Help! My daughter is almost 19 months and i am starting potty training and taking her off the bottle?!

Kate - posted on 03/04/2009

I would definetly recommend that you do each transition to big girl status one step at a time.  I"ve found that works is to do the bottle first and then wait until you see the signs of potty training. Or transition into a bed first so that way they are used to that and if need be they can have the control of getting out of their bed to go potty. There is so much going on in there little bodies and brains they need to feel like they are in control of some things themselves and still have the parenting from you. Good Luck I have gone through this 8 times both as a nanny and with my own.

Heather - posted on 03/03/2009

Well, I would say it's time to get off the bottle for sure. Try transitiong to a sippy cup or even a regular cup if she's opposed to the sippy.

Also, potty training hard core at the same time can be to much I think. But leaving the potty chair out and just having it avaliable is a helpful tool. i started my son at 18mos on the potty chair we just had it sitting out and when we went to the bathroom took him to and he had a place to sit he could chose to try to go or just sit on it with clothes on. Soon he had the idea of what to do and was very excited about it. I think just having it around and watching us go all the time showed him what to do and was very helpful.

CJ - posted on 03/03/2009

Thank you so much for all of the advice. I firgured it was a little bit too much to do both at once, but its nice to hear from someone who is experienced. My daughter is having a really hard time with getting rid of the bottle. She was a very picky baby to begin with it took me several different tries to find a nipple that she would drink from. She was breast fed and when i lost my milk i had to find a way to give her a bottle. And now she is so picky about what i put her milk in. I want to take the bottle way but i am afraid she wont drink milk.

April - posted on 03/03/2009

It is a still early for potty training but definitely time to rid of the bottle. I use nuby sippy's because they have the silicone feel of a bottle. I just give them one bottle at night and then eventually, that goes away. Girls are usually easy to potty train. I started my son at 2 1/2 yrs and it took him about a year to fully train. My daughter is 2 1/2 now and I'm waiting until it warms up. It's easier if they can run around in just a shirt and pullup. If you are weaning the bottle, just take it slow with the potty. I use a timer for potty training. I set it every 30 mins. so that I remember to take them to the potty. After a while, you can extend it to 45 mins, etc. My only fear was that no matter where they were, if they hear a buzzer, it might give them the urge to go to the bathroom. lol.

Jeanne - posted on 03/03/2009

HI, personally I would work on the bottle and wait for the potty. I think that is too much for them all at once. 19 months is a little early for the potty. My youngest was potty trained at 26 months and they told me that was young. You just have to read them and they will let you know when they are ready for the potty. If she is showing she is ready then go for it. But I would definitly work on getting her off the bottle. :)

Jenni - posted on 03/03/2009

I think doing both at the same time would be tough. I would start with the getting off the bottle. My daughter is the same age as yours, and we just bought a potty and put her on it before bathtime, but that is it until she is about 2. I think that most kids aren't developmentally ready to potty train until closer to 2.