When did you start potty training?

[charlottexox]

DD is 17 months old and I am feeling completely pressured to start her on the potty by my in laws.
They have both told me that she should be using a potty now because their sons were potty trained by the age of 2.
My father in law pointed out yesterday that she has some nappy rash which I am seeing to at the moment with metanium. He said "it'll be like that until she gets on the potty." I felt upset because DD has been getting nappy rash often lately due to teething.
I spoke to my HV on the phone last week and she told me I should only start potty training until DD can actually tell me that she needs a "wee wee" or poo on the potty. She doesn't say a lot for 17 month old, just the usual - mama, dad, hi, yes, no and baby. So since DD doesn't talk I'm almost certain she will not understand when I tell her to use the potty. She does understand things, but I doubt she will understand about using a potty.
I have told my in laws this and they said "you'll have to go around with a potty and try and catch it when you can. I'm just feeling very upset at the moment as I feel pressured and feel like I am doing something wrong.
How old was your LO when you started this?

Suggest you make a big thing of potty training next time you're all at their house on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Let DD run around with no pants on - they'll soon shut up when it's their carpet she's peeing on!
Honestly, 17 months is so young, she's just a baby!

My eldest was nearly 3 when she was trained. I got a few comments too, but I just kept saying "She's not ready". I trained her once the dust had settled from DD2's arrival - she was almost over-ready by then - and she was dry in about 3 days. No big deal. Why are your ILs making such a fuss about it?? It's like people pressuring to bottle feed or wean early. What's so special about shoving a spoon or a teat into someone else's mouth?

Neither of mine could talk enough discuss their toileting needs before they were trained. So it's not mandatory to wait if you want to do it.

I'd echo the Oh Crap recommendation again. 17mo seems very young but she recommends 20-30 months so might be worth reading over the next few months.

I trained DD at 22mo when she refused to wear nappies any more. She had no clue what to do so being able to tell you isn't a sign of readiness, more a sign of training IYSWIM. It also isn't the case that early training takes a long time with loads of accidents - not at all the case with us.