how to keep DS on the potty?

[Mole007]

From about 7 mo we started putting DS on the potty at nappy change time (whilst we were constructing the new nappy!), and it was great. He was happy using it for both wees and poos, it meant his nappy was drier for longer, and therefore more comfy for him, potentially fewer nappies for me to wash, and DS was quite happy with the potty.

However, he is now 9mo and very very mobile. He's not happy to sit still for a moment, and is off exploring, either trying to stand up or crawling and basically making a run for it at full speed. But, if we try to keep him on the nappy table, he now does a huge pee (having stopped doing that when he was about 3mo).

So, it seems I have now managed to confuse him .....any tips for keeping a very alert and very mobile tot on the potty?

I'd imagine it would be difficult!!

Too young

Although doubtless someone who's done EC will be along shortly to contradict me!

In my experience very difficult to make them do something they're not interested until some understanding comes into it. Around 18 months?

I don't think he's too young at all, he's just discovered that he can crawl or stand up and that's all he wants to do at the moment. My boy is 13 months, and he's only just getting back to the point where he's not completely obsessed with crawling and cruising.

There's quite a few books and websites around at the moment all advocating early start toilet training, and according to them, you started at the right time, so don't think you've done anything wrong.

I can't offer you any advice yet, as I've only just come across the early start ideas myself and am at the planning stage - have purchased the potties, and am reading a book about early start training in order to get an idea of what my expectations should be and how to proceed. So far the book seems pretty good (although it is American, so you have to put up with 'diapers' all the way through. It's called 'Diaper free before three' and is by Jill M Lekovic (American pediatrician), around £8 from Amazon. Whether that would help you or not, I really don't know as I'm not far enough into it. Will come back and post when I know one way or the other.

But don't give up! I wish I had started my baby at 7 months; the older they get, the harder it gets as they get more independent and more mobile. My guess would be to carry on and keep your existing potty routines. It's inconsistency that confuses babies, so changing tack now and stopping the potty routine would confuse your baby, I would think.

Be very interested to know how things progress. Keep it up!

There are, as far as I've found, two ways to deal with this (yes, I'm one of those damned ECers ).

1. Toys! Also, reading baby books to them on the potty.

2. Put the nappy on him as soon as he gets off.

Anyway, my two did exactly the same when they learnt to crawl. Wouldn't stay on the potty any more, because they wanted to crawl. Once they'd got used to being able to crawl, they went back to contentedly sitting on the potty until they'd finished weeing and/or pooing. Then they show they've finished by getting off.

I expect that when they learn to walk, they'll do the same again. Apparently it's called a "potty pause" and they're quite common when babies learn to crawl/walk.

Thanks so much for that reassurance.

I really don't think he is too young, and he was certainly adapting to it fine before he was so mobile. Even now, sometimes we can get him to stay there for a couple of minutes before he is off and about, and he almost always makes use of the potty then.....failing that, he's off, and the soap/water/bucket is required . Just an interesting stuggle trying to keep him vaguely in position to get the nappy off, keep him on the potty and then get him back into a nappy, all made so much more fun by the fact we use reusables, and DS is determined to be wriggling, moving, crawling and anywhere but having his nappy changed!!!

I will persevere, and hopefully he will lose the excitment of mobility....til he starts walking!!!!

I think he's "too young to expect him to sit still when there is new and exciting crawling to be done" rather than "too young to start early potty training". When the crawling is no longer such a novelty he will probably settle down again but I doubt there's much you can do to stop him being off and crawling at the moment.

Mole007 - what potty are you using? My DS doesn't seem to like the one we have as he keeps crying when I put him on it. I think he might be uncomfortable as it looks a bit big. Was wondering if there's one out there that suits small bottoms, but still has space for boy's bits!

Ilovemyoboe - it's a small one - Mothercare cheepy, which if anything is possibly too small, as have to make sure everything is pointing down (there has been the odd leak )....but he is quite a chunky 9mo (nearly 25lb ) so I may have to look for something a little roomier for him.

He is beginning to sit more easily again, and tends to stay sitting if he wants to poo, but other than that, tends to try to be off, hence a few spills!!!! Finding that distractions are helping, particularly if they are noisy ones!