So is gradual potty training, starting early (16mo), possible?

[HolidaysQueen]

My DS is 16 mo and we always let him have a naked run around before his bath. He nearly always wees when doing this, once if not twice, and in the last couple of weeks has become very fascinated with the whole process - sits very still and watches the wee and then solemnly informs us (i.e. hollers "wee" at the top of his voice) that we might need to mop it up.

DH and I weren't really expecting to potty train for about another year so are a bit uncertain as to whether this is a sign that we should maybe think about doing it sooner or whether this is actually just normal 16mo behaviour and doesn't mean he's ready.

I'm wondering if it is possible to gradually potty train - e.g. start using a potty initially just in the evenings, then as he gets the idea start asking if he wants to use it during the day but not worrying about it if we are out and about. Or whether that won't work and the whole mad panic for a month going cold turkey on nappies at age 2-3 is better and less confusing.

FWIW we use washables - I heard that the wetness can sometimes make them more aware at a younger age.

yes, I have just done it with my dd although I introduced the potty at 2. She has basically done it herself although not without the usual problems. Wasn't too much work, just built up to sitting on the pot 3 times a day and eventually she became aware that she needed to go and would ask, despite being in nappies.

I also did cold turkey with my older 2, so I know both methods work, just couldn't be bothered with it this time round as dd is a madam and cannot be persuaded to do anything she doesn't want to do.

We started with the potty around 10 months. She was using it exclusively for poos within a couple of months (no shitty cloth nappies - yey!), but to go completely dry took until 22 months - though she was mostly dry at home by then, still in nappies for nursery. She was always much better when running around with nothing on her bum.

They set their own agendas, if you just give them the opportunity. I don't necessarily put her early training down to introducing the potty early, it is as much to do with her personality and readiness, but it did give her the opportunity to be more comfortable!

Oh yes it's wonderful to potty train at this age. 2-3 is awful; such a negative age what with expressing their own will and all those nasty tantrums. So much easier to do it now, slowly and gently, so nobody gets stressed. I started DS at 14 months initially just when he woke up. He caught on quickly and was doing all his poos in the toilet (wouldn't sit still on a potty so got a toilet seat) by 15 months and out of nappies (with regular toilet breaks, not independent) by 18 months. He's out of nappies at night but we lift him before we got to bed and if he's had a lot to drink in the evening he still wets sometimes at 30 months. He started being independent about toileting around 27 months, but probably would've been much sooner if nursery hadn't done scheduled toilet breaks.

I think be lead by them. DD had some slight nappy rash and I was leaving he to run round in the buff when she just decided to use the potty which was there for DS1. Within the week she just refused to put a nappy on and bang, job done. She was 20 months.

Given how quickly she cottoned on I'm pretty sure she would have done it earlier with a bit of initiative on my side.........I'm honestly not lazy but was dreading potty training he because DS1 had been such a complete nightmare and in fact was having far more accidents than her and it was the competition between them that really helped him (he's 2yrs older than her).

Can't hurt to try if you are happy to mop up when needed. Can always go back to nappies if she's really not ready.

Thanks guys. I think we'll give it a go - yesterday when I was putting away his nappies he picked one up and took it to the toilet and started shaking it down there then brought it back to me. Clearly been watching me when I put the poo down the loo! So we'll get a potty and see if we can seize the moment while he's clearly interested.

If he already knows what the toilet is for I would capitalise on that and use a toilet seat rather than introduce a foreign concept of a potty. HTH

I agree, it is a nice thing to do to put them on the toilet in the morning, after meals, before bed etc so they get the idea, using nappies in between so there is no pressure.
I started putting ds on toilet seat about 8months to catch poos as he was so predictable and it was easier than cleaning dirty nappies. So over time he learnt the assoication of the feeling to go when he was on the seat.
Have just toilet trained him fully starting just as he turned two - it was a breeze, only had 1 or 2 wees on floor on first 2 days, and then he was done.
I'm not sure if I could have fully trained him a bit earlier, I left it because he was in nursery and didn't really have the language to ask to go.