Anyone interested introducing a potty to under 2yrs, no pressure just playing ?

[Babieseverywhere]

I did full time Elimination Communication (EC) with DD1 and she was dry and clean by 12 months. The early completion linked to the fact I had only one child to watch, love and parent.

I did part time EC with DS whom was capable of being dry and clean by 18 months and was whilst naked. But he couldn't see the point when clothed. He decided to be clean and dry in clothes at 2.11 yrs just before nursery ...phew

Now helping DC3, little DD2 currently 13 months old. Again we are part time ECing. Just offering the potty after changes, before baths and when she signs 'potty'.

To date she has just seemed to crack dirty nappies, getting the last four days of poo in a potty, signing and shouting when she does one. She hates sitting in poo. Hopefully another few weeks/months and she will be fully clean...lets see what happens.

Wee wise, we are a bit hit or miss. She likes to stand over the potty to wee (like her big brother use to) and sometimes she'll run to the potty and stand next to it, not sure how to get on sometimes I guess. So I dash over and pop her on.

I have decided to start giving her nappy free time Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday when the older children are at school and I can watch her careful and full time in nappies Thursday, Friday when her brother is home.

I give no rewards or punishment and if DD2 doesn't want to use the potty, I just pop a nappy on/under her. I just want her to be comfortable with knowing what the potty is for and how to use it, so when she decides to use it on her own, she'll already have the skills needed.

It doesn't matter to me if she is clean and dry from 18 months or 3years, whatever will be will be.

So anyone else want to join me for the long slow easy going road ?

Oh I know about nappy removal. My DD2 loves taking her cloth nappy off and running about naked ! Babies eh.

Just about to leave the house on the school run and she doesn't like her pram. So she signs 'toilet' and shouting 'poo'. Of course I take her out of pram strip her down pop her on the potty and she crawls off having done nothing. Think she likes the response and the getting out of the pram bit, LOL.

Treating pants like nappies is a common response, that is why I just keep her naked on the bottom half, it is easier.

Same her. She just puts both arms in the front of the nappy and pulls up, sigh :(

I find a backward over wrap and or body suit poppered underneath keeps her nappy on over night.

You know I said don't bother with pants, I should take my own advice. My little DD2 doesn't want nappies on and I am too busy to watch her carefully so after one wee in the potty and her nappy vanishing , I put her in Bright Bot training pants (hold a wee but get wet) and she loves them but has wee'd in three pairs this morning. LOL

Anyway off to make lunch and I'll wrestle her back into a nappy for her nap. Not that she wees in her sleep but just in case.

Sounds like you are doing well, good luck tomorrow.

We normally have the potty out downstairs but DD2 has taken a liking to the big toilet upstairs. The past two evenings she sat on it (on her seat) did a wee and refused to get off ! I kept trying to pick her up, but she shake her head 'no, no, no' So I'd let her have 2 minutes :)

They all do it in their own time :)

Can I ask some advice please?

DD is nearly 17mo and I'm pretty sure she's ready for potty training. We've got a potty, which she sits on without doing anything (and that's totally fine). She's also started pulling her dress or tshirt up just before pooing, so I'm fairly sure she knows what's about to follow. And she HATES having her nappy changed, and can easily pull them off (we're using cloth without poppers)

Trouble is, I work 4 days a week. For 2 days she's at nursery, the other 2 days she's with family (in disposables). At nursery, the baby room just isn't equipped for potty/toilet training. I'm going to ask for her to be moved up to the next room after christmas where they're used to potty training and have all the kit.

So, can I just do potty training on the days we're at home? Is it better to stay at home while we're starting, so she can get the idea embedded? She loves the outdoors, so we tend to go out a lot at the weekends. Or should I wait a couple of weeks until me and DH are at home for a week and give her a really solid week of trying it out? Will it not confuse her to have some nappy days and some potty days?

Sorry, meant to add - I don't want instant, magical results. Just a relaxed, no fuss transition. I just haven't got a clue where/how to start!

Yes, you can introduce the potty part time, i.e. when she is home with you.

It is easiest to keep them naked on the bottom half, keep potty in sight. At least to start with.

Best times to encourage potty use is first thing in morning, waking up from naps, just before a bath, after a nappy change or an accident. I find poo is usually preceded by breaking wind or a shout in DD2's case. She doesn't like sitting in poo.

