Potty Training: Week 1

The first two days of potty training Cora were great, she told me every time she needed to potty or she just ran to the bathroom and sat on the toilet by herself. She didn't have any fear of the toilet and did superbly well sitting there. She had just as many accidents as she did victories, three and three. I awarded her with the potty treats and she put a sticker on her chart and we called Grandma and we had a mini party and blew the horns. It was great.

Every day since then has not been so great even though she's not had any accidents at all. She has been holding it for hours until it hurts and has associated that pain with the toilet. So now every time she sits on the toilet she's very hysterical and throws belligerent fits. I mean screaming at the top of her lungs, pounding her feet on the stool, jumping up and down on the seat, etc. It's torture for her and I! She no longer voluntarily sits on the toilet, I have to carry her in there and place her on the seat all the while she's screaming and trying to get out of my grip (which is easy to do because she's a big, heavy and very strong girl). The last two days she has held her urine for 10 hours, only peeing once a day.

After she goes we always talk about how easy and quick it is to just let it go instead of holding it in, and it doesn't hurt and we try the best we can to explain to her how to release that sphincter muscle, and she's all in and says she'll try it next time. But when next time comes around it's the same circus.

Friday was our first day out of the house because she had all 3 therapies back to back followed by music class. At therapy she hid behind me and cried and refused to go back for therapy, and she loves therapy! She just all of a sudden became shy and ashamed so I carried her and Ezra back to the gym and sat with her for 10 minutes while she warmed up to therapy. She finally decided to play with Jayme, Sam, and Sarah so I went back to the waiting room. About 15 minutes later they all came back and said, "I think we're done for the day. She's not wanting to play or cooperate and there's no need to waste your time or ours, we'll try again next week." I was shocked. Cora's never done that before. I tried having her sit on the toilet and she threw a loud fit and we left to go to music class.

I had to stop at a gas station because it was only 9:30am and I needed chocolate! Cora did the same thing at music class. I felt so defeated and discouraged. I was utterly exhausted both physically and mentally. What a day!

I'm really not sure where to go from here. Her OT said it's definitely a behavioral thing with anxiety. If there was something anatomically wrong with her bladder or kidneys then we definitely would've known by now. Every day I talk to her about how easy it is, and fast, not scary, painless, etc. which I know she understands (she's a smart girl!) but when it comes to going potty she still just throws a hysterical fit. Her OT did mention that there's a behavioral counselor that deals with incontinence that we could see so I think we're definitely interested in that. I left a message for her pediatrician and the nurse just said to stop potty training immediately. I disagree with that, until I can get in and talk to her actual doctor I'm going to keep at it and just pray and hope that things will eventually click for her. Oh heaven help me!!

Grandma sent Cora a potty prize and she asked for something purple. Cora checked the mail box every day for her "purple mail" and it finally came yesterday. Purple easter bunny pajamas, so cute!