she never peed on the potty.  …then out of no where she starts wailing!  She peed a tiny bit and she was screaming that she was dirty.  It took quite a while to console her and I decided that she wasn’t ready.  Maybe if I kept at it she would have been potty trained sooner but sitting on the floor playing and putting her on the potty over and over again was too much for this pregnant nauseous mama.  So I waited.

I waited till she asked me to sit on the potty…and then I made her wait some more.  That’s right, she was asking to sit on the potty and I told her not right now.  You see, I have had friends who have potty trained and I’ve heard them talk about running them to the bathroom and cleaning up messes…several times a day.  I couldn’t do that near the end of my pregnancy.  Kudos to the moms who do but I couldn’t take on that task.  I kept talking about the potty regularly and she would usually go in the bathroom with me.

Now, I have a successful potty trained two and a half year old who has had so few accidents that I can count them on one hand.  After two days of potty training with zero accidents we tried letting her go through the night with panties on and she did great.  She was practically potty trained in three days!!  How did I do it?  A lot of prayer!  Besides prayer, I really don’t think I have a super formula but I want to share what worked for my little girl in case it will help encourage someone else.

We Talked About Going to the Potty

We talked about going to the potty a lot.  Every time one of us went we made a point to announce where we were going.  Toddlers love to imitate their parents and I had hoped that if I made a big deal when I went that she would want to as well.

We Invited Her Friends Over Who Were Potty Trained 

We spent time with other toddlers who were potty trained or at least further along in the process of training.  Seeing her friends sit on the big potty made it the cool thing to do.

Mister Rogers Going to the Potty

We Bought Her a Book About Going to The Potty

She LOVES Mister Rogers!  Not only is it her favorite show but it’s the only show she’ll watch {with the occasional animated Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood which was based off of Mister Roger’s Neighborhood}.  When I found a potty training book that Fred Rogers wrote I knew it would be good.  I ordered it from Amazon and I was very pleased with it.  Mister Rogers has a way of addressing complicated issues in such a simple, straight-forward way.  I love how he never down-played children’s emotions and talked to them pretty much as adults.  I could go on and on about my love for his work but I’ll save that for another post.

Potty Seat

We Bought Her a Seat to Set on the Potty

Feeling secure on the potty without Mommy or Daddy holding her was important in helping her relax and get the job done.  After she peed with the seat for a few weeks she is comfortable with us holding her on there without the seat but it was handy {maybe even necessary} in the beginning.  We still use the potty seat downstairs where we are most of the time but we didn’t buy a potty seat for every bathroom in our house.

Cottonelle Fresh Care

We Use Cottonelle Fresh Clean Wipes

They make a fabulous transition from wipes to toilet paper.  A clean bum has never been easier!  Plus, they’re great for temporarily cleaning up accidents until you can give them a bath.  They’re moist, soft, flushable, and with their new packaging they are also super convenient.

 

We Reward With Treats

Early on in potty training it was so tempting to give her a treat for setting on the potty and trying but I held firm and waited until she peed.  Now she gets a chocolate treat of an M&M, or a frozen blueberry, or a craisin.  She doesn’t get to pick which one, we just alternate what we offer.

Travel Potty Seat

We Bought a Handy Travel Potty Seat

This little guy folds up nicely to fit in my diaper bag.  It even came in it’s own plastic bag that I’ve continued to put it in.  This gives me peace of mind when venturing out of the house.  I hate dirty bathrooms but when a kid’s gotta go, they’ve gotta go.

Princess Panties

We Bought Her Princess Panties

Her daddy made a BIG deal about her wearing princess panties when she peed in the potty.  After one day of a dry diaper we went to Walmart together and bought princess panties.  I didn’t know if they had them or not but after we promised them I sure had my fingers crossed.  Walmart came through for us but I was very surprised how expensive little girl’s panties are…and how rough the material is.  {As a side note, the ones I bought on clearance at Crazy 8 are much nicer if you’re wanting to spend the money or wait for a sale.}

When Daddy was telling her all about her princess panties she could get he also mentioned to her that she’s growing up so fast and pretty soon she’ll be starting school, she’ll have to get a backpack, etc, etc.  She clung to the fact that she would be getting a backpack.  After it was clear that she wouldn’t forget about it we said that if she kept her princesses dry for a week she could have a backpack.  Thankfully, I found a soft and small Winnie the Pooh backpack at a local consignment sale!

That’s about it, I don’t know why it worked but I just know that it did. As much as it bugged me hearing people say that “you just have to wait till they’re ready” and “you’ll just know when they are ready”…it’s true.  Waiting really paid off for me.  I would much rather have a potty trained kid almost instantly than six months of rushing them to the potty.  Having her communicate with me that she has to go is much nicer than me trying to know her potty schedule and remembering to take her.  I can’t promise you’ll have the results I did if you do everything like me because all kids are different but I want to encourage you that it will happen.  Your kid will eventually be potty trained!

Goodnites Bed Mats at Target

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and GoodNites, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #BetterNights  http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.”

Goodnites logo

Potty training is an adventure that every parent must face at one point or another.  I’ve heard many moms say that potty training was the hardest part of raising kids.  A few of those moms will add…until the teenage years.  Potty training is hard. End of story.

