When Do You Start Potty Training Your Baby?
Just a warning, in case you were expecting gems of potty knowledge: I have no idea. I’m hoping you can help.
My son is 2 1/2 and is not potty trained. Progress so far in potty training is thus: purchasing a potty at Ikea today. Of course out of the six colors available, he wanted a pink potty, but I wasn’t going to argue if it’s the one he wanted to buy. I’m guessing he’ll be more likely to use the one he wants, than if I had overruled him and insisted on blue.
Another woman in the store was buying one for her baby, who was barely toddling and looked about 18 months old. I’m feeling like I’m very late to the party.
But I have a friend with an intelligent, developmentally perfect in every other way, 3 year old who is not potty trained, and not even close.
So where does my son fit?
There’s various reasons why I haven’t started potty training, or potty learning, or whatever the politically correct term is now. In the last year, we’ve moved house several times, been traveling a lot, his dad moved out, new roommates moved in, family visiting, so there’s been plenty of other activities going on and change happening. I haven’t wanted to add in any more stress.
And I guess as long as he is out of diapers before he starts pre-school (which is at least a year away) it doesn’t matter. It’s not a race, is it? Just an end of doing diaper laundry. Yeah, I use cloth.
I’d love to have three fewer loads of laundry a week, and no diaper pail in the bathroom. I wouldn’t know what to do with all the extra time and space.
So I’m not worried that I’m starting late. But the problem is that I don’t even know where to start.
Let him run around naked? Sit him on the potty a couple of times a day and hope for success? Anyone have any potty advice, books or videos to recommend?
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Bebes says...
Its almost comical when your child wont even sit on the potty. After days of persuasion, buying one with cute pics emblazon over it seemed to do the trick – so far.
tjwriter says...
With my daughter, I purchased a potty around the one year mark when she started acted curious about what we were doing in the bathroom. At first, she would sit on the seat with her clothes on while we were using the big potty. Then she progressed to pulling down her pants and wiping when we got up, even if she wasn’t actually using the potty. Eventually she started to go on both her little potty and the big potty.
We’re almost there now. She can wear underwear most of the day and pullups at night, with the occasional accident. She turns three in a few months.
tjwriters last blog post..Home Stretch – Starting the Third Trimester
Gwyneth Paltrow says...
Potty Training book saved my Sanity!!
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Men?s Health Magazine (Sept. issue) recommends Potty Train Your Child in Just One Day: Proven Secrets of the Potty Pro by Teri Crane. My husband picked us up a copy after reading the article. IT REALLY WORKS!!
Everyone is talking about throwing a “potty party” to potty train a child. I was so desperate; I was willing to do anything. Her book outlines 10 themed parties. What kid doesn’t love to play and pretend? All my mommy friends have successfully potty trained their kids with her book too.
Honestly, when I first learned of this book, I thought NO WAY! Maybe this would work on a little girl, but NOT a BOSSY, 2-1/2 year old BOY. NO WAY! Guess what? It REALLY WORKED!!! Teri Crane SAVED MY SANITY!!! Her book was easy to read, funny and extremely helpful. I can’t thank Teri enough. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to EVERY parent. It will save you much grief and frustration. Potty training shouldn’t be difficult, we as parents make it difficult because we don’t know what to do. Teri teaches you. Buy the book, it’s the best money you will ever spend
Most amazingly, I had some questions, so I called the author, and she CALLED ME BACK!!
Science-mom says...
We were visiting some friends a few weekends ago. They had a toddler and little baby and this nifty thing in the guest bathroom. Instead of the usual toilet cover, they have one with a built-in mini potty! And it comes with a little two-step ladder, too. Nifty an cute!