When potty training is it a good idea to go cold turkey?

Question

throw out the diapers and put on underwear? She is 2 1/2 and is very much ready to be trained. also how much more are pullups compared to diapers. I know she will need them for at least night time

Answer 1

No... it's not realistic.  I mean you could, but you'd probably be changing a lot of clothes.

Right now when I'm at home I have my daughter (28 months) in panties and she uses the potty.  If we go out in the car she wears a Pull-Up because I have no interest in cleaning a carseat if I don't have to.  At naptime it's either diaper or Pull-Up and at bedtime it's a diaper (holds more).  She has been doing great, but I know she's not ready to go with panties only.

I might be a while before her bladder is strong enough to hold it through the night.

Answer 2

I did it cold turkey and it is a must to train them quickly! also, pullups are just diapers that can be pulled on and off....I went cold turkey for the night time too, no pullups! she hasn't had any accidents at all and its been about a month now. The seceret for nighttime is no sippy cup 2 hours before bedtime and having them pee 2ice before going to bed. if your toddler is use to taking her cup to bed you will have to break that habbit before beginning.....cold turkey takes commitment so be prepared!

Answer 3

We found underwear to be a disaster - she felt it against her and forgot it wasn't a nappy. Worked much better (i.e. instantly) when we took it off and left it off, and 3-4 days later she'd got the hang of only peeing in the potty.

If you think yours will still be wet at night, I'd just stick with the nappies. One of mine was dry at night the same time as in the daytime, the other one wore nappies at night for a year longer than in the daytime. We never used pullups at night because she was peeing in her sleep anyway, what was the point?

Recomment you throw out the diapers and put on nothing at all - see how it goes.

Answer 4

I was lucky and my two sons were potty trained by about 20mths. My first son was just from one day to the next, I think in total there was about 3 accidents but with pee only. Just keep asking if they feel like going, or make them go before you go out, but I agree with the first person, maybe pull ups when you are out and about.

Answer 5

I went cold turkey with both my daughters (the first at 20 months, the 2nd at 27 months) when they had both showed me that they could pee in the potty, and get a good amount all out at once.  I had to give them the control though, to tell me when they had to go, and we used gummy bears as a treat.  I think it's the fastest and easiest way to do it.  

We also kept using pullups at night for them, because they are both hard sleepers and would not wake up to pee.  We eventually weened them off of those by taking them to pee before we went to bed at about 11pm, and once they stayed dry after that we took off the pull-up.

I like the cold turkey idea because they get the hang of it faster.  Actually, with both of my daughters I had to let them run around naked for about a week.  It's messy, but they both hated the feeling of pee going down their legs, so they quickly started to use both the big potty and their little potty chair.  I also felt being naked helped my 2nd one learn to poo faster (she pooed in her underpants for 5 months after being pee-trained).  Finally we took her clothes off from the waist down and she didn't wear anything as long as she was awake (and we even had to have her nap naked and fall asleep naked at night until went to put a pull up on her in her sleep).  AFter bring naked she learned to poo in the potty in 3 days.  We struggled with her holding it so bad she made herself sick, so we were also using miralax so she coudln't hold it.... under dr. orders!!!  

If your daughter is ready go for it!  The biggest problem with going cold turkey is if she can't get it all out at once, but she'll learn!

Answer 6

First of all Pull ups are the same as diapers and  i wouldn't recommend it.Cold turkey IS the best way if both you and your daughter are ready (it takes time,work, and consistent dedication).Once you make a decision like this YOU CAN NOT GO BACK or she will get confused and will try to control the situation.Just be prepared to ask every 15 min if she has to go and if there is a hard time about it just put her on any way and praise her for trying.Be prepared to bring one to two outfits with you everywhere you go.Get a plastic cover for her bed and have her sleep with training pants the plastic ones over her underwear.But not during the day while awake .