Potty train before or after new baby comes?

[EsmesBees]

DD is a couple of weeks off 2. She is showing all the signs of being ready for potty training according to the online lists. I'm in no rush to get her out of nappies, and would ideally leave it to the summer, but I'm expecting dc2 in late May. I've been told that potty training when you have a young baby to look after too is pretty horrendous. However, I've also been told that toddlers can regress when a newborn comes on the scene, and you shouldn't train when there is so much change on the horizon.

So my question is, do you think I'd be best to have a go at training before the new one comes and risk a regression, or wait until the summer and cope with doing it with a newborn?

[d270r0]

I'd wait until after. She is very young at the moment and potty training can take ages. I started training my ds a few months before ds2 was born, it wasn't working and he couldn't manage it, accidents constantly. When ds2 was born I put him back in nappies again, just couldn't manage it. He didn't care. Started again a few months after, he did better that time.

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

I'm in almost exactly the same situation except DS is here and now 6 weeks old. We're starting tomorrow so I'll report back on how it goes!

[EsmesBees]

Thanks for the replies. Good luck tea. Do report back, would be interested to hear what it's like doing it with a newborn. She is still young d27 and I wouldn't be in any rush if it wasn't for new arrival. Good to hear from someone who has made it out the other side.

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

So far day 1 hasn't been so bad! I'm glad DH is here though because it would've been impossible on my own with breastfeeding DS all day as well.

DD is nearly 23 months so about the same age as your DD Esmes. We're doing the Oh Crap method which makes a lot of sense to me. The author says between 20 and 30 months is a good time to train so hoping she's right!

[ozymandiusking]

If she is very nearly 2 now is a good time to begin. Buy several pairs of knicks, say that she is a big girl now and doesn't need nappies now.
Obviously at night she will. My first son was clean and dry in 5 days, and my second son in 8. Just keep the potty handy, by the time the new baby arrives she'll be fine.

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

Just reporting back after our first week. So far, we're really pleased! We had one pair of wet trousers today because she was too busy looking at DH through the patio doors but otherwise no accidents. We've been out shopping today (one wee in the potty in the car park!) and went to playgroups and classes as normal at the end of the week. DD is in nursery on Monday though so we'll see how that goes.

I'd really recommend the 'Oh Crap' method. You start with them naked and watch out for the sign that they're about to wee, then you move on to trousers but no underwear. Then you introduce underwear after 3 or 4 weeks.

It hasn't been easy on my own with 7 week old DS as well but it hasn't been as bad I expected. Easier than 2 lots of nappies to change and wash anyway! (We use cloth) So I'd say go for it now before baby is here! It could be the perfect time.

[EsmesBees]

Thanks for sharing your experience tea sounds like you are (both) doing really well. I'll look in to the oh crap method.

[Readytomakechanges]

Sorry, slightly off topic but I was wondering whether the oh crap method advises the use of pull ups during nap times?
I've purchased the book and it's arriving tomorrow, but we started training today and it may not arrive before nap time.

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

She puts nap time with night time so advises you either night train at the same time as day (which I was a bit about) or keep nappies for naps and overnight initially until you're ready to night train. She doesn't advise using nappies/pull ups at any other time.

We're now 4 weeks in and DD is great during the day. She does still wear a nappy for nap but she always wakes up dry and needing a wee so I could probably not bother but I really don't want to bother changing bedding with 10 week old DS in tow as well. She's also starting to wake up dry in the morning.

Good luck. I've been pleasantly surprised at how not awful the whole process has been!

[Readytomakechanges]

Thank you, the book arrived in the morning and I made the decision to go completely cold turkey with the nappies including during naps and at night.
DD is 28.5 months so I may be crazy, but she only had one small accident at 1am (I have good brolly sheets so not a problem) and she slept 7pm-8am and did a wee on waking so I'm counting that as a win.
No poos yesterday though and my eldest suffers with chronic constipation so it's something I'm on edge about.
Good luck everyone.

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

Wow, that's amazing. Well done your DD!

Once we got going, I kind of wished we done night training at the same time DD was only 22 months and I've got DS who was 6 weeks so it seemed better to split it. I know I'll regret it when night training comes around though!

[Readytomakechanges]

Thank you.

When you do night train, I really recommend brolly sheets
I used them with DD1 and it made night accidents much easier to deal with.