# How to get toddler to empty bladder completely on potty?



## rocketgirl96 (Jan 30, 2008)

Day two of pottytraining - I think my son is not emptying his bladder completely when on the potty and that's why it seems like he has to go every 10 minutes or so. When I don't get him in time and he pees in his underwear, it is a pretty big pee but when I catch him before or after he's started, it's only a little bit. After a big pee, he can go at least an hour before he has to pee again. So, does anyone have any suggestions on how I can help him empty his bladder completely while on the potty? Or does he have to get used to the potty and it will just take time? We've tried sitting for up to 15 minutes (which is a very long time in my opinion for a toddler to stay seated on the potty), I've tried running water (faucet), I've tried saying "ssssss" to help him go. None of those things are working.

Thanks,
Christine


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## lisavark (Oct 27, 2007)

Hey Christine, I just posted a long reply in your other thread, but I'll repeat the salient point here: my advice (I'm an EC'er with a daughter the same age as your son) is to get him to associate a cue that you make (such as ssss or "pee-pee!") with going FIRST, before you worry about where the pee is going. Encourage him to let it all out, even if he's not on the potty. (The ideal way to do this is to spend time outside, bottomless. Then there's no mess to worry about.) That will help him understand how to use those muscles to release completely, and it will help him release when his body tells him to, not when you sit him on the potty. Once he seems to make the connection, then take him to the potty, maybe 20 minutes or 30 minutes after he last peed (depending on what his timing is at that point) and make your cue sound.

Good luck! And like I said in my other post--come to the EC forum! Really, at this young age, I think it's a lot easier to start EC than to try traditional potty training. (But I'm a big fan of EC.







)


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## MrsReady2bMama (Mar 6, 2006)

Just subscribing!

We started the 3-day method with my DD this past weekend too. It's definitely been having mixed results. Anyhow I seem to have a similar problem where she doesn't do much pee on the toilet. Even yesterday, she said she had to pee and when she got on she said "I can't go. Can you push on my stomach to make it come out?" After a couple of minutes she went, but just a little bit. She drinks a lot of milk so I'm always surprised by how little she pees on the toilet. She does a lot of wetting herself off the toilet though. Sigh. Poop on the other hand we've been really successful with. Who knew - I figured it'd be the opposite. (She's 25 mos. old.)

Anyhow I'd love to hear any replies too!


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