Is he ready at 20 months??

[moojie]

My ds is just 20 months and for the past 2 months or so has told me when he is doing a poo/wee.The last couple of weeks he has come to tell me (only if I am nearby)when he needs a poo.I usually say it's ok you can do a poo and he goes in his nappy.

Today we were out and about and he told me he needed to do a poo (usual time in the morning)I said it's ok etc but he said no and then didn't do one. Didn't think too much of it until we got to granny's and then he asked again and did do it in his nappy this time.

He only occassionally says when he is doing a wee but not before. He wears reusable nappies so we flush the poo down the toilet and he tells me the nappy is wet or dirty when changing him.

He just seems too young? Don't want to cause problems for the future.

Thanks

Totally possible. Get him a potty or padded toilet seat and see what he makes of it. Obviously only on his own terms and if he isn't happy then back off. Make potty time fun - have a couple of nice books so he can practice sitting, praise him if he gets it right.

My DD did not have a soiled nappy from about a year, and was dry in the day by 22 months and dry at night a month later. All done at her own pace, we just provided the opportunity.

You will get lots of people on here who will tell you it is far too early, but I think our kids can be a lot smarter than maybe we give them credit for.

DD1 was 20 months when we trained her - she wore reuseables and was weeing through 2 layers of cloth (as she drinks loads) so it was train her or go into disposables.

She had been going red in the face (in fact her whole head, like an octopus) from 10 mths when she pooped so rather than deal with the poo, we would put her on the loo on a insert seat. By your son's age, she was banging her nappy when wet or needing a poop.

It took about 4 days for her to get the hang of it (with plenty to drink so she didn't get bored and a potty near by at all times, plus about 40 pairs of pants that first week) but we did it. After that we had maybe one or two accidents a week for about six months - but then that's only one change of clothes rather than loads of nappies.

Go for it and see what happens - you can always go back into nappies. Our tips

• use a hit/miss/tried chart to keep track of his progress (as it can be quite difficult to see the wood for the trees),
• get a Potette for out & about and a Piddle Pad (we got several cheap off Ebay) for the car seat,
• reward with chocolate buttons (or a similar immediate treat) as they are too young at that age to understand a star chart or similar delayed gratification
• get a sturdy potty chair similar to this as the old-fashioned type are too light & tend to scoot away from needy bottoms.
• remember they are learning to do something pretty difficult so keep a sense of perspective - could you learn to roller skate in a few days?

Good luck & it is possible - my friend trained her 20 mth son last year (as had DS2 arriving in a month later & only wanted one set of reusables in use).

Thank you so much for you advice and tips.

I think I'll get one of those potty chairs and just try for poo's initially and see what he does.

I am so glad you have posted this note as i am starting potty training with my 23 month old today. We had all the same thoughts about training her but as she has shown so much interest in toilet and potty recently thought it would be a good idea to embrace the interest. Up to now we have gone through 5 pairs of pants and i am sure by the end of the day there will many more but she seems happy and is loving the experience so i will go with it. I am not really bothered that she is younger than other children going through potty training and it may be a bonus in the end. good luck with your DS x

Hi - my DS1 used a potty on and off from around 20 months -he was in disposable pull ups - and would go off and use one sometime - and also sit and watch the TV doing a pool - but we didn't go to no nappies until he was 2 and 3 months - he was dry and clean pretty quickly at that point - so in your case I would get a potty and get him used to using it at home and then see -

I trained my DS1, at 24 months on the dot (he is now 3 and a bit) . But to be honest i think he was busy giving me signs much much earlier than that. We did it in 2 weeks...it was all him, he made it easy and amazingly he from that point also started waking in the night to pee despite being in night time pull ups, he refused to wee in them.

This was partly good, partly hard. Obviously lucky me did not need to night train...and he has only had 3 night time accidents in a whole year. Down side was that his new baby bro arrived when he was 22 months and so i was waking with very young baby plus DS1 twice a night!!!! his bladder could not make it through the night until a few months ago despite cutting down on drinks after 6pm etc

SOooooo..... now DS1 is having few accidents in day (laziness + novelty has worn off) and now DS2 who is only 15 months tells me he is doing a 'zee zee' and his nappy is warm. He watches his brother pee. and is obsessed with putting pants on over ALL his outfits!!! Today he did his business on the loo totally led by him.....so should i even attempt to go further?????????? I am sure i hear of the odd story my parents and their friends tell of very early potty training but....not sure if this is TOO early even for my standards...