Starting to wonder about "early potty training."

[SarahBear]

When Violet was 14 months, she was asking to use the potty about half the time that she needed it. Then at about 18 months, things really clicked and she was asking for and using it almost 100% of the time with very few accidents. If she were a different child, that probably would have stuck and that would have been the end of diapers (for waking hours) for her. Instead she was back in diapers at 19 months, out at 23, back in at almost 2 and a half, and then out again after more conventional potty trying at a couple months short of 3.

Since that whole fiasco, I've noticed that she has a number of different tactile sensitivities and I wonder if that contributed to her challenges along with personality and life events.

Now I have a 14 month old son and I'm starting to wonder about early potty training, especially since the novelty of walking seems to be wearing off! (of course language may be on it's way...) His temperament is very different from Violet and he doesn't have the same sensitivities. I'm not sure if it will be a waste of effort, or if things will click for him. If things do click for him, I feel like there's a better chance with him that it will stick. I have done a relaxed version of Elimination Communication with him, so he does sometimes use the toilet and have an awareness of being able to pee and poop somewhere other than his diaper. This morning, I think he even signed for it. When I noticed the "sign," I took him, he went, and then I think he attempted the "all done" sign.

So, what I'm thinking about doing is pulling out the underwear (I have some boy underwear that I had used with Violet) and having certain set times of day where I let him run around in a t-shirt and underwear. When he has an "accident," it would be immediately obvious and I would put him on the potty, reinforce the sign and word and clean up the mess. There wouldn't be any level of expectation, just providing the opportunity for things to click if/when his brain is in the right place for it.

I know y'all think I'm crazy, but if it clicks, it will be easier in the long run! Anyone else contemplating early potty training? What are your plans for how to go about it?

(UPDATE: Post 47)

 

[RaspberryK]

I'm beginning to see signs in dd (16m) but I'm a firm believer in lazy parenting. I'll probably get the potty out soon to go on before bath, after nap and for nappy free time and look to train her this time next year when she will be able to pretty much go by herself and communicate clearly and also is dry for longer periods. X

 

[SarahBear]

We're now at 15 months and I think I'm going to start doing a bit more with him. This morning, I took him to the toilet first thing in the morning like usual and he peed in the toilet as usual; however, he did something he doesn't usually do. He went in there an additional 2 times and indicated to the toilet. When he did this, we put the toilet seat insert on and sat him on the toilet and he peed each time. Later in the day, he also peed in the toilet a couple more times... I don't remember how many. Today wasn't a complete fluke, and I'm thinking perhaps I should do some more diaper free time with him either outside where it doesn't matter so much or in the kitchen where clean up would be easy. I did both today. We are going on a trip soon, so we won't be able to be too consistent, but it's good to get the toilet learning started. We'll be able to do something consistently for most of August though.

 

[SarahBear]

Oh, also, we clap and praise him when he pees and he smiles and claps too. I don't remember Violet doing this, but it's cute when he does it. Perhaps this personality trait will lend itself well to toilet learning!

 

[misspriss]

We trained DS around 1.5 years, DD is 13 months and is already expressing interest. I am not sure if it is something or just watching DS. She loves to sit on the potty on the seat. We have done pees in the potty first thing in the morning and always clap and smile. We made a cue noise when she pees. She makes it occasionally and I think she does it when she pees in her diaper. I am just taking the lazy approach until 15 or 16 months, then we will see where she is. I definitely think early can definitely work, depending on the child.

 

[Snufflepop]

We have been part time ECing my dd since she was 6 months. She is now out of nappies and pretty consistently dry in the day but still needs a pull up at night. She is 2 and 2 months. Have been ECing ds since birth and will expect a similar time scale l with him (if not slightly earlier as he wont have the arrival of a sibling to deal with). I won't push him but I would imagine he will train earlier as he is already used to using a potty even now.

 

[MrsPear]

It sounds like you want to try it, so just go ahead. You've got plenty of experience from Violet of what to do. You've got your eyes open, it's not like you don't understand this could just be a hassle with no early benefit (I'm not saying that rudely, but just you didn't have a smooth ride with Violet potty training), so I know you aren't naive about it. So if it's still what you want to do, just go for it.

 

[misspriss]

I just wanted to come back and add that DS is still in pull ups at night. He was dry at night for like almost a year and a half, and then he started having accidents when he got older. We are fine with a pull up at night though! And although he trained around 1.5 years, we had accidents often until he was 2, then it really clicked and he was dry during the day.

And he still has the occasional "didn't make it in time" wet spot in his undies, but he doesn't like pee all over himself.

Early potty training isn't just like "I switched to undies and they were 100%"...but it can mean a lot less diapers for a long time.

 

[SarahBear]

It sounds like you want to try it, so just go ahead. You've got plenty of experience from Violet of what to do. You've got your eyes open, it's not like you don't understand this could just be a hassle with no early benefit (I'm not saying that rudely, but just you didn't have a smooth ride with Violet potty training), so I know you aren't naive about it. So if it's still what you want to do, just go for it.

