Is It Too Early To Potty Train?!

Lynneybobs - posted on 06/12/2010

i have three kids my youngest 15month my other two were trained by age two,although i introduced it early i stopped it because i was upsetting them xx

Jennifer - posted on 06/11/2010

I feel it is too early. I read somewhere that the ideal time is 27-32 months. My mother-in-law is pushing us to start with our 15 month son. She started pushing when he was 11months...even got him big boy underwear for his first birthday. She says that is when all her boys were trained by. My husband and I will start between 18-24 months.

Stacy - posted on 06/10/2010

I have a friend who has a 4 month old going on the potty. She said she used communication elimination technique. It is amazing!

Amber - posted on 06/10/2010

I think that its fine to try it. We are currently potty training our daughter and she is almost 16 months. She does use it quite a bit. Your daughter is probably ready to potty train if she is willing to sit on it, even with her diaper on. Try taking the diaper off and ask her is she has to go potty or poopy and go from there. I'm sure she will let you know if she isn't interested in it. Her daughters grandma started introducing the potty to her shortly after she turned a year old.

Paula - posted on 06/10/2010

My son is 15 months and he's been using his potty since he was about 10 months. He's very good at sitting and he does his business almost straight away if he needs to so I'm sure he knows what it's for. Sometimes I ask him if he's finished and if he won't get up then he's not, and sure as anything he'll do it soon afterwards and then he'll get up without prompting. I don't expect that he wil be fully potty trained in a hurry, but I do know that when he's ready he'll be quick because he's already used to the feeling of doing it on the potty. We started because he always did it just after he ate, so it made sense to put him onto his potty after every meal. He goes to daycare for about 8 hours every day where there are lots of kids so they don't have time to help him sit on the potty as often as I do at home, but I'm sure that if they did then he would soon be potty trained, especially as he is becoming more aware of it. Now he just needs to figure out that he can hold it until he gets to the potty!
Good luck everyone!

Melissa - posted on 06/10/2010

I think most Moms who posted have the right idea. The introduction to the potty is awesome. The earlier the better. When I go to the bathroom my son goes in and watches and then he sits on his potty in front of me. Since it makes sounds of cars racing he loves to flush it. Right now he is learning through observation and exploration which is vital to their development and understanding of the whole "potty training" idea. If you ask MOST old school Moms who use to use cloth diapers they will tell you that they would potty train as early as possible because they hated washing out the poopie diapers, so children are intuned with what we introduce them to. If we make it a part of our daily routine, like brushing our teeth the children will soon realize "This is where we go potty"

Marissa - posted on 06/10/2010

My daughter will be 16 months next wk and Im also thinking of introducing the potty to her...I was afraid it was too early but now after reading these post I think Im going to get her one this week and see how she does! Im not going to push her on but let her sit on it when I go thru out the day she tells me already when she needs changed so I think she is getting there. Id love to have her started by fall because I'm expecting Oct.1 so it would definatly be a big help!

Charity - posted on 06/09/2010

my daughter is 16 months and i am doing the same thing. I have her sit down on her potty chair with her diaper on. She tells me when she is going potty before she starts and squats as she goes so when she does that i sit her on the potty chair. She knows her diaper comes off AFTER she goes potty so i am going to try to show her it comes off before. Best of luck!!

Lesley - posted on 06/08/2010

Harm, not arm!

Lesley - posted on 06/08/2010

My 15 months old says "poo-poo" just before she goes in her diaper, and watches me go on the big potty, I see no arm in getting them used to sitting on a toilet, little or big, they need to get used to sitting.

Carol - posted on 06/08/2010

hi i bought ellies potty a while back but just got it out for her last week,she has since been without her nappy and done the toilet in it twice,she loves sitting on it so i feel the earlier they get used 2it the better.At the same time everyday i let her run around without her nappy and it seems 2b working,although still pees on the floor but is pointing and telling me when shez doing it so she is aware when she is doing it fingers crossed shez grasping it and doing the toilet in her potty twice hasnt just been a fluke.

Rebecca - posted on 06/06/2010

After reading this post a week or so ago I decided to pull my daughter's potty chair out and just put her on it when I go to the bathroom. I take her upstairs and put her in her crib anyway when I need to go, so I might as well just put her on the potty. We've never spent more than 3 or 4 minutes in there because I don't want to be pushy about it. It's a cute wooden potty chair with a magazine rack that she keeps her book in and a toilet paper roll too. She loves it.



I first placed her on it on Tuesday and she pee'd instantly when I said pee in the potty. Maybe 2 hours later I placed her on it again and she pee'd again as soon as she sat down. She still goes in the diaper and she doesn't go every time in the potty, but one day she went 3 times and both she and I were excited about that!! I don't want to push her and if it takes until she's 3 then so be it, but I don't see how a little loving encouragement can be a bad thing. I would just recommend letting him/her go at their own pace and if they get it that's great and if they don't just give it time. My original thought was just to get her acquainted with the potty and was surprised when she did a little more. :) Good luck mamas, papas and babies too!

