Early Potty Training

Updated on March 18, 2007
T.F. asks from Muenster, TX
14 answers

First, a little background: I have a 16 mos. old daughter who gets re-occuring yeast diaper rashes. We have followed every recomendation under the sun to prevent these and they still appear. Even her pediatrician has said that no matter what we do, it will probably be a constant problem for her until she is in panties because she just has sensitive skin and the right chemsitry for yeast growth (skin yeast conditions run in my husband's family). They don't seem to bother her too much as of recently, but they are still an annoyance. To try to keep them at bay, we try to let her run around w/o a diaper as much as possible, even with the annoyance of constantly cleaning up her puddles and (sometimes) piles on the floor.

Now, to my question: I have noticed that when she runs around diaper-less, she squats to pee/poop and makes noises when she poops (so I can tell when she is doing it and can usually "catch" her in the process). I am thinking of just setting a little potty out and when she is diaperless, encouraging her to use it (not push, just encourage) or just put her on it when I "catch" her in the act. I want to know if anyone out there has had success with early potty training by any method and how they went about doing it or any suggestions on the subject. My husband has a co-worker with 3 daughters who were all potty trained before 15 mos, so I know it can be done, I just don't know really how (this is my first kid). Devlopmentally, my daughter has been ahead of the game every step of the way thus far but doesn't talk a whole, whole lot yet (so that would make her telling me when it is time a challange). I just don't want to be pushy or overly-assertive. Any comments/suggestions would be appreciated!
Thanks

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So What Happened?

Well, I am going to give it a try in about 1 mos. With all our life changes, I thought it might be best to wait 'till then! Thanks for all! I will def. refer back to the advice when we decide to give it a go!

T.

Featured Answers

S.

answers from Dallas on

my duaghter has been early potty training since she was 6 months.I could write a lot of stuff here but i would suggest you go look at the www.diaperfreebaby webiste for tips on early potty learning.
My daughter is 20 mnths old and we have been catching her in the act since she is 6 months .
at 20 months she is almost potty trained.I am hoping the warm weather will help me finish it off!!

Also i donot think 16 months is too early at all to introdue her to the potty.
go for it it can be done!
PM me if you have some specific questions

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K.M.

answers from Dallas on

I potty trained my daughter not that long ago, and I used a booklet that I downloaded from a website: www.easypottytraining.com and it worked miracles! Now, I don't even have to take my daughter to the bathroom - she tells ME when she needs to go and she just goes. The pamphlet is $10.00 and it's money-back guaranteed (so you can't go wrong). It took 3 days, but it DID work. It was recommended to me by another mom who used it. You go cold-turkey... no more diapers (not even at nap or bedtime). I guess it depends on if you are TRULY ready to go that drastic, but the methodology is similar to what you are already doing... just catch them in the act.

Best of luck!
K.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.L.

answers from Dallas on

I belong to the www.babycenter.com website & just this morning I got the following info. in my weekly/monthly (whatever) bulletin.

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/toddler/toilettraining/4...

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/toddler/toilettraining/4...

Please look around the entire site as I am sure that you will find more info. I am not to this stage just yet, but I will definatly try my daughter early. She is ~14 months & is already showing signs of interest. Everytime I go, I say "mommy's going potty - do you want to go" & she follows me to the bathroom. I would never push it on her, but I think it is ok to set a little potty out for her to see & relate to it's location & I think she will use it when she is ready. Your little one squatting, & making "potty noises" seems to me to be a sign that she understands.. now just getting her to sit on the potty.

GOOD LUCK
~S.

K.M.

answers from Dallas on

there is nothing wrong with buying one or two potties to have available for her to use when she is ready, have one that stays in the bathroom and one that is in the main room she plays in for the first while during the time that she is learning what it feels like to have to go. Once she has figured that out with enough time to get to the bathroom regularly keep the extra potty at gramma/aunties house for her use. Make sure that when you go potty she sits on it too and tries to go at the same time ... knowing mommy does it too will help her want to use the potty. My mom had us trained at 13 months (all 3 daughters) because she introduced the potty in our home once we could crawl and once we could walk we were sitting in the pot with her. Before we knew it we were diaperless.

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C.F.

answers from Dallas on

Hi T.,

My daughter was potty trained at about 20 months or so...and a friend of mine has a little girl who was trained at 9 months (if I had not seen it, I would not have believed it!). Go with what your daughter is doing and see if she'll follow your lead to train her.

On another note - coconut oil may help her yeast problem. If you want more information on this message me.

All the best,
C.

