PT before 2yo, what are your tips?

[titferbrains]

DD is 20mo, good talker and understands pretty much everything I say.

She gives very clear signs when pooing, ie. certain expression and grunts and stands quite still.

My mum was saying I should stick her on the loo/potty when I see signs, but her poo cues are really right before she starts pushing. I don't want to freak her out by whipping her nappy off unexpectedly and I don't want to create any issues around pooing. But would love to train her!

Just want it to be positive for her, psychologically. I have a couple of potties from family and also a soft loo seat.

Also wondering how to keep her on the potty without making it feel like some sort of penance! she can be a bit impatient with reading...

[GraceK]

We trained DD1 at 22 months, though we'd been putting her on the loo for poos from about 12 months, since she goes bright red in the face so had a few seconds warning - my mum suggested it & within a few days she was happy with the change - after all, who wants to sit in their own poo.

She was in real nappies & was going for ages without peeing & then soaking through two layers of filling - so it was either potty train her or start using disposables. We explained she was a big & clever girl and asked her if she wanted to go on the big loo like mummy & daddy - both of whom she'd been watching intently for some time in the act.

She was too young to get excited / understand star charts so we went for instant rewards - 1 chocolate button for a wee in the potty (telling us she needed to go to start with, even if she didn't make it) and 3 for poo - the idea that she could have chocolate at any time of the day or night when she'd done this really concentrated the mind.

Had a chart for ourselves so we could see when we were making progress - it took 4 days for the message to really sink in, so it's good to remind yourself that she's making progress - after all it's a new skill - could you learn to drive / roller skate in 3 days?

Go & buy loads of pants - with her to help chose if you like - we got through about 30 pairs in the first week. Get a 'Piddle Pad' for the car to protect her car seat so you don't feel tempted to put her in a nappy for car journies - once you're out of nappies stick with knickers except at night otherwise you'll confuse her as to when she can & can't pee in her pants.

Buy a 'swimsuit' waterproof bag - M&S do one for a fiver, for putting wet pants & clothes in as you will get accidents for a couple of months at this age when she's busy / tired. But that's still better than changing nappies.

Avoid pull-ups - you lie down on your back like a baby for nappies. Get a throne / chair potty (they have them in Mothercare) rather than a traditional potty, since they don't tend to skid away from your bum when you're trying to sit down quickly. Also get a Potette Plus (from Boots or Mothercare) - it's a wonderful folding potty with bags (with an absorbant pad in the bottom) that can be thrown away, which is also an insert for toilets. It takes up very little space & can be taken everywhere - very useful when out & about, in the car, in shopping centres (where loos tend to be very spaced out).

Give up for a few weeks if she gets upset / doesn't get it after a week of explaining. Good luck & I'd say go for it in this fine weather when you can spend a lot of time outside with a potty & not worry about your flooring.

[horseymum]

go with your instincts and ignore all those who tell you she is too young. if she enjoys it and it is not stressful, it is the right thing for your family. just sit her on at each nappy change and be really positive aabout it, ignore wet nappies/pants. even just sitting on the potty now will be good as there are so many threads on here about 3 yeaer olds who won't even sit on potty. i reckon if you introduce before two you have a better chance. every wee or poo caught is one less they have to go around with in their nappy which has to be good.

[PrimroseCrabapple]

i kind of treated wees and poos as two sep stages. Poos we did the spot the signs and instant rewards for success. wees i noticed if she had a bare bottom she didn't have accidents so had her bare under dresses/skirts and got a potty chair so she could sit on it comfortably and instant rewards. dd1 trained day and night at 2 exactly, dd2 was day and night at 20 months.

[titferbrains]

thanks, lots of helpful advice here. i guess I should just bite the bullet and try. Encouraging that your little girl responded early, Grace!

Will post with the results...