Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

19mths - too young to potty train?

58 replies

Fizog · 10/02/2004 14:59

I have no idea what age I should start potty training but dd is showing a real interest in the toilet (well all things bathroom related really).

She's 80% of the time dry at night and can answer correctly when asked "Have you done a poo?" and "Have you done a wee?" but I'm not sure I'd be able to catch her in time with a potty.

Can you give up training if you start or once started is best to keep going?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

hoxtonchick · 10/02/2004 15:02

My ds is 24 months, & has been telling me when he's pooed for a few months now. He is also very impressed by his older cousin weeing in the loo. However, when he sits on the potty or loo he can't produce anything, tries really hard then gives up. So I don't think he's ready yet. I'm intending to try in the summer when he'll be 2 and a half and the mess won't seem as bad...

CountessDracula · 10/02/2004 15:02

Fizog I was going to ask the same question for a 17 month old - mine always seems to say when she does or is going to do a poo or a wee, but is not dry at night yet.

The other day she did a poo, I changed her and 5 mins later she came over and said poo - I said no but she said "yes yes poo bottom" a few times until I checked and sure enough she had done one.

Dh said yesterday should we start trying the potty.

Galaxy · 10/02/2004 15:05

message withdrawn

easy · 10/02/2004 15:10

I don't see anything wrong with trying it, as long as you don't get all stressed out if it doesn't work first time.
I tried with ds just before he was 3, and although he was ok at doing one when asked, he couldn't tell me long enough before to be able to do anything about it.

I left it alone and tried again at about 3 1/4. Bingo, dry within 3 days, and 100% reliable after 2 weeks.
My childminder's dd is trained already, at 2 1/2. But she isn't completely reliable, so her mum still has to take spare clothes everywhere. I think the later you leave it the quicker the end result will be achieved, just cos they have better control when they're older.

Oh and myth suggests girls train earlier than boys!

CountessDracula · 10/02/2004 15:28

Galaxy I think maybe my dd has the same thing, she keeps getting constipated too and seems a bit scared of her poos

Think i will leave it a while yet

AndiPlusOne · 10/02/2004 15:35

My ds is just 3 (with poor speach / hearing) and will only use potty AFTER he has filled his nappy. Guess he just wants the glory without the effort! I'm now trying leaving him in just jogging pants in the hope that the discomfort will encourage him to make more of an effort.

The 'old wives' of my family always said 2yrs for a girl and 3yrs for a boy. BUT... my sisters ds1 managed full potty training BEFORE 2yrs by a pretty unusual method - she left him following the family dog around the garden, which he loves more than anything else, and he eventually copied whatever the dog did. She just had a bit of trouble persuading him to carry on indoors

Does anybody have suggestions for other unusual methods?

Original poster

Fizog · 10/02/2004 15:37

Thanks for that, I think I might give it a go next time I have a holiday from work. DD will probably be pushing 2 by then and I'm not in any particular rush.

OP posts:

Angeliz · 10/02/2004 15:37

I tried with dd at around 18 months and my dd flatly refused the potty,(even though she had the odd wee on it before then).
She went straight to big loo a few weeks before her second Birthday and was dry by then.
Good luck and as others have said, i don't see the harm in trying+

Original poster

Fizog · 10/02/2004 15:38

AndiPlus1 - posts crossed... am off to buy a dog

OP posts:

Crunchie · 10/02/2004 15:43

Well my dd did potty train around 19 - 20 months. BUT she did have an older sister to copy and I didn't have to do it - our wonderful nanny had the problems It took 2 weeks and a lot of knickers, and loads of accidents. However I promise I am not smug, it took my older DD nearly a year and she only really cracked it at 3 1/2! (4 months later DD went for it!) They were dry at night within 2 months of each other and they are 2 yrs apart in age.

Angeliz · 10/02/2004 15:46

I used to put her on the loo and say really seriously," please don't wee till i've got the paper ready....wait .....wait.." . Inevitably for my dd she'd try her hardest to do the opposite

Still do that before we go out but i think she just sighs at my reverse psychology now+

Thomcat · 10/02/2004 15:50

Guys - do you mind if I ask the same for question but for Lottie.

