1.26.12: Potty training triplets

(left to right: stella, daphne, fiona)

Regardless of all the research done and other multiple moms consulted with, you just never know what you are getting yourself into when attempting to potty train triplets.  For those people who think one method will work for everyone, I believe we are a good example of that philosophy being incorrect.

Well I can honestly say it has been a process.  A process that is not yet complete but well underway.  Here is our timeline thus far:

It all started November 11, we had three days of only underwear when awake.  During quiet time (~30min) the girls wore pull-ups and nap time (~3hours) and overnight (~12hours) the girls wore a diaper.  Small stickers when peeing on the potty and big stickers when pooping on the potty.  Watched potty videos whenever requested and had been hyping up the wearing of 'real undies' for weeks.

In mid-November after the three day intense training period, we put everyone in pull-ups when awake.  Brant had to go back to work I couldn't handle the mess x3.  I also couldn't handle being stuck in the house any longer. Stickers and videos continued.

In late November we started wearing underwear again when awake with pull-ups over underwear.  During quiet time and nap time the girls wore pull-ups and overnight the girls wore a diaper. Stickers continued.

In December we braved the next major milestone and wore underwear when awake.  During quiet time the girls wore underwear with pull-ups outside their pajamas - just to catch anything but definitely make them realize that it wasn't okay to go potty while in their cribs.  Stickers became less interesting as we have 'group potty' times - everyone tries to go potty even if you don't need to go.

In late December they wore underwear during quiet time. Underwear when awake, pull-ups during nap and diaper at night. The 'Poop on the potty' song was born.  Everyone in the house sings the song whenever some is successful.

In early January, after showing continuous dryness during nap, Fiona started wearing underwear during nap.  Stella and Daphne still wore a pull-up and everyone wore diapers at night.

In mid-January, after showing continuous dryness during nap Stella upgraded to wearing underwear with Fiona during nap.  Fiona upgraded to wearing underwear overnight as she continuously wakes up dry.  Daphne really likes to poop during nap (like clockwork), so she still wears a pull-up.  Stella and Daphne still wake up with a wet diaper overnight so we are still wearing diapers until we have many consecutive nights of dryness.

Stella is pretty close to wearing underwear overnight as she only has an accident about once a week.  Daphne, well we really need to get her to stop holding her poop for nap time, that is my next goal for her.  Regardless we are down to 2 overnight diapers and 1 pull-up a day a huge decrease from our previous levels when in 100% diapers.

Last night was a big night for us.  Everyone woke up dry.  Of course this doesn't mean it will happen every night from here on out, but it does mean that progress is being made.    Still a work in progress, but I would say we survived the majority of the potty milestones and are well on our way to have potty trained triplets.