What to I do about a stubborn potty trainer?

Question

Every night before my daughter's bath I put her on the toilet, and every night she waits until she get in the tub to pee. Could this be because I am pregnant? She has been very cuddly with me and I am 5 months now, so she is able to see it. How do I help her through this stage?

Answer 1

It sounds like your daughter is simply not ready to "potty train" or it could be the water that is making her have to go. You haven't said whether or not she is potty trained normally or if this is a new thing that you are trying to do with her. Children will learn to use the toilet when they are ready and not a minute sooner - if you are pregnant right now and she understands that there is a baby in your tummy perhaps now is not the best time to try teaching her.

Answer 2

bath her at a different time, when she is less likely to pee

give her a shower instead, so she does not sit in pee

Answer 3

lol, she won't pee in the toilet because she isn't trained yet, this will pass.  Okay, hopefully your little one is between 18 months of age and 27 months of age, otherwise my tips might not help, but if she 1) understands verbal instructions and 2) has had a few dry nights or long dry stretches during the day which demonstrate bladder control I am certain she can be potty trained.  

Try to carefully and enthusiastically explain what she is supposed to do with the potty. "your pee goes in here, not in the potty or the tub".  Put a potty in the main living space and (if you can stand it) let her go bare from the waist down when you are at home.  This is especially good for little girls who often don't even realize that wet comes from their bodies.  If they are bare, they will quickly realize though and the bareness reminds them of the new house rule that "pee goes in the potty".   When she starts to pee put her on the potty (even if it is too late and it is all on the floor, still help her practice going to the potty and sitting and soon she'll get the hang of it.) Please don't be afraid of having to clean up accidents.  They happen, but they'll pretty much be over in a week or two.

DO NOT use diapers or pull-ups except at night for a few weeks. It will send a mixed message to her and can slow or halt progress in training.  .

When She goes to the potty cheer, hug, praise, show off the goods in the potty to everyone in the house, make it a wonderful, fun, success for her. Once you decide to start training stick with it!!! She might think she doesn't want to train yet because just using a diaper is so much easier, but have confidence in your decision to train, don't let her be the boss on this issue. Just like you don't let her eat ice cream every meal, be firm.  Remember that our grandparents trained our parents before age 2 and your daughter can train now too.

This method works, many children can be fully trained in two weeks, some may take a week or so longer especially if they find going poo in a potty difficult, but going without diapers is a very quick, effective way to potty train. You can do it!

A tip about bladders:

The bladder is most full first thing in the morning and most toddlers will have the largest pee of the day within seconds or minutes of waking.  Toddlers will continute to have frequent need to pee during the first two hours after waking although they will quickly learn to go for longer stretches once potty training progresses a few days.  After a large intake of fluid, watch for the need to pee to occur within 20-40 minutes.  Other times to expect the need to pee/poo include right after getting out of the car-seat or stroller, right after a nap, and while bathwater is being run.  Toddlers generally go for amazingly long stretches in the afternoon and evening with NO pees at all.  Beware of putting your daughter on the potty too frequently in the attempt to avoid accidents.  Just have her try at likely times and let her take herself the other times.  Let her rely on her body's signals as much as possible.  Some accidents have to happen in the learning process (maybe a lot of them the first few days, don't be afraid of accidents!), so cover the floor with a shower curtain or towels, go outside, or stay in a part of the house with flooring, but if she isn't wearing any diaper, she should be able to get herself to the toilet when she needs to pee, if she is bare, she doesn't even have to pull down pants, she can do it!  Don't worry.

Answer 4

It may be the sound of the water that is making her go. Either that or leave her on the toilet until she goes. If she really has to go, she won't be able to help it after a while. When she does go during the day you can "train" her by tapping her hip when she is on the toilet and starts to pee. After a while when you sit her down and tap her hip (or what ever other control method) she will go with out taking for ever. I did it with my son, never had a problem with it.