To ask what is the earliest you have toilet trained your dc?

[pandarific]

I have a bright little 16m old ds who is very interested in the big toilet, and always wants to do everything himself - eg he has to brush his teeth himself, he puts his shoes on 'himself' (actually we do it but he wants to put his feet in himself and hold the shoe etc).

As we're in for the foreseeable, i thought maybe I could try to start teaching him to use the potty, if it's not miles too early - I think he might get it! I've seen these little potties on amazon, complete with flushing sounds... what was the earliest yours used the potty?

My old neighbour had a child during the war and apparently they were trained from 6 weeks old as nappies were hard to come by and hard to wash.

My youngest was about this age (that is 16 months not 6 weeks) maybe a month older when I potty trained her. But she was clearly ready and could say when she needed to go. It was very quick in the day but took a while to get her dry at night.

My amazing childminder did it! Said she thought DD might take to it and had it cracked during the day within a month. She was 20 months old. Night time nappy took until she was 3. But I know that’s really early.

Getting her to eat properly was a whole other issue!

I've never heard of toilet training at six weeks. I wonder if your neighbour has forgotten. It was done earlier than now but that is extreme!

Mine had terry towelling nappies except when we went on holiday and towards the end of his nappy time because it seemed easier and he was using less. He's forty now and when he was born most people used cotton nappies but disposables were around.

I didn't find the laundering of nappies a big problem at all. I used nappy lines which were soluble, then soaked the nappy in a bucket. At the end of the day or whenever they went in the washing machine on 90. I know my mum had some sort of boiler thing that she used for my nappies.

Anyway, I didn't toilet train mine. He got to a certain age and knew when he wanted a wee so I suggested he be a big boy and use the potty which he was quite happy to do. That was just before he was two, I remember he wasn't in nappies on his second birthday.

It was all very casual, I never wanted him to feel pressure and, presumably, he didn't so it worked.

My two ds were reliably dry in the day before 2 years 6 months. I used to have a potty in each room and bottom bare in house. I don't remember it being stressful and just used to remind them to try to use the potty every half hour .

Op, I like the look of that little potty/toilet, it's cute.

not mine but 16 months for my niece during the day and 20 for through the night. I hope mine are similar.

I've never heard of toilet training at six weeks. I wonder if your neighbour has forgotten. It was done earlier than now but that is extreme!

No- she was very sharp and in her 70s when she told us. After the baby was fed they held it over a pot until it went and after a short time it went every time it was fed.

DD was fine using a potty at home from about 18 months (and was militantly independent about it) but wore a nappy out and about until she was 2.5, which is when I’d have said she was properly trained.

I think people’s definition varies though! I’d say being fully trained was being mobile enough to get to potty / by themselves at home, and when out and about able to communicate that they need to go, then hold it for longer enough to get to a toilet or an appropriate and discreet place to use a travel potty.

Started putting DD on the potty at 11 months. She’s now approaching 15 months. She’s done every poo since 12 months in the potty and will see on it every time. She’s not walking yet but I hope she will be soon and will be able to ramp up the potty training. I started putting her on the potty because I noticed she’d wee a lot in ‘one go’ if that makes sense. She’ll regularly do a big wee in the potty and I always get her straight on after a nap as her nappy is dry 90% of the time.

My DD was toilet trained at 18 months, she was clearly ready and took to it quickly. DS was three, we tried a few times before but it was clear he wasn’t ready.

I waited until 2 with all of mine, but I remember, in conversation with my Mum at some point, she said everybody trained earlier before disposable nappies were invented.

18 months, I waited because advice was don’t start till then. She got it in a couple of days (as in two) and I assume could have done it earlier.

My first was potty trained at about 20 months, my second is two in May and we are currently going through this process while we are stuck indoors. I was worried that she wasn’t ready as she doesn’t talk but she certainly understands it all. My sisters little one is about 16 months and is very bright, I’d certainly encourage her to try training now with her too. If they are not ready then they are not ready if they are then great why not try. Good luck

@BackforGood My mum says the same. Both my brother and I were trained by the time we were two.

I’ve been wondering this myself op about my 18 month old twins. Then I bought the Gentle potty training book and it said not before two I’m a bit confused now...

We used old fashioned terry towelling square nappies and DS1 was dry at 18 months by day and 19 months by night. DS2 was a little longer, and was 21 months both day and night.

I started with dd around 18 months just went straight to the toilet with a little seat on top. She was dry day and night by her 2nd birthday but I do appreciate I am really in the minority with this!

My Great Granny-in-law also said they potty trained when baby was only a few months old as again nappies and washing them were hard to come by during the war so it was easier to just hold your child over a toilet/pot etc..

My 2 were both fully trained within 1 week. They were 2yrs and 1mth

My mother says I was potty trained by 12 months. My brother by 18 months.

all three of mine well before 2, think 13, 15 and 18 months (considered late at that time).
6 weeks, held over potty is elimination communication certainly a done thing in many parts of the world where diapers are scarce/inconvenient.

I did EC with my daughter from birth, and she was reliable from 14 months. Though even before that for some months, it was only illness and teething that threw it off.

But with a child who has got used to going in their nappy, it might take longer. And I wouldn't bother with that tat from Amazon; just a toilet seat reducer (e.g. Potette Plus) is fine.

2.5 dry day and night within 3 days. And just before aged 3 for my second as I missed an opportunity when she showed readiness and then it took 2 attempts over nursery holidays to get her sorted. Didn't help that her dad would put her in a nappy at his house as he's lazy.

How are people managing this!?

My eldest is almost 10, I've forgotten the nightmare that is potty training.
My youngest, and only other, will be 3 in May. We have a potty. Sometimes he sits on it fully clothed and other times he throws it away and screams if he sees it.

The slight mention of trousers/nappy pants off has him crying until he's almost sick.

@Lynda07 it’s called elimination communication now and many people do it from birth. Have a google

I just took nappies away, said wees and poops go in the potty or toilet and as soon as they feel the wet trickle they think uh oh gotta get to the potty. Then they start to pre empt it and go to the potty before hand. They won't train if they still wear a nappy because they'll just be happy to soil it.