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Original poster

Please Help - What age did you start/finish potty training

13 replies

Joanne69 · 26/08/2004 21:39

What age did you all start potty training and at what age do you think they were dry.

DD1 has just turned 2 and I dont think she has any idea of when she is weeing/pooing etc. I also have a 2 month old baby so dont really have the time to start potty training yet. She is starting nursery soon, they are fine with her still in nappies. I feel happier with just going with the flow so to speak, start when she starts to show me signs that she knows whats going on, but just wondered when this is likely to be.

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collision · 26/08/2004 21:45

DS was 2 in April and the first time I started was in January but he wasnt ready. We stopped and started again in March. It took about 3 weeks and he was dry night and day.

Dont put pressure on yourself as she will be ready in her own time. Get the potty out and encourage her to sit on it while she is reading or watching TV and take her with you when you go to the loo. Give her LOTS of praise when she just sits on it and ignore any accidents. HTH

Tommy · 26/08/2004 21:45

My DS is 2y7m and has done 2 poos in a potty and 2 wees. He suddenly started to get the idea of what it was all about 2 weeks ago. J69 - you have plenty to think about with a 2m old and a 2y old -I wouldn't worry about it for a few months unless your DD is definitely telling you she wants to do a poo. HTH

fruitful · 26/08/2004 21:53

Going with the flow is definitely the best thing with potty training!

We had a try at 23mo - no success, she worked out what the potty was for but couldn't tell that she was about to need it. Had another go at 26mo, it was obviously going to work right from the start and she was dry in 5 days. That was 6 weeks ago and we've had one accident in that time, and she's just refused to wear nappies at night. Most inconveniently as we're going camping this weekend. Still, 7 nappy-free months before we start again with the next one!

I think this "showing signs" thing is a bit overrated - dd wasn't particularly showing any signs that she knew what was going on - she learnt that by getting wet when not wearing a nappy.

I have to say I think potty training should be done when the parent is ready! I'd say wait until you are ready, and then try it. If you're not making any progress in about 4 days, give up and wait a few more months.

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tallulah · 27/08/2004 17:23

After hell on earth with the first one (under peer pressure from the other mums at M&T) we didn't bother trying to train the others! DS1 hated wearing nappies from 2.5 & sorted himself out (but only weed sitting down for years after!). The other 2 would have been 3 or older... I know we'd only just got the last one out of nappies at the age of 3.5 when we took him to the States, & spent the first day trying to find some "childsize" nappies because he refused to poo in the toilet!!!!

hana · 27/08/2004 17:37

dd was nearly 2 and a half before she was dry during the day. She's nearly 3 and is wearing diapers at night. No sign of that going away anytime soon!

Hulababy · 27/08/2004 17:54

DD was dry within 3 days of starting PT at 24 months. It took her about a month to be completely free of poo accidents though.

4 months later and she is still not ready for night time PT though. She is in reusable Bedwetter pants at night and I reckon she is still doing at least 1, if not 2 wees in her sleep or first thing on waking.

Friend's DS is 3 in a couple of weeks and he is not ready for PT yet and isn't interested at all. So no need to worry - they almost all manage it eventually.

MUMINAMILLION · 28/08/2004 14:57

I left all of my dds until they were 2 1/2 before thinking about potty training. 2 of them were definately ready - they were dry from day 1. The other two had a couple of accidents and I put them back in nappies for a few weeks and tried again at which time they were ready. I feel that there is terrific pressure on parents to have their little ones out of nappies at a very early age. Undoubtedly some are ready around 2 yrs or even earlier, but even if they are ready, I dont think there is any harm in keeping them in nappies until YOU are also ready. My biggest advice would be, dont rush it, dont be pressurised by anyone else and only try it when you have the time and circumstances to give it a go. If it doesnt happen first time so what, but the longer you leave it the more chance of instant success! Also, 2 of mine instantly hated the potty but were happy to use a toilet trainer seat instead. Finally, my youngest is now 3 1/2 yrs and is still in pullups at night - she's not ready to come out of them yet but we'll try in a month or so. All the best

Podmog · 28/08/2004 15:14

Message withdrawn

Roobie · 28/08/2004 18:17

I haven't started with my dd yet and she is 2yrs 4months. I am sure that she would make good progress if I started but to be honest it is finding the time to do it - I work 3 days/week and on my days off we are always busy out and about. Not to mention the fact that we have just got expensive new carpets throughout the house and I do not relish the accidents! I am determined not to worry though and ignore the fact that most of her contemporaries are fully dry (particularly the girls) - the stress is definitely down to other peoples expectations. I am hoping the later I leave it the quicker it will be - it just seems too much like training a puppy otherwise. The older they are, the more developed their language skills and understanding - they can surely just be told what to do and do it! Or am I kidding myself?

MUMINAMILLION · 28/08/2004 20:12

Definately not Roobie. I have got to say that potty training was the easiest milestone we faced just because we left it so late. I remember my friends saying proudly that their child was now potty trained whilst running behind them frantically with the potty trying to catch flying missiles ! We saved ourselves so much frustration and stress by not even talking about it until they were 2 and a half. There were virtually no accidents atall (wee's or the other!) from day one with two of them. The others 2 had accidents the first day so I immediately put them back in nappies for a few weeks. They definately needed it because when we tried again it there were no problems. It really does save an awful lot of worry if you leave it until they (and you) are more than ready (no panicking about having to go to your friends house and an accident occurring on their brand new white carpet because your child is 'potty trained'!). By the way, ours were making signs that they knew things were happening in their nappies very early on, but they definately were a long way off from being ready to be out of them. Although they might be aware of when they are weeing etc, doesnt mean to say they can control it. Its just a good sign that they are developing naturally.

Piffleoffagus · 28/08/2004 20:14

ds was 31 mths, left him as long as he would put up with a nappy, he was dry day and night within the first 9 days
dd is 21 mths tells me when she has wee'd and pooed, still am leaving it til next summer...
I am in the school of unless the show REAL desire then leave it as late as poss

sportyspice · 28/08/2004 20:38

dd1 was potty trained at 20 months which was when she was aware of going to the toilet but all children are different. I'd just had dd2 so in all honesty could have done with her in nappies for a bit longer but i didn't want to discourage her if she felt ready. You sound a very laid back person so don't rush and continue going with the flow...so to speak!!

Original poster

Joanne69 · 29/08/2004 20:58

Thanks for all getting back to me, think we will leave it, we are off to Australia for a month in Nov staying with relatives, dont think I could cope with accidents firstly on a plane and then in somebody elses house.

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