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

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

A question on starting them at 12 months?

47 replies

Mum2FunkyDude · 21/10/2006 15:07

Has anyone ever attempted or successfully potty trained from 12 months old?

Can it be done?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

foxtrot · 29/10/2006 09:59

agree Twiglet, tried DD in the summer, she obviously wasn't capable, she's done it herself this week. I think she wants to be a 'big girl' like her older friends. She's 2.9 and physically quite small.

Difers · 29/10/2006 10:10

I don't think I'm daft. I don't think my baby is daft. If he can ask (non verbal communication)for food, ask for water, ask for milk, ask to have his nappy changed, step out of trousers socks when asked, lift arms to help put on tops...begin to swim, then why wouldn't he be okay with starting using the potty?? Why do we expect a baby to be potty trained in a week when all other skills are learnt gradually? I'm not competitive mum but I am an Occupational Therapist. I might be wrong about trying early but I think I will have a try despite all the poohpoohing!!!

TwigTwoolett · 29/10/2006 10:15

because your baby is neither physically nor mentally ready for this step

and it doesn't have to be learned gradually you can take your lead from your child as to when it is ready .. physiologically and mentally ready!!!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

TwigTwoolett · 29/10/2006 10:16

see now I'm using more than one "!" at a time which is a sure sign of madness

belgo · 29/10/2006 10:18

I know one baby who was potty trained from the age of 12 months. I've also met several babies who only poo in a potty from the age of just a few months old.
If I hadn't have seen it, I wouldn't have believed it.
I too thought it was pointless, but having read several threads on here about the problems people have with potty training toddlers, I can understand why some mothers are looking for an alternative method, and they have found elimination communication to be a successful alternative.
People knock it because they don't understand it.

juuule · 29/10/2006 10:22

Not knocking it. Just think it seems a lot of hard work without anything to be gained for me or baby. Maybe I'm just a lazy mum

lolalou · 29/10/2006 10:43

DS potty trained this week - he is 2.8 Was just not ready before this. When he was conscious of doing a wee in in his nappy and asking for it to be changed was a turning point.
Has taken to it really well and was taking down his own trousers etc by day two
Think child has to understand what is required of them before attempting to train.
Don't consider child truly Potty trained until they can recognise that they need the toilet, are able to pull down their own pants, pull them up again etc.
Lots of messy puddles before then!

TwigTwoolett · 29/10/2006 11:40

oh I totally understand elimination training .. I have seen it on film .. I have read up about it

.... and I am still happy to knock it belgo

Original poster

Mum2FunkyDude · 29/10/2006 12:19

Why so passionately against it Twig?

Is it because you?ve missed the window of opportunity with yours and now everybody else should stick to the norm?

In my opinion babies are born with the intelligence they will die with one day, it is just a matter of experience. Why would I treat him like an idiot because some brain connection hasn?t been made yet?

For instance would you've believed Baby led weaning is possible? The thought of baby choking on food that is not pureed?

To be honest with you, in the end it is a conscious decision that will take a lot of work and patience, I too can say why take 12months to potty train if you can do it in 2 weeks? my answer?

I am willing to try anything, as long as it does not hurt the baby!

I will never force FunkyDude into something he doesn't want to do, but I am the one to teach him how to dress, feed himself, walk, talk, poo in the loo...just part of the training process imo.

OP posts:

belgo · 29/10/2006 12:23

Twig - I haven't seen it on film, I've read very little about it. But seeing it working in real life for several families has convinced me that it is a valid form of potty training. I also find it interesting that the families I know who use EC are families who have lived in several different countries, and have seen different ways of doing things in different cultures.

mears · 29/10/2006 12:26

I personally think that toilet training from a young age is really the mum being trained to know the signs and has nothing to do with the child being able to control bodily funtions. Now if that can be achieved without distressing the child then good luck. Just don't claim that dry/ clean nappies are a reult of the child being 'trained'. And just keep your fingers crossed that your child does not become inhibited about bowel motions - takes a hell of a long time to get over that one!

Original poster

Mum2FunkyDude · 29/10/2006 12:30

Can you shed some light on the "inhibited about bowel motions" Mears?

I am in the process of gathering information and would like to know both sides of the coin.

OP posts:

belgo · 29/10/2006 12:37

Mears - one of the points of EC is to encourage healthy toilet habits, and to avoid unhealthy inhibitions, that may arise from conventional toilet training. As I've said before, parents I know who have chosen EC have done so because conventional potty training has caused problems for their child, and they are looking for a viable alternative. (which is why my baby chose baby led weaning - she refused conventional weaning).

