How do i get started?

[poshBecks]

Hi! I have a 17 month old little boy. I wouldn't even have the foggiest on how to even begin toilet training? Please help, i need as much advice as possible :o

Becky
Mum to...
Connor -17 mnths
Bump - Still cookin'

[Baby Girl]

Ahhh what a dilemma... I had the same thoughts (or lack of thoughts) when thinking about toilet training with DD1.

Obviously girls are different to boys but I basically just let DD1 come to the toilet with me (and sometimes Dad) once she became interested. We have an open door thing going on in our house so she was able to stand at the door and watch or even (embarrassing for me) get right down close to the toilet and have a good look at what was going on in the bowl. I figured this was all normal signs of her showing interest in using the toilet, so, I got her a potty which she hated (still uses it as a step though) and also asked her if she wanted to try to use the toilet. From about 2 and 3 or 4 months I started by putting her on the toilet to do a wee before her bath at night for a few weeks and then after a few more weeks mornings too - I didn't worry too much if she actually 'went' but we went through the motions. A little while after that she started asking if she could wear her 'unders' and we went from there.

Some days it felt like 2 steps forward and 3 steps back but after about 8 weeks she had it pretty well mastered (the weeing part at least). It has been about 6 months now and she still waits for her night nappy to do a poo (maybe that is just her body's routine). She has done a poo in the toilet a few times and about once a week she will do it in her undies but at least now she is telling me it is there - she used to just tell me she farted if she'd tell me at all (I had to rely on my nose :eek: )!! So I am hoping that she will be ready soon to use the toilet for no. 2's too!!

The best advice I can give you, from my experience, is to be patient, very, very patient, be consistent, be prepared to clean up a lot of accidents at first, ask other mums/dads how they did it and take whatever suits you from their method and adapt it your son, read, read, read, all the books I read said basically the same thing but of course each one has its differences and one might have the magic method for your son in it and wait until your bub is ready (not just yourself)!! Oh and have a plan in your own head (and tell any other carers) about how you want to teach toileting before you go for it but allow for felxibility as you never know how your bub is going to go.

[aardvark]

As Schmell said - but I would add that using the pull-ups delays the process.

Better to lay in copious supplies of cheap undies (Best and Less or Big W have decent cheap ones), a pile of cleaning rags and a big bottle of pine-o-cleen.

We used the pullups instead of nappies at night once she had the hang of it, in case she woke up and wanted to go to the toilet.