And We Have Poop! In the Potty!

Jenna----is he in a potty chair or on the big toilet? I've been wondering about this for H---he's doing the same thing---telling us when he's pooped or pooping. If you have a chair, had you already introduced him to it?

Actually, we don't have a chair yet because we were going to buy it this month, thinking he wouldn't even be interested for awhile. We'll be purchasing one in the next week. He doesn't seem afraid of the big potty because he comes with us every time one of us uses it and we explain what's going on. He also understands that when you flush, stuff goes bye-bye. I'm wondering if he'll even use a little potty or if we should just get an attachable/detachable seat.

Jessica just started telling us when she poops as well (most of the time). We were just considering starting to potty train and are having the same dilemma of potty chair vs. detachable seat. For those of you who have been through this (and suceeded) give us some advice on which to use. Yeah Nick!!!

Now remember... My youngest is 29 in July, BUT... I used a potty chair - that worked well for both S & J. My daughter has had more success with her 3 year old with the detachable seat on the regular toilet. Just make sure you have a stool! My grandson really loves Elmo, so she got a seat that has Elmo on it.

My oldest started potty training at 18 months and was done by 20.5 months (except for nights. Still working on that one) and my youngest started at 15 months and was done by 19.5 months. Now, mind you, they are both girls and both very close in age, so the younger one was watching big sister for awhile and wants to everything just like her. I used the big potty for both girls. We have a detachable seat with handles so they have something to hold onto. I also got a fold-up seat for the diaper bag to use when we were out. More sanitary and less scary for them initially. With both girls, I started by catching them before the poopy and putting them on the potty. That is actually why my youngest started so early. She kept pooping in the bath at night, so I started putting her on the potty before bathtime and she would go poopy. I also did not have a step stool until recently (the girls are just now 2 and 3 years old). I would lift them on the potty to make sure we made it in time instead of waiting for them to climb up. With the stool, both girls can now get up on the potty themselves, but initially I did not worry about a stool. One less thing for the girls to worry about too. I also refused to go the Pull-Ups route. I kept the girls in diapers and took them on and off with every visit to the potty. They each got a special set of panties as incentives as they got better about going on the potty (for my oldest it was Elmo panties and my youngest it was Curious George "Monkey" panties). I'd put them in panties for increasingly longer periods of time and encourage them to keep Elmo or Monkeys dry. My youngest pretty much potty trained herself in a matter of days at 19.5 months. We'd been doing the periodic potty trips for a couple of months and then over Thanksgiving week she decided she was ready and started holding it and staying dry and asking to use the potty. My older one took a more gradual approach but again, once she got it, she stayed dry. Oh, I almost forgot! They got an M&M or chocolate chip after going on the potty. This was a big motivator in the beginning and gradually they each did away with needing the treat. As they started to go more frequently and did not ask for the treat, I did not bring it up. Soon, they were going potty consistantly without a treat afterwards. Just a few things I have used but I also know each child is different and you may have to find what motivates or works for your family and child. Good luck, and remember to never leave home without a change of clothes! One last thing....a huge lifesaver was the Kiddopotamus piddle pad from One Step Ahead! It is for the kids to sit on in their car seat or the stroller. It has a cloth-like top layer and a waterproof backing so if the kids have an accident, your car seat or stroller will stay dry. My car seat covers thank me and it has saved a lot of time of removing, washing, and reinstalling car seats. You just toss the pad in the wash, air dry, and set back in the car seat. If you buy 2 or more you get a discount, so have a backup handy for those "I pee-pee self" moments, as my youngest likes to say.

I was told by EVERYONE the potty chair is the best. something about theit feet needing to be on the floor. Also ours goes into the back of the minivan when we are out shopping for the day. Belle will go on it normally but big pottys are hit or miss

Yay Nicholas!!! Who knew poop could be so exciting?!? Loren has started telling us when she has pooped or peed in her diaper. We were going to wait until she was 18 mo. at the suggestion of her pediatrician. Now I'm thinking about going ahead and starting to work with her. My first thought was to buy both the potty chair and the seat to see which she liked best. Wonder if that would be confusing? *sigh* Sometimes it's hard to know what to do and each child is different.

I kept the potty chair downstairs near the kitchen at first which meant they had less distance to travel when they needed to go -- now!

It's not a fluke! We have a second poop in the potty experience. And this wasn't a small little bit. THIS WAS A LOT OF POOP!He was very proud. And then was excited that he got to flush. ("Off, off!") And let us put a diaper on without a fight. Perhaps we really should buy some sort of seat/chair between now and tomorrow... ahh!

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: That calls for dancing bananas.

Nicholas would be thrilled with dancing bananas.

Jenna - Excellent timing on the update - I just PMd someone else with a few questions. For those with boys - (watch out - graphic and personal coming up) - I've been told when they start learning to pee pee in the potty, that you should sit them down, and have them push their pee pee down to point it in the toilet. Okay - We tried this on the potty chair (we're just now sitting on it for fun, usualy w/ a diaper on) one time in the full nekkidness, and it seemed like his little pee pee was so short, it wouldn't really point down into! Do we need one of the seats or chairs w/ a pee pee guard? I've heard conflicting comments on these - some say they are great, some say they get in the way.....

I remember that's how Mom and Dad taught Matt on the toilet, to tuck. But I don't know the answer to your question. Be sure to post it here when you get a PM back!!

Storkwatcher - I've heard accidents with the peepee guard can be very traumatic and set back the potty training. Just be careful if you do get one. My L has started to poop in the potty too! The first time I was taking a digital video of her playing in her room and she said she had to go to the potty so I helped her and then started video her again and she got this look of concentration on her face and then pooped and I realized it and I said "Did you poop? Yea!" and so I have her first poop on video. My mom laughed so hard and said that she will hate me for it when she is 16! Yesterday her teacher at preschool told me that she pooped in the potty! She hasn't really done it again at home but I keep encouraging and she is going all day in underwear now. Some days she has an accident but mainly she stays dry. I'm hoping completely dry day and night and pooping in the potty by the end of summer. Realistic? Tina

When my son learned, he did very well sitting with the "guard." My grandsons both prefer to stand and aim (I suspect the 3 year old does better than the 13yr.old.) I think this is one of those issues for which there is no one right way! I didn't start pottytraining J until after his sister was born - he was 2yr 20 days when she was born. I don't remember when I really started, but I remember by thanksgiving of that same year it had been about 5 days since he'd had an accident. Both my kids were dry at night when they were accident free during the day. (At least 99% of the time.) Good luck to you all. I'm really glad it's behind me!