Too young to potty train?

elaney

I am due my second baby in September. I have a little boy who is two years and 1 month. At his two year check up the nurse told me to start potty training him this month however anyone i have spoken to said it is too early and if i try to train him now it could backfire. He also has to have a small operation that has been cancelled twice already i'm hoping he will have it in the next month. So my question is should i try him after the op or wait until after the baby?. He is pretty intelligent and picks up things quickly.

Squiggler

A friend of mine is using Elimination Communication techniques with her 5 month old, who is now nappy free during the day and happy out.

My nieces were all potty trained before two because they simply didn't like wearing nappies.

How could it ever be too early to try to potty train a child? He might not take to it straight away, or he might, but if you don't try him you'll never know.

ariana`

elaney wrote: »

I am due my second baby in September. I have a little boy who is two years and 1 month. At his two year check up the nurse told me to start potty training him this month however anyone i have spoken to said it is too early and if i try to train him now it could backfire. He also has to have a small operation that has been cancelled twice already i'm hoping he will have it in the next month. So my question is should i try him after the op or wait until after the baby?. He is pretty intelligent and picks up things quickly.

If you read up on the 'readiness' approach to toilet/potty training you will find plenty of check-lists to help you decide if your little boy is ready. After that trust your own gut instinct as his mum, you know him best.

Some food for thought, i've read one of David Coleman's books and he doesn't recommend making any major changes in a toddlers life 2-3 months either side of a new sibling arriving.

Best of luck whatever you decide.

elaney

Thanks Girls,

I think i will give it a go after he has his op and if he is not interested i will leave it nearer to christmas.

Ariana i will definetly look up that checklist.

implausible

Thought I'd post this as I'm sure this is a popular query.

I had a notion of getting my two year old started, but the biggest problem is that he doesn't mind running around with a full nappy:eek: Maybe I should buy crappier nappies!

Potty training readiness checklist

Physical signs

Is coordinated enough to walk, and even run, steadily.

Urinates a fair amount at one time.

Has regular, well-formed bowel movements at relatively predictable times.

Has "dry" periods of at least two hours or during naps, which shows that his bladder muscles are developed enough to hold urine.

Behavioral signs

Can sit down quietly in one position for two to five minutes.

Can pull his pants up and down.

Dislikes the feeling of wearing a wet or dirty diaper.

Shows interest in others' bathroom habits (wants to watch you go to the bathroom or wear underwear).

Gives a physical or verbal sign when he's having a bowel movement such as grunting, squatting, or telling you.

Demonstrates a desire for independence.

Takes pride in his accomplishments.

Isn't resistant to learning to use the toilet.

Is in a generally cooperative stage, not a negative or contrary one.

Cognitive signs

Understands the physical signals that mean he has to go and can tell you before it happens or even hold it until he has time to get to the potty.
Can follow simple instructions, such as "go get the toy."

Understands the value of putting things where they belong.

Has words for urine and stool.

From babycenter

elaney

Thanks for that implausible. My fella doesnt like the dirty nappies however he is at a very contrary stage

Hannibal Smith

Just be careful elaney...I've heard so many stories of toddlers regressing to baby behaviour when the next sibling arrives. My first did it sleeping wise. He was brilliant for sleeping in his bed all night long...as soon as number 2 arrived he became so bad we had to put him back in his cot!

I was going to potty from him before number 2 came and was so glad I didn't. I couldn't have faced him going backwards.

That said...all children are different ...maybe yours will do fine and never regress...but its just something to consider.

elaney

Thats what i am afraid of hannibal. I will give it a go and if it doesnt work i will wait till christmas. Thanks ladies for the replys.

wmpdd3

I really second not having anything major happen to the little boy in the 3 months before and after the new sibling. Its such a stressful time, his routine is what will reasure him.

I have 16 months between mine and she has taken to asking for a bottle when he gets his one and lying down on the quilt to 'kick legs'. Once the first 4 months are over, they seem to have their confidence back and can tackle anything.

lounakin

Squiggler wrote: »

A friend of mine is using Elimination Communication techniques with her 5 month old, who is now nappy free during the day and happy out.

My nieces were all potty trained before two because they simply didn't like wearing nappies.

How could it ever be too early to try to potty train a child? He might not take to it straight away, or he might, but if you don't try him you'll never know.

