Hellobee

They say that girls are usually easier to potty train than boys, but Charlie was easily potty trained while Olive was more of a challenge. We kept putting it off because she didn’t show much interest, then we were traveling, jet lag, etc. But starting a new preschool last fall was a great motivator for Olive because many of the girls were potty trained, and they all went to the bathroom together.

Our biggest challenge was getting Olive to go in the potty in the first place. She happily sat on it regularly for months, but would never go in it. We didn’t map out a plan, but knew we had to do something other than waiting for her to magically be ready one day. So Mr. Bee loaded her up with drinks, gave her the ipad, and she sat on the potty for almost an hour until she finally peed for the first time. I think she just needed to get over that hurdle, and she got it down pretty quickly after that.

Some tips on how we trained Olive along with our favorite gear follow below!

1) BabyBjorn Potty Chair – The first two things you need to buy are a potty and potty books. Small stand-alone potties like this one are easier for kids to use, and they can use them completely by themselves. Being able to put their feet on the floor is also very important when going #2, which can often be the most difficult part of potty training. We’ve dealt with a lot of constipation, so I know that being able to put your feet on a flat surface makes a big difference. Our only problem now is that Olive vastly prefers this little potty, and cleaning it is not much fun.

2) Potty Training Books – Princess Potty and Potty by Leslie Patricelli – These were the two potty books we read over and over with Olive. Your pink loving princess is sure to love Princess Potty, and I’m a huge fan of Leslie Patricelli’s easy to understand books (especially great for young toddlers). The Potty Book for Boys and Girls are also popular options, and with Charlie we read Prince of the Potty.

3) Frozen underwear – Once Olive peed in the potty successfully, we kept her in regular underwear when we were at home. They really get it right away when they feel wet. I’m in the camp of keeping them in underwear at home once you start potty training, and wearing their favorite character underwear makes it extra exciting for them to feel all grown up.

4) Gerber Training Pants – Once we started potty training we used pull-ups at preschool for a little while, but kids figure out very quickly that they’re just diapers with another name. So we switched to Gerber Training Pants which allow kids to feel the wetness while still being absorbent. They don’t absorb as much as a diaper and will leak if they’re full, but they worked beautifully for us because once Olive would have a little accident, she would stop and then finish on the potty. The daycare teachers told us that they loved these training pants. We used these for a couple of weeks until we switched to underwear full-time. It was a short time period, but they were really helpful and Olive didn’t have to get her clothes dirty during the training process. I think these are also good to keep on hand if you’re going on a trip with a newly potty trained kid.

5) Reward – We never did charts with both kids. We gave Olive a couple m&m’s every time she went #1, and a video + m&m’s every time she went #2. (PS Crispy m&m’s are the best!)

6) Foaming Hand Soap – Hand washing is an important part of potty training, and getting them their own special soap makes it much more fun. Foaming soap also wastes a lot less soap. I just refill this with Dr. Bonner’s soap mixed with water when it runs out!

7) Stepstool – Kids need a stool to be able to reach the sink to wash their hands. I like this stepstool from Ikea because it’s sturdy and affordable. I first bought a Babybjorn step stool years ago, but it ended up being way too short for Charlie so make sure the one you get is tall enough.

8) Mayfair Built-in Potty Seat – Once they’ve mastered the little potty, it’s time to get them using the regular toilet. We had the BabyBjorn Toilet Trainer with Charlie, but it was a pain to take on and off the toilet and he transitioned to using the regular toilet really quickly. With Olive we bought this ingenious built-in child seat within a regular toilet seat. The child seat is held up with a magnet, and the slow close of the seat ensures that little fingers don’t get hurt.

9) Summer Infant Little Looster Stepstool – It is a bit of a monster, but it’s sturdy, wraps around the entire toilet and gives kids the support they need for their feet. A must for our kids who struggle with constipation!

10) Folding Potty Seat – Olive is scared of public toilets and while she will use one with some convincing, she’s not a fan. And I have to hold her over the potty so that she doesn’t fall in. Charlie on the other hand always stood when he used the bathroom, so it was an easy transition for him. I just ordered one of these folding potty seats for Olive to use when we’re out and about and I hope it makes using public restrooms a little less daunting for her.

11) Wipes – Water wipes are my favorite because they’re made with just water and grapefruit extract. I usually have these on me to wipe hands, faces, and everything else. Now I’ll be using these to wipe down the folding potty after each use.

12) Miralax – While both kids got the peeing party of potty training, both struggled with the pooping part due to constipation. Charlie struggled with severe constipation so Miralax was a necessity. Olive had it occasionally, and it affected her potty training. She would simply wait until she was in an overnight diaper to go. So we gave her Miralax for a couple of days and she finally went on her little potty for the first time, weeks after she was pee trained. It really has been safe and effective for us. We’ve tried all kinds of natural remedies from fish oil to flax oil to probiotics, but sometimes both kids need the occasional dose of Miralax.

13) Extra Leggings and Underwear – I think Olive has only had two accidents outside the home because she has a huge bladder and rarely has to use the bathroom when we’re out and about. But I always keep an extra pair of underwear and leggings with me just in case.

14) Waterproof Mattress Cover – A must if you’re night training, but I think a must at all times to protect your mattress. We have this one from Naturepedic which is really thick and high quality.

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We were pretty laid back about the whole potty training thing. And though Olive was trained way later than we expected (just after she turned 3), I think there were some advantages of her being older because once she finally got it, potty training happened pretty quickly without many accidents. We eliminated nap diapers pretty quickly because we’d just have her use the potty before naptime. And she’s been waking up with dry overnight diapers lately, even when she has milk before bedtime, so we’re planning on tackling nights this month. And then we’ll never have to buy another diaper again!

If you can, potty training in the warmer months is easier when they’re not wearing as many layers, so that might be something to keep in mind.

Anyone else have an LO that was potty trained on the later side? What method worked for you?