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

Original poster

What age is best to start potty training? My friends have told me to start now??!

21 replies

Bennj · 30/09/2007 20:10

My son is 14 months old and thought I would start potty training him at 2-2.5 but after speaking with friends last night they said I should start introducing a potty now... I presumed it would be when he could tell me he needed a wee?!

They said I should put him on the potty before bath time etc to get him used to it.

I need some advice on this as I have never done anything like this before!!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Tutter · 30/09/2007 20:12

14 months? are your friends in their 60s?

nah, there isn't a right age afaik

but typical is 2ish i think

ds1 is 2.4 and not yet ready imho

NotADragonOfSoup · 30/09/2007 20:15

Putting him on the potty before bath time etc to get him used to it is not the same as potty training Nothing wrong with getting him used a a potty.

saadia · 30/09/2007 20:16

I didn't bother till my dss were 2.5yrs at the earliest, they picked it up fairly easily. I think 14mths is way too young.

Did your friends put their dcs on the potty at that that age?

A friend of mine started her dds using the potty at around 18mths, she just spent a lot longer on the whole process, they weren't fully trained until the age of 2.

I think the advice is that it's time to start when they become aware that their nappy is wet/dirty.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

paddingtonbear1 · 30/09/2007 20:18

your friends are right about introducing the potty, but not about the age - 14 months far too young imho. I wouldn't even attempt before 2 yo. Dd was 2.8 and I did it following pressure from in-laws and dh - dd wasn't ready though and it took ages!

KindMum · 30/09/2007 20:19

Start trying every six weeks or so from around 2 and expect things to work closer to 3? In terms that the child won´t be having "accidents" all the time but will have a high degree of control over functions.

14 months is a joke. Unless you want to make yourself miserable holding your DS over the potty all day or think it is easier to deal with accidents than put on nappies. Bear in mind that boys are physically incapable of managing their equipment until much much older. MAybe sb else can give the exact age?

yomellamoHelly · 30/09/2007 20:30

Ds1 is 4 in three weeks and is only just potty trained. First day was a 'mare and after that was easy-peasy. Have had a few accidents when too pre-occupied playing and round friends houses, but they've been relatively few and far between. Friends who've potty trained earlier had the stress of it for weeks and then also accidents for months after, so am glad I was so lazy.

BonyM · 30/09/2007 20:40

I had a potty in the bathroom from about 18mths (but it was dd1's old potty so was in the house anyway).

Every now and then would suggest that dd2 try it but she showed no interest for ages. Started using it regularly at 2.2 and now at 2.6 is dry day and night with only the occasional accident.

Have a friend whose ds is the same age but he shows no interest whatsoever.

They're all different and you really need to wait until your ds shows an awareness of being wet/dirty and will voluntarily sit on the potty.

mangojuice · 30/09/2007 21:23

And bear in mind that it's not just about them being able to perform on the potty when you put them there- you need them to be able to get their trousers/ pants up and down on their own, wipe themselves and wash their hands. 14 months way too early in my opinion.

BabiesEverywhere · 01/10/2007 18:43

Even the pampers spokesman Dr Brazelton recently admitted that babies can be taught to use a potty at birth or in the second 'window' at 14 to 18 months old but he reckoned that you should wait until later...but as his job is to sell nappies of course he would say wait

Why not take advantage of your childs current 'window' and introduce a potty. He might like to play with it, even if he doesn't want to use it yet but he might surprise you

Good luck

Roskva · 01/10/2007 18:54

That' interesting, BE. My 13 month old is definitely aware of when her nappy is dirty - she cries and fusses immediately after a poo. But she doesn't voluntarily sit on anything

mumiyumi · 01/10/2007 19:27

We have a potty around before bath, is very willing to sit on it (well he might not be after today!!!) My son is just two, language is excellent so after feeling pressured from in-laws gave in and he's been in pants today, but had 6 sets of wet clothes in 3 hrs! So me thinks (as i did before) he's not ready so gonna leave it for a while.

PanicPants · 01/10/2007 19:35

Ds is 2.1. We have had a potty around since he was about 18 months and he would play on it and climb over etc. At around 21 months he began to wee and poo in it whenever he was naked. He did this until he was 23 months. When he turned 2 I started to put him in pants during the day, and generally he now will get through the day without an accident and asks for the potty. So we kind of did it at his own pace.