Victoria - posted on 06/05/2010

My husband and I started before our daughter was even a year. Not pushy, just let her explore it. She uses it twice a day since than and she's now 15 months. She's not potty trained but def. understands the idea of it, so when she's ready in a few months it will be alot easier.

Amy - posted on 06/04/2010

i would say its never too early. They might not be able to USE it yet, but at least they can learn the concept, and it'll probably help it go faster in the long run. I know my son always hides in the corner or leaves the room when he's going #2... and he always goes #1 first thing when he wakes up, so i try to take him in the bathroom then to get him used to it...
ya know? make it a habit.

Darci - posted on 06/03/2010

I dont think it can hurt to do it suddely. My son is 15 months and he understands when I say do you want to use the potty. Well he understands what the potty is and that he gets to take his diaper off and sit on it. I dont think he really knows what to do in it though. I think at this age it is hard to potty train them and also hard to get them to fully understand what they are suppose to do on it. What we do is have a set time everyday when he gets to sit on the potty mostly just to familiarize it with him I dont really expect him to learn how by the end of the month. Although he did go poop in the toilet the other day we showed it to him and then let him flush it. What is easy for us is he has a bath every night at 6:30 so right before his bath we take his diaper off and let him sit on the potty. He loved it at first but this last week he doesnt want to do it. He wants to take his little mini toilit seat and put it on the toilet but he wont sit on it anymore. My husband said that by doing it too early it can make your kid actually not want to do it. I dont know if he just heard that randomly or read it or the doc told him, I dont know but maybe thats what happened with us. So I just dont force my son we will start trying again in a month maybe. So just keep that in mind if she really doesnt want to dont force it. It might make her not want to for even longer. One good thing though I hear girls are easier to potty train and something that might make it easier for you. when you and her are ready to really potty train just let her walk around at home with no diaper and a sun dress, it just trickles right down the leg, less laundry for you and maybe she will learn she doesnt like that and want to use the potty.

Brittny - posted on 06/03/2010

yeah, we started pt a few weeks after my daughters 1st bday. the first time we put her on the potty she went! she is now 15 months and she wears big girl panties throughout the day, but pull ups still at night, and for nap. i say that it is possible! if she doesn't take to it don't force it, but if she does, then go for it! =) good luck!

Orla - posted on 06/03/2010

i got a potty for my daughter who's 16 months when she turned 12 months she uses it when she wakes in the morning and before she goes to bed at night, she uses it. i feel it's getting her ready for when she starts using pull ups! she goes n gets her potty in de mornings and when she's finished she washes her hands and brushes her teeth!

Vanessa - posted on 06/03/2010

i was thinking about trying to train my son aswell..im not sure if its too early or not he understands a lot they just choose not to listen lol.. at the person who made the comment about putting potty in living room being gross... most parent only put it there so the baby can have easy access to it and by leaving it in the bathroom with the door open you are taking a much bigger risk.. btw most babies dont poo in the potty for a long time and most parents clean pottys as soon as they are dirty.. most babies train by 2 if the parents work with them..they dont have to be able to talk to potty train thats more laziness on the parents side if you put in the effort im sure your child will too..

Lynjoy - posted on 06/03/2010

Children are a lot smarter than we take them for. My daughter is turning 16 months in a few days and I noticed she copies a lot of things these days. I bought the fancy singing potty chair when she turned 1 and she played with it but wasn't interested anymore in the actual purpose so I got the seat that goes on the actual toilet. I would just randomly put her on and soon enough, she got the idea! During the day now she can go without a diaper. Worth a shot right?

Josie - posted on 06/02/2010

I don't think it's too early...we just got a potty chair for my 15 month old son because he's starting to get interested in his "man parts" and he often goes into the bathroom and pees on the floor in there if he doesn't have a diaper on, or while getting ready for bath. I figure it can't hurt to get him familiar with the potty chair so he's not scared of it later.

Leanne - posted on 06/02/2010

I don't think it could hurt to get her used to the idea of the potty. My daughter has already been put on the toilet once by my mother when she was about to poop in the tub,,,,and she went. Now is a good time to introduce it i think

Heather - posted on 06/02/2010

I was thinking of doing the same thing. He runs around without a diaper on here and there and it seems it only takes 5 mins. after that diaper comes off before he's peeing all over the living room. I figure if I put him on the potty and we read a couple books, he's bound to go and then we can make a big deal out of it. He's a smart kid, I'm sure he'll catch on soon. I don't think he'll be trained within the next few months but it's definitely a start in the right direction. If you have a smart child, then go for it. What's the worst that can happen?

Crystal - posted on 06/02/2010

I bought my daughter a potty around 14 months and now that she is 16 months i think im gonna try to get here sitting on it more often. At the daycares that I have been at, they always start potty training around 16 months and most of them are completely potty trained by the age of 2!! There is a 22 month old I know that is all ready for big girl panties now :) The experts say that MOST children are not cognitively ready to be trained until 2 years and girls generally train faster and easier then boys, but all children are different. Its like walking and talking, its different for every child!

