Potty training a 2.5yo girl. Any top tips?

[Otta]

We bought the potty ages ago, but what with our second daughter arriving, we just sort of forgot about it. However, we feel the time is right, and as I'm off over xmas, we're going to go for it.

I admit, it fills me with dread.

Any useful tips, or stories that might offer hope... Or despair?

Cheers.

[pripolla]

We took the potty everywhere! And got her a book and nice stickers. It was done in the summer, though. Good luck, it seems messy but it's doable, so don't despair!

[sillywoman]

Don't put knickers on her for the first few days - they can be confusing as they feel a little like wearing a nappy so your toddler might forget that 'things are different now'. Try it for a few days and if you have no success at all, abandon the attempt and try again in a month or so. I'd have thought that, cold notwithstanding, this is probably a fairly good time of year to do it - you need to make sure you've got a few days when you're all at home a lot, so no stressful out & about situations for her to deal with - The Christmas holidays will probably give you that space? And be prepared to do a LOT of cheering whenever she does do a poo or wee in the potty.

Good Luck Otta.

[Fuschia]

I would see it in stages I think

Perhaps before you whip off thd nappy have a day or two where she practices sitting on the potty, read some stories about potty training

[snowboarder]

We are using the gradual (lazy?) approach with 2.8 yr old boy. We have a potty in the bathroom and have been encouraging him to use it before his bath and now he does so every night. Now in the mornings he has started using the potty when he gets up and I don't put a nappy on him unless he has an accident or we go out. Success this morning - 2.5 hrs, 3 wees, no accidents. He's gone off to soft play in a pull up though. Dunno whether this is a good approach or whether cold turkey is better...agh!

[Fuschia]

Sb, I think wearing a pullup can be confusing and drag the whole process out

But in general I think gradual is always best

So I think if your approach us working for you (and us manageable when you are often out with two of them by yourself) then that's great!

[snowboarder]

I think we might have a 'proper' attempt when mr snowboarder is off the week after christmas. I think as he had done so well this morning I would have been tempted to carry on and go out in pants but husband didn't fancy the soft play/wee combo...

[Vickster]

Not everyone's cup of tea, but reward charts worked the best for us. A star for every poo and wee in the potty. 5 stars meant a treat after dinner ( fun size choc buttons in our case). As things improved, the treat became if he could manage to go the whole day without an accident, then it was given for poos/wees on the toilet rather than the potty.

I also found the Pottette travel potty a godsend. Folds really small so you can chuck it in the bottom of the buggy, with disposable liners to deposit the contents once done. I think Soup Dragon sell them.

[The Nappy Lady]

I'd say once you start try to keep going don't revert to nappies except for naps / bedtime as it can cause confusion. My only caveat to this is if it's causing lots of stress & just not working, or they are asking for a nappy when they want to poo maybe. Going out nappy free can be daunting, but I just set my mind to it, gritted my teeth & took the potty & spare clothes with me! Also have some waterproof sheets/pads of some sort to use to line the car seat or buggy. Potty training is as much about the mind set if the parents as the child, you have to be ready to bite the bullet!

Expect mistakes in the early days, dont make a big deal about them & try to remember to ask them regularly whether they want to sit on the potty - they forget! Keep giving HUGE praise. At that age a girl should train quite easily but there are always exceptions to the rules so if you really feel its going wrong leave it a few weeks & try again.

[crystal7]

We did lots of talking about the potty, reading books about it and encouraged E to use it 1st and last thing. Then we decided to just go for it 1 weekend when she was 2 and a bit. Agree with others just get her in pants and be prepared for extra washing for a few days. I actually found it easier going out as E loved going in public loos the fold up potette thing- you can get them in jo jo maman too. We put an old towel in the buggy and car seat at first. Also be prepared to dangle weeing child over gutter at those times they really can't wait. We always dread the 'I need a wee wee' cry when we're stuck in traffic on the South Circular or something! We have Potty Book for Little Girls if you'd like it.

[BellendenBear]

We found that the best thing was to just go for it, cold turkey on the nappies and a couple of long days at home. It was surprisingly easy for wees. Prior to that we had used a more gradual approach for several weeks/months which nursery advocated and I think we were just confusing her. I agree with Nappy Lady, nappies only for naps and bedtime.

My daughter was 2.5 too. We were able to prepare her for it and she knew that as of next week there would be no more nappies. In hindsight I really wish we hadn't been so hesitant about it (using pull ups when we went out etc) as I think it just dragged it out way longer than it needed to be.

Good luck.