I have regrettably decided.........

[Shen]

My son turned 2 at the start of November. All of a sudden last week he decided he didn't want to wear nappies anymore, and he has been using the potty ever since. No hassles, just one or two accidents. It's been amazing.

This is the best time to start I reckon- ie. Summer. They can have bear bums most of the time at home, and become aware of all the sensations and quickly and easily get to the potty instead of having to peel of layers and suffer dissapointment at not getting there in time.

[Lucretia]

Alia almost toilet learned at about Alex's age. She had a day at about 14 months where she got all her wees in the potty. She didn't keep it up though and didn't toilet learn untill she'd just turned 17 months. (I make that sound late ). She'd shown awarness from quite young, I remember her standing there holding the table at about 9 months and saying 'poo' then pooing (she was nappy free). I was rather and didn't quite believe it.

Anyway, my point is I don't think it's too early to get a little potty and chat to him about it, sit him on there if he wants, change his nappy as soon as he wees. That sort of thing.

It's ok, he'll still wear night nappies for ages so you don't have to leave yet (just look at me ).

[KristyMum]

yep, Zeke's been the most aware of my guys, at about 18mths ish, 'poo' and 'pee' and 'bum' and 'fluff' and all those other lovelies! lol He'll come and tell you and then head off to the change table and knows what goes in the loo, and he prob has more nappy free time than any of my guys, so definately associates the feeling with the result, and will come and tell me if there's a poo that's been 'laid'

[twinmama]

I was told to wait till the summer closest to their second birthday. My mum's disgusted that they aren't TT'd yet as both my sister and I supposedly TT at 1!

[Kris]

Its much easier if you just go with the flow and let the child decide when they are ready, ellie was totally uninterested a few months ago and now isn't wearing nappies during the day at all (except for when she has a day sleep-although she is doing well without it then too) It means no more squirting pooey nappies which I am soo happy about! (not so happy at the idea that in a few months I will have to be doing it all over for another couple of years )

I have just finished reading "infant potty training" a book about ECing and it says that even very young babies are aware of their bodily functions and by putting nappies on them it is just delaying the TT process. So by keeping them nappy free over summer it will at least let them regain that awareness whether that leads to complete tiolet awareness or not

[tikki]

Julie, my mum tells me that the older generation's concept of TTed is quite different to what we think; and often people say they were TTed by one when that was when they stopped putting nappies on ~ lots of accidents and chasing kids with potties (Also it's amazing what a bit of time can do to memory )

[twinmama]

I know Tikki - my mum even reckons that both my sister and I said "No more Nappies"! My two are now two years old and still not stringing 2 words together in a sentence let alone 3!

[Kezmo]

Julie - i'm alway a bit dubious of those stories too!! A lot of women fom my mum's generation say those things though so????

With Nina i think i bought her a padded toilet seat at around 17 months, she used to follow me into the toilet so i'f let her have a sit, i never caugh so much as a drop until we finally did the deed when she was around 2 and a bit. She just seemed "ready" so we stopped nappies through the day and started her in the huge, teryy trainer pants (too cute!) We did have quiet a few accidients to start with but yeah, i think i can count on my hand how many times she's wet the bed or ha a major accident, i think you 'know' and if he's ready - good luck to you

[~*Bron*~]

didn't they used to stick us on the potty until we went, regardless of how long it took? that may be their version of TT?

[Wems]

I think our parents and grandparents version of TT was Toilet TIMING not Toilet Training

You know things like the baby always poos in the morning when it gets up so put it on the potty and it does poo, the baby always wees after a feed so sit it on the potty after a feed and it does a wee

If I had to soak all those terry flats then wash them the way they did I would be cutting down on as many nappies as I could too