Potty Training?

Amanda - posted on 06/03/2010

My son is close to the same age, and he has been peeing in the potty for two weeks. He still has accidents in his pull ups, but I say when the diapers are getting pulled off randomly, then it is time to pee in the potty. Historically, it is a long process to get them completely trained in my family, so the sooner the better.

Hillary - posted on 05/20/2010

My daughter (almost 18 months now) showed an interest in the potty at about 12 1/2 months. So, we bought the little seat that fits on the regular toilet and she would go consistently about 2-4 times a day. I know that some people just set their child on the potty on a regular schedule and that seems to work, but with McKenna, she definitely will only do things when she's good and ready and would signal to us that she had to go by taking her seat, lifting up the lid, putting her seat on the toilet, and then try to climb up. We'd obviously have to help her up, but it was really successful. Then, within the last month she decided that she was no longer interested in using the potty, but flushing it always captures her imagination. My point being, it's never too early to start, but don't be discouraged if she doesn't get it right away, or if she regresses. I was talking to her pediatrician about it and she said at this point it's just a matter of "will" on the child's part and to use positive reinforcement when she does it effectively, but not to stress over the issue. Good luck with it!

Kristina - posted on 05/19/2010

I started potty training my daughter at about thirteen months. She goes when I put her on the potty, which I do when I go, before her bath, before bed, and when she wakes up. Also, when she tries to take her diaper off. I don't push her yet. but she likes sitting on her chair and to wipe all by herself. I don't give her the rewards, just say YAY and clap my hands when she does go, and she claps with me

Sharna-marie - posted on 05/07/2010

we bought a potty chair for my son about 2 months ago and have just left it in the bathroom. he wasnt really that bothered with it at first except for taking the bowl out of it and putting it in the bath lol but now he will sit on it (fully clothed) when i or my partner go to the bathroom and say wee wee :) he knows what its for but hasnt quiet grasped the whole concept of it yet. if we take off his nappy and let him run free he'll pee on the floor and then sit on the potty.....its a learning curb but im not too worried about pushing him as we are expecting our 2nd son in august and would like to hit him with only one thing at a time as he'll just take a massive backward step and probably take longer to take it in.

Sarah - posted on 05/03/2010

I found that teaching my daughter the sign for potty has been really helpful. She does the sign quite often...even when doesn't need the potty...I think if they show an interest in the potty, there's nothing wrong with encourage them.

Also, I've found that reading to my daughter while she uses the potty has worked well. We still have a ways to go, but she's getting used to the idea.

Best of luck

Angie - posted on 05/02/2010

My daughter is the same age. We introduced the potty before she started walking just to get her used to it so she would be comfortable when it was time to start training.

For a few weeks now she's been telling us when she goes #2 and so we get her cleaned up, thank her for telling us, then go sit on the potty and then wash our hands. We've got a trip coming up in June and figured when we get home from that we'll start doing diaper-free time around the house and buy some panties for her.

I definitely don't think it's too early if your daughter is acting ready.

Amanda - posted on 05/02/2010

When my son was around 14 months we bought him a potty because he was always wanting to go potty with us. He was peeing in it about once a day. Then we moved and it all stopped I did not even think about starting to fully potty train him until the other day he was taking a bath and farting. I asked him if he had to poop and he said yeah(his fav word). SO I put him on the potty and sang "Push it" from Salt and Peppa. He sat and pushed. He did #2 and was so proud of himself. Now when I take him in we sing peepee in the potty. He loves it. Then when he does pee he jumps up quick to see it. I have started giving rewards of two M&M's for pee and 4 for poop. I have also started a peepee chart of stickers that he can put on after he pees. I have also gotten the Pull-ups that are feel and learn that turn cold on the front when they get wet he really does not like that. Since he is wanting to do it I am just letting him. I have realized that if I am not excited about it neither is he and then it really does not work. We have gotten him to 4 to 5 times a day of going potty. And we have had less poop diapers. Next step Toddler bed. It seams like just yesterday I was weening him from the breast now he is walking, talking and becoming a big boy. I think every kid is different the thing that I know is don't push them. Some kids it is about 18mnth others it is 3. They will tell you when they are ready if not vocally by the little signs. And always have fun with them no matter if they did it or not.

