Ok, so I had to update our potty journey - So this morning I woke up and prayed for a good day and mustered up my courage to stick to my plan. My bottom line is 3 fold..... first, we've come so far to not keep going forward - even if it's only baby steps. Second, we have to get the poop issues under control at all costs (while continuing to move forward with the potty). And third.... this has been a chore and a half (and Megan actually LOVES to go potty) and I said on day 3 that I don't know how I'd do it if I had a baby to take care of at the same time.
I had to step back and ask myself... Did I jump the gun? And I have to say - no. I feel really confident about that. Megan had started asking to go to the potty back in March. She loves her potty... then I got sick (thanks baby sister) and suddenly we stopped because Megan thought that she needed to "spit" into the trash can every time she sat on the potty... because that's what mommy did. I was so sick and she had started putting potty and throwing up together so we just stopped because I couldn't do it. So - she was ready months before I was. And she's had relatively few accidents since we started this process (in comparison to stories I've heard). AND one of her big poop issues.... she doesn't want to poop in her diapers anymore. So..... where does that leave us? Perservering forward with a plan!
Here's my plan....
1. Diapers are only for nighttime!
2. Each day Megan can choose special undies or pull-ups (I won't force this issue due to the poop issues that seem to be the driving fear factor for her).
3. We pee pee in the potty... we poop whereever we want to! :^) It's ok to poop in the pull-up.. but not in panties (and the funny thing is, she has always asked for pullups when she knew she needed to poop - see #5 for an explanation if that seems totally wierd to you).
4. If we can go all day without wetting our undies/pull-ups (poop doesn't count at this stage) then we earn a special treat (trip to park, making a treat with mommy, gummies, cupcake, lollipop.... I give her choices and she can choose one to work for).
5. ANY POOP earns a treat.... doesn't matter if it's in the potty or pull-up! Hopefully this will help her realize that it's ok to poop.... and slowly we'll move this to the potty... but for now our strategy is to stop the withholding that has thrown our potty training under the bus.
(Thanks to the nurses at my ped's office who listened to me and gave me some of these suggestions - to focus on the issue of stopping the withholding and getting her to poop on her own and then slowly tackle that issue of weaning her off the pull-ups for pooping.... baby steps!)
So, I've reminded myself of our accomplishments so far...
1. she loves her potty
2. she goes and asks to go without constant reminders (although they are still needed at times)
3. she has NO problem going for anyone else (church, family, babysitters)
4. Even in a diaper, she asks to go to the potty and won't pee in the diaper.
5. We started this process on July 13th (exactly 33 days ago) and we have only had 4 bad days... ok, that's pretty good.... and those were the only days we had "accidents".
6. She wakes up in the morning and the first thing she asks to do is "go to the potty".
So... how did it go today (so far).... AWESOME! She got up, I gave her a 2 year old run through of the day and how this process was going to work. I laid out her treat options (she chose a cupcake - white with pink icing - how funny is that.) She chose a pull-up. She went to the potty on her own - 4 times so far today... we've stayed dry! AND.... she pooped in her pull-up! That is a HUGE accomplishment. Her last withholding "episode" lasted 10 days (and that was with a lot of help) and this time it was only 3 1/2 days. YEAH! I'm telling you it was NO small miracle to get her to poop in her pull-up. She was panicked and I asked if she needed privacy and she said yes and that's all it took. And she asked for "2 M&M's"... I love it, just 2!
So - it's a new side of potty training - and I'm cool with it. Tonight or tomorrow may not be so good - but that's ok. It's a process and we'll just make it through! I'm hoping in the next 3 months I'll be able to get the poop transitioned to the potty (pre-baby arrival) but if not... oh well, it's just a "goal". I just am so thrilled to have made a little progress with Megan's withholding issues. The nurse I chatted with today is going to check back with me on Monday and see how it's going.... we've been trying to determine if there was some underlying medical issue since she's done this since she was a baby. But today proved,that it's not. WooHoo!
Yeah - I know you are thinking, OK val, TMI! Sorry - welcome to my world.
This morning Megan and I made a trip to Publix so that she could get her "white cupcake with pink icing" and a chocolate one for Daddy. She made sure he knew he had to go to the potty before he could eat it. :^) I just love her!
The Lord has been good and reminded me that this to is a stage and it'll be over in the blink of an eye. I feel good about continuing forward, with some modifications and am so thankful for this day as affirmation that it was the right decision. Tomorrow I might question it again... but I'll let tomorrow worry about itself!
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