Can I start at 18 months? How?!

[woowa]

DD is nearly 18 months, DC due Feb, when DD will be 2.

DH can't change nappies because of disability. (Therefore I can't leave DD with him for sustained periods, he can't go out with her without me).

I would like to have DD out of nappies by the time DC2 arrives because honestly the thought of being the sole nappy changer for 2 DCs, while BFing and with chronic lack of sleep makes me want to cry. From what I've been reading on MN most people seem to wait til about 2.5/3 years to start, but me and sibs and DH and his sibs were all out of nappies before 2, so presumably it can be done. Extra motivation is that we use washables!

Is it too young? What should I read to help me know what to do?

Thanks!

I'm no expert, but it seems possible to me. We started putting DD on the potty before her bath around 18 months - after a while she started weeing in it every day so she had clearly clicked what the point was. She kept on in her nappy though. At around 2 I just took her out of nappies & took her to the potty a lot. Ended up using chocolate buttons! Like you I had an incentive to train her (we were going travelling for 3 months & I didn't want to drag nappies around). It took at least 4 weeks of fairly regular accidents but she's been reliably dry since 2y 1m or so.

You can, as long as you realise you are training you to recognise when she needs to go, because at 18 mo she is incapable of controlling her bowels/ bladder herself. You can condition her to go, and I know people who have done it, but honestly nappies are a million times easier than potties and toilets.

I think you can but will have to deal with lots of accidents (changes o clothes, mopping up floors etc) as opposed to waiting till she is a bit older andshows signs she is ready and will 'train' easier with very few accidents.

IME, I would much rather change nappies where poo and wee are (mostly) contained than emptying dirty pants and mopping up wee from the floor!

i started sitting dd1 on potty at 18 months as she would tell me wee and poo and instantly wanted changing. from 18 months she did all poos on potty and did some wees although was still in pull ups. then i put her on potty regularly and told her to try and keep pull up dry which she did. from 21 months we had a week in house bare and left her to it and she got the hang of going without prompting, she has been in pants since 21 months. although was in night nappies till almost 3.