How old was your little one when you started to potty train?

[meganm94]

DD is 14 months (first child) and we've been sitting her on the potty at nappy changes since she could walk at 11 months. She's very comfortable with the potty and recently has started to do a few wees on it when we've sat her on. Hubby is going to pick some pull ups up tonight and we're going to start sitting her on a bit more often. I've also recently found out that I'm pregnant with DC2 so the goal is to have her in knickers before baby arrives (July 2021 so plenty of time).

How old was your DC when you toilet trained? Any toilet training tips would be appreciated! Me and DH were both nursery nurses so not complete novices haha, but pointers would still be nice as it's always different with your own!

Tia x

Mine were both about 2. I did the ‘oh crap’ method which took about 2-3 days and then they were broadly done (with the odd accident). It’s a very helpful book, I recommend reading it!

Both about 2 and a half.

Also recommend the Oh Crap potty training book. We trained at 21/22 months.

Personally I think 14 months is too young but everyone's child and circumstances is different. For my DD she was a couple of months off 3 years and we cracked it in a weekend. Doing it at 14 months just means it's going to take a lot longer and I worked full time and with DD in full time childcare we couldnt expect the childminder to support such a long process. Also neither childminder or I were fans of potty's especially where kids are taught to use it any room of the house - by age 3 DD was much more comfortable going straight to use the loo and could much more easily vocalise when she needed to go

2 and a half when she started taking her pull offs off. Not a single accident. So I'd wait until they are showing you they are ready ig you want an easy life.

2 years and a month. We tried before but dd just wasn’t ready. Didn’t even want to sit on the pot.
We didn’t use pull ups, straight to knickers so she knew when she was wet. She was trained within in the week.

thanks ladies, I'm not planning on fully toilet training her any time soon, we just want her to be comfortable with using the potty and since she's been doing wees when we've sat her on at nappy changes thought it can't do any harm to try pull ups and then she can sit on it more often if she shows an interest (she will often bring her potty over to sit on it in front of the TV for example). We're definitely not planning on trying her in knickers until at least 18 months and even then it totally depends on her x

Not trained one of my own yet but have supported many parents in training nursery aged children 2+.

The thing that stood out about your post was this sentence.

She's very comfortable with the potty and recently has started to do a few wees on it when we've sat her on.

It appears she has no knowledge of knowing she actually needs the toilet and she's not actively taking herself there or making the connection to go to the potty before she needs a wee. It honestly sounds like she isn't anywhere near ready to train.

I'd leave it until she actually understands she needs to go to the potty instead of her doing it when your putting her there.

Your just setting yourself up for monthsof stress, washing wet clothes and clearing up accidents. Trying to tackle it all so early is also much more likely to lead to hwr having toileting issues such as with holding.

Exactly 22 months.
Took 3 days.

Although everyone is different, I really don't understand the idea of dragging it out when it doesn't need to be.

We simply introduced the potty one day and that was it.

I think lots of people over complicated potty training when really it's a simple task

@ariettesmall I agree 100%! Working in a nursery me and DH saw so many children still in nappies at 3+ years (obviously in some cases the children have SEN which is totally understandle) but a lot of the time it is down to parents wanting an easy life!

I think people are getting the wrong end of the stick with what I've said. I'm not planning on throwing her into toilet training at 14 months but I do want to familiarise her with the potty early so that when we do come to do it in the not too distant future, it's not a massive shock to the system x

I do want to familiarise her with the potty early so that when we do come to do it in the not too distant future, it's not a massive shock to the system

A genuine question but why do you think it would be a shock? Surley it would be more confusing to allow her to use the potty as a chair that she occasionally wees into anf to then expect her to know to only use it to go to the toilet than if you were to introduce it solely as an aid for potty training?

Another vote for the "Oh Crap" book/method. A rule of thumb the book suggests is if they can sing the ABC song, they are ready (as shows they can learn and follow a pattern). Defo keep doing the potty thing as the association can only help. eg. put her on it for ten minutes before bath time every night etc.

