18 month old doing poos in the potty - not sure what to do next, please help kind experienced mums who know what they are doing!!!

[GetThePartyStarted]

I am completely clueless. Have no idea what I should be doing.

18 month old DS is very clear about when he needs a poo/wee and I have got into the habit of asking him if he wants to do it on the potty (which he always does with poos, sometimes with wees). Almost all of his poos are done on the potty (shows no interest in the potty at nursery which is odd - or is it? No idea!!!) and probably 2/3 wee's a day. He wees in his nappy when he is having fun and not near a potty and so doesn't tell me he wants to go, not that that is a problem of course, as he is very little and not potty training anyway!!!!

I wasn't planning on potty training him until at least 2.5, or he asked for it, but perhaps this is asking for it? I don't want to try to train him if he isn't completely ready and then have negative associations.

The thing is, I don't really think he is ready to be completely potty trained and I have been told by nursery today that sometimes using the potty and sometimes not is confusing and will put him off potty training in the future. He is really keen on telling me and using the potty (probably due to the positive attention?), so I don't if ignoring him would put him off either? I'm not really sure what to do for the best, please help.

If he is asking to use the potty and being successful in using it then he is ready.

My DD started this at 16 months and is now fully trained in the day at 2.3.

She found poos easier and like your DS often missed with the wees as she was distracted, but the more you encourage them and allow them to use potty the more aware they become of when they need to go.

It is not suprising that he doesn't use it at nursery as there are many distractions. Get him completely confident at home with wees and poos first then try to introduce at nursery. He will have accidents so take several changes of clothes with him to nusery when you reach this stage.

Children can sometimes go backward a stage if they are ill or have some kind of emotional upset, if this happens don't force the issue, just go back a stage make it fun (i.e. silly potty songs for wees and poos in the potty) and give lots of praise.

Good luck x

That's great. So you're catching his poos and some wees and not getting wee on the floor? Excellent. Why would using the pot sometimes confuse him? Why would you want him to poo in a nappy when he is able and willing to do it on the pot?
My 23 month old DD2 does some wees on the toilet, I haven't caught a poo yet and wears a nappy the rest of the time. Soon I will just brave it out and go without a nappy, but I know that she doesn't take herself to the pot/toilet when she needs to go so it'll be up to me to know when she needs a wee.
I'd keep as you are and then when you feel you have the time try him without a nappy, but remember if he has an accident it's not a big deal and is probably your fault as he may not know when he needs a wee .
I haven't read any of the books and just use common sense and instinct.

I think the relaxed approach is best. Your teaching him the natural way.

I would leave the potty in the room with him and just suggest that when he needs to go, he takes himself to the potty. Obviously do this when he is bear below.

I wouldn't worry about the toilet at this stage. Once he starts to take himself to the potty 9 times out of 10 slowly introduce the toilet.

With DD1 we used the pot for ages, but DD2 gets very excited about the toilet and sometimes refuses to go on the pot. I think a pot is better as she can decide when to go, but left to her own devices she just doesn't use it and when asked she says "no potty, toilet, flush chain, chocolate!!!"

We did part-time EC & DS did virtually all poos in the potty pretty much from starting solids but we didn't bother too much with wees until much later as the sensation of needing to do a wee has much less warning than a poo so it is not surprising they can control poo more first. It is very common for things to be different when out & about cos of the distractions & unfamiliar surroundings as already mentioned, so take warning!

I would carry on doing what you are doing & keep communicating about what the ultimate intention is, unless you feel you can take on the extra effort of ramping it up, eg using pull up pants at home. If he is spending a lot of time at nursery then it may not be worth it as I doubt you would get much co-operation from them. I certainly wouldn't do anything to make it go backwards from where he already is, unless it is somehow led by him.