We're giving him a chance, but we'll be traveling, so who knows how much will stick. For me, early potty training is more about giving him a chance to get out of diapers than it is a means to make him be done with diapers early. It will happen when he's ready, but the more opportunity he has to learn early, the more likely he will learn earlier. I know that he may get out and stay out and I know it might just be a really long process, and I now it may not be linear. However, I wouldn't say that with Violet it was "just a hassle with no early benefit." For the month that she was 18 months, she was in underwear (except for sleep time) with minimal accidents. It's healthier for the kid and helping a toddler on the potty is a lot more pleasant than cleaning up a diaper, particularly for poop. She went back in diapers during and after a month long vacation and was back out (although with less initiative on her part) before she was 2. After that was the rough road that was sort of mixed between being an inconvenience and doing well with it. The real rough part didn't come until she was about 2.5 though. Even then, when I did more typical "potty training," we didn't have to deal with poop withholding or a fear of the toilet. The groundwork for training was also already done and it was just a matter of giving her an incentive to actually use it. I think for her, she was going through an emotionally rough time at that age and potty trouble was a symptom of that. I also think another problem was letting myself get frustrated. I really think Leo is different and I feel like we'll have less ups and downs with it. We shall see though!

 

[SarahBear]

I just wanted to come back and add that DS is still in pull ups at night. He was dry at night for like almost a year and a half, and then he started having accidents when he got older. We are fine with a pull up at night though! And although he trained around 1.5 years, we had accidents often until he was 2, then it really clicked and he was dry during the day.

And he still has the occasional "didn't make it in time" wet spot in his undies, but he doesn't like pee all over himself.

Early potty training isn't just like "I switched to undies and they were 100%"...but it can mean a lot less diapers for a long time.

I potty trained Violet about 3 times, so I know what it can be like!

 

[misspriss]

I just wanted to come back and add that DS is still in pull ups at night. He was dry at night for like almost a year and a half, and then he started having accidents when he got older. We are fine with a pull up at night though! And although he trained around 1.5 years, we had accidents often until he was 2, then it really clicked and he was dry during the day.

And he still has the occasional "didn't make it in time" wet spot in his undies, but he doesn't like pee all over himself.

Early potty training isn't just like "I switched to undies and they were 100%"...but it can mean a lot less diapers for a long time.

I potty trained Violet about 3 times, so I know what it can be like!

And I agree with your other post, we have had no issues with poop withholding, anxiety over using the toilet, etc. It's just something he's always done. Which is why I'm super glad DD is excited to sit on the potty so young, even if she doesn't train early, I'm hoping to avoid any anxiety associated with the potty, you know?

 

[SarahBear]

Looking at step stools since Leo seems to prefer the toilet to the potty.

$130 for a step stool?!?!
https://www.amazon.com/Potty-Stool-...id=1466966512&sr=8-1&keywords=the+potty+stool

Craziness! Anyone have any reasonable recommendations?

 

[Zephram]

Looking at step stools since Leo seems to prefer the toilet to the potty.

$130 for a step stool?!?!
https://www.amazon.com/Potty-Stool-...id=1466966512&sr=8-1&keywords=the+potty+stool

Craziness! Anyone have any reasonable recommendations?

Haha, what on earth? Is that price for real?!

We got a step stool for about NZ$16 or so from a local baby supply shop. That'd be about US$12 or so.

 

[misspriss]

Wow, how expensive!

We got a folding two step stool from Target for around $16 I think.

This one:
https://www.target.com/p/cosco-2-step-all-steel-step-stool/-/A-13130247

 

[SarahBear]

We have a pretty basic step stool that stould work when Leo is a bit bigger and the one miss priss shared looks difficult to use with the toilet. Little Leo will just have to be lifted up for a while or switch to the potty.

 

[misspriss]

Yeah, Sara can get up on the stool but not the toilet. Almost though, she can get down by herself. We use it for DS and for teeth brushing.

 

[MrsPear]

Sorry I didn't mean to be rude with my choice of words. X

 

[StaceyKor]

Go for it. It may well work and there could be no regressions. We potty trained Emilia at 22 months (conventional potty training). Sienna potty trained herself at 18 months. From 14/15 months I used to take her up to the bathroom whenever Emilia was going and particularly before bath or bed time I would take off her nappy when Emilia was using the toilet and put her on the potty. If she did a pee, great and we would give her praise. She had as long as it took for Emilia to finish using the toilet and then either got put into the bath or a new nappy on. One morning at 18 months I went to change her overnight nappy and she said no nappy, pee pee potty. She did a pee and from that moment on she refused a nappy and did all her pees in the potty for the first couple of weeks then quickly decided she preferred the toilet. She was dry at night straight away too but we kept her in a pull up at night for 2 more months. She's now day time trained for going on 5 months (she is 23 months now) and hasn't worn a night nappy for coming up on 3 months either. We've had 3 accidents since she trained, all in the first 3 weeks. Never had a nap/night time accident. I'm not sure if it was introducing the potty early that helped or if she was just one of these kids that were naturally ready earlier (the fact she also became dry at night at the exact same time and I didn't physically have to train her in any way, never had to prompt her etc makes me think it was more a natural thing). Early potty training can happen and honestly, with both girls potty training at what's considered quite early it hasn't been stressful at all. If u think it may work then give it a go...I have to agree that taking a toddler to the toilet is so much easier than changing a nappy x

 

[Gym knickers]

My DD (18m) is so interested in the toilet and her favourite toy is an old potty of dd1s. She says 'weewee' and 'poopoo' and squats to do them even whilst wearing a nappy. She also loves wiping and putting tissue in the toilet! A few people have said to try her as she clearly knows when she is going and which one it is, but there is no way! Dd1 was 26m and it was fine with no major issues and I was happy with that so going to resist until then for dd2 also I think.

 

[SarahBear]

I wouldn't resist! Resisting means you're teaching her that the diaper is the correct place to go and you'll have more un-teaching to do down the line when your kid is likely in or headed toward the "terrible two" stage!