Potty Training-"early"

Anne - posted on 02/04/2009

We started potty training at 18 months - basically having him sit on the potty before baths, before bed, etc. He was interested, but didn't necessarily have the control. Right around his second birthday we went from CD to training pants (Hanna Andersson makes some great organic ones that are super thick) and went cold turkey. He just wore the training pants around the house, and nothing else from the waist down. Within about 3 days he was completely pee-trained, no accidents, would tell us when he had to go, made it through naps and over night without accidents. The poop has been a little more tricky, but was definitely better than CD cleaning. We also "rewarded" for using the potty (a jelly bean) so that seemed to help motivate him too. He had always known when he was wet/dirty, just took having it run down his legs for him to get he didn't like that feeling either...and that there was some control possible. Good luck!

Donnah - posted on 02/01/2009

I starting using EC (elimination control) at 5 months with my boy and he has really caught on. I put him on the potty and make a 'ss' sound after bf's and naps, and periodically throughout the day.  The Tribal baby website has a lot about it, and there is a link about stating EC late (ie after 6 months or on mobile babies).

Jenny - posted on 01/26/2009

I started with my daughter at 5 months, and she would have been completed diaper free by 1 if the daycare had not forced me to use disposables. I would suggest reminders at time you know he will have to go, like waking up from a nap or right before you leave the house. And make it a game.

As for the post on potty training a very small baby. I bought a potty that was on sale, when my daughter was 5 months old she crawled over to it so as a joke I sat her on it. She peed, after that I kept it in the hall. I would put her on it after a nap and after a while I started noticing cues. By 7 months we were going for 5-10 days without any wet or dirty diapers during the day. My second is due in Aug and I am going to start pretty much as soon as I get home from the hospital.

Bonnie - posted on 01/26/2009

You don't actually expect them to be potty trained at 6-9 months, you just start sitting them on the potty then. That way they are used to sitting on it, and to emptying their bladder or bowels on it at certain times of day, by the time they are 12 months and ready to increase their number of times on the potty and wear cotton training pants instead of diapers. It's a gradual process, rather than a matter of days or weeks, that was the norm in this country before disposable diapers and still is in many other parts of the world.

Blair - posted on 01/26/2009

Just curious, how would you go about potty training a 6-9 month old???  Sounds exceptionally difficult to me.

Christina - posted on 01/26/2009

My second son, Christopher, was potty trained right around his second birthday. Before then I don't think he wouldn've been ready. By then he really hated being in a wet diaper and could tell me when he went so I knew it was time. I had a potty chair which I had tried to use for my first son (now 4) but he showed absolutely no interest in it and actually tried to hide it so I wouldn't make him sit on it. My oldest son was VERY hard to potty train. He refused to go and would lay on the floor crying in a puddle of pee after being made to sit on the potty for a while. I think what helped Chris get potty trained so much quicker was 1) seeing his older brother doing it and wanting to do what he was doing, 2) buying an insert for the regular toilet since he absolutely HATED the potty chair, and 3) lots of cheering and excitement when he went. It's true, you being so happy and tellling them how proud of them you are makes them want to keep doing it. He, too was potty trained within a day or so. Now at 2 1/2, he has only had a handful of accidents and rarely even wets at night. I think it depends a lot on the kid. My mom had 5 boys and she has always said boys for some reason tend to be harder to potty train than girls so keep that in mind. Another note too, I would let Chris run around with no diaper/ pants on so that he couldn't pee in it. He would have to tell me he needed to pee and then I would immediately put him on the toilet. You have to really pay attention to them in the beginning too so you can tell when they look like they might have to go and put them on before it's too late. Good luck!

Bonnie - posted on 01/24/2009

Wow, I didn't know you could do the 24 hour thing with a child this young. I may just try that; I've thought about it. Any other input?

User - posted on 01/24/2009

At 18 months he should be really interested in making you happy. I recently helped a girlfriend potty train her son who's the same age. We gated us all in the kitchen with a potty and gave her son a ton of juice while he sat on the potty until he needed to pee. When he did his mom made a huge deal about it, jumping up and down, big smiles, the works. This continued for the rest of the day. He was potty trained in 24 hours and hasn't had a significant accident since.