Having major surgery mid-June: do I potty train DD now or wait?

[cardamomginger]

Morning everyone,

DD is 19 months and is showing signs of being ready to be potty trained -
follows instructions, knows when she is doing a poo, interested in me going to the loo, likes putting my pants on, helps with undressing and dressing herself. So I have been thinking about potty training her. I'm intending to try Gina Ford's way (I know! I know! but her way of doing stuff has worked for me and DD previously).

Problem is that I am having major surgery mid June. I will be in hospital for a week and, whilst we are endeavouring to keep things as normal as possible for her whilst I am away, she will probably be upset by it. I had surgery at the end of last year, and she coped very well with my absence, but obviously it does have an impact. An added problem is that after my surgery I won't be able to pick her up for some months. Again, she coped with it well last time, and we did cuddles on the floor and things like that. But she was upset by it for a bit.

So I don't know what to do. On the one hand I'd like to get her trained - as much as anything it will make things easier for me after I've had my operation. On the other hand, the disruption when I am in hospital and afterwards could mean that she regresses and needs to be put back in nappies. So why bother trying now - I've got quite a few hospital appointments in the run up to my surgery and finding a clear week to devote to this will be a struggle. If I don't do it now, I think I will need to wait until I am back on full lifting duties, which could be the end of the year. And do I really want to wait that long?? Oh I don't know!!

Any advice??? Thank you!

[girlywhirly]

You know, I think it would be easier to wait. You don't say that your DD has any experience of sitting on a potty, so I feel she could benefit from that as a gentle introduction, but still wearing nappies between times. Times like after meals, getting up, bathtime, going to bed etc when you would change the nappy anyway. This can go on for months, no pressure, just getting used to it. She is very young to go cold turkey, and the results won't necessarily be what you hope for. And her trying to train intensively while unsettled by Mummy who will be apprehensive about going for surgery isn't likely IMO to be entirely successful.

She is interested, so may be amenable to trying to use the potty, but at least you won't have to keep bending down to clean up accidents after your surgery. You may find that suddenly after a few months of the gentle potty use she wants to wear pants and will put herself on the potty when she needs to, and can tell you in advance before she wees and poos; in which case intensive training will be short and effective.

[cardamomginger]

Thanks - that's really sensible advice! I think I was pressuring myself to feel that I should train her. One thing that Gina says that I think is very true is that BOTH of you need to be ready. And if Mum (or Dad or whoever) is not, then wait.