Am I mean to not start potty-training 17 month dd?

[KathyMCMLXXII]

The trouble is, she seems to be very keen on the idea [puzzled emoticon] but it couldn't be a worse time for us - we've got a new baby due any time now and I understand this often makes them regress?

She's not particularly advanced in any other way and nor am I worried about pushing her, but on this particular front she seems to want to take a lead: when she wants to do a poo she has started shouting 'Poo! Poo!', taking her trousers off, plucking at her nappy and sitting on the potty (which I had provided for her doll rather than her, just to get her used to the idea of it).

THing is, I can't see how it would make our lives any easier ATM (and our parenting philosophy has always been to do what makes our lives easiest ) but it seems a bit unkind to keep inflicting pooey nappies on her when she'd clearly rather be clean.

It seems madly early to me, but most of the babies I've known have been boys so I'm used to this happening around three, and anyway the prevailing MN commonsense about it being easier if you do it later seems like, well, commonsense to me.
Only I feel so guilty every time she does a poo in her nappy

Any advice?

Go with the flow, let her do what she wants. Let her run about with no nappy when she is in the house, and wear a nappy while out? So if she does need the toilet, fine, go and find one, but not a disaster if she doesn't make it.

I have to say I'd let her have a go, but understand your reluctance.

It does seem very early, but if she's ready then it won't be a bad time at all - she'll just get on with it. If she's not ready then that's a different matter, but if she really knows when she needs to go it would be a shame not to let her achieve that.

Gosh, WWB and Colditz, I thought everyone was going to say the exact opposite

DH will have a fit about the running round with no nappy bit - maybe we are going to have to spend a lot of time in the bathroom.

I'm very much into going with the flow. Dd wasn't ready until she was nearly three, but if she'd have shown any interest before then I would have gone with it. It's much easier to follow their lead than to try and "train" them to your timetable!

Even if you didn't train her until she is three, she would still at some point crap on the carpet. So tell your dp that by waiting you are only delaying the inevitable.

I love all the "go with flow" comments on a potty training thread .

Does he poo at certain times? This is how I started with dd, she would always poo just before bed so we started getting her to do it on the potty as when knew, more or less, when it would happen. When she went to it of her own accord and did a wee and a poo I started training her. It was about a month before her 2nd birthday.

I think I would just let him poo on the potty if that's what he wants to do. Maybe see how successful you are with wee as well, but if it looks like it's going to be disasterous, stick with nappies and having poos on the potty.

My DD started asking for knickers at 17 months too. We had about 3 half hearted attempts before we cracked it and she was dry in the day before 2. If she wants to do it I would go with it.

my dd is 17 months old too. i didn't train ds until he was 2.5 (& then only 'cos nursery told me to ), but she's very keen, likes sitting on the potty & tells us when she's done a poo. i am certainly not putting the pressure on, but if she wants to do it then great.

LOL @ 'Even if you didn't train her until she is three, she would still at some point crap on the carpet.'

Yes Surfermum, she always poos first thing in the morning (predictable to within minutes) and some time mid-afternoon (less precise but broadly routine).

Nappies plus poos on potty sounds like a sensible way to go.

This is so familiar! Am lazy and was very busy but as DH and I reasoned'You can't fight Shitty Hall'.

I'd say let her try. She might regress, or it might click in faster as she might see it as this fab trick she can do to get your love and approval.

Good luck anyway. It's so much easier if they're keen.