Infant Potty training/elimination communication

[misschiff]

How do I start this with an 8mth old who is very active and has been using disposable nappies from birth?

[frizzytwig]

I would say it is impossible to potty train an 8 month old, they have no contol over their bowels or bladder at this age.

[pamnez]

I agree frizzytwig. I can't believe anyone could even think about potty training an 8 month old baby.

[loopey]

babies tend to find it easier and quicker to pick up after the age of two, at 8 months they need to concentrate on learning other skills,

[nfn]

are you serious?  8 MONTHS!  at very roughly a GIRL might be ready to start potty training at 18 months, a boy at about 2 years!  An acquaintance of mine claims both her children were potty trained by 12 months.  This is medically impossible.  All she did was (literally) run round after them all day waiting for them to squat!  That IS NOT potty training. that IS mummy training!

[ket]

I agree with everyone else. The baby is far too young to understand what he/she has to do. I started my child potty training at around two years because she was aware that she needed the loo at that age. It took me six months to get it right. Then once she'd mastered that it took about another six months to get her out of wearing nappies at night. By the time she was three she'd stopped wetting the bed, and i started putting her on the 'big' toilet. She's almost 5 now and has never had an accident!

[DannyK]

I have to say I tried my daughter at 18m and she was NOT ready, so I left it a while until the day she told me she wanted to wear knickers (about 2y 3m). From that day on she has never worn a nappy during the day or night, and I could count on one hand the amount of accidents she's had.

I would definately say that it's better to wait until SHE is ready. She'll let you know when the time is right, and that will take an awful lot of stress out of it. Please don't rush it.

[spudqueen]

When I was a baby (way back in the 60's) apparently it was common to hold babies over potties from about this age to try and potty train them. I think this probably had something to do with the fact that they had a lot of terry nappies to wash! My Mum always claimed that both myself and my brother 'performed' when held over the potty. I think this is highly probable as babies (especially boys) will wee when you take their nappy off, it's the cold air hitting them that does it. However this does NOT mean that they know they are doing it - which is the whole point of potty training.

[mifta]

I am a registered nurse with specialist qualifications in continence. The development of the elimination pathways in children does not start until they are around 18 months old. If your baby 'wees' on a potty before then it is a fluke. Some children are physically unable to predict when they are going to urinate until 3 years onwards. Relax and enjoy your baby. There is plenty of time for potty training!!

Mifta

[susysussex]

Hi!

I am doing this with my 6 month old son and he responds really well to EC.

Please do not feel disheartened by all the negative comments you have received.

This link has some good advice for late EC starters

http://www.white-boucke.com/reviews/latestarters.html

I would suggest that a good starting point would be to sit baby on a potty immediately after a nap for just a few minutes, if baby is not keen then stop... try a different place or position or just try again some other time, it won't be long before you catch you first wee! 

This website offers more info about where to go from this starting point

http://www.bornpottytrained.com/

Good luck. ;-)

[tino73]

 

 I agree that 8 months is far too soon to start potty training.  My son has just turned 2 and is just getting used to sitting on the potty but not quite sure what it is for.  I think girls are generally pick it up quicker (of Course) but boys are usually between 24 and 30 months.

[KathMo]

I agree with Susysussex, I'm ECing with my 3 month old and he definitely knows when he wants to go and can wait a minute til he's over a potty. Babies can release their muscles to wee. Of course I have to hold him, just as I have to feed him because he's not old enough to feed himself. Guess I'm "mummy trained" to feed my baby, hold him when he's upset etc - nothing wrong in that! It's sad that in the West we think babies are so incapable and must wear nappies - in eastern cultures EC is common.

By 8 months your baby is likely to have lost the awareness he/she had at birth and will be used to using the nappy, especially if baby feels dry when weeing because of the disposables. There are some good suggestions on the late starters group, and lots of links at www.diaperfreebaby.org. You could also join the Yahoogroup ECUK to get support and suggestions. EC is all about communication, so watch your baby to see when he/she goes and talk about what is happening. Some people switch to cloth or go nappiless some of the time so its obvious to spot when your baby goes. Don't focus on the results because your baby will need to learn to go somewhere else and is already nappy trained, just focus on the communication side and read the late starters tips and give it a try. Good luck!!