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A.T.

answers from Dallas on

Hi T.,

That sounds like an awesome idea. No one can match a mother's intuition because only you know your daughter so well. I don't think it is too early to try putting her on the potty. I don't think there is a definite age. Each of them are so different that it is based on the child. I know there was a point when my daughter was okay with the potty chair, but didn't like to go in the bathroom. So we put the potty chair in the living room area. She too was diaper-less and I tried to catch her and do the same. Although we would have accidents, she would go on her own to the chair too w/out having to get my attention. Try it and see. It couldn't hurt and you might be really suprised :)

Have a great one!
A.
www.free2Bmom.com (my way to be able to be home with my daughter)

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M.

answers from Dallas on

My son was a little older than yours (18 months) but we started to go diaperless becuase it was summer and we were running around outside. I firmly believe that this was a huge blessing in terms of getting him potty trained. I think he really became more in tune with his body and going to the bathroom because he could see it happening. And it was very easy for me to verbally point the experience out (look, you are going pee pee! See how it feels in your body? When your body feels that way, let's get to the potty!) Something like that. Of course I cleaned up some puddles and a couple piles but it was really a smooth transition. I also bought him those underwear that are extra thick in the crotch (from Target) so that if he did pee when he had them on, they absorb a bit more so there is less to clean up. Once we decided we were potty training and he had started telling me that he needed to go to the bathroom, we got rid of the diapers completely during his awake times.
About your daughter communicating with you that she has to go, teach her the signs for pee pee and poo poo. I don't know what they are, but you could look it up or make them up yourself.
Good luck!

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A.B.

answers from Dallas on

My grandmother swears that my Dad was potty trained at 18 months. Back then they had the added incentive of having to wash the dirty diapers!! So they were definitely motivated to 'train' their kids. I think it really is just a training process.

I tried with my son at 18 months... he was kind of interested, but things got crazy. I put it off and now we're trying again and he's 19 1/2 months. I think it's good to encourage them as long as you don't get too upset if they just aren't ready.

I'm a first time Mommy, as well, so it's all new to me! I've just been taking him and setting him on the potty every 2 hours or so.

Good luck and let me know how it goes!!

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L.H.

answers from Dallas on

I started with my daughter when she was 15 months. It went GREAT. By her 2nd birthday she had it down. We still put a pull up on her at night for just in case, now she get up an go own her own. I had a pot in her room and one in my room, now she goes to the bathroom because she sees me going. Give it a try.

Lakeisha

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C.B.

answers from Dallas on

Two things for you. First of all, have you tried cloth diapers? We use them most of the time and have never had any problems with diaper rash or infections. They are more breathable.

Second, we do not personally do this, but I have met some people who practice EC-Elimination communication. It is basically where you train your child to hold it and go at certain times with a cue you give them like a certain sound. I saw a baby last weekend who was less than 3 months old and they were training him. People who do it swear by it. We are just not that committed. But, you could give it a try. Just google elimination communication and I am sure you will find all kinds of info.

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M.G.

answers from Dallas on

You should try and if it doesn't work, don't get frustrated. That's how you'll know if it's not the right time. I have a friend with a 16 month old who has been going in the potty for about two weeks now!!! Good luck!

L.A.

answers from Dallas on

If she's already starting that and running around bottomles, why not get a little potty for her? It sounds like she would probably take it on quite well under her circumstances.

I have read that around 18 months of age is when a child has more muscle control over the rectum and urinary tract area and so some people start around then. I couldn't imagine putting a child on a potty schedule, I'm 26 years old and I can't put myself on a schedule! Most children are usually not ready psychologically and physically ready to start training until about 2- 2 1/2 years old.

Starting too early can cause a whole slew of other problems and is such a hassel anyways.

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E.

answers from Dallas on

My neighbor across the street potty trained her children early. She says it's not so much teaching the children to go find the potty when they feel the urge, but to develop a schedule. This is a little young to ask them to wait, lead them to the potty and then say ok you can go now.
She kept track of the times her children would go; like after they woke up from naps or 30 minutes after snack or lunch and then she would sit them on the potty based on the schedule. She would try to keep them sitting by entertaining them until they finished, In the beginning it takes patience, but after awhile, she should get the routine.
Good luck.

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C.P.

answers from Dallas on

Sounds like a great time to get started--I made the mistake of not even bringing up the subject until my child was over the age of 2, and believe me, they are nowhere NEAR the willing subject at 2 1/2 that they are at 1 1/2. So, basically, she wasn't fully day-trained until she was 3 1/2. I know, everyone develops at different rates, etc, but it just seems that a child is SOOOO much more cooperative and willing to try new things at 12-18 months.
Go for it!

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