DD is sort of back and forth on using the potty. She generally does well at home and uses the potty the majority of the time if I let her go around in a shirt and panties, or bare-bottomed. Out of the house, it's kind of hit and miss and usually comes with a lot of reminders from me. So I went to using pull ups outside the home, maybe that was a mistake and caused her to get more lazy in general.

If she does have an accident, she usually tells me about it right away very matter of factly, "I pooped my pants" or "I peed in my pants." So I know that her awareness level is very high. A lot of times she will proceed to strip off her wet or messy pants/pullup/whatever.

I just am frustrated because it seems like she should be done with it by now. If I put her in diapers, she'll either wet in them and then tell me about it and strip them off, or she'll pull them down and want to use the potty anyway or worse yet, she'll totally un-train and then I'll have to start from ground zero again. I don't want to totally destroy all potty awareness that she has, by putting her back into diapers full time.

I just don't like being in 1/2 trained land. It's frustrating. Any advice?

Hey Ruth!

Maybe just go with your gut here Ruth. Pushing something that isn't already there may have her regress anyway. Its gonna be hit and miss, some are just like that in training. I noticed that more so with my first till a set example was there as in an older sibling.

I never used pullups except with my oldest to night train, but understand some have the need for them. I just always have brought more than necessary clothes with and if they wet/poo its off to change them, but I'm not almost 9 months pregnant either Ruth KWIM?

If you are okay in the middle stay there, maybe she'll get the idea, but than again she may deal with a new baby by regressing its so hard with littles like Hanna-- that not knowing "how" they will react to a said situation. Having 2 in diapers won't be the worst thing either, but I know pullups are quite pricey too on the other hand.

Wish I had a magic potion you could put in Hanna's soy milk but alas its just another one of those things in parenting that is done with a little trial and error. Maybe just give it more time?

My girl spoiled me trained herself at 2, just was done with diapers. But remember she was number 5. So you can't compare yourself or Hanna because its pointless you just have to do what will work for you and not drive you insane worrying about if you worry she may pee in her pants out town than don't worry put on that pull up and just do what works Ruth.

hugs

Ruth too, EXPECT some regression with the new baby! Many times they act out or regress with things like this with a new little one in the mix...completely normal! Hang in there, stay the course, I wouldn't do diapers, maybe pullups for awhile and give her some time/patience...mine didn't get 'totally' trained until 4.5 years! ACK! It was just 'will' with him though, but many kiddos do regress and take a rollercoaster approach to training!

We have the same thing going on over here...ugg! I obviously don't have any advice, just thought I would tell you I understand:)

Each child is different but I can share Bobert's potty training experience... his process was a full year! We had many accidents. At the stage where you are at now, I let him go around the house with underwear but I made him wear a diaper when we went out because with Willie usually with us, I could not deal with accidents outside the home. For very short trips, if he went right before we left I'd let him wear undies.
I also made sure he knew where the restroom was wherever we went and I offered to take him upon entrance and exit of the building. Eventually he figured it all out, but it took a LONG time. Especially because Aiden literally trained in 24 hours. Once he decided at 26 mo. he was done with diapers, he was totally fine!!!!!!
Bobert is now almost 4 and still wears a diaper to bed. I just keep encouraging him and making sure he's educated about it. I honestly don't think there's much else you can do.

*hug*

Agreeing with everything that has been said. Dd daytime trained 8 months before ds2 was born and she still had regression. I thought I was out of the 'window' where that would happen, but I guess not. So unfortunately you can expect that. But any *un*training from that will right itself with encouragement.

Personally, I would keep her out of diapers. Whatever that ends up looking like for you. Panties, pull ups, a cloth alternative, a combination of those, whatever. My sister has three girls (3,2 and almost 1) and was starting to deal with pt'ing when she was preggers with #3. She did choose to put her dd1 back in diapers (two separate times) because she was just exhausted and it seems to me it just prolonged and confused the entire experience. She was wading through pt'ing issues for months and months and months. Still is actually, although it is finally subsiding.

That said, every kid is different, as is every mom's situation. The in between stage can definitely be rough. You've got my every sympathy there. [hug]

Not being pregnant myself right now (we all know that changes things! :) ), I might consider continuing with what you are doing. Panties/nothing at home and pullups when you are out. Like Rach suggested, maybe if you are going out for a quick trip, make sure she pees before you leave and leave her in panties. Just make sure you bring a change of clothes and have the car seat protected with something...that will save a lot of headaches!

Hang in there...it won't last forever. ((hugs))

Thanks gals for your words of encouragement and personal experiences. She seems to be doing somewhat better. I bought her a really pretty and soft portable toilet seat and she likes it, so that seems to help her when we're out and about some.

I guess that she won't go to college in diapers. :D

Very true, she won't go to college in diapers. Hang in there Ruth. I remember getting so frustrated with A because I was starting to think she would never train. She was 3 before she did and then it seemed to happen almost overnight and within months she was night trained too. But the thing I have to remember is that they are toddlers/preschoolers and accidents are bound to happen every once in awhile. To me it's not worth stressing over and makes it easier for them if you don't. I kind of just got to the point where I went with the flow. Still doing it as E is almost 2.5 and I still haven't "started" training her although I may not have to as A has taken it upon herself to pt little sis. Anyway, hugs she'll be there soon enough.

My daughter was in that place for sooooo long. It just felt like we would never get totally trained. I knew the she knew what to do, but she wasn't always motivated to do it, kwim?

I found that she *loved* stickers. So, I went to the store and bought a very cheap but pretty small notebook and a package of awesome stickers (soft, smelly, poofy etc). I told her that when she pottys in the potty, she gets a sticker, only when she pottys in the potty. Guess what, that was the last time we had an accident. Not one single accident since we got home with those stickers almsot 4 years ago now (Wow, is get that old??).

Good luck!
tobi

One thing that I forgot to mention is that Dh bought some training underwear for E that had a vinyl cover already built in. Perfect for those days when we have to go out and just underwear isn't enough. I know he got them at Babies R Us but I am sure you can find them elsewhere.