Potty training from cloth nappies

[beetlebat]

Apologies if this has been asked 100 times before but this is my first ever visit to this forum.

For those who have used re-usable nappies: do you feel it made your DC ready for potty training any earlier? Or the process any quicker? Only asking as my DD is approaching 12mths and my Mum thinks that as she is in cloth nappies most of the time I can start around the same time she did for me and my siblings who were in terry nappies i.e. around about now. I've explained that most people don't even think about it until they're 2 these days but she argues that's because of disposables..... Any thoughts?

my 3 have all been in cloth

ds1 potty trained at just over 2 (at his instigation)
ds2 trained at 2.6ish (again, when he asked)
ds3 is 22 months and still in nappies

i would do it when they are showing signs of being ready, regardless of what nappies you use

To be honest in my experience of both cloth and disposable I don't think that the cloth nappies make much difference to readiness. I think what your mother probably means is not that cloth nappies make training any easier but that when everyone had their babies in cloth without the easy convenience of modern washing machines there was a much greater driver to get children out of nappies earlier, whereas now the convenience of disposables (and good washing machines meaning that cloth is easy and convenient too these days) means we no longer have that impetus to drive us. Any child CAN be potty trained by 18 months (they all used to be), but it is a lot more of an effort than training an older child and much more onus on the parent (i.e. even once 'trained' the onus is still on the parent to do regular potty trips and watch for signs rather than expecting the child to tell you). DD2 was in cloth and I trained her at 22 months as I was desperate to get her out of nappies and have a break for a couple of months before DS arrived. Training her was a lot more effort than training DD at 2.3, but for me it was worth it as I was so pleased to have a 4 month break from nappies. Haven't trained DS yet, thinking I will wait till he's more like 2 and a bit. My SIL 'trained' both her cloth babies from about 3 months (EC), worked for her as all poos in potty from about 9 months which was great, but she still didn't get them fully out of nappies until about 2.

My dd wore washables and refused to get out of them until she was nearly 3, when she potty trained in a day.

I thought 'being able to feel that they are wet' would help but, for my dd at least, it was more a psychological thing (she'd just hold on if I took her nappy off).

I don't think that cloth made any difference to my two. We decided DS1 was ready at 2 1/2 (and he possibly wasn't quite) and it took a while and still does have the odd accident at 5 when he's got his mind on other things and tbh he still doesn't care if he's wet. DS2 was mostly dry at 18 months and I'd take his bottom half clothes and nappy off while we were at home and he'd toddle along to the potty and sort himself out whenever he needed to; we gave him pants at 23 months when he was reliably dry - and haven't looked back at 3.

DS1 is still in washable night time pullups and needs them whereas DS2 doesn't need a nappy at night (although I haven't been brave enough to leave him out of it yet!).

Horses for courses!

i started ds1 at 26 months but had been trying the odd morning here and there for a few months before to give him the idea. i changed him loads so he could get used to being dry, put thinner inserts in so they were wet quicker and felt more like pants...nothing! he could wear a soaking, dirty nappy for hours without complaining. well at 26months after months of books and talking about it and lots of accidents he managed to control his bladder and use the potty. he was dry and in pants at home but not when we went out so we did potty training part time for a few months and he was fully in pants during the day at 29months. night times are another matter but he's not even 3 yet so it's not a big deal.

ds2 is 19months and can use the potty, tells us most of the time when he's done a poo but i'm not starting potty training yet cause he's happy in nappies, can't take himself to the potty on his own - i'm not leaving him 1/2naked all day yet cause it's too cold and we're in a different house with carpet everywhere, and we've just had another baby so i've got my hands full!

DS has been in cloth nappies since he was born; he has disposable night nappies (and has done for a while now, ever since having to change him in the middle of the night became an ishoo) but is in cloth during the day.
He is 3.4 nearly and just about showing adequate signs that potty training is nearly here - he likes weeing in the potty and does so every time we take his nappy off; he wants his nappy changed more often, as soon as it's wet - but he still doesn't seem to know exactly when he's going to wee, because last week I tried him again in pants - and he just wet them straight through, 5 mins after I had asked him if he wanted to do a wee - no no no mummy, no wee. 5mins later - all down his shorts/ legs/floor.
Also he's still struggling with taking his shorts off himself, so he needs more practice in that area.

He's nearly there...

Thanks all. Think I am now armed with enough evidence to convince my Mum it's way too early. Nelly I'm sure you're right- potty training used to happen earlier because terry nappies and no washing machines were a massive incentive!