When to potty train?

[mummysbigsmiles]

My daughter is 18 months old and I was just wondering when some people starts their little ones on the potty?? Is 18 months too young?

[AcrylicPlexiglass]

Probably a little too young. I think the summer after their 2nd birthday is a good time to start for girls and summer after 2.5 years for boys.

[Doshusallie]

I started both my boys about 3 months before their second birthday and they were both dry during the day by 2.

[sotiredfornow]

That's really good to be potty trained by 2! How did you approach it? Any tips on how to get started?

[rootypig]

I'm starting with DD now at 16 months. No pressure, just lots of no nappy time, sitting on the potty when she follows me for a wee, learning toilet vocab, teaching her the difference between wet and dry (in general, not just pants!) will see where it leads....

She did a poo on the floor during no nappy time this evening, she seemed scared / upset but soon cheered up when I smiled, said well done, poo! And took her with me to put it in the toilet.

[lola88]

We started with the potty at 17mo just having it around DS was 2 last month and has been dry day and night for 3 weeks. I found it easier to do it slowly and let him go at his own pace he just used it more and more until he was asking to use the toilet every time and was dry in the night from the second day with just pants on.

[odyssey2001]

I have noticed that a lot of people who trained early took months for them to be dry in the day. We waited until 3 and he was dry within ten days and dry at night two weeks later. Early is not always better.

[rootypig]

Ooh that's what I'm hoping for lola

[ilovepowerhoop]

dd was 2½ years when we started and she picked it up quickly. DS was day trained by the age of 2 years as he showed signs of being ready around 18-20 months. He was dry at night by the time he was 2½years old

[maillotjaune]

Totally depends on the child. My 3 boys were all the wrong side of 3 but the two who have no physical problems did it in a day (and were then clean/dry both day and night).

So start by all means if you think your child is ready, and don't be afraid to stop and try again in another 3 months if it goes terribly.

[mumofboyo]

I think it really depends upon you and your child and whether you're both ready for it.

We've just done ds; started around Xmas but he wasn't keen so dropped it and tried again a few weeks ago. He picked it up really well and, bar one or two accidents, is dry during the day now. He's 3 in about 3 weeks.

[Stars66]

Watches with interest

DD is 18 months and I'm letting her have more no nappy time with potty near by - she even did a wee InThe potty on Friday, I was so proud!! it doesn't take much these days but I really have no idea, I was thinking of going for it when she is 22 months and the summer might be is here.

Anyone find any books useful?

[Theyaremysunshine]

The 2 books I'd recommend are Potty training boys, or the girls version, and for the child, Pirate Pete's potty.

Potty training boys gives a really good bit of advice on what to do before they're ready (like teaching boys to pee in a pot in the bath and tip in the toilet), how to recognise when they're ready, and how to approach training if you're a working parent or just someone who can't devote 24/7 to mopping up the accidents.

DS was dry within a week, just before his second birthday. Dry at night ever since too, though I'm fully aware that night dryness is very much physiological, dependent on hormone levels, and we're just lucky. So you don't have to wait til they're over 3 for it to be easy, you just need to spot when they're ready.

[mummysbigsmiles]

This may sound really silly but i have a huge fear of public toilets and I have total nightmares about going into them with her when we are out and about, when fully potty trained ofcourse.... Does anyone else have this and any tips on how to deal with it best?

[rootypig]

A friend just showed me http://www.johnlewis.com/potette-plus-convertible-travel-potty-pink-purple/p955069?kpid=232708332&s_kenid=2484b4b1-33ca-b2e8-0244-00006c6134ab&s_kwcid=106x2921&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

She said it was a godsend for out and about

[lola88]

rootypig it worked great for us DS just used pull up's until he was ready to come off them even if it took another 6 months I wouldn't have minded.

Starting early you just need to remember it can take months before they are ready for pants it's unlikely to be a few weeks though that is not unheard of.

[Doshusallie]

I sat them on it in front of Postman Pat with smarties!

And took the potty with me wherever we went. they used it in the car park, at bus stops, in Next changing rooms. I have probably scarred them for life.

[wigglesrock]

I did mine at 2.6, 2.7, 2.8 - all girls. All done & dusted within 2 days ie going on long car journeys, going shopping etc with no panic, able to hold on for 5 mins or so until we found a toilet. Because I left it until then - they were just able to use the toilet, only used the potty for the first week. It much easier on me than cleaning a potty . They were also dry at night right away. We just went straight into pants - didn't bother with pull ups.

[rootypig]

lola am definitely happy to take a while - in fact, that's why I'm starting early - so it's more gentle for both of us.

[DramaAlpaca]

In my experience the later you leave potty training the more the child is ready & the quicker & easier the process is.

DS1 started just before he was two because he was showing an interest in sitting on the toilet. He took a few months to be reliably dry.
DS2 started at 2.2 again after showing an interest, and was dry within a week.
DS3 started at 2.4 and was dry in literally two days. We didn't use the potty, went straight to the toilet with a booster seat.

We were very lucky with DS3 as he was dry at night too by 2.6. The other two took a lot longer to be dry at night.

[MeepMeepVrooom]

I started potty training around 22 months. DD was dry for her second birthday. A reward chart worked as the best incentive for us and the occasional mum bribe

Good luck whenever you start

[my2bundles]

I waited untill my son did it himself, he was almost 3. he self trained in a day and has never looked back. I really cannot understand why people put themselves and the child thro stress and puddles for months on end when all you have to do is wait untill they are genuinely ready.

[WhoAteAllTheCremeEggs]

bundles I couldnt agree with you more.
Whats the race all about?

[rootypig]

I don't see it as a race, the opposite... Just see that DD is absorbing a lot and follows me to the loo so may as well begin to educate her. Also I think nappies seem horrid for her, so we do a lot of no nappy time regardless. Introducing a potty into the mix when she poos on the floor regularly isn't that much of a leap

An analogy: I feed her a variety of foods and give her a cup and cutlery. Doesn't mean I expect her to master the art of eating in a week.

[resipsa]

Agree with others that better to wait. Lots of friends tried about 2.5 with weeks of 'accidents' that frustrated all involved. They did it then because they wanted it out of the way before DC2 arrived. We waited until DD was just 3 and she got it over a weekend. No accidents to date .

[Figster]

DS is 2.3 and he couldn't be less interested in using a potty it is hugely ignored in his room though he shows interest in the loo. Hoping to make a start in summer just because it's Warmer but we in no hurry.

Happy to be led by our cm tbh who will let us know when he's ready