About 20 months. Next July is definitely achievable.

@LittleMissLockdown

I do want to familiarise her with the potty early so that when we do come to do it in the not too distant future, it's not a massive shock to the system

A genuine question but why do you think it would be a shock? Surley it would be more confusing to allow her to use the potty as a chair that she occasionally wees into anf to then expect her to know to only use it to go to the toilet than if you were to introduce it solely as an aid for potty training?

I do agree with this too. Not many kids find the potty to be a massive shock, whenever it is introduced.

DD1 was 2.5/3. DD2 was 2 and something.

I felt that the best method was for them to ask to go. DD2 had learned from DD1, sure. With DD1 I realised that trainer pants don't work. She felt something between her legs and she just went. Naked it is! (Summer dresses are great for this ) Then she started asking to PUT THE DIAPER ON!!! So she could pee in the diaper!

All kids are different. My two were both lazy moos who didn't "get" it until late on - oldest was just 3, youngest was 2 and a half. Youngest was done and dry at night too within a few days. Oldest kept her night time pull ups until the "nappy fairy" took them away when she was nearly 5.

Plenty of my friends kids were potty trained much earlier, and MIL would bang on about how my SIL kids were potty trained from birth, but I learned to ignore that and be guided by my children.

@LittleMissLockdown maybe that was the wrong term to use, I just don't want her to reach a certain age and then bombard her with the whole potty/toilet thing, it be a whole new concept to her and make it a big deal, especially as she will be turning 2 just after DC2 is due and starting nursery so there will be enough changes going on in her life around that time as it is.

I'd rather it just be something she's always known and that's always been around and if she shows an interest in wanting to sit on it, even if it is to just watch TV for five minutes, or if she wees on it at nappy changes, surely it's more detrimental for me to not even acknowledge that or show her any sort of encouragement? I'd rather just take our time with it and let her go at her own pace with it, even if it takes a year for her to be fully toilet trained, than wait until she hits 2/3 years old and try to rush through it to get it done x

Oh Crap method is very against having the potty around prior to potty training. Advises that toddlers will get used to it, think it’s a toy/chair etc..

I’m afraid I really wouldn’t go for drip feeding the potty training. The only mums I know who have had major problems are the ones who tried this. I understand the logic but children don’t seem too! The ones who just ‘went for it’ are the ones who are consistently dry. I know parents still dealing with pooey pants YEARS after potty training. They’re all the ones who started ‘gently’. I think ids seem to learn that potty is fun/optional and then you need to get them to ‘unlearn’ that.

Mine was almost 3. I knew when he was ready, and we bypassed the potty, straight to toilet after one day of towels everywhere and no pants. No night time accidents. I just ignored my mum who kept telling I was leaving it too late and my brother and I were trained by a year old. ( I doubt we were!)

Potty trained from birth?! What?!

They were reliably trained at 21 months and 23 months. I think you're doing the right thing Op.

23 months and 20 months here, so still early in comparison with the norm these day days but not as little as yours. Both were very easy to train and we didn’t have any issues. If they are ready they will get it.

No harm in just having the potty around and talking about it. You’ve got plenty of time. It’s bloody cold to be running about with no bottoms on at the moment mind! We did Easter both times, but warmer then.

well, ds was 2.2 and we moved country and went to stay with my parents and dd1 was due. he decided he wanted to use the loo like his cousins and trained himself (day times only) in a couple of days.

dd1 was very slow, nearly 3 and had accidents well into primary school. Never had a good 'I need to wee' sensation.

dd2 was 18 month sand we had a paddling pool out, she went and got the potty and put it next to the pool and kept getting out of the pool and weeing in the potty!

So that was her done.

Really have never got all the stress about potty training.

2.5 here (speech delay so we waited until she could say wee and poo). I don't think it is a shock for them really - they know you go to the toilet and don't wear nappies so its not like it's a brand new idea. We did oh crap and all done in a matter of days, with only a small handful of accidents since then. Like PP friends who have been drip feeding the potty for ages still seem to be having problems months down the line.