2.5yr toddler and a baby on the way

[duebaby2]

I’m due baby 2 in December and I need some advice with my toddler. My son is still in his cotbed with bars on and not potty trained. Obviously we want him in his cotbed with bars off by the time he’s 3 and him starting potty training before new baby is here.

Is this doable? What should come first?

We’ve decided to make a conscious effort to put him on the toilet on a training seat (he hates the potty) in a morning as we found he’d pull down his nappy just enough to pop out his bits and wee into his cot first thing in a morning. I honestly have no clue how to do this toilet training.

I don’t have to worry about trailing up and downstairs when baby is here for the toilet as we have a downstairs toilet which will come in really handy.

Why does he need the bars off? If he sleeps well and doesn’t climb over there’s no need to rush him into a bed.

Bear in mind that when baby arrives he is likely to regress with sleep and toilet training whenever you decide to train.

Is he telling you when he needs a wee/poo? Does he come find you to change him straight away? Is he aware of what needing a wee feels like? Without all these I wouldn’t start toilet training, as he isn’t likely to be ready.

If he is, get the Oh Crap toilet training book, it’s really good.

I don't understand the rush to take the side off the cot. Why not leave it until it's necessary?

Mine are older now but my instinct would be to keep the bars on so at least you have him contained while you are dealing with the baby (unless he climbs out).

Hi, my DD has just turn 3 and I’m due in 7 weeks so a similar age gap. Someone suggested to me that anything you want the older one to do by the time the baby comes to start 6 months before. Potty training only takes a couple of weeks so you have plenty of time but it sounds like he ready and you want it to be completely the norm before the baby arrives.

I would do the cot first because it sounds like he may need to get himself up and wee as soon as he wakes up. My DD never slept in a cot so I can’t help with that one.

For potty training read the ‘Oh crap, it’s time to potty train’. There was a few things I ignored but it worked really well for us.

No rush to take the bars off but baby will be in the same room next June so I ideally wanted it done before then so he isn't getting up and bugging the baby during the night.

As for toilet training he can say poo but not wee and doesn't express he needs to go but I think that's because he's still struggling to communicate.

Work on language, maybe try some signs and teach him to pull his trousers up and down. It’s normal for children to not realise they need a wee until after they have started potty training.

I found the move to a bed was very easy, my son has been happy with no bars since he was two. Sometimes he falls out and wakes up but it’s so low it doesn’t really matter. The falling out happens a lot less now he’s three and has got more used to it. In the morning he will get out of bed and play in his room till the groclock comes on.

Another recommendation for the book "oh crap", it's brilliant and has been a great guide for us.

I agree with previous poster about leaving the bars on the cotbed until it starts being dangerous or you are expecting LO to take themselves to toilet through the night if needed. If it does becomes unsafe to leave toddler in cotbed , apparently baby gate on the toddlers bedroom and safeguard the room, is a good way forward.

My DS climbed out of his cotbed this morning fir the 1st time and came into our room to wake me once his grow clock turned to sunshine, so we will have to lower mistress again, if poss or start the process of teaching him to stay in bed with no side on his cot 😂😂😂

But yeah completely doable with 6 months to go - potty training a few week.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll be fine

He sleeps in our bed without any issues when unwell and has slept a night in a single bed when visiting family so I think his cot change should be fairly easy.

He knows how to climb out of his cot but he's never attempted it fully.

We've no toys as such in his room just books that could be a distraction, we usually just put him a teddy and a book on his drawers if he wakes up early or has trouble falling asleep, we have the gro clock but still not introduced it - no idea how to introduce it.