Ladies -
An "auntie" of mine, (a friend of my mother's), suggested that we should have a potty around, and introduce our baby to it. He's 11 months old. He's developmentally "normal" but not yet talking, or walking.
What does introducing a potty to the baby mean? Do we try to get him to sit on it? Should we quickly strip him if we suspect he's having a b.m., and place him on the potty so it can happen in there instead? I really haven't a clue.
BTW, our little guy is very wriggly and very active. He can barely be contained for a diaper change. the idea of having him bare bottomed and "encouraged" to sit, sounds very challenging, and dangerous (to our furniture at least).
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
Having one around/introducing it is different than trying to potty train. My suggestion is just have it be around so that baby can see it, play with it, get used to it. Maybe sit him on there from time to time or even regularly if you'd like. You can wait several months before actually trying to get him to GO in the potty. Just let it become a familiar thing to him at this age, it's not a bad idea.
I first got a potty chair for my daughter when she was 14 months old. She sat on it and peed in it the very first time we tried. But, she wasn't fully trained until she turned 2. My mother always said a child needs to be able to walk, to say "potty", and to pull down their own pants before thinking about starting training.
Nothing wrong with introducing the potty (having it there, talking about it, showing him how it is used) at a young age, but I would wait until your son is walking confidently and saying words. So I expect that it will be some time before you want to seriously start potty training your son.
I am literally laughing - not at you - at your auntie!! Is she serious?? I understand that introducing him to the potty is different than potty training, but even so it seems a little ridiculous. We bought a potty for our oldest when she was 18 months and we just stuck it in the bathroom until she showed interest (which wasn't until a few months after she was 2) If I were you, I wouldn't bother with a potty at this point. I mean, can the kid pull his pants on and off by himself? Not sure what your auntie is thinking. Don't put that pressure on yourself.
I would wait for reasons stated here previously. My DD started identifying the potty at about 15 months. She walks around the house pointing to them and is very interested in when mommy goes potty! She is now 18 months and we bought her one to "explore."
Yes, she'll take it apart and put her stuffed animals on it. She does sit on it and I'm teaching her that big girls go pee and poo in the potty. I'm not pushing anything more right now but want her to know that she, too, has her own "personal potty."
Oh B.,
Look up elimination communication on the 'net. There are many ways to do this. One is to look for his cues. When you find his cues, you can show him the potty, and BE VERY GENTLE about introducing him. Stripping him and getting him to the potty may cause him to avoid it. My husband did JUST THIS THING and now he wants no part of the potty we bought (older son thinks this thing is the greatest thing since occasionally the door is locked due to bathroom being IN USE!)
He's 11 months. If he can sit on your furniture without your help, he should be using the potty already. ; )
I'd give you all the stuff you need but I am in between teething nursings and eating and t yping as furiously as I can so I can go back to sleep.
good luck,
M.
I got our potty when my daughter was prob. around a year, maybe a year and a half. It was just there, no expectations. I think 11 mos is pretty young, but who knows! We told my daughter what it was and that's it. I waited for signs from her before I started really trying. When she was able to stay dry through naps on a reg. basis, we started talking more about it. Then when she showed interest we started trying it out. She was very easy to train. I have only girls, but friends w/boys seemed to have a much harder time. I wouldn't push the idea until he is older. I was very easy going about the whole thing.) He won't do it until he's ready no matter what you do! It's just frustrating for everyone to try too soon. But, having it around can't hurt and may actually help! Good luck!
11 months is way too early in my opinion. Let them show an interest in potty training before throwing it at them. My daughter was about 15-16 months when she started to tell us when she was about to poop all the time so we suggested that we get her a potty. When we went to the store we let her pick out one that she wanted and we brought it home and set it up and told her this is your potty where you poo and pee. She was NOT ready. Instead she wanted to play with it and take it apart, etc. She is almost 21 months and now we just sort of go by her cues. She will sometimes ask to sit on it and she has pooped once and peed 3 times in it but thats it so far. I have heard if you rush it or force it that you can help to deter them from actually learning to go on the potty. For now we just periodically ask her if she wants to use it and if she says no then its no and she also likes to cheer for us when we have used the 'big person' potty =) Too cute
I would just start talking about the potty in general and say when you have to go potty, let him know that now you are flushing the potty, then you wash your hands etc he will get in time but he is still so young
Good Luck
One way you can introduce the potty is to pick a couple of quiet times during the day when your baby is likely to pee--diaper changing time, wake up in the morning/from naps, or bath time. Sit the baby on the potty for a few seconds and if he goes great--one less diaper, if not no loss ;)
FWIW, my kids were both introduced to the potty in their first month and my daughter was fully done by the time she was a year and a half old (early walker and dressed herself early too). My son is only 6 months old so he's got a ways to go yet.
If you are really interested, look into elimination communication -- you can even do it just one time a day with positive results.
Sounds like a great idea -- but not yet! He's just too tiny; it won't have any meaning for him. And, another alternative is to wait until your son IS ready to train, and then give him the potty as a present, with great fanfare.
My friend's grandson had a potty chair from a very young age, but wasn't expected to use it. it was a gift, a well-made wooden one from a great aunt who passed away soon after his birth and gave his mom comfort in seeing it.
He wasn't really encouraged to use it, but obviously knew what to do as one night after his bath while daddy was putting away the tubs toys he sat on it and peed and pooped. He was 14 months old and Daddy thought it was a fluke.
The next morning he threw a fit when his diaper was being changed and they couldn't figure it out. While they were carrying him kicking and screaming to the kitchen for breakfast he struggled to get down. When he was put down to take off the tray from his highchair he ran to the bathroom, he wanted to use the potty! Seriously, the boy has been trained since 15 months, day and most nights, pee and poop, they think it has something to do with him wanting to be like his 6 year old brother.
You can put a potty in the bathroom, talk to your son about using the potty, let him see you going, and wait for him to be able to use it and be cooperative in doing so, more than likely at around 2 years of age.
Hmmm, At 11 months old, that sounds entirely too early. Sometime, "aunties" can be cookoo for cocoa puffs!
Potty training should start when a child shows some sort of interest in it, otherwise it is a fight. For my kids, they were both 3 years old. Some families have luck at 2, some at 3, and some at 4. 11 months, rare, if ever even heard of.
