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Behaviour/development

v. early potty training question

10 replies

Evita · 11/02/2004 10:32

Dd is only 16 months so I know probably way to early to begin to get my head around potty training. But she's become v. keen to tell me when she's done or is about to do a poo. She points at her nappy and says 'pootun' and so far every time she's done this there is a dirty nappy or one follows shortly. What I wondered is, is this a good sign that she'll be relatively easy to potty train? Or should I be sort of capitalising on this interest of hers by doing anything in particular?

This will probably sound very naive to those of you who've gone through this stage!

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CountessDracula · 11/02/2004 10:36

Evita, did you see this thread yesterday - doesn't exactly answer your questions but has interesting stuff about early potty training.

I can't answer your question as I am not quite there yet myself...

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Enid · 11/02/2004 10:37

Evita, my old childminder used to look after a little girl who was fully potty-trained by 18 months. So it is possible. Might be worth a try, I think there was an old thread on early potty training a year or so ago.

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FairyMum · 11/02/2004 10:54

I personally think it depends on the child when they are ready. One child might be ready at 18 months and some a lot later. My DS was impossible to train, but just a few weeks ago he asked me to sit him on the toilet. IME telling you that they are filling their nappy and actually going to the potty are two very different things. No harm trying though, as long as you don't push!

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kiwisbird · 11/02/2004 10:57

Girls are often much quicker than boys, my son trained in 4 days at age 2 yrs 8 mths. DD is 15 mths now and when nappy is off she maons before weeing and then crawls and points at it, now i can usually get a nappy under her in time!
Always best to wait til they are really good walkers though!
Mine isn;t!

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janinlondon · 11/02/2004 11:21

My Mum never tires of telling me how when we were babies in cloth nappies in Australia we were potty trained as soon as we could walk. I guess it was uncomfortable to be in a hot wet nasty nappy so we had incentive. And we were girls, which I agree makes a big difference. Evita if your little girl could make it to a potty, sounds like she might be ready. Though I'd wait for the summer - its easier if they can run around nappiless in the garden for a couple of days they often get it done without soaking (or worse!) carpets etc.

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Evita · 11/02/2004 14:17

Thanks everyone. Gosh, I've no intention of actually doing it with her yet, I'm sure it's too soon. And I'm terrified at the prospect! But I just wondered if it was a sort of sign or if there was anything I could do to make the most of it if it was a sign.

Whenever I think about doing the real thing re. potty training my legs go to jelly. I remember feeling terror at the thought of weaning. But this!!

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janinlondon · 11/02/2004 15:52

Oh Evita I was the same! Dreaded it for months and months. Even had dreams about it. Then she managed it in two days in the garden over a long weekend. It will probably be one of those "Oh My God I can't believe I worried about this!" experiences. Honestly, our kids surprise us at every turn, and I think yours will be a champ.

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Evita · 11/02/2004 21:31

Thanks janinlondon. Where in London are you by the way? I'm in SE.

Oh, I do hope she's a champ at it. What age did your dd do it? I think I worry because my friend's little boy has REALLY struggled. He's almost 4 and is still having regular 'accidents' whenever he's out and still hasn't made it through the night dry. My friend's been trying since he was 2 on and off.

AGH!!!

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janinlondon · 13/02/2004 15:59

Sorry not to have checked in on this Evita! I am in SW2/borders SE21. DD did it at 2 and a half, which I think was ideal, though if I'd bitten the bullet (too frightened - that's me, not her!) she probably could have done it earlier. We did wait till the summer though. Much easier then. Girls really are usually much easier than boys. Don't stress too much. I'm sure it will be a cinch!

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Evita · 13/02/2004 21:03

Thanks jan. Hmmm ... summer sounds a good idea but if I do it this summer she won't be 2 til October and if I wait til next summer she'll be almost 3. Oh, well, I guess I'll just wait and see how she pans out. I'm terrified about it too!