Megan - posted on 05/02/2010

We started last month. She was 15 1/2 mos. She has averaged actually doing something in the potty about 2 times a week. I don't think it's too early. I'm going to switch her to training pants this week and really push it. I'll take her to the potty every hour on the hour and read books and sing songs with her. If her pants are dry when we get there, I will wait until she does something in the potty before we leave the bathroom.

Tasha - posted on 05/02/2010

So many peaople gave me grief about starting to potty train so i am taking it slowly and its going okay so far she is starting to signal when she is ready by pulling at her diaper so hopefully soon. Also i say Potty alot so she knows what to say when her has to go.

Dawn - posted on 05/02/2010

My 17 and a half month old ds told me every time he went poo for a week straight, would even take his pants off and bring me a diaper. So we got him a potty chair, and.....nothing! LOL Two weeks later and he has put my cell phone, the house phone, his cup, snacks and various other items in the potty, but will not sit on it. And no longer tells me or brings a diaper. Oh well, when we is ready it will be there. Act on it if your daughter seems ready, but please don't push her. Or get discouraged. She will pick on your fustration and then it will become a nightmare! It will happen in time. My dd was two and a half. Letting her go diaper free and never using pull ups worked for her. I think pull ups confuse them. They can go potty in them just like a diaper, but big boy/girl panties they can feel they are wet and it is uncomfortable.

Krista - posted on 05/01/2010

I recently started trying to potty train my son. He started stopping whatever he was doing and saying "poo poo" whenever he went number 2, so we figured why not try. So far he's done great and has used the potty chair every day to go number 2 when we're at home, but he hasn't really learned how to go number 1 in it yet. From what I've read, it's easiest to let them run around without diapers on when you're starting to try potty training, but I haven't gotten that brave yet. He uses pullups for now and he still needs help to pull them up and down, but he's very proud when he goes to the bathroom like a big boy. I think as long as they are interested and you aren't pressuring them or scolding them, there's absolutely nothing wrong with potty training at this age.

Emma - posted on 05/01/2010

we havent started potty training our 171/2month old daughter yet but she tends to stoop when having a pee or poo so we are going to start in the summer, looking forward to her trying her best and hopefully grasping the idea of using a potty.but i think every child is diffrent and when its right just go for it

Katrina - posted on 05/01/2010

That is how I started. I have been takin her with me to the bathroom from time to time for a while now getting her used to the idea. She is really excited about the potty and has pped 5 times this week. Good luck girl!!!

Annia - posted on 04/30/2010

hey my little girl is just now 17 months and she is doing great she showed intrested so i let her. I just take her when i go and when i think about or she some times knocks on the door. just dont buy the princess claspable toliet seat it really was not stable

Navy - posted on 04/30/2010

i bought a potty when my son was a year old but he refused to sit on it and fight to get off when i put him on it. He goes in the bathroom when I'm using it and sit there and wait for me. He was getting himself used to the idea of sitting on the toilet so at exactly 17 months when I saw him pooping, I took off his diaper and put him on the toilet and he didn't fight it. He pooped in the toilet and was quite proud of himself, that was three weeks ago. For the next week or so, I watched him closely and put him on the toilet when he's trying to poop. He now tell me when he wants to poop and I put him on the toilet. He still wear his diaper and I can''t get him to understand pee-ing yet. But it's a great start for both of us and he hasn't poop in the diaper for over a week now.

Anja - posted on 04/30/2010

I bought a potty for my son when my daughter was just under 12 months old. She was interested from the start, so I sat her on it all the time, especially after sleep times. I just let her walk around without nappies and now she is 17 months and other than the odd accident (which would only be wees, she never has an accident with her poos), she is trained. She has even started to say Pipi when she needs to go. The only problem is when we have lots of people in the house or are out, since she doesn't like the toilet, only the potty.

Natasha - posted on 04/30/2010

I started Nilah when she was 15 months so goes 3 times a day for 10 mins each. Even if she does nothing she sits and watch TV or look at a book for 10 min. Now we are tryn Pull ups

Nicole - posted on 04/30/2010

My daughter also knows when she needs a diaper change- so I figure she is getting ready soon to just begin the potty training stage, or at least the potty sitting stage. Wondering about whether to buy a small potty for the floor versus a toilet insert for the big toilet, so they don't fall in? Thoughts??.

