Oh potty training. Another step to my baby becoming a big boy. They just keep coming.
Potty training is one of those topics that most people completely avoid. I think it's a combination of being terrified, feeling pressure + there are so many different ways to go about it!
Nate and I talked about it and decided we wanted to try the 3 day method. There's LOTS of talk on it, including a book. I decided to just take what notes I could find online without the book and see how it went. I tried my best to put no pressure on myself or Jacoby, telling myself that it'd either click or not, and either way was OK.
We scheduled a weekend where Nate took Friday off and we spent the entire weekend at home. No one came over, we went nowhere, and we just focused on Jacoby and the potty!
I had Nate take off because the first day you're supposed to take them every 15 minutes and that's really hard when I have Maddox to take care of too. So we tag teamed it and I kid you not...around 12pm Nate was saying "I'm ready for a nap!". Coby had so many accidents, at one point like 3 in a span of about 8 minutes. I could tell it was hard on not just us, but Jacoby too. He passed out for his nap so quickly and I felt like things got a little better after that. We all just needed a reset. I was doing loads of laundry constantly (the 3 day method says just undies or naked but Jacoby hates to be undressed, so we had him wear undies), we were mopping up the floor, scrubbing our carpet and wiping Jacoby down all.the.time. We were prepared for chaos and it being a lot of work, but that doesn't mean it still wasn't hard.
Saturday we saw some improvement in him holding it, but he still wouldn't tell us if he had to go and he still had multiple accidents (although less!).
I felt like we were s l o w l y making progress.
Sunday was about the same...still some accidents, he would never tell us if he had to go, but would willingly go once we got him on the potty! Every time he went we celebrated, cheered him on and gave him lots of praise (and LOTS of gummy bears!).
Sunday evening I was a little worried what Monday would hold when Nate would be back at work. It went better...like much better. He got much better at holding it and only had one accident in the morning, I thought -- he's getting it! I could tell that it had clicked, he just was still figuring out how to verbalize that he had to go. It's like he figured out to hold it until I asked him to try and then he'd go. I took it as progress in his own way and deciced I can handle just making him go every now and then.
Tuesday I ended up having to take Maddox to the doctor and so I took both boys out on my own. I prepared myself for a few accidents since it was the first time he'd have to try on a public potty and I didn't know if he'd refuse or if he'd be scared of a different potty. I took him when we got to the doctor and he had no problem trying...but didn't go. I kept telling him throughout our appointment "remember to tell mommy if you need to go potty". He never told me, but he also didn't have an accident. He tried as we left the doctor's office, but didn't go again...so I thought OK great he's holding it and just doesn't have to go (with a little fear that he would go in his new car seat ;)). We stopped at Nate's work to say hi (because I was so proud of him!) and he tried there too, but didn't really go. When we got home I had him try and he went in the potty. #proudmommoment I was so thrilled that we had an outing without any accidents!
He has continued to make strides and has had a few days without any accidents, and a few days with an accident here or there. If I ask him if he has to go, he always tells me no, but he also never says "mommy I have to go potty". SO I just make him try about every 1.5 hrs. It's been working and he's had few accidents unless he's playing hard with friends and he forgets to tell me/hold it.
I remember feeling so emotionally exhausted during that 3 day weekend and I know he was too, but it just took closer to 4-5 days for it to really click for him. He wears pull ups (or as we call them "nighttime undies") for naps and bedtime--I'm in no rush for him to be done with that, I think it'll be awhile until he's ready for that!
How far we've come blows my mind. Sometimes he still doesn't want to try when I ask him to, but then I just remind him that he doesn't go in his undies and generally he doesn't. I think when he fights me on trying, it's generally because he doesn't have to go. Leave me alone mom, right?
A few notes to mention:
1. We decided that we were going the no diaper (I don't consider pull ups to be diapers) at all route. Some people will use diapers here and there or if they're out and about--to each their own! We chose to keep him in undies at all times unless sleeping...we felt this would be the best way to not confuse him.
2. The 3 day method obviously didn't work the way it was supposed to, but it worked in a longer time frame.
3. Jacoby is strong-willed, but he's a quick learner. This is why I think we're at a standstill on him telling me he has to go. He's smart as a whip, but also doesn't always want to make things easy on us ;)
4. It's so weird to not have to pack diapers for him anymore. Although right now I pack like 3 pairs of undies and extra pants-which makes my bag huge!
5. He's in a big boy bed, he's talking in full sentences and now he doesn't use diapers. Time is a thief.
Last thing...drop me a comment, email or text if you have suggestions on how to help him verbally tell me he has to go. I think that's the biggest hurdle we have in getting him officially there. It could just be a matter of time...but I'll take any suggestions too :)
Being a mom is the funniest thing, who would have thought that my 2 year old going in the potty would be such a huge source of joy for me??? :)
Naomi
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