Potty Problems with 3 Year Old?

Question

My daughter knows how to use the potty and still wears pull ups, mostly at night. We are remodeling both our bathrooms but one is pretty much finished. Before the remodel she was completely fine going potty, now she goes all the time in her pull ups, including the "second". She's fine going on the potty everywhere else, which she likes wearing panties when we're out or at my moms. I'm pregnant with my third and I do not want to be changing three diapers. PLEASE HELP!

Answer 1

I am sure that while you remodeled the bathrooms, they were "off limits.  It is time to reopen the bathroom.  Let her see you go in the new bathrooms or put a couple of her books or toys in there to let her know it is her bathroom too.

Also, the more pregnant you get, the harder it is to chase, but you need to be putting her on the potty every hour and a half or so.  If you solve this now, you'll  get some diaper free time before your next baby arrives!

Answer 2

sounds like she is scared maybe because the bathroom is different .Show her it is ok maybe even go in with her .

Answer 3

My son has just turned three and I have been having trouble getting him to use the toilet too.  In our case, it's because we've moved overseas and his Dad is not with us at the moment.  Before we left our previous home, he was doing well with toilet training.  Similar to your bathroom remodelling, any change can be a setback to little ones learning to use the toilet.

Two things I've read recently...

- switching between nappies and underpants can be confusing for them

- toddlers sometimes enjoy making a mess and watching mum clean it up (normal part of their 'power and control' stage of development)

So... I'd suggest you get rid of the pull-ups whenever you are at home (except for sleeps if she still wakes wet after naps) and stay home as much as you can for a few days.  Put regular underpants on her and if she has an accident, get her to help you clean it up...no fuss, don't get upset, just say something like, "Never mind sweetheart.  Help Mummy clean this up and try to get to the toilet next time."

I started this three days ago with my son and every time today he got himself to the toilet on time :o)))

Especially when you're pregnant, you want something to work fast.  This seems to have worked for me and I hope you find a solution that works for you and your little girl soon.

Answer 4

The answers above me are great, but I would like to add.....

Well, my 3 year old is nearly potty trained, except for #2 and he will be starting a mothers' day out program in September.  So, he has to be done.  The only thing that is working for me is to keep him out of pull-ups so he will feel the "accident" each time.  Then, I have to be devoted to staying alert and keeping an eye on him when he looks like he needs to go #2.  As far as #1, you must take her every hour or so, as said above.   So far, it is working.

If parenting isn't for wimps, then potty training isn't for wimps either I guess.

Answer 5

you should start taking her 2 the potty every hour.. she also maybe scared of the bathroom now that you remodeled it.. so maybe you should go in the bathroom with her and show that everything is ok in there

Answer 6

I saw something on tv, I think it was Oprah, where when a kid controlled itself, its hero would ring up and congratulate him.   If a kid liked Spiderman, then it would be Spiderman and so on.    Someone comes onto the phone acting like a telephonist and announces that Spiderman is coming on the line and wants to speak to little Johnny etc.   They claimed this worked.    I think in some cases, an actor turned up dressed as Spiderman.

Answer 7

the new bathrooms probably took her out of her comfort zone. that happended to my daughter when we moved into our new house she wasn't comfortable even though she was doing fine. you just need to re assure her that the potty is fine even though it looks different. it took my daughter a couple of days to get used to the new house. I also had to stop with the pull ups because she was just going on her self. so I told her that big girls have to use the toilet and wear undies. she is the same age as your daughter. I also put her in timeout if she went on herself it sounds harsh but she got tired of having to sit in timeout after going on herself then going to play I told her if she was old enough to talk back then she was old enough to sit on the toilet. I hope this helps.