Laura - posted on 04/30/2010

my son is 17 months and i want to potty train him but dont wanna push him.
i brought a potty with a lid a while ago and its in the livingroom where we normally are. he uses it as a seat and my niece uses it properly when she comes over.
ive started letting him run round (usually in the evening) without his nappy on and if he has an accident (luckly we have wooden floors) i put him on the potty and tell him weewee in potty. and every so often put him on potty and say weewee. he hasnt done anything on it yet but hopefully he'll get the idea soon.

Katrina - posted on 04/29/2010

We just started with our daughter Sunday. She will be 18 months soon. She has pp'd in the potty 3 times now & once in the floor beside it lol. Hey she tried!! She is very interested. I usually take her with me when I go and show her mommy is going to. Im working on gettin her to tell me when she has to go. I say if the child is interested give it a chance it can't hurt anything as long as you dont force her or scold her. From what I have read it is early, but my mother-in-law swears she had both her boys completely potty trained at 13 months. I dunno about your daughter, but Jalyn wasnt verbal enough at that age to say she needed to go. Im like you tho if they show interest let them give it a try!

Shawn - posted on 04/28/2010

I agree with prior posts, if they are interested in exploring potty...Go for it. But don't be disappointed to take days, weeks or months off of it until your child will be interested again. Muscular control is the huge thing and may come after their expressed interest. I know my Nov 2008 baby is no where near control yet...but sits with me on a small potty and is learning the language when I go :)

Juli - posted on 04/28/2010

Our son just randomly started climbing onto the toilet and saying "pee pee" yesterday, so today we picked up his first potty, though we were told that he will not have the muscular control to be potty trained until near 2.

We think that if he wants to go for it, we'll let him lead the way. I just try to help him with the vocabulary that describes everything.

So today, he stepped onto the step stool and before he could make it onto the toilet, he squatted, peed and 2'd. i was impressed that he knew what to do at all and did so with intention. hooray jun!

i plan on getting him a floor potty tomorrow and letting him try if and when he's interested. no pressure.

good luck!

Carolyn - posted on 04/28/2010

Both of my kids showed an interest at around 14 or 15 months. My son actually had more control at 16 months than my daughter did at the same age. That being said, my daughter was not able to fully control her bladder during the day until about 26 months and at night at about 30 months. My son, who is now 17 months, enjoys going on the potty whenever I take his diaper off but he is far from being ready to be potty trained. My plan is to go about it how I did with my daughter- provide a potty, reminders, rewards, and assistance and try not to stress about it- even if they don't get it down until they are 4, they WILL eventually get it down! Plus, keep in mind that having a toddler in diapers actually is easier than having a potty-trained toddler!

Cherity - posted on 04/27/2010

Were going to start over the summer... my daughter is starting to be bothered when she has a messy diaper, so hopefully by June she'll be ready. Were bringing a potty home soon so that she can sit on it when mommy and daddy go potty to start getting her use to it.

Waxela - posted on 04/27/2010

My daughter was fully trained before she was 2. It just depends on your child. It is not too early to start.

A'myah - posted on 04/25/2010

It is not too early hun. I started potty training Kyana when she started walking at 1 yr. She has a week bladder so it is very hard but a nite time she wears a pull-up. She is 17 months and wolks to the toliet all by her self and says mommy help when she needs help.

Amanda - posted on 04/20/2010

We started with my son. I know he is little but he takes his diaper off when he messes it and that is messy. At first we let him run around without a diaper or underwear and took him to the restroom when we would go. He likes to flush the toilet for us when where are done. Now that he has seen himself pee and poop he has gotten a better idea. He's used his potty a couple times but for now he just tells us when he goes and thats good enough for me for now. Someone told me stickers work really well because they can associate how many times they used the potty with how many stickers they have so I'll get some of those tomorrow. Also his underwear have Elmo on them, who he loves, so we try to explain to him that he doesn't want to go peepee on Elmo. There are so many tips and versions to potty training but the letting him run around with nothing on really got us off to a good start, its messy but I think it really helped.