Potty training in a month?

[LittleMilla]

Ds1 was two a month ago. He's been using the potty on and off since feb for prompted wees. However, we haven't really bothered pushing it as weather has been shite and we've had builders in. He can wee whenever I ask him too, pretty much. And will do almost anything for a sticker!

Ds2 is due at the end of July and I'll have ds1 at home 3 days a week from the beginning of the month.

Shall I aim (with the support of nursery) to try and crack it before ds2 comes?

Or am I completely off my rocker for considering it? Just worried that it'll be nigh on impossible to do once the baby arrives.

[Oxen]

If he seems ready enough now then I don't see why not.
I'd imagine things would be much easier if ds1 was toilet trained when the new baby comes along.

[LittleMilla]

Just got no idea how long I should expect it to take? Feels like a piece of string question!

[Sirzy]

It depends if he is ready. DS was dry by day within 3 days of starting but that was because he initiated it (he was 2.5 at the time)

[MiaSparrow]

I keep hearing that the later you leave it, ie from 2.5 onwards the easier and quicker it is. That's what I'm going with anyway, but 28mo DD has no interest at all so I might just wait it out for a bit and go for the boot camp approach later on. No little sibling on the way though...

[RainSunWind]

I personally wouldn't bother trying to potty train in time for a new baby. It's a bit close now anyway, two big events in a short space of time (learning to potty train and new baby) and you could find even if he's progressed, he regresses when the new baby comes.

There's no harm in a child being potty trained at 2.5 or 3. (Some I know have been a little over three). There's no race against time and TBH there's a slight benefit in not having to deal with puddles and accidents and "I wanna wee-wee" when you are also dealing with a newborn, especially when you are out and about. I was in the same position as you and nursery recommended not trying to do the two things in the same space of time - either potty train well before a new baby, or well after, but not in the same 3 month zone. it did work for me.

I first tried mine at age 2 - no can do. 2.5 - no can do. Left it completely til 3 - did it in a week. Everyone is unique, but in the experience of myself and friends, unless your DC is showing very clear signs of really wanting to use the toilet, there's little point in hurrying them along. When they are really ready, they generally grasp it straight away with no messing. Mine had extremely few accidents too, and there was hardly a blink before I decided to put normal pants on at night instead of pull-up pants - have never had a night-time accident either. (a year and a half on now).

I believe I would have reached the same point at the same age no matter if I'd pushed it at 2.5 than leaving it til 3. There comes a point where you look at the child and think "you can definitely use a toilet, so lets do it" instead of "maybe I'll try, maybe I should try doing this or that or XYZ and that would persuade them wees on the toilet are a good idea". HTH!

[RainSunWind]

Mia - I did a bit of the boot camp approach (ie jolly no-messing attitude!). I gave my DC a weeks notice and we did a little count-down, I got loads of fun new pants in etc.

[Fuzzymum1]

Some children crack it in a few days, some it takes longer. I would give it a go and see what happens - you can always stop and try again in a few months if he's not seeming to get it.

[Girlsville]

If you think he is ready, give it a go. You will know within a few days whetehr he can do it, and if he is not ready then just put him back in nappies. I am training DD2 this week, she was 2 in May. She had pretty much trained herself to be clean over the last couple of months - depserate to be like her older sister - and she has caught the hang of it in 48 hours, with only one accident since day 2 and dry at night immediately (dd1 who is 3 is still in nappies at night!). Because she is young tho I would not have hesitated to stop and put her back in nappies at the end of the week if she wasnt getting it. Go with your instincts.

[LittleMilla]

Thanks all.

I suspect that if he'd been at home with me and an older sibling he'd have cracked it ages ago TBH. We just haven't put the effort in really because of everything else going on.

I also think that nursery might've inadvertantly delayed things. They insisted on pullups which DS doesn't seem to like v.much and they end up just being a nappy. So it was all a bit of a fase start when he first showed signs a few months back.

Think I'll give it a whirl with pants and see how we go. No harm done if he isn't ready, but bonus if he cracks it before baby comes.

Silly question - are/were your LOs able to pull down their trousers/shorts themselves? DS can just about do it, but it's sometimes a struggle!

[grabaspoon]

Some children crack it - current charge managed to be dry within 10 days but that was with a weekend in nappies in between and I did mine while we were out and about.

If he's ready then do it but only do it if you think he is 98% ready.

[soontobeslendergirl]

we did the toilet training in a day thing with both my boys when they were 3 and pretty much cracked it in a day or so - a couple of accidents, but nothing major. So, i would say it is perfectly possible....if he is truly ready.

[DeWe]

All of mine did it between the age of 20 months and 26 months and none took longer than a few days.
Dd2 was the hardest at day (she still will leave it to the last minute!) but the easiest at night (dry before 18 months)
The night is totally separate-you produce some sort of hormone at night to stop you going, so if that hasn't started being produced, then they're not ready.
The girls I put in dresses and no pants which worked well. Ds used to take his trousers down, but struggled to put them on again, so I;d often turn around to find him with a naked bottom-which he preferred anyway.

Just bear in mind that there are times when children typically can regress in potty training, and birth of a sibling is one of those. So if he's dry for a month and slips back after dc2 comes along, he's not just being awkward.