However, he is now a real PAIN. It is such a hassle now. He has twigged that if he is stuck in his buggy/cot/high chair/trolly all he has to do is ask for a potty and we run around getting him it/or a toilet if we are out.

Really wish I'd waited, but don't want to regress him

PSCMUM · 01/10/2007 19:48

14 months????

thjat is totally ridiculous. Safe yourself about a year of hassle and wait. ITs not a race!

ANd if you leave it til they;re older it takes so much less time to do it - my oldest was trained at 2, in 5 days. Next one trained at 2.5 in 5 days, and the youngest is just two, and is going to be trained when she is a bit older!
cannot be dealing with all they wee-ey washing.

bubblagirl · 01/10/2007 19:53

i started sitting my ds on a potty when he was 12mths just to get used to it he then refused when come of age to sit on it had battles on getting him to sit back on it when he was 2.3 he took alot of chocolate buttons and smily faces and started taking himself and now winter has come given up again he is 2.5 but still get him to go on when changing nappy so he is sstill used to going

you kind of spot when they are ready ad when you are fighting alost cause my ds loved taking himself to potty but now as its cold has given up so i will start again soon slowly

but now is ok to sit on when changing nappy no harm in it at all

Hulababy · 01/10/2007 20:00

I PTd DD at 24 months within 2-3 days. It worked fast because it was DD that took the lead and I followed her. At that stage she was able to take her own trousers down and telll me she neded to go and could control her bladder to keep it in for a few minutes until we got to a toilet. Her language and comprehension skills were good which I felt was essential in making it a quick process.

If you do it before they are ready it will takes weeks or months, and far more hassle for you.

Nothing wrong with introducing a potty so he gets used to it however. That can help children at a later date sometimes.

Some children are ready for early PTing, but you tend to know this yourself if it is your child IMO.

And 14 months is very early. Normally more like 2.5, with some children about 2, others around 3yo.

Hulababy · 01/10/2007 20:02

Oh and if you start too early before the child is ready you can store up problems for yourself. Friend's DS was very reluctant and actually ended up making himself very sore and in pain from the refusal to go whenn not in a nappy. Ended up at HV and.or GP IIRR, and then having to scrap PT for a few weeks and trying again later. And that little boy was almost 3 at the time IIRR, and still not ready.

BabiesEverywhere · 01/10/2007 20:08

Hulababy,

Research has shown that problems like your friends little boy has/had are linked to late potty training i.e. Starting potty training later than 18 months old and/or punishing accidents.

If they had started at 18 months (or earlier) he would be less likely to have the problems you noted.

With most children it doesn;t matter when you start i.e At birth or 4 years old. But some children NEED to have access to a potty earlier and have the chance to exercise their bladder muscles to prevent future issues.

Hulababy · 01/10/2007 20:09

Little boy had access to a potty from before 18 months. Was definitely NOT ready then. Even when DD was PTd before him - he is a few months older - he was not interested.

Hulababy · 01/10/2007 20:10

Interestingly when a few weeks later, just after turning 3yo, when he decided he was ready he cracked PTing in a couple of days with no problems at all.

kiskidee · 01/10/2007 20:11

i took my lead from dd and waited till she showed interest in toileting - hers and ours. we bought the potty round about a yr old and it wasn't till she was after 2 that she took any interest in toileting.

i don't believe in stressing myself and my baby out over things like this and prefer to take the path of least resistance.

at 2.5 she did her first poo on the potty with no encouragement from us and did many wees on the big toilet before rediscovering her potties and preferring those now.

she isn't fully dry yet but i hardly get wet clothes as she is normally bombing around the house nekkid - and potties herself or in nappy and dressed.

our very reasonable hv said she wished more parents were as laid back as i was (dd is a late talker, awkward eater, and still cosleep because she likes her midnight drinks too) and not make so much work for themselves and their babies.

mabel1973 · 03/10/2007 16:11

i bought a potty for DS when he was about 20 months, purely because he picked one up in mothercare and wanted it.
He started going on it before his bath but that was it, when he turned 2 he started taking his nappy off at playgroup and following the older boys to the loo, so I tried to train him then, needless to say he was too young and had that many accidents i couldn't keep up with the washing.
I tried again at the beginning of the summer hols, and it is only in the last 2 weeks that he has been accident free, he is now 2.9.
So In my experience i would let your DS take the lead. there is no way at 14 months that they are aware enough of what they are doing to be able to be potty trained, I think you would be making life very difficult for yourself!

Flip