Starting potty training at 20 months?

[NewMum0305]

Will start by saying that I have no desire to rush potty training my daughter and hadn’t planned to think about it until she was at least two and only then if she was showing signs of readiness - BUT she has now started explicitly asking to use the toilet and showing signs of being upset that she has pooed in a nappy.

I should say that if she does a poo, she usually tries to pretend she hasn’t so she’s not coming up to us and telling us she’s pooed consistently, which I know is a sign of readiness. But she is talking about using the toilet a lot now so I’m not sure if it’s a bit mean to keep her in nappies?

I have the Oh Crap but haven’t really read much as didn’t think I needed to yet. But premise seems to be that if I’m going to do it, I need to commit to it and not just sit her on the toilet/potty now and then and see how it goes.

Grateful for any thoughts? Shall I take a few days off work and give it a go? Or is this a false alarm?

As context, she can crouch down and up fine but needs help pulling trousers up and down (partly because we put her in a lot of leggings). She’s been in pull-ups for a few months now. Her communication is good - she can understand pretty much everything we say to her, and speaks in 2-3 word sentences.

Many thanks x

[NewMum0305]

I’m glad it’s not just me - it’s taken me completely by surprise! Best of luck x

[TotorosFurryBehind]

Hi @NewMum0305 we are in a similar position. DD is about to turn 19 months and over the past week has transitioned herself to doing all her poos on the potty. The past two days she has has actually stopped eating her dinner to 'tell' us she needs a poo. I have not pushed her, just always had a potty in our bathroom, which happens to be next to our living room where she plays. I had not planned for this happening so early so am now researching potty training as not sure how to proceed next!

[lovemylot1]

I potty trained my daughter at 20 months and it went really well. I used the advice in the Oh crap book and found it great. I found a lot easier than one of my other daughters who trained a year later. My daughter had started saying she didn’t want nappies and just taking them off so didn’t leave much choice! It took about 2-3 weeks until she was reliable.

[Ali657]

I started my daughter at around the same age. She got the hang of doing poos on the potty straight away but wees have taken a bit longer. She is now 2.7 and she still has accidents but it’s not too bad. I would say take it slow, don’t feel like it’s all systems go no nappies straight away, maybe try taking it off a few hours a day when you are home and encouraging her to use the potty. And if ever you or your daughter are getting stressed about it don’t worry about taking a couple of days or a week off from training.

[GirlCalledJames]

It sounds like she’s ready to use a potty/toilet, but she may not be ready to only use a potty or toilet. My daughter had 5 months of using the potty once or twice a day before she was ready. My son is 26 months and asking and also upset by the nappy, but can’t go on the potty at all, the final switch hasn’t flipped yet. So you could try, but maybe don’t push too much. When they are really ready it’s so simple. My daughter only had three accidents and has been dry since the day after we started.

[NewMum0305]

Ah gosh, ok - need to get ready then! Thank you x

[Esspee]

She is ready. May I suggest rather than use a potty you use a normal toilet with a child seat insert. I had a platform made for round the children's loo so that they weren't too high off the ground.

[GalaxyCookieCrumble]

If she is showing signs then go for it, but she is still only little so just takes as long as she needs.

[NewMum0305]

*Oh Crap book