Potty Training

We started potty training Amelia back on Dec. 8th and she is really doing great!  She had previously been telling me when she went "shoe-eee"- (her word for #2) in her diaper.  After talking with a friend at church who had potty trained all 3 of her kids around 18 months we decided to give it a try.  If it didn't go so well, no problem we could try again later.  But if it did- we would not be having to buy or change 2 sets of diapers when baby brother comes. 

What I learned:  Research has shown that it's easier to potty train before they are 2 when they are more independent and can tell you "no".  Fifty years ago when most people used cloth diapers the average age of being completely potty trained was by a child's 2nd birthday.  Today due to the diaper industry making bigger and bigger diapers the average is now around 3yrs old.  For Amelia, this has just become part of her routine and she doesn't know any different.  Plus we avoid pull-ups unless we are out and about or overnight.  Pull-ups feel like diapers so they do not allow the child to feel that they are wet.  The training pants immediately allow the child to feel wet and uncomfortable- and eventually they learn to anticipate when they have to go so they don't have to feel wet and uncomfortable.

The first two days we stayed at home and I wrote down every time she went- whether it was an accident or success.  That helped me sort of see a pattern and learn her schedule.  After that I would have her sit on the potty for 10 minutes every 15 to 20 minutes during the "peak" times (a couple of hours after getting up, about an hour after nap time, etc). This was definitely a lot of work on my part- especially being 8 months pregnant) but it has been so worth it!

At 3 weeks later, Amelia usually will have 1 or NO accidents a day!  She also has no problem going "shoe-eee" (poo poo) in the potty.  She does wear pull-ups when we go out, during naps, and overnight. (I haven't braved going 'potty' in public yet). Other than that- she wears "big girl" panties- they are the thicker training pants. At this point- I will have her sit on the potty about every 30 minutes and within just a minute or two she will go.  Sometimes now she will even run over by herself and go.  That is why many of the pictures from December have been of her with no pants on- she is still getting the hang of pulling up and down the big girl panties. 

I'm so proud of my big girl!

reading her book called "Big Girls Use the Potty"