Baby Place

Terri B · Joined: 07 Jun 2004 Posts: 59

Has anyone successfully potty trained their child before he/she began to really talk? My daughter is 16 months old and has not really said anything more than Ma-Ma and Da-Da. She does seem to comprehend most everything though. I was thinking about giving a stab at potty training soon because she will sit on her potty in the bathroom when I take her in with me when I go to the bathroom. But I was wondering if I should wait until she can tell me when she has to go. She won't even shake her head yes to a question right now. This is probably a stupid question - bear with me please, this is my first experience with this.
Terri

Nikki · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 407 Location: Toronto

Hi,

Every child is different and some will potty train sooner than others. 16 months does seem pretty young but there is nothing wrong with getting her used to it. I did find that once my son started talking more that it was a lot easier and now he asks to use his potty, tells me when he has had a bowel movement in his diaper or peed (sometimes he doesn't make it in time).
Our next door neighbour had said she had her daughter potty trained by 22 months but her daughter was speaking quite well by that time.....she even had her out of diapers. But then a couple of weeks later she was back in diapers so it's one of those things that's sort of touch and go.

DadSteve · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 290

I wish I could help, but my daughter is nearly twice as old as yours, and despite the fact that she talks like a 30-year-old she's not even a little potty trained. It's to the point where we're going to have to force the matter.

jenna103 · Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 904 Location: Long Island

I'm about as helpless as steve on this one. Mikey can tell me when my husband is aggrevating him. He uses that word as far as going on the potty. He's just not having any part of it. And he can sit in a dirty diaper allllllll day long. Doesn't faze him at all. My 21 week old won't be a minute in a dirty diaper. I may get her potty trained first. I tried bribing him now I may have to use force. LOL!! KIDDING!!!

DadSteve · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 290

Part of the problem is that diapers are just too darn good. Even those training diapers with the cloth strip in them keep kids drier than the ones when we were kids. My wife and I discussed it today. If the girl shows no signs of moving in the right direction in the next couple of months, we'll remove the diaper. If nothing else, she may use the toilet to keep her pants dry. The good news is that my daughter did sit on it willingly (we prompted her to sit on it, but she actually climbed up on her own without arguing about it) for the first time today. Maybe we'll make some progress soon.

jenna103 · Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 904 Location: Long Island

I just bought those training pants which are like diapers on the outside but like underwear on the inside. This way he will feel uncomfortable but he won't make a mess of my house. I'll let you know how those go.
Well, off to get the baby. I think I hear her stirring.

Nikki · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 407 Location: Toronto

I tried the training underwear...not the diapers, the cotton underwear with Alex one day just as a little experiment. I explained to him that they were not diapers and that they were "big boy underwear" and that if he needed to pee or poo he had to use his potty or tell me. I also said that if he went pee or poo in his underwear his pants would get all wet. He said ok and seemed to understand what I had just told him.
He ended up staying dry for about 3 hrs so I was pretty impressed and then at one point he was playing in his room and I heard him get all upset because he had peed and it had run down his leg.
It's worth a shot Steve and Jenna. I'll definitely try it again with Alex.