So what potty training techniques did our mothers use ?

[RudyVonLasagne]

We always hear that 'my Tarquin was trained by the time he was a year old' or similiar, and have to endure our mums tutting when our own children are still in nappies at 3. And we are now told we shouldn't train so early. But what techniques did they use when we were babies, and has it had any lasting effect on us as adults ?

No not that old. Was born late 60s, and not everyone was 'forward thinking' even then...

My mum says the same about my bro (dry and clean day and night by 12mo), and I wasn't much older. (I am 35 btw).
I think they were;

• with them more (or there were more SAHM's).
• had to wash nappies with less equipment than nowadays (we didn't have an automatic washing machine until I was nearly a teen, had a twin tub before that).
• had less groups to go to, and less transport, so were probably at home more.
• learned about parenting from their parents, and didn't have as much or easy access to new information (i.e. studies by nappy manufacturers saying that later training is better). All gross generalisations I know. Doesn't seem to have had any effect on me as an adult, I don't like pooing in public loos, but don't think that is down to early potty training.

When I was a toddler the only nappies that were available were terry ones. I think our parents were more likely to try and train us earlier because

a) the nappies would get wet quite quickly
b) it was a real chore to keep washing and drying them (remember this was pre tumble drier days)

My mum said she would take off the nappy and try and catch a poo in the potty from about one year old. There was no real concious effort on the child's part.

Has had no effects on me that I am aware of. (sorry for rushed post - ds is shouting, can't concertrate)

But how did they do it ? Did they just strap a potty to the kids arse or what ? It's bad enough trying it at nearly 3. I can't see how you could possibly get a 1 year old to understand the whole concept tbh.

I understand the reasons for doing it - ie washing loads of nappies, but am just intrgued as to how...

my ds1 was on the potty from 9mo (still in nappies), he definately had a concept of it, just wasn't very good. I suppose you just work atit more.

sigh - my son has just filled his nappy...back later...

some babies poo at regular times so would just put on the potty at those times and made to stay there until they had done something. Gap between being able to sit up and being able to crawl would have been the best time to start.

one year olds more easily distracted (and compliant) than 3 year olds ime.

we were trained in the summer so no bottoms on in garden did no harm! mom says we were all trained before 12mo!
my dd 13mo and showing all the signs but doesnt like the potty

Bear in mind that as you get older your mind plays tricks on you and you say what you want to be true rather than what actually was true - if my mother is anything to go by at least. She insists I was potty trained before 18 months which to me means using the toilet like everyone else, but the other day I found a picture of me at my second birthday, in front of the cake, sitting on the potty!

well thers slight difference between potty trained and toilet trained!
we were potty trained trialling my 13mo dd potty training, but she doesnt like the potty so will most likely leave it a while then toilet train her

I have a vivid memory of falling down the toilet and my auntie finding me and phsl - I was there for some time I seem to recall.

Also remember feeling scared of my mum shouting at me for making a mess, when I wet myself, on at least 2 specific occasions. While this has had no lasting effect, I can still remember it vividly. Obviously my mum's technique involved getting pissed off that her children made a mess

I am an old bag...no disposables in 1964 just terry squares..Mum was a 1950s style nursery nurse and believed in "holding out"..ie when I was fed I was held over a potty before and after B/fing and at every sign that I needed to go from birth....I was out of nappies day and night by 9 months...my brother was born in 1971 and he took longer to hold his bladder so wasnt out of towelling knickers untill 1 months

My mum told me that she started training me from a few months old, on her lap holding the pot under me usually after a feed/meal, but wearing a nappy in between times. This continued until I was trained.She did this to avoid dirty nappies, which she had to hand-wash.
I had a tiny baby pink potty which I told mum was too small whenI was 2, and she bought another which was very unstable if you leaned too far backwards (it was a round bowl shaped thing with a rim that you sat on and a handle on the side.) I remember being told off for wet pants as a 3yr old, and mum despaired of me ever being dry at night, but it happened before I went to school. I can remember desperately holding onto the sides of the big toilet seat so as not to fall in. Step stools were unheard of. There were never any sweets or bribes of any sort only verbal praise when successful and often telling off when not! It was something you learned or got scolded.
Mum was at home full time during late 50s early 60s.
This method sounds very similar to Elimination Communication, but without the subtlety of watching the baby's behaviour and picking up on their signals
I'm amazed I haven't developed any toilet related anxieties as a result of the scoldings, but I did poo in the garden once aged 3 when I was angry with mum over something. I got such a smack......