She's 2, doesn't walk, stand, crawl or talk yet!!She also gets quite distressed when going to the toilet and they are incredibly hard, large and she suffers terribly with constipation all the time.
Anyway do you think it would still be okay if when I know there is a poo on it's way I tried to sit her on the potty? I could sit on the floor with her and still cuddle / comfort her when she's going.

It's something I've been considering and when I saw this thread Fizog I thought I'd see what you thought, sorry, amybe I should start another thread on it?

easy · 10/02/2004 15:59

TC, I don't see any reason not to try as long as it doesn't upset her (and I know you wouldn't do anything to upset her).

She's probably constipated because she's immobile, it happens a lot. I was immobile as an infant, and apparently was almost permanently constipated till I was 5, and able to crawl. My mum used to give me occasional doses of syrup of figs (it's over 35 yrs ago!!!!), to relieve the situation.

If you haven't already got one buy a nice potty thats really supportive. I bought ds one that's almost like an armchair (actually it's waiting to go to the charity shop, we could send it you if you like).

You never know, she might find sitting upright "eases the passage" IYKWIM

Coddy · 10/02/2004 16:00

dh was done at 18 months

I would try it

CountessDracula · 10/02/2004 16:03

OK, will try but have another issue. My mum bought dd a potty in a stand ages ago cos she saw it cheap. I have kept it in the bathroom but dd keeps taking it into her bedroom and using it to climb on. The few times I have sat her on it she has said NO and got up and climbed on it!

Should I buy another potty that looks totally different?

Any advice on which potties are best?

CountessDracula · 10/02/2004 16:03

Thomcat I assume you have tried lactulose? Seems to help dd. Poor little things

Coddy · 10/02/2004 16:05

use the loo instead - I never used potties - you then have all this hassle when they wont go on a loo

Once saw a man produce a potty at a park for a baby!!

CountessDracula · 10/02/2004 16:06

Won't they just fall in?

Coddy · 10/02/2004 16:06

Original poster

Fizog · 10/02/2004 16:06

Thomcat - Quite often squatting can help when children are having problems pooing. DD also suffers badly with constipation (we use lactulose) so I'm hoping it might help a little.

According to my mum the cold plastic also helps them wee(???)

OP posts:

lou33 · 10/02/2004 16:07

Tc, ask Ot to recommend a suitable potty for Lottie, there are so many different types. We are about to take delivery of one specially made for Ds2, it's probably a bit ott for Lottie though, but they went through a whole range with us to get the correct one. Posture is important for her too, and stability.

Ds2 is on loads of lactulose and still doesn't poo easily, and only about once a week. We are trying other things on top now as well.

CountessDracula · 10/02/2004 16:07

But might not being held over a big scary vat of water traumatise a 17 month old?

Will try tonight. Other prob is don't have downstairs loo at the mo so will have to get upstairs in time.

easy · 10/02/2004 16:08

meant to say, ds's potty was only used a few times, he much preferred the loo. Go to John Lewis and buy a small toilet seat thing. that sops them falling in yours is proably a bit young for that tho'

Coddy · 10/02/2004 16:09

cd ytou are overanalysing

go and do some work!

Thomcat · 10/02/2004 16:09

Thanks Easy - good to speak to you again btw

I have been trying lactulose for ever and a day with her but she hates the taste!?? God knows why but she just point blank refuses to take it, so we're forced to pin her down and try and get in as much as possible. Anyone who has ever gone near the stuff knows it sets like glue. You have to give her it twice a day and she ends up with rock hard hair glued to her ears and neck that you can hardly peel off! It's SO stressful, messy and just impossible to maintain really.

I will give the potty a go though and Easy I like the idea of it being a very supportive one so she feels safe and relaxed on it, not vulnerable, so thanks for that.

Flip

1 2 3