Potty Training My Identical Twin Girls

Posted on May 6, 2011 by No Comments

Our girls were just 18 months old when we began to potty train which sounds way too early but one of the girls had started to remove her nappy and had taken to doing her number two’s on the floor! We were already using pull up pants for ease.  They had been emptying my older daughter’s underwear drawer and trying to wear her knickers.  One pair was never enough; they would wear layers of knickers and became frustrated when they fell down.

I felt that it was a little too early for them to be gaining control of their toileting needs but didn’t know what else to do other than introduce them to the potty.

Initially we purchased two potty chairs.  The chairs look more comfortable than the little potties you can purchase.  Our first twins (fraternal twins) had preferred the chairs to the small potties so we learned from previous experience.  I also think it’s a better transition from a potty chair to the toilet.  They are more expensive but in the long run I think they are worth it.  The cost of the double nappy bill is far worse than the expense of a few potties!

At first they thought it was fun and they would sit on them, put their feet in them, remove the inner pots and wear them as hats. They had no problem familiarising with them.  We were in no rush so we just let them get used to the idea of having potty’s around the house.

To make the transition from playing to using them properly we got our older twins to pee in them to show the younger twins what they were used for.  We then started to sit the girls on them at regular intervals to include before bath time, before bed time and before leaving the house.  It wasn’t too long before their first pee hit the pot!

We then switched to wearing knickers or being naked from the waist down whilst in the house.  Yes, we had accidents but we were definitely getting the hang of it.

Twin A really seemed to grasp the concept so we ditched all nappy wearing including night time to avoid confusion and armed ourselves with another two potty chairs to remain upstairs.  We also put a potty in the car which remains there except for cleaning.  Within days of ditching the nappies completely Twin A became dry both day and night she was just 23 months.

Hooray our nappy bill was now the same as a singleton toddler and we were grateful for the reduction in cost. We practiced the same method with Twin B but for a while she still preferred to keep a nappy on even though she would use the pot.  We removed the nappy completely both day and night when she no longer wished to wear it.

Accidents are inevitable so we always carry spare underwear and trousers with us.  There is a great product on the market called a “Piddle Pad” which is a waterproof seat liner to protect car seats, strollers and pushchairs. Rather than having to clean the car seat covers on your child seats you can just wash the piddle pad!

We found that using the toilet or potty prior to leaving the house and taking opportunities to “try” when parking the car or whenever near a toilet facility saved many accidents.   Even now we carry a small potty in the car for long journeys. It makes life so much easier.

Good luck with Potty Training your Twins and juggling two pots and two toddlers both needing their bottoms wiping at the same time! Stayed focused on all the money you will be saving when you no longer have your twin nappy bill!