When did you introduce a potty?

[JumpingIn]

My boy is only 15 months so I know we probably have a while, but he's very interested in the toilet! When did you first introduce a potty or step and what was your toilet training experience like?

 

[MindUtopia]

I think there's absolutely no harm in having it around and giving it a try if he's interested. We didn't use a potty at all until maybe around 2 years and 2/3 months. Before that, she never showed any interest and I didn't really see the point of having an extra thing in the bathroom to trip over. But when she started to ask about using the toilet or being interested in what I was doing when I went, we got a little potty and just put it in the bathroom upstairs. When she got dressed in the morning and undressed at night, I'd just offer her the chance to sit on it if she wanted. She often didn't, but sometimes she did and she started doing wees on there here and there, which was good because it meant she got the concept. I didn't really have an imminent plans to potty train her as we run a business and summers are busy with a lot of travel, so I couldn't deal with the idea of traveling with a potty training toddler and dealing with customers while trying to keep her from wetting herself! So we waited for maybe about another 4-5 months, until she was 2 years and about 7 months. By then, she was using the potty before her bath and in the morning much more regularly (still in nappies all the time though), but starting to ask to sit on the big toilet when I did, including when we were out in public. So then we did 4 days of potty training and she was done and did great. I think if he shows an interest, there's no reason not to go with it. We have friends whose daughter is the same age as ours and they started to use the potty at about 15 months. She didn't really potty train much sooner than ours, but I don't think you can ever go wrong with following their lead.

 

[AngelUK]

we took a very laid back approach and started talking about the potty and toilet at around 2y9m. We read potty books too but did not really start training them till after they turned 3. Potty training was easy on the whole. They started nursery 3 or 4 weeks later and that helped a lot too and that basically meant that they got used to using the loo as there are no potties at nursery. It took them a while to not withhold their poo till they had their nappies on for bed at night but again we were laid back about it and knew they'd do it eventually.

 

[gingmg]

We've had a potty since a little before 15 months. He likes to sit on it before his bath and brush his teeth. He doesn't actually go potty in it, but he likes to sit on it every day.

 

[staralfur]

We got one when my LO was around one. She always followed me into the bathroom anyway so we figured we'd get her one so at the very least she'd have a place to sit when she came in with me. I just told her it was a little toilet like the one I was using and she sat on it (not going pee or anything) every time I was in there.

She basically potty trained herself shortly after she turned 2. Just asked to pee on the potty one day when she had to go instead of just going in her diaper. I'm sure it wouldn't have happened had she not already been a bit familiar with the potty so I'd definitely say go for introducing one early on, go with the flow and don't set any expectations. Just focus on familiarizing.

 

[Bevziibubble]

When she was around 1.5 we got a potty and just left it around so she could get used to it being there. She was too scared to even sit on it at the time but one day when she was about 2.5 she just randomly used it for the first time and then carried on. We took a very laid back approach to it

 

[adrie]

Technically, we "introduced" the potty when I bought it, so February of this year. By that I just mean that I explained to our daughter what it was; I think she sat on it a couple times with and without clothes, no prompting. She never actually used the potty at that point.

Then mid-March, she just up and started the process herself; she wanted to be nude in the home and I just let her know she needed to use the potty if she needed to go. Our journey has been mostly great; pooping was easier for her, she had some wet accidents and a few overnight, but as of July has been 100% dry, even at night. She will be 3 Oct. 20. We could have taken away the night nappy earlier I think, I guess I just wasn't quite ready.

So in conclusion, it was quite easy, because she was self motivated.

 

[CaptainMummy]

Bought my eldest a potty at 15/16m. She used it a good few times shortly after but lost interest, and eventually decided she was ready to stop nappies at 2y 3m.

dd2 had always had the potty around (dd1 was 2.5 when she was born so the potty was just kept out.) She knew what it was for but was never interested in using it until she was 2y 4m, when she was completely dry from day 2 (she actually only used the potty for a few weeks and then it was mostly the toilet.)

dd3 hasn't a clue what a potty is. She knows that her sisters use the toilet abd the last few weeks has been asking to use the toilet too. a few days ago she did her first wee on the toilet (She woke up dry in the morning and asked to go) but I am holding off training her until she shows a bit more interest (she quite happily wets her nappies, but asks for the toilet occasionally.)
I am hoping to train her once she settles into nursery as I feel they really helped with dd2 (she starts in January and will be 2y 2m, so by the time she settles sje will be about the same age as her sisters when they stopped nappies)

 

[Eleanor ace]

Introduced it at 10m with DS as he was interested in the ol' poop and pee. He moved onto the toilet a few months later. DD we brought it out when she was about 1.5 but she wasn't interested so we shoved it in a corner, then she started using it a little bit before she was 2. DD2 is 1 next week and we haven't introduced it as she hasn't shown any interest such as taking her nappy off or trying to get on the toilet o even interest in it, I'll probably get it out in the next few months and see if she's interested.

 

[SarahBear]

I introduced it shortly after birth. For a while, Leo was using it several times a day. Then he got busy with other developmental stuff and doesn't really use it. If I hold him over it, he'll occasionally (every few days) pee in the toilet. When he either starts indicating potty needs on his own again or becomes more cooperative with the potty/toilet again, I'll put more emphasis on it. In the meantime, he sees everyone else in the house use the bathroom and there's a potty out in the bathroom.

 

[Breeelizabeth]

We introduced one around 14/15 months. Just to get her used to it with no expectations. We talked about what we do on the potty, and that big girls use it. At first she didn't want to sit on it, so I sat on it and she got cranky (everything belongs to her hehehe!) she yelled at me to get off and then sat on it happily. She would get the potty out and say "wee" but couldn't understand what to do.

She's 20 months now and has just started doing wees on the potty. She will say wee and go and get it, motion for me to pull her pants down (oh and her socks, can't sit on the potty with socks on apparently) and will sit there and wee.

 

[AC1987]

With my 1st I introduced the potty around 17 months, and it took a full year before she was potty trained. She pretty much understood the concept at 2 but it took another 6 months before she actually was fully potty trained.

With my 2nd I was MUCH more laidback, there was less stress about it from people So I didn't start until she was 2 and showed interest, and we're still potty training at 2 and a half. She now goes after she wakes up in the morning before and after her nap before a bath and before bed. And its hit or miss during the day, the only plus side is she likes to poop in her potty so she always tells me when she has to go for that!