I was going to say the same! They are always ready! A friend of mine has used EC with her daughter, they started when she was 6 months old and it worked very quickly. Summer is the best time as it's hot enough for them to walk around without a nappy. I am going to start training my daughter in a couple of weeks, she will be just a little over 2 months.
The principle of EC is that babies of all species actually know that they want to pee and poo so it is possible to teach them very early to hold for a few seconds until you give them a signal. Apparently babies in our culture are actually trained to ignore their own signals and then have to be taught again at a later stage.
Very interesting stuff....

edit: apparently it works very well with poo but is a little trickier with pee.

pwurple

lounakin wrote: »

Summer is the best time as it's hot enough for them to walk around without a nappy.

Even this summer?

lounakin

pwurple wrote: »

Even this summer?

Haha!!! Well there's been a good few hot days! I suppose it's easier in other countries. I'm going to france next week for 3 months so she can be naked all day long no problem !

caprilicious

I second holding off til after baby arrives. My little girl regressed with her sleep & behaviour big time for the first month after her little brother arrived.
I don't think I would have fancied piles of extra washing for her on top of all the newborn washing!

She's got much better in the past 3 weeks so we started training then & so far so good!

You could maybe change from using nappies to pull ups & ask him throughout the day if he needs to go.
At least he'd get a grasp of what to do then.

uck51js9zml2yt

My 21 month old has used the potty since last last summer.
Still.uses a happy but he had a routine and got did potty out a few weeks ago.and sat on it.

Hannibal Smith

I'm really interested in this elimination process lounakin...will you keep us posted. Humans are unlike any other species, our young develop a lot slower...it takes us nearly a year to walk when some animals can do it from birth for example. And house training a puppy is as bad as a baby . But I've never heard of doing it so young with humans so am really interested in how you get on. I may even try it with the youngest!

lounakin

Yes, I'll definitely keep you posted, I'm also interested in sharing this principle. But many countries practice this successfully already, from the little ones in rural China with the crotchless trousers to the ones in tribes in Africa. It all shows that babies are aware very early that they need to evacuate.
It's much harder to do in a city setting because your child can't really go anywhere they want. There are videos on youtube of a woman training a 3 week old I think. This takes a lot of hard work as you have to basically stare at your child 24/7 to pick up his signs! That's why I didn't start this early although I'm starting to be able to predict (as I'm sure most mums are at this stage) when she's going to spray her yellow nightmare! ha ha! So what you can do is have a bucket in each room and bring the child to it as soon as you think they will do something all the while giving a little signal, always the same. They will associate the signal with evacuating. You can buy those leg warmers so you leave them without a nappy and they are still warm.

elaney

Never thought of the pull ups caprillicious thats a good idea will prob give that a go this week. Best of luck Lounakin. I know i wouldn't have the patience to try this but i seen a programme on tv where a lady never used a nappy on her child :eek:.

lounakin

elaney wrote: »

Never thought of the pull ups caprillicious thats a good idea will prob give that a go this week. Best of luck Lounakin. I know i wouldn't have the patience to try this but i seen a programme on tv where a lady never used a nappy on her child :eek:.

I know what you mean, I don't think I would have the patience myself but next week I'm going back home to France at my grandma's house with my ENTIRE family. It's a huge piece of land, always sunny, I can leave my child naked all day long and watch her without having to cook, clean or do anything! So it will be as easy as it can be for me, I'd be crazy not to try!

Hannibal Smith

I'm sure it can be done...if you've ever been in the middle of a nappy change and they start peeing and you Eek with terror they stop peeing so I do believe they have some sort of control that can be developed on. But also...I'm thinking of my carpets

How do you get started? Do you have to keep them still to watch them? I read a woman's online blog...she did it from 2 month!

lounakin

I'm just going to remove the nappy in the morning and leave her without all day, she'll be outside on a towel or sheet, doesn't matter if she soils it. I'll make sure to wear an apron or long t-shirt I don't mind dirtying and then try and establish a rough pattern of when she does her business. If I catch her before, I will give her a signal and hold her over the grass or the sink or something like that and wait for it to happen. Eventually I'll be able to tell roughly when she wants to evacuate and I'll be more and more prepared.
Indoors I live her without a nappy too, I have her on her playmat on a towel and on a portable changing mat. They love being without a nappy so it's worth it even if you don't do anything. But if your child crawls already then... you really have to lay towels everywhere or keep her/him in a playpen.

Tim Robbins

Our fella was potty trained just recently age 2.5. We got him those books from the library about potty training and read them to him and then went for it. He got a sticker everytime he used potty correctly and he really enjoyed it.

We moved onto toilet with one of those baby seats within two weeks of the potty.

For a few potty's I sat down on toilet opposite him while he sat down on potty.

So advice is books + stickers get Mum / Dad to do the same opposite him.