Is 18 months too young?

[alwayswinetime]

Hi All

My DD is 18 months. She’s very bright and always hit milestones early. For a couple of weeks , after pooing she’s been patting her bum, giggling and saying “poo poo”.

Last week, we were away on holiday. I went to the loo, DH went straight after me (this was a hotel room so she knew where we were going) and then she asked to go. She danced around holding her bum. We laughed and took her thinking she was just copying us but as I pulled down her pull up, she did a poo before I managed to get her on the loo.

Yesterday in my mums (a bungalow where the bathroom is visible) she asked twice and both times did a poo on the toilet.

I know these are quite obviously signs that she’s getting ready but because she’s so young, I’m worried about Being too pushy. Should I go for proper training or just casually leave a potty around? I think 18 m is awfully Young.

Any advice would be welcome - she is my first and potty training scares the bejesus out of me. I’ve heard too many stories.

Thanks in advance

Sorry no help here but my 18m old is doing similar things so I would like to see the replies x

Look into elimination communication! My boy was doing all poos on the toilet from around 16-17 months and has been totally out of nappies for a while now at 21 months. A friend of mine did EC from birth and her boy was out of nappies by 14 months!

Leaving a potty around is fine. She's almost certainly too young to train formally - the evidence is that it takes much less time to train if you leave it til a bit later e.g. 2/ 2.5 years

Didn’t read the second half of your post! My approach was no nappy (or anything at all on the bottom half) at home and a potty near where he was playing. It worked really well!

maybe not formally train but leave a potty in the bathroom.Say now you have your own toilet and you can use it when ever you like.But dont push her to use it yet.just see how it gos

My DS is 19 months and I know when he does a wee now as he stands in the corner or against something (like a washing pole), looks really intense and then waddles off. I know that’s him peeing. He’s starting to excuse himself too when dropping a poo, I can now tell and it’s the same as his sister did (hiding behind a chair).

From 20mo with her and shortly with him we will leave a potty lying round and let him have pants off time. Even if he sits but doesn’t go go, I’d like him to get on board with the concept of sitting down with pants down to toilet.

We started DD “properly” at just over two. She took to it well with a couple of backsteps. She had it nailed by 2.5 though.

GOOD LUCK. I hated potty training!

It's not too young at all! A toilet trained 18mo won't be as independent as a toiled trained 3yo (she will require more help with clothing and with timing her bathroom breaks etc.) but it's great to help her to be as independent as she can be and to develop good habits, like being comfortable with the physical feel of pooing in a toilet. This board is packed full of despairing parents whose older toddlers and even school aged kids have "issues" with pooing in a toilet and ask for a nappy to poo in--if she is willing to do this now, I'd take advantage of it.

Try Diaper Free Before Three if you want some useful guidance. Oh Crap Potty Training is also good.

Thanks everyone for your useful suggestions. There’s been some really helpful advice.

She is very comfortable with the toilet as for as long as I can remember with her, I’ve brought her into the bathroom with me and explained what was happening so she is more than happy to sit herself.

Watch this space .... thanks all.

40/50 years ago, children were potty trained earlier than now, 18 months with showing all those signs , is absolutely fine. Go for it.