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Advice on potty teaching 3 year old while caring for a 2 month old?

289 views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  Bokonon 
#1 ·
We'd made some strides in PL my DS before the baby arrived, but we weren't too assertive - I expected a bit of a regression in his behavior, and didn't want to have to jump up from BFing every time he had to go NOW. The reality is that I'm quick to change the poopy diapers, but ashamed to admit that he often goes far longer than he should in a wet diaper. (Bad mommy moments, I know.) Now that the baby is 8 weeks old, I'd like to start encouraging DS again, but he's all but lost interest. I try to get him to sit a couple times a day, but he is not interested in spending time there. Do I bribe him? Just let it ride for now? Even though he's 38 months, I'm not feeling the need to pressure him. I want it to be on his terms. I just think my encouragement and involvement is lacking (as it is with most activities that I've sacrificed now that Baby 2 is here! YIKES!) Any advice to get him going again, and for juggling a baby at the same time? THANKS!
 
#2 ·
Have you tried letting him pee standing up? That was the ONLY way DS would do it until he started sitting on the potty to poop.

Does he tell you when he's going to pee? In other words, does his body sense it before it happens? If not, then he may not be physically ready to learn, but there is no harm in trying. It might just take longer because it's more of a timing issue on your part than a signaling issue on his.

I know how frustrating it is. DS was finally mostly pee-trained when I had to go on bedrest while pregnant with DD, and I was in and out of the hospital for 6 weeks, so DH didn't really have the time or energy to work on it with him, and DS was suddenly at daycare for the first time in his life. They worked on it with him, but things were so crazy that it just wasn't a priority. Once DD came home from the NICU and we were more settled into our new normal, we did a weekend at home with no diapers and he did great! It took him a couple more months to finally be poop-trained (he would ask for a diaper or pull-up to poop in, which was so frustrating but it was a compromise I could live with), and he was 4 years and 2 months by that point (!) but it was when HE was ready and not a moment sooner.

(The great news is that DD has taken to the potty like no one's business and at 25 months, does most of her eliminations during waking hours on the potty. It's all been her doing, too.)
 
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