Potty train now, or wait until new baby is born?

Love My Lil Princess 509 · May 2013

LO just turned 2, is still limited with her speech and did at one time give a sign when she pooped and needed to be changed. Now literally, she will just sit in her poop if something else is keeping her entertained. I am due in October, and would love for her to be trained by then. She starts dance class in July, until the first week in August, so I don't want her having accidents in class and would like to avoid using pull-ups. I know many people are waiting longer and longer to train, but waiting until age 3 or so to train her is not something I am really considering. I'm sick of diapers lol. So, would you try say next month, wait until August when dance is over with or wait until the new baby is born. I really don't know where I'm going to find the energy though to train her and take care of a newborn if I wait until after the new baby is born.

Advice?

Cherryblossoms07 · May 2013

We trained DD a few months before DS was born. She was a couple months shy of two and she was also limited with her speech. I wouldn't worry too much about the speech aspect. DD wasn't able to verbally communicate that she had to go but she created her own signs for having to go to the potty. Having been there I don't know what I would suggest - either way is going to be stressful IMO.

Disadvantage of training before DS was born: I had to train DD while I was pregnant so it was tiring. Plus, DD regressed after DS was born, which I hear is very common. She was having a lot of accidents, so we put her back in diapers for a month or two until I was feeling like I could handle DS and her potty training again. However, it only took a day to get her fully potty trained again once we were able to focus on her again. Having a newly potty trained child and a newborn was very stressful - both needed my attention now (it took a while for DD to be able to be able to go tot he potty by herself). Plus, when they first train they go to the bathroom like every 20-30 minutes.

If you wait to train then you may be training while you are sleep deprived which is not good either. Plus, you cannot focus fully on potty training since you have two kids needing attention, which will probably make the process take much longer. However, your LO may be ready for potty training by that time which may make potty training easier. If LO is comfortable in a dirty diaper, she may not be ready for potty training yet.

I am not sure what I would do if I was in the same position again....Good luck with what you decide.

sschwege · May 2013

I chose to wait until after baby came. Having one of diapers is nice, but it's not like DD doesn't still need my help. She can get her pants down and go on her own, but I still have to wipe her, help her wash her hands and pull her pants up. When it comes to using the potty they have to go NOW, in diapers you don't have to change them that second. Plus think about when you are out, in the car, etc. I may be in the minority, but I think diapers are so much easier!

orangecurls · May 2013

You could always try now and if she isn't catching on after a few days, try again in August.

I would personally wait until August though. It sounds like she isn't quite ready and in a few months she might be ready and it will be so much easier to train her. [also less pressure about staying dry at dance, which might stress her.]

momofmanyinthemitten · May 2013

I didn't start potty training until after DS was born. I didn't want to deal with the regression everyone talked about, and we had just transitioned her to the toddler bed. Plus, it's easier to have a kid in diapers when out and about. In hind sight, I wish I had done it before. We started when DS was 3 wks. I just put her in undies one day and made her sit on the toilet every couple hours. She was used to the toilet, as she's been pooping on it since 6 mos, and peeing after baths since about 10 mos. We still have bad days (yesterday she peed 3 times on our wood floors), but most days we don't have any accidents. It would have been easier training her in 3rd tri than with a one month baby in my arms, regardless of any regressions. In the early days, when we went out and about, I'd just put her in a diaper. She didn't mind and it made it easier for me.

pitterpatter129 · May 2013

Coming from someone with a 3 mo old who thought it best to wait - do it now!! We still haven't started because there is no possible way I can commit to running to the bathroom every 20 min + breastfeeding a new baby. I wish I would have at least tried/introduced it before the baby was born.

MisN · May 2013

I agree with the PP that said having LO#1 still in diapers when new baby arrives will be much easier. I am 39 weeks pregnant and DD just had her second birthday.

I actually think she is really to be fully potty trained now but I am going to wait until July when my husband is home too. For the last few months, she has been going pee on the potty a couple times a day. We encourage this but don't force it. She wears diapers day and night still but will often ask to use to potty when she has to pee and is in the routine of going pee on the potty when she wakes up and goes to bed.

In July, we will introduce underwear but not when I have a new baby!!

meganandchase · May 2013

DS and DD are 2 years an two months apart. We heard that a lot of toddlers regress when a new baby comes along and did not want to PT twice, so we waited. We started PTing DS when DD was about six months old (four months ago). DS is doing great. Very few accidents. I wouldn't change it.

Angela814 · May 2013

I would personally rather change diapers than deal with potty training accidents. I would wait until DC shows interest.

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