potty trainin at 17 months

Nichole - posted on 07/05/2011

My son will be 17 months old on July 19th, and I really want to start potty training. I can tell when he is going in his diaper, and lately he has been taking off his diaper and throwing it away like he never wants to wear one.. I personally do not think it is too early to potty train, because you know your child better than anyone else. My sons pediatrician told me you can start potty training when they start walking. I have a potty for my son, and I keep it in the bathroom so he knows it is there, and he has been curious and looked at it, and actually sat on it, fully clothed, a few times.

Tanya - posted on 07/28/2011

i have 4 boys 17 yrs, 13 yrs and 18 month old twins- we tried potty training my oldest early and it totally backfired on us - lets just many YEARS later he finaly potty trained after many tears and frustration for both of us, with my 2nd we waited until he was 2.5 and he potty trained in about a week. i will not try to potty train my 18 month old twins until at least 2.5 depending on signs of rediness- it just isn't worth the frustration.

Lauren - posted on 07/19/2011

my daughter has been going on the pooty since 11 months even earlier. i just sat her on so she wasnt scared when it came to the time of potty training and one day she just went poos on it completely surprised me! now if she needs to go and were by a potty shel use it. but if u think your child isnt ready then thats ok to. :)

Karina - posted on 07/17/2011

My son holds his nose and says "I pooed!" whenever he has a poopy diaper, and he's 18 months. Last week, my husband saw our son squatting and making the facial expressions he tends to when he goes poop, so husband quickly picked him up, ran to the bathroom, took off his diaper, and sat him on the potty. He has gone pee in the potty before, on a few occasions, but never poop. We waited as long as we could, and he didn't poop, so husband put a fresh diaper on him, and 10 minutes later, he pooped in the diaper! He knows that he can pee in the potty, and does on occasion, but he doesn't seem to feel comfortable pooping on the potty just yet.

Olivia - posted on 07/17/2011

It is a gradual process to potty train. Start off getting a potty of course and let them play with it get familiar with it, if they want to store toys in it that fine, this is the time to let them get comfortable with their potty. During this time or even before when you change their diaper personally I say Zaeva used the potty over and over she dances a little and says potttyy. Its cute. When you go to the bathroom let them come with you sit on the potty fully clothed if you want and say you use the potty like mommy. Make sure you never say dirty diaper or seem disgusted at a dirty diaper, cause this can discourage them, makes them think using the potty is a bad nasty thing.

I haven't gone much further then this because I am 40 weeks pregnant and cant stoop down and sit with her by the potty while she tries to use it without a diaper. But my next steps will be to first dispose of her diaper in the potty while she is on it, sit them on the potty and take off their diaper saying they used the potty. After that they will lead the way.

Of course all of this you don't start unless your child is showing you they are ready. Because as long as they are ready there is no time too soon. But if you force it on them then they can back track and not want to do so. Just follow the lead of your child and your own mother instincts. Good luck.

Heather - posted on 07/17/2011

I don't think the child's age has anything to do with it. Just like everything else when it comes to parenting, you have to go by the cues your child is giving you. Things like telling you when they need changed, hiding to poop, etc. It's not going to harm your baby by putting him on the potty once in a while (if he pees, he pees; if he doesn't, he doesn't...it's not him using the potty that's important at this point, it's getting him comfortable and teaching him what it's all about), but forcing him too sit longer than he wants to, or when he doesn't want to, could prolong the potty training and make it less bearable. Good luck!

Morgan - posted on 07/17/2011

It' NEVER too early! My daughter was DONE at 16 months and 3 weeks! And my son was done the month before he turned two! :D I started sitting them on the potty before a bath as soon as they could sit up. It was nothing serious then of course, trickle some water, if they pee have a potty party, and if they don't try again next time. As they got a little older, and starþed liking potty parties...they'd try to do it...eventually they got it. I am like potty training master...everyone has their raising children strengths and that seems to be mine. If they are cool with being on that potty, have a potty party for EVERY sprinkle they might have!!! Pull-ups and diapers....you have to let 'em go. Let them wear no pants while you're at home, they'll notice when they're doing it, and they'll associate the feeling with the action. If your baby is starting to become interested, who cares if he knows exactly what he's doing...he's doing it! Celebrate it, and let him do it! :D congrats! And good luck! :D

Diane - posted on 07/16/2011

I agree 100%! My daughter started shortly after she was 2 and some time between 2 and 2 1/2 i will attempt to potty train my darling son. It might take a bit longer (he is a winter baby) but definitely he's not ready now! He hasn't a clue when he needs to go to the toilet so unless you particularly like having puddles on the floor (which I don't), I'd wait 6 months or so,

Nichole - posted on 07/15/2011

I dont think it is to early to start trying but dont get disappointed if he dont take to it right away I have been trying to potty train my almost 18 month old son he will 18 months on the 16th of this month. He is still a little weary about it.

