Potty training at 11 months...

Socialworkgirl

So, my BMB has a spinoff Facebook group that I pay very little attention to, but this morning someone posted that their DH thinks their LO is ready for potty training.  He thinks this because LO was messing with this diaper and pointing at the bathroom and then pooped a few minutes later.  

ALL of the responses were like, oh yeah, you should totally go buy a potty and let him go without a diaper at home.  He will be potty trained before you know it.

Am I the only one who thinks this is completely nuts? I know elimination communication is a thing, but I also thought I read that trying to potty train too early could cause kids to develop the wrong muscles for holding it in and cause problems later.

 What say you, SAHMs? 

spring_time

While I have no interest in doing this, I know it is commonplace to begin around 1 year of age in some countries.  In particular, I know of a few Russian and Chinese friends who have done it because it is normal in their country.

jjt616

Dd is 11 months and I can not imagine trying to potty trainer now!

barnwife

The average worldwide age for PT is 18 months. The average age in the US is 36 months. In other words, kids in the US tend to PT much later than kids in other places. 

We practice EC part-time from about 3 months on. So we put LO on the potty chair at diaper changes and before sleep and when waking up. We allow lots of diaper free time at home (thankfully we have tile floors, so clean up is easy). 

J. has been diaper free at home most of the time (other than sleeping) from right around 2 years with very few accidents. 

I don't think it hurts to put LO on the potty chair and see what happens. 

casester1015

https://www.babble.com/toddler/dangers-potty-training-early/

ta78

cjcouple:

I would not do underwear - but it doesn't hurt to stick a small potty or seat cover in the bathroom and if they want to sit on the potty - fine  

 

I agree w this. I would just let the baby lead. 

My son is almost 3 and still only goes on the potty half the time. I guess I've never committed to fully potty training, so of course 11 months seems crazy to me. He knows where and how to go and when he needs to, sometimes he chooses to use the toilet other times he goes in his pull up. I'm not too worried about it right now. 

Lulobug22

I'm too lazy to potty train. My oldest son dabbled with potty training around age two and like 4 mos then stopped and completely potty trained himself a month before he turned three. Ds2 is 2 and 10 mos and uses the potty sometimes. We will probably start encouraging potty use more this month. Neither of my kids really walked at 11 mos I don't know how they'd potty train.

Socialworkgirl

Yeah, I can see how getting a potty might not be the worst thing in the world.  But, the article casester posted makes it seem like that wouldn't be the best thing either.  I think the article makes a really good case, but I still wonder why other parts of the world potty train early.  I somehow doubt that there are rampant UTI's and such in other parts of the world that potty train early.  

casester1015:

https://www.babble.com/toddler/dangers-potty-training-early/

 

MainelyFoolish

I think some of the difference between other cultures that potty train early is in what we define as being potty trained. 

For example, I have a friend who considered her son to be potty trained when he was under 2 years old. It's true, he wasn't peeing in his underwear, but my friend had to keep track of time and remind him to use the bathroom periodically.

My DD didn't potty train until somewhat late (after age 3), but when she did, I never had to watch the clock or remind her to use the toilet. If she was playing and her bladder felt full, she would stop, go and use the toilet, and then return to her activity. For me, that was when I considered her potty trained.

JaysonandKristin

No, it's not nuts.  Just like it's not nuts for some kids to talk early, or understand mathematics early.  Some kids can ride two wheel bikes at 3, some kids are natural golfers at an early age.  Some kids read early.

It's not nuts to get a kid a potty chair and let them try.  I don't think it's frustrating when the expectations are realistic for the age.  

 

hjk5000

DS has been showing interest in the potty for nearly a year now and he's still not really ready to be potty trained.

That said, I can't see how getting a potty chair and taking some steps to get them familiar with the idea would be a bad thing even though 11 months is early. As long as they don't force it NBD.

lollitots

My first response was to laugh at this. However, DD #2 was completely (as in taking care of it without my assistance or reminders) potty trained before 18 mo. I was training her sister (17 mo. older) and she just went along for the ride. Sister got an m&m for going so she wanted one too. I wasn't even really training her.  I should add that she was a 32 week premmie too, so physically she was younger.  Based on this, I think it wouldn't hurt to put a little potty in the bathroom, but in reality the kid probably will not get it for a while. As long as they don't push too hard maybe they will get lucky and the kid will train early. DD#1 and #3 were closer to 3 y.o. when they learned, so each kid learns at their own pace or maybe I just have a highly bribeable kid.

Cherryblossoms07

I think it depends on the child.  We potty trained DD at 11 months.  She did regress for a short while after DS was born, but otherwise she did really good with potty training at that age. 

AimeeL85

I started sitting my DS on the potty at almost every diaper change at 8 months.  He liked it, went often, and was able to poop much easier.  Some people view this as strong-arming them into potty training...I viewed it as starting to familiarize him with it so that potty training would be a gradual thing and I wouldn't be frazzled starting it with a 2 or 3 year old.

He was fully potty trained before 2 years and there was never a battle or frustration with it, there was never regression. He has always liked it. I'm not saying that to brag or to say everyone should do it - but that's how I wanted to do it and thankfully it worked fine. 

I think potty-training is way over-thought.  It's a potty, and sitting them on it to see if they want to do their business on it instead of a diaper - is not going to hurt them or scar them emotionally.  Really - it's just a potty.

sophie206

We introduced the potty when DD was a young toddler and she occasionally used it for like a year. We had a few false-starts where she'd show interest but still have accidents, needed frequent reminders, couldn't leave without a diaper, etc. It was so much work!

But at 2.5 it was like magic--she just decided that she was ready and we went with it. She went straight to underwear and has had maybe 3 or 4 accidents total in 6 months.  We didn't need to do any rewards, no sitting her on the potty hourly, etc. Easy peasy. I left the house with her in underwear the second day without diapers.  I fully intend to wait for my next little one to be completely ready and willing, whenever that may be.

bumpuser8448316

Joyce+Mike:

My first response was to laugh at this. However, DD #2 was completely (as in taking care of it without my assistance or reminders) potty trained before 18 mo. I was training her sister (17 mo. older) and she just went along for the ride. Sister got an m&m for going so she wanted one too. I wasn't even really training her.  I should add that she was a 32 week premmie too, so physically she was younger.  Based on this, I think it wouldn't hurt to put a little potty in the bathroom, but in reality the kid probably will not get it for a while. As long as they don't push too hard maybe they will get lucky and the kid will train early. DD#1 and #3 were closer to 3 y.o. when they learned, so each kid learns at their own pace or maybe I just have a highly bribeable kid.

Wow, that is amazing for less than 18MO. My DS is almost 3.5 and there are still lots of times where he needs help pulling his pants up and down and wiping when he poops.