Shanna - posted on 06/02/2010

my daughter that is almost 4 we potty trained her at 18 months easy. and i was thinking about potty training my youngest here soon. she does go #2 in the toilet pretty much 95% of the time that was only because i would see her needing to poop and i would set her on the toilet and now she will come up to most of the time and say poop. but we need to start the peeing process i think she is going to be easier than my other. but we haven't really even been trying i have her little potty out but she likes the big potty. we have a potty cover that folds up so when you are in public you can use that and it comes in a case. baught it at walmart. so there little butts fit on the seat. i think if your child is interested in it or showing signs than go for it. some people like to ignore it and than the kid doesn't care. i had a friend that did than her child would bring her the diaper and she wouldn't even try than once the child gave up . they didn't have the child potty trained until 4 and that was only durring the day.

Nydia - posted on 06/02/2010

My 15 mth old little girl says to me when she has poo poo or pee pee in her diaper. I will be potty training her starting this week. She knows the difference and she sees mommy go on the toilet? I think the time is ideal. I've been told girls are easier to train than boys, plus she's so smart so I think it's time. Now I just have to figure out how to wean off my breast before they start touching the floor...lol

Jamie - posted on 06/02/2010

Every child is different, however in most cases a child's pelvic muscles are not developed enough to control flow from the bladder until the 2 to 2 1/2yrs mark. Something to consider.

Traci - posted on 06/01/2010

We were thinking of trying as well, everytime we ask our daughter if she needs changing so goes upstairs to her room, and if we ask her if she's stinky she sometimes plugs her nose (cause thats what we do to her) i think its early but it doesn't hurt to try and then if it doesn't work then leave it alone and try again later! Just dont push it, ive read that could have reverse effects! My mom said my sister was potty trained during the day by 18 months and at night not long after!

Jamela - posted on 06/01/2010

try pull ups 1st then just try it when she wakes up in the morning. my son is 15 months and tugs at his diaper but does not want to sit on the potty chair i think i will try it soon though.

Aisha - posted on 05/31/2010

No, she doesn't need to pull on her diaper. If she understands what you are saying go for it. I planned on starting my son a month ago but had the damndest time finding underwear for him ( i do NOT do pull-ups). So therefore we are starting this week. He has half a pack of diapers left and that will be it from now on.

Hayley - posted on 05/31/2010

I never potty trained my 6 year old, i put her on the toilet with the little seat you can buy to sit into the toilet as i found with other mums they were potty traing and then had to toilet train... but i didnt do it til she was two, probably will do the same with my 15 month old

Sonia - posted on 05/31/2010

I remember reading somewhere that there is a "natural" indow of opprotunity at around 18 mos for potty training. My son is 15 mos and I am myself thinking about starting potty training soon... only thing is my son is not yet walking independently and I feel it would be easier for him to learn to use the potty if he could walk over himself (don't like the idea of him crawling over to the potty as I plan to place his potty right next to our regular one in the bathroom). On the positive side my son is picking up a lot of words each day and can point to most things and say what they around our house, so I am thinking he might be able to say when he needs to go (or when he's going already LOL!!)

I am excited to see other moms thinking about potty training as well. What sort of potty have you bought? I haven't yet but thinking about the kind that you can use on the floor and then transition the top part to the potty seat.

LaToya - posted on 05/28/2010

i was told its too early to but i think its ok to try and start them so they can get use to the concept

Andrea - posted on 05/27/2010

I dont think its too early. My mom said she had me almost trained at 18 months. Plus, if shes already interested thats good!

Brandice - posted on 05/27/2010

I waited to potty train my daughter until she was almost 2 1/2. I waited until she was old enough to understand and speak the words for going potty and what to do. One day she came up to me and told me she wanted to wear panties and that was that. No accidents or anything occured after that. I refused to ever buy one of those little potty chairs because they look like toys and are nothing like a real toilet. What happens when you're in public and they gotta go? I just bought a collapsable potty seat and carried it with me and put her on the toilet. It's so creepy to see those little potty chairs set up in a room other than the bathroom too. Nobody wants to see that LOL. I say this because my husband's parents put the one for his little sister in the living room. How gross!
I don't understand why parents want to rush and make their little babies grow up so fast. They're just now learning how to walk and talk.
I understand every child is different and if you feel your child is ready already, then go for it. I can tell you however that if she's not ready it's gonna be a LONG AND MESSY ride lol.
My sister's youngest was potty trained at 18 months and did it before her older sister who was 2 1/2. My husband's little sister who is now 5 wasn't potty trained until she was over 3, but that was because her parent's fault because they didn't care one way or the other.

Jessica - posted on 05/27/2010

Good question..i dont know..but i was thinking about trying myself. I say go and try it! It cant hurt..it will make your life alot easier;)

Rachel - posted on 05/27/2010

i think it might be yeah but i was thinking of getting a potty for when i let my daughter run around with out her nappy on (i like her to get a bit of air) and encourage her to sit on it as 9time out of 10 she will wee on the floor lol..........oops