Why have you not started potty training your baby yet? When my son was this age he was no longer using diapers during the day. Sounds familiar? Well, I heard this more than enough times before I started potty training my daughter. At only 18 months, some family members, relatives and close friends all seemed concerned. Well, this is totally understandable because some people believe that learning how to use a potty is one of the important milestones in a baby’s development.
Although I did not feel pressured to start potty training my daughter before I felt she was ready for it, such questions left me wondering whether there is a right time to start. So how early can you start potty training? At 8 months? 12 months? or 18 months perhaps? I believe this a question that does not have a straight forward answer. In this article, we will present a roundup of responses from several moms. They will tell us when they started potty training and why they started at that particular time and not earlier or later.
Fellow mums’ experiences with potty training
Maryanne, a mother of two boys aged 3 years old and 7 months stated;
I wanted to start potty training my son earlier, so I bought the potty quite early. However, my firstborn son refused to use the potty and I had to keep it until he showed signs of readiness. At 2 years, I gave potty training a try once again and this time he quickly accepted it. As for my second born, I will not be in a hurry rather I wait till he is two years or even 2.5 years.
Maryanne
Sharon, a mother of one gal aged 6 years also had a similar experience. She explained;
My desire was to have my daughter stop using diapers during the day as early as possible. So I started potty training her at around 1 year. It however proved futile. She would sit on the potty for ten minutes and I would assume she doesn’t want to go only for her to pee or poop immediately she left the potty”. Sharon went on to say that “I gave up and decided to wait until she was ready, which happened at 2 years.
Sharon
Mercy is a mother of two, a boy aged 5 years and a girl aged 3.5 years. Mercy had a different experience with potty training. She stated;
I am never in a hurry to start potty training. I prefer my kids to be in diapers until they show signs of readiness rather than stressing them. Before they reach 3 years, I feel that they are still too young to learn something as hard as using a potty. I successfully trained both my children at 3 years without much struggle and if I get another child, I will do the same.
Mercy
Evelyn, a mother of two twin girls says;
I had no choice but to let my girls stay in diapers for as long they could. I tried to train them early but they would pee everywhere especially on the seat and carpet, which I had to clean every day. It was hectic. Potty training a child who is not ready is not only stressing to the kid but also to the mother. I gave my gals time to grow and fortunately, by 2 years they were already using the potty without being forced.
Evelyn
From an expert’s perspective; how early can you start potty training?
Majority of experts say that there is no right or wrong age to start potty training a child. They agree that it depends on your goals and your child’s developmental milestones.
In some parts of the world, parents start training their children how to use a potty as early as 8 months while others start not earlier than 18 months.
The appropriate time to start potty training is when you feel or notice your child is ready. This means that there are a number of signs to look out for.
- Baby looks for privacy when he or she wants go
- Refuses to stay in a wet or soiled diaper
- Often wakes up with a dry diaper
- Tries to remove his diaper when he wants to go
- The baby will become fussy when he wants to go until you remove his diaper
- Enjoys being diaper free
