How do I START toilet training?

[Bonney]

Hi All,

I was just reading through the threads from people who have started toilet training their babes but no-one has mention when and how.

My 17 month old has just become aware that something happens out of his bottom. If he wets his nappy he will point down to it. When he poos in his nappy he runs away screaming because he is embarrassed and hates having it changed. When he does a fluff (pop) he laughs and pushes his tummy to try and do more!!

I have bought him a potty and all I do at this stage is refer to it whenever he has 'downstairs' action. eg. "You could do that on your potty" (while showing/pointing at it). I also sit him on it while waiting for his bath to draw in the hope that the rushing water will activate something, but after a month of this I have had no luck.

Any advice, or am I way too early?

From Bonney
:confused:

[poshBecks]

Hey Bonney...

I'm in the same boat!! I bought CJ a toilet seat the just sits over ours (you know the type? :rolleyes: ) Any way, I just put Cj on there every nappy change if he wants to. People say that one day it will just click & he'll get it, but in the mean time I'm not pushing it, if he wants to I'll pop him on, If he doesn't thats ok too. But I always offer the toilet to him. Theres no hurry!! :p

[PinkBinkie]

hi
I haven't gone through toilet training as a parent (yet) but have some experience as a group leader in a toddler room.

I think pictures/movies/books/dolls about using the potty are great and appealing to young children. You could also put a picture up near the potty of another child/toy/character using the potty so that your baby has a picture of what happens.

Also, let your toddler watch you and/or partner use the toilet on occasion. It won't be such a big mystery then.

I just saw a new Elmo on the shelves at Big W, a potty training elmo!

And now that your 17 monther is showing interest I don't think there's any harm in helping make the connections. Just take your time.

Good luck!
Jodi

[Elfin]

TT can be one step forward and 3 steps back but given your ds is aware of wee and poo you might as well give it a go. I bought some really good toilet training pants from Big W, they are towelling on the outside with a built in plastic liner so it contains most of the mess if you have an accident.

I just put my child on a potty or on the big toilet with a special seat about 15 minutes after a drink or meal. After a while they get the idea but sometimes it can take awhile. Don't forget to praise the successes like this:smiliedance: Never make a fuss about accidents or get frustrated. If it is not working leave it for a bit. Try to make it as fun as possible and most of all good luck:thumbsup:

[Tingles]

My daughter Kara was interested in 'Blues Clues', so I used the blue toilet cleaner, & everytime we flushed we shouted "Blues Clues"... She didn't like going on 'strange' toilets, so I'd say, 'I wonder if they have Blues Clues?' She'd want to find out of course, but she had to use the toilet first.

I did not rush her into toilet traning she was around 2.5 yrs - a couple of accidents here & there, but that is to be expected - Never a bed wetter.

Kara wore I pack of pull-ups, until a friend said - they are no different than nappies - and that is true - if you are seriously training I would suggets knickers, or those training knickers with the extra cloth.

My training was...when I need to go - you need to go too!

Worked for us, good luck!

Ps. Always have a spare pair of knix with you, if you don't need them, one of your (my child's toilet trained) friends might!ha!

[SJE]

I just put my child on a potty or on the big toilet with a special seat about 15 minutes after a drink or meal. After a while they get the idea but sometimes it can take awhile. Don't forget to praise the successes like this:smiliedance: Never make a fuss about accidents or get frustrated. If it is not working leave it for a bit. Try to make it as fun as possible and most of all good luck:thumbsup:


My mum said a similar thing to Easterlily. She also said to le them run around on hard floors with no knickers on so they start to make the connection. Also by demonstrating to them?

[Faithcomesinnumbers]

Our DD is toilet trained during the day she did start quite some time ago though. She would follow me into the toilet and everytime I did something I would tell her so that she would be able to tell the difference. After I had completly finished I would put her on our toilet. At first she was hesitant and a little frightened but I would stay with her the whole time even if she didn't do anything. I would say ok next time. Because she was quite small for a big toilet I would crouch down and hug her as she sat. Everytime she did something she was excited at the fact I let her flush the toilet (she saw this as her treat, for a job well done). Anytime she didn't do anything I would flush it. It did take time and she did revert back to nappies once but she was over the moon when I bought 14 pairs of undies from Best and Less for $2.00 each and traded her daytime nappies for undies. She never used a potty, training seat or the stairs. After seeing soiled undies from neices, nephews and other kids I didn't want to go down the same path and I took the best advice from everyone. I have a nephew that wasn't fully trained until he was 4 years old.

She did pick it up pretty quickly though and now doesn't need us to crouch down with her. She kicks us out of the toilet during the day. We only have the night time to go now and I will set the alarm 2 times a night then I will wake her up and take her to the toilet (might sound cruel). She will eventually learn to wake herself up out of her sleep to go. We have a mattress protector and we plan to leave the nappies on her until she is fully trained at night (dry nappies) then she will be into undies in the night also. Will have to keep you posted at the progress. I