Leah - posted on 07/13/2011

i don't see why you can't sit a child on a potty when changing nappy, even if they got nappy on it's getting them used to sitting on one and knowing what it's for.
they'll let you know when they ready to use it properly

Lauren - posted on 07/12/2011

I personally don't think it is too early. I think it totally depends on the child. My first daughter was totally potty trained by 21 months old. She showed interest much earlier than I had imagined. I found it helpful to take her into the potty and let her watch what I did on the potty. Sometimes she would just watch, and sometimes she would want to go on her small potty at the same time. To teach her what to do on the toilet I also actually wiped her each time even if she didn't go, just to try to make it as realistic as possible.

Now my second daughter isn't quite as into it as the first one, but she does pat/tap on her diaper rigt after she pees in it. So I think she is getting ready to start training.

The advice I have is to look for signs that your little one shows interest and that they are drawing a connection with peeing in their diaper and the potty.

Melanie - posted on 07/11/2011

My son is 17 months and started to show an interest in sitting on the toilet. We bought him a potty seat and he asks to go pee. He knows to go into the bathroom, we sit him on the toilet and he pees. No pressure, letting him set the pace.

Kelly - posted on 07/10/2011

My 18mo old says "poop" and runs to her changing table, she obviously does not like the feel of it in her diaper. I bought a potty last week and she sits on it when i (or anyone else willing to let her in the BR) goes potty, and she peed on the floor when she stood up, and we clapped for her, I know she will get the concept eventually, but I think its great that she is getting used to new things.

Victoria - posted on 07/10/2011

Personally I think it's definitely too early and will be harder and more stressful if done now. I also skip potty and go straight to toilet as otherwise I'd just have to train them from potty to toilet. Personal preference obviously but with my first son I left it later and he went from nappies to fully toilet trained in seven days because he could understand and communicate properly and had better control of his functions. Left later for him it became easy.

Bertina - posted on 07/09/2011

I was thinking about potty training my son but I don't think he will sit on a potty long he's always on the go and doesn't sit still lol I might still try it and see how he does if he's not ready then he's not ready

[deleted account]

Oh and another very important thing. If you do not have the time do not start with it. You have to be consistantly putting them on until you get the into a routine and figure out when they are going otherwise they will think oh well I am wearing a diaper anyways and just go. I usually start putting them on every 15mins and then increase to a half hour and so on as they get better at holding it. Eventually they will just run to the toilet when they need to go.

[deleted account]

It completely depends on the child. I had a boy potty trained at 15 months and a girl that was in a diaper until she was 3. My son is 17 months old and he is curious about the toilet so I put him on sometimes just so he can try. He tells me when he has pooped which is a huge step but he still isn't ready yet and he hasn't actually peed on it yet and I do not want to force him because then he will be afraid of it and it will take a long time to train him. If they are showing curiosity then try them but if they do not want on the toilet do not force it. Your child will give you very clear signs that they are ready. Again every child is different. I know some kids that cannot stand the feel of pee or poop in their diaper and get upset if they don't get changed right away (or put on the toilet) and others that actually find the feeling comforting.

Good luck with potty training whenever you do decide that your child is ready. :)

[deleted account]

I think it depends on the child. My son is nowhere near ready, but if you think your child is then go for it.

Natalie - posted on 07/09/2011

My daughter is 18 months & she tells me sometimes when she poops. I just don't know how to start. Tips

Natasha - posted on 07/07/2011

my son understands he lefts his shirt and says pee i take him to them bathroom and he sits on it and waits till he pee's and he 17 months

Alexia - posted on 07/07/2011

I don't think it's too early. My daughter has been just sitting on her potty that I got her but she was a little afraid of it at first. It's never to early to teach your child something new

Lara - posted on 07/07/2011

i'm in d same boat as u hun!! i wanted 2 start my fella off potty training now he's 17 months too and im just not sure if hes ready yet or if i shud just try him. a friend of mine said theres no harm in buying a potty and trying to get him used to it and if he still doesnt understand well then leave it till he's a little bit older. he's obviously not ready yet, so im gonna give it a go and see wat happen. id do d same if i wer u!!! no harm in trying!!! xx gud luck xx :)

Melissa - posted on 07/07/2011

We practice EC and my daughter has been in underwear since she 5 months old... so no, I don't think it is too early.