When you leave the house I would use a nappy but tell her, she can ask and you'll take her to the toilet. My kids loved using supermarket and other toilets and would squeeze out a tiny wee on strange toilets to justify being taken, mad kids. A folding toilet seat is essential for tiny tots. We use a Potette Plus (toilet seat and travel potty in one, it is ace)

We introduce a hand signal so DC can tell us when they want to go but at 17 months I am guessing you can ask and get a vocal request.

anniemax, How ace :) It is lovely when you see them heading for the potty on their own or even better just finding a wee in a potty ;)

My DD2 asks to go on the big toilet every night, she bends forward so she can watch the wee fall down, loves flushing and waving goodbye to her wee, bless her.

Thank you. I'll see how we get on this weekend then

She's not much with the talking really, it takes her a long time to grasp a word, and even then only if it's something that's of utmost importance. Like banana, or this funny Welsh 'Ll' noise which means either Milk or Cat depending on the context Although it's definitely something I can work on with her.

We've been handed down a Potette with bags that attach(?) so I'll add that to the Mary Poppins bag that lives with the pushchair.

Thanks everyone. I'll come back!

StetsonsAreCool T & anniemac how are things going ?

My DD2 is using the big toilet every night before bed and always does a wee then.

I pop her on the potty if there is one nearby when she has a nappy change and if she signs. Properly catch a couple of wees and most poos. Glad she has nappies on the rest of the time ;)

May I join?

Out of ignorance about potty training o bought a potty chair for my DS when he was 7months. I figured once they can sit, why not plonk them on at nappy change and nappy free time?

DS now 9months and is clean. Not dry but at least no dirty nappies to wash!!

As OP says, mo bribes no rewards no punishment just introducing concept. We just say 'poo poo or pee pee on potty?'.

Baby perfectly happy producing massive turds on potty! The other week we were out and he made 'the face' so took him to baby change and hovered him over the loo. Hey presto big poopoo.

What has my life come to.

LOL, take it you are using cloth nappies (like us) so no pooey ones IS to be celebrated. :)

Sounds like you are doing very well :)

Can I join you please? I am thinking about potty training ds who is nearly 18mo. I am going to go in search of a potty and a pottette to buy tommorow and start to introduce the idea of it in the evenings to start with and go from there! New baby due at the end of Jan so it would be great to have him sorted by then!

Thanks for asking Babies. Truthfully, I'm being a bit lazy forgetful about offering the potty so we're not doing that great She sits on it for a few seconds, then remembers she wants to go and play. That's ok though, she'll get it eventually.

She's definitely getting closer to being ready though - the other morning she looked at me and said 'pa' while pulling at the waistband of her trousers. Then she pooed I didn't think she was that communicative, but she told me!!

This week we're changing her bedtime routine, to move the last bf so it's not immediately before cot, and I don't want her to have to think about too much change in one go [coward]. I've also got a week off work in a couple of weeks so I'm going to try potty training for real, as it were. But I will start offering it in the morning after her feed, and when we change her nappy for night time. I just need to remember!

Poppy, I should have done what you're doing! I could have been 8 months without dirty nappies to wash by now!

Can I join?
I've had a potty since DD was 10 months old, she is now almost 20 months, she knows what the potty is for and sits her toys in it but won't actually sit on it herself for any longer than a few seconds (she rarely sits still at all for long!)
She stays dry when naked and asks for (well, points to) a nappy if she needs to pee or holds it until the nappy is put on but I can't get her to sit on the potty at all.
I've got a toddler toilet seat but she won't sit on that for any length of time either.
Does anyone have any ideas how I can encourage her to sit on the potty/toilet?

My DS is 14 months and I would love to transition him slowly and in a relaxed way towards potty training. AT this stage all I do though (being totally clueless) is say "mummy's going for a wee" and he runs off to the bathroom, watches me wee hands me loo roll and excitedly watches the flush.

When he is having a poo, I say "poo. You're doing a poo", but I don't really get any warning when he going to do one, and he is really irregular - some days we get 3 or 4, others one at completely different times.

He also has no concerns at all at sitting in poo-he will often have a poo mid dinner and happily continue shovelling in food, only breaking off for a quick strain. Lovely.

So, how would you proceed from here? If he hasn't had a morning poo after milk or breakfast (or during) would you just pop him on the potty and say "time for a poo?"

This may be a silly question, but why? Surely there are more fun things to do with a toddler?

Well for me it's to avoid the horror stories on here about children still stressing and witholding and showing obvious fears associated with toileting. I just want it to be a normal and calm transition rather than something "new" that is introduced at a specific age.

Plus, not having to change shitty nappies would be nice.