Difers · 29/10/2006 15:32

Yes, in other cultures, children don't wear nappies and the mums are really in tune with their babies needs and are able to assist them as needed. I really feel that in our culture the strong marketing employed by major disposable nappy companies has really distorted our view of this issue. It's not really about the capabilities of the baby but the pressures that modern society places on mothers. Brain connections aren't just activated in one night, suddenly your child now has the connection to potty train, but over the course of many months.

juuule · 29/10/2006 15:52

"For instance would you've believed Baby led weaning is possible? The thought of baby choking on food that is not pureed?"
Actually I think that is a good point. I would say that by waiting until my child told me that she didn't want nappies and then used the toilet that would be the toilet equivalent of baby led weaning. Baby led toileting, if you like.
I presume you wouldn't keep giving a baby solid food and it keep gagging until the day it was physically developed enough to not have the gag reflex. Obviously, I realise that putting food in a babies mouth is not quite the same as allowing it to pass it's waste.
Agree with mears that ec appears to be more about the parent being trained to see the signs.

mears · 29/10/2006 15:59

I mad ethe mistake of trying to get my DS1 potty trained too early because of pressure from others, including my mother. She used to breastfeed us dangling over a potty BTW as everyone knows a baby usually poos when eating.

Anyway, Ds would be sat on a potty after meals etc. When I saw him straining I would whip off his nappy and sit him on the potty. Initially poos landed there and we were all happy. DS then took a dislike not being able to poo 'in private' whenever he wanted. There was me popping him on a potty. Anyway, ended up he wouldn't poo for love nor money, not even in his nappy. He got very constipated by with-holding going at all. This phase lasted about 2 years!
With my next 3 children I left them alone. DS2 was out of nappies at just over 2yrs. DS3 was 3 1/2 yrs and DD was 2 1/2 yrs.

Now DS1 is now 19 years old and is perfectly fine. I too have read about elimination training and just wouldn't have wanted to go down that route. Can't say that I could be ar*sed with baby led weaning either - thank goodness I don't need to do it all again.

Each parent to their own.

mears · 29/10/2006 16:05

sorry - elimination communication. That was what my mother was basically doing 45 years ago.

alex8 · 29/10/2006 16:16

Unless you baby is incredibly regular in their habits it would be very difficult to manage whilst out of the house. Or do people who do it only do it at home and have nappies for days out.

TwigTwoolett · 29/10/2006 18:49

actually I think baby lead weaning is far closer physiologically and mentally to potty training when the brain connections are made

I do think its a ridiculous thing to do .. but if it floats your boat go for it .. your child

hulababy · 29/10/2006 18:58

I waited until DD wanted to be dry, and let her lead the way. She was 24 months and was dry by day 3, with few accidents in between.

My experience from seeing friends and reading MN seems that if you leave it until the child wants to do it, and can understand what is happening, and can do it by themselves - it'll be quicker.

I couldn't be doing with the hassle of potty training for weeks or months on end.

mrspf · 29/10/2006 19:50

I say if you want to start at 12 months, go for it.

We started DD on the potty at 9 months and she is now 22 months. I can count on 1 hand the number of dirty nappies/pants she's had since then, as she took to pooing straight away. She does need privacy though (don't we all).

We started her in pants at 16 months and although we have many dry days, accidents do still happen, and we occassionally use nappies when out. I am sure if we were consistent and reminded her better, she could be potty perfect by now. She wears pants to nursery, and they are happy with that. We hoped she'd be dry by 18 months- but even though its been a long trek, we are still glad we started, and are glad we don't have to wipe pooey bottoms every day!

colditz · 29/10/2006 20:06

A work colleague of mine says she trained both her (now adult) girls by 18 months on, by putting them on the potty, smacking them if they got off without doing anything, and smacking them every time they weed or pooed on the floor.

It's probably true. That's probably why our grannies were able to 'potty train', the child just sat there until it did something and was too scared to get off.

I have seen people trying to train a child that is too young, it is dull dull dull. They focus on you madly, nag their child too much and whitter about how much money they are saving and how great it is - and you feel like saying "Yeah, you are saving a packet and WASTING YOUR LIFE BECAUSE IN 5 YEARS NOBODY WILL KNOW OR CARE WHETHER YOUR CHILD PAPPED THEMSELVES REGULARLY UNTIL THEY WERE 4 OR 'BIRTHED' WAVING A POTTY!"

Flip

1 2