Potty Training
ASmallWonder
member
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Anyone start this way/this young?
ASmallWonder
member
My son is just over 13 months old. A couple weeks ago he started announcing that he had pooped in his diaper. Then we realized he was saying it and THEN pooping, maybe a minute or two later. I hadn't even thought of potty training him for a while but this possible opportunity is presenting itself. I'm not sure we're ready/able to fully commit to PT (he's in daycare and I'm not sure they can do it right now) so is it ok if we put him on the potty when he says it but only some of the time? I don't want to mess him up by confusing him...
Formerly known as elmoali 
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Re: Anyone start this way/this young?
When DS was 14 months old he started telling us when he pooped and would also wake up dry from naps and we would notice we didn't have to change his diapers as often. I was pregnant at the time so we didn't want to PT him and then have issues when the baby arrived. Well 2 months later I had DD and he was fine so we went ahead and PT him (it was nice because we were on baby leave). He was 17 months old and we did day, naps and nightime- it took just a few days and it was very simple. That's been over a year and we've never had regression issues, etc. We kept him out of daycare for the week of training.
Now DD, she's 14 months old and for 2 months now she tells us when she has to poop and sometimes pee. She's went on the potty a few time and for the past month will not pee/poop in her nap diaper and is waking up dry in the morning after sleeping 12 hours. She's obvioiusly ready so 4th of july weekend we're going to switch her over to underwear.
Please understand that before disposable diapers came around kids were PT by 15 months old. It wasn't until disposable diapers came around where they started talking about tramatizing them by PT, etc. Its all crap just so you keep your kids in disposable diapers longer. What's confusing for a child is to be in diapers and basically be told its okay to pee/poop and then 3+ years later say okay its time for the potty. IMO it makes much more sense and easier on the child to start at 1-1 /12 years of age. I also think its confusing to switch back and forth from diapers to underwear- for us it was a cold turkey switch and it was no big deal.
Best of luck!
I started my DS at 15 months old because he had a BM on schedule. But it wasn't until a year later that he got PT. Don't be discouraged! I did it all wrong! I had no idea how to PT and asked my mom friends. They had kids under 2 that were PT. Once they are able to communicate, start going on the potty frequently (I did every 30 minutes). My other tip is go with underwear or none at all. Diapers can be confusing. Once we went with underwear, he learned quick! If he doesn't catch on, he might not be ready. Hang in there and good luck!