when to start potty training? UPDATE BOTTOM

ok so i am 35 weeks pregnant and my DD will be 2 at the end of june. i have a cool elmo potty chair for her and i really think she will get the concept of potty training fairly quickly. that said, i am having a baby in a few weeks. do i really want to start potty training when im this far along? will it screw things up potty-wise once the baby comes? part of me wants to just wait til the fall, when my life has calmed down (i hope) and i can give training my full attention. what do you think?

Message edited 6/9/2013 7:50:53 PM.

Re: when to start potty training?

Personally I would wait. She is awful young and in a few weeks you are going to have your hands full. I wouldn't add more unnecessary stress to your life right now.

Re: when to start potty training?

hmm... i don't think it could hurt to start introducing the concept to her. like set up the elmo potty, and sit her on it a couple times a day (like while you're running her bath water at night, or when she wakes up from her nap). just to kind of get her used to it. potty training doesn't have to be a quick thing. if you start just kind of introducing it while shes still on the young side, i think theres less pressure on you and her. then you can go more "hard core" with it in a few months when you're a little more settled in with the baby.
we're doing this with our son. hes 2.5 now. he does well, goes on the potty when we ask him to or when we take him, is keeping his diaper dry for longer periods of time... BUT he still isn't great about telling us when he has to go. so i think i'm gonna go hardcore with it pretty soon and spend a day or 2 at home with him in underwear and hopefully he'll get it after a couple accidents LOL

Re: when to start potty training?

I was in a similar position as you a two year old and a baby on the way. Dd started waking up dry from naps and in the morning so I felt like I had to try a little. I just didn't push it. I introduced the potty and she did well. I started noticing she had a pee pee dance and I would have her go. If she resisted I let it go. Now at 28 mo (the baby is 2.5 mo) I was ready to get serious. I just started no pull up yesterday and she is doing great. She has a twin brother and he is following along too just about 3 mo behind her.
So I would introduce it and just not pressure her and just see how it goes. When you are ready after the baby is born then start to get serious. Good luck!

Re: when to start potty training?

They need to be physically and emotionally ready. You can definitely introduce the potty but don't expect a miracle.
DD sat on her potty from before 2 years old but didn't really GET it until.around 2.5. And when she got it, it was like overnight. It just clicked and that was it. When they are ready, they will do it.

when to start potty training?

The 3 day potty training technique said the optimal age is 22 months. After 22 months they start to learn about power and control. I couldn't handle following the method for my twins because it requires totally dedication round the clock for 3 days but it might be worth reading for you. Maybe you can have her trained before the baby is born?

I started potty training my twins a couple of weeks before they turned 2. One was very ready, the other was a nightmare. They were telling me they had pee pee or poopy in their diapers and bringing me wipes and diapers to change them starting at around 19 months. One hated to have a dirty diaper. I didn't try training them at all then but I did introduce them to the potty.

Then they went into this phase where they wouldn't wear clothes. I was losing my mind. Finally one day I said to them well if you are going to be naked then you have to use the potty. I put the pottys on the floor and one of my girls said "poopy", walked over and sat on her potty and peed for the first time. The other just laughed and said no.

Since that day the one was using the little potty and the bathroom toilet for pees and poops. 10 days later the other one was still in pull ups or peeing on the floor. So I basically just kept up with potty training the first one and waiting on the second to join in. The second one joined in about 3 weeks later and now they will both use the potty or the floor depending on their mood. They are still naked ALL. THE. TIME. It is impossible to keep their clothes on. So I'm sort of stuck in either fighting to keep diapers and clothes on them or they are naked and using the potty about 70% of the time.

Neither got potty trained in 3 days, like the method says but I didn't follow it to the letter either. I think what it comes down to is if she is showing readiness and YOU are wanting to get it done... Maybe the 3 day method would work for you. Or if you can't deal with it right now, then wait till you are both ready. My nieces were trained one at 20 months the other two at 2. I had it in my head that 24 months was the time to do it. I think it is either you do it now and it takes a little longer to get it done or you wait several months and it happens faster because they are more mature.

Message edited 6/9/2013 9:58:55 AM.

Re: when to start potty training? UPDATE BOTTOM

ok so i put her on it tonight and she peed! i made a big deal and gave her lots of praise. now what? haha i feel so clueless.

when to start potty training? UPDATE BOTTOM

Yahoo!!! I think you have to keep up the praise for a while and possibly up the anti (with a special treat, sticker or small toy) if she poops or stops being motivated. Also, keep an eye on her for several days so if she doesn't go for the potty you can catch her and at least get her to finish on the potty. The 3 day book suggests reminding several times a day "tell mommy if you need the potty". And I really wish I hadn't had to do this naked because I am having a really hard time with their clothes and keeping panties on them. So I wish I had follows the advice of getting them used to taking their panties down to pee and then pulling them back up.

Today I am battling with them to keep their dresses and panties on.