To use training pants or not to, to go naked for a day, to go with big kid underwear and race to the bathroom for three days, and on and on the methods go.  The one discussion that I haven’t heard much about it how to potty train during the night.  How do you teach them to go as soon as they wake up…and not sooner?  It’s tough for both the kids and the parents.

GoodNites

This is where I’m thankful for Goodnites Bed Mats.  I feel like these were made with bed wetters in mind but I think they are perfect for the potty training toddler!  They are cottony soft on the top with a sticky layer underneath so they’ll stay put on your kid’s sheets.  They are very large to catch nearly any mess and are a breeze to change.  If this can help save me an extra load or two of laundry a week I will be a faithful customer!  Hopefully, we’ll move on from this stage of life soon but right now Goodnight Bed Mats help us to have goodnites!

GoodNites Disposable Bed Mat

GoodNites Mat Upside Down

Goodnites protection

Have you tried Goodnites Bed Mats before?  Do you want to?  Right now you can get a coupon to save you $1.50 off Goodnites Bed Mats at Target!  I love Target’s already low prices, their coupon policy, and if I’m honest, I love their incredibly nice shopping carts.  So if you have a little one who wets the bed, regularly leaks through their diaper, or is in the process of potty training print this coupon and pick up a pack or two the next time you’re at Target!

Choosing a Potty Training Seat

potty seat

 

As I’ve announced before, I’m in the early stages of potty training my daughter and today I’m ready to buy a potty seat.  One of my friend’s daughter is 18 months and she pottied in the toilet for the first time today and that has me motivated.

 

When looking for a potty seat I first found the ever popular Baby Bjorn toilet trainer.  This has great reviews and has been around for a while so it should be the obvious choice, right?  I thought so too until I saw the new Arm & Hammer Secure Comfort Potty Seat.  It also has great reviews but it’s about $20 cheaper and comes with an air freshener and handles.  I’m excited about the handles. Isn’t that a great idea?!

 

The Baby Bjorn toilet trainer is $33 on Amazon and the Arm & Hammer Secure Comfort Potty seat is only $11 + Free Prime Shipping with $25 total purchase.  I’m strongly leaning toward the Arm & Hammer Potty Seat but before I make my purchase I wanted to run this by ya’ll and see which one ya’ll preferred and any pros and cons you have.

 

Little Looster's Looster Booster

 

Oh, and I also found this awesome little step stool for kiddos.  It’s called the Little Looster’s Looster Booster and is on sale now at Amazon for $34.50 + free prime shipping.  That means if I buy this and either one of the potty seats they’ll both ship for free.  This looks pretty incredible but I’m open to any potty step stool advice you may have too.  Thanks in advance for any advice you share!!

 

I’m A Pull-Ups “First Flush” Ambassador!

My Daughter

 

I’m super excited to be participating in the Pull-Ups First Flush Ambassador Program. I’m grateful for this opportunity because we are just beginning the Potty Training phase with my toddler.  When I say beginning, I really mean thinking about.  Thinking about it and reading book after book!

 

I’m glad to be apart of this program for many reasons but one of the biggest is that I get to host a “Why Wait?  Let’s Celebrate – First Flush” party with my friends.  I’m eager to gather them all together, feed them, play games, and ask them a bazillion potty training questions that I have. By the way, if you’re interested in holding a “First Flush” party with your friends you can find more information on First Flush section of Pull-Up’s Facebook page.

 

Just a few of my questions are:

  • Is a potty chair really a necessity? {They disgust me!}
  • If so, what are things to look for in a potty chair?
  • What are some things you wish you knew before you started potty training?
  • Toilet paper or wet wipes?
  • Are flushable wipes really flushable?
  • How do you reward them? {I’ve read about candy, dances, hugs, etc.}
  • How long did it take your kids to be potty trained? {Both all day and all night}

 

My biggest question is, how do you know when they are ready?  As I’ve said before, I have read and read about potty training but none of the answers have satisfied me on knowing when to start.  Whether a mom started at 6 months or 3 years, everyone says, “When they are ready.”  For crying out loud, HOW CAN YOU KNOW THAT?  Some books say when kids take an interest in underwear.  I haven’t even bought underwear yet for her to be interested in.  But if I do, does carrying it around or putting it on her head show interest?  I’ve read about how starting too early can be damaging to the child physically and emotionally so I guess that’s why I’m so worked up about when to start.  I just need to get surrounded by real moms who have been in my shoes recently and can say, “It’s fine.  If you try and she doesn’t seem interested it’s okay to stop and try again later.  You won’t scar her for life.”  Sometimes only another mother can comfort the heart of a worrying mom, don’t you agree?

 

I’m very excited to become a Pull-Ups “First Flush” Ambassador and I hope you’ll follow me along on this journey.  Don’t worry, no indecent pictures will be shown, just stories about the ups and downs {haha!  Get it? Pull-Ups} of potty training.

 

To stay on top of the latest Pull-Ups info, you can visit their Pull-Ups website, like Pull-Ups on Facebook and follow Pull-Ups on Twitter.

 

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Pull-Ups. I received product samples to facilitate my review and to host a party. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.”