When would you potty train your baby?

[jadey1991]

Hi all, so I was reading a new article today. Regarding a mother potty training her baby at 5 weeks old.

apple.news/A-SmFpg0aR-KJJjIWRKopaw

To me I think this is absolutely ridiculous(my own opinion) a baby is baby. Let the poor baby be baby. Why try at 5 weeks old... 5 months old is do able.

What are your thoughts?

That is called elimination communication. If it isn't for you that's fine, no one will knock on your door and tell you off.

It is not potty training. Potty training is about control this is about judging when the baby goes.

@FlibbertyGiblets yes I know what it's called but I do feel that it's too young. Why would you put pressure on a baby like that. Like I said it's my opinion and just wanted to see other people thoughts. So thanks for your opinion

@user1471538283 ok I get that but I have a 5 month old baby myself. Now I can never tell when he needs too pee. I just know when his nappy needs changing. As for his BM how can you possibly tell when a baby needs to open there bowels.

5 months is just as bloody barmy!

& what do you mean 'pressure' ?? A five WEEK old baby has no concept of anything which would cause them to feel pressure

Jesus, it's only 6pm on a Tuesday night & this place is driving me to drink!

I don’t think you understand what it is. They literally just watch the baby and when they see the sign that the baby is going to go to the toilet, they hold the baby over a potty. There is absolutely no pressure and is done around the world.

There is absolutely no pressure on the baby.
The parent responds to baby's cues, body language, facial expressions. The baby communicates by these means. The parents responds.

It is a nice thing to be in tune with your baby in this way?

My MIL did this with her children back in the 60s and 70s, as did her friends. It isn't new.

I am a bit highly strung for this. But it would be cost and environment savings. Each to their own.

I am not here to judge anyone. Everyone has there own preferences. Mine obviously isn't going to be the same as everyone else.

I have a baby book from 1950 that starts 'potty training' from 6 months. Having to hand wash dirty nappies, I can see why mothers were keen to do it early back then.

Personally I think it adds a shit ton of stress for little reward and ties you to the house too much, but each to their own.

I remember one woman was keen to do this and asked for advice on how to start. I shared the info from the 50s book which was essentially tied to routine and sitting the baby on the toilet regularly and trying to 'catch' what you can and get them into a routine with toileting. This woman went off on one at me because 'I didn't understand' and that 'routines were constructive' and 'not what EC is about' and that with a routine you can't 'be intune with your baby' and that I must be a terrible mother .....

It’s not pressure it’s timing. Done all over the world. Some countries don’t have the luxury of diapers and washing machines.
no different than when do you teach a child how to use a fork and knife properly.
Personally I found it depends on how early they walked and talked; 15-22 month range.

Oh and with boys you have to wait until they can sit by themselves. Otherwise you need three hands lol.

Really? Most babies make it pretty obvious when they need to go!

Op: "I am not here to judge anyone"

Also OP "I think this is absolutely ridiculous"

I get that some people do not have the privilege to nappies etc. to be honest I never heard of elimination communication until I googled it.

@MolliciousIntent yes really. When he is doing his BM he could be sleeping, or if he is awake he could just be doing his own thing and that's it. I remember when he was a few weeks old he would just stare at me and open his bowels but he also stares at me when he is going off to sleep.

Op it sounds like you wanted to bash and judge other parents who practice EC... without realising it's actually thing.

Babies stop pooing at night/in their sleep really quickly.

@00100001 oh do they? My two were both 3 before that kicked in.

We loosely used EC with our daughter. We held her over a potty at nappy changes, when she woke up, after a feed/eating. She didn’t poo in her nappy from 4 months. She is out of nappies at 19 months with no pressure from us (no rewards, no anger/punishment for accidents).

Some people go pretty evangelical about EC but most parents I know are pretty chilled about it- it’s just offering opportunities at common times to eliminate outside of a nappy.

Yes really - most babies stop by 4 months maybe 6. But often within g6-8 weeks.

www.google.com/search?q=when+do+babies+stop+pooping+at+night

Your children are 'unusual' in that matter.