when to start potty training?

As you say, your daughter is still really much too young for potty training. It is not until at least about 20 months plus that children have the muscle control to be able to hold it in or do on demand. Some parents do try using the potty earlier, and you can sometimes catch a bowel movement if they have recently eaten, but this doesn’t mean they are really ready for everything involved. For now, there are some tips you could try to make nappy- changing a bit less of a performance.

The general tips include:
• Making an effort to do it really quickly, so that she hardly has time to start wriggling or running away.
• Getting everything that you need for the nappy change ready in advance before you even bring your daughter to do it so that she doesn’t have to wait for longer while you collect things.
• It might help to have a special toy ready to give her, so that she can play with it while you get the nappy changing done.
• Try using an interesting mobile hanging above a changing mat to keep her entertained.
• Some toddlers will stay interested for long enough if you chat or sing or say a nursery rhyme.
• Try not to laugh or treat it completely like a joke when she tries to get away or she will just think it is an excuse to have fun and think you don’t mind. You need to act a little bit firm about it and hold her on the mat until you at least get it done, but ideally keeping her amused so she doesn’t get too upset.

thanks everyone! my mum insists the best time is when weather is warmer and obviously when baby is ready. luckily lily seems better right now at getting nappies changed thank god. she is sstill having tantrums though :( oh well. i'm sure there are plenty more of those to come. yay. x x

They say that once you start potty training you have to continue. I thought my youngest child was ready at just over 2 years, so I tried potty training for about a week. It was a complete waste of time as she stood there in her wet clothes and didn't seem to realise. So I quit trying and tried again when she was 2 years 7 months, and then she was ready. She is 4 now and came out of nappies the second time with very little accidents and alot less stress for me! You just have to let the child give you the signs that they are ready, or else you'll be cleaning the floor and washing more clothes than you have the energy for. Good luck!

i read somewhere that when your child goes a few days without havin a wet nappy during their afternoon nap then its time to start potty training

my daughter is 21months old n im not plannin on potty training until the summer as its meant to be easier in the summer. she did go thru a phase there for a few weeks asking to use potty but the idea seems to ave gone n she cant b bothered now. i think if u potty train too early it isnt as successful and u both get stressed. charlotte went thru a phase of not wanting her nappy on i think all babies love to be naked and run around with nuttin on n she still tries to get away sometimes! ive started now giving her her bottle to hold and drink while i change her on my knee this usually distracts her but when its not bottle time she does wriggle n scream n kick sometimes i just try to do it fast and hope she stops fightin it soon. i guess all u can do it hope she calms down soon or the ting that works with charlotte is sayin if she lies nice n lets me put her clean nappy on she can see whats in the dirty one. i know that sounds gross but it works and gettin them used to seeing poo helps when potty training coz they arent so shocked by it! hope things get better for u soon o n my husband has prob changed bout a dozen nappies in the last 21months so i think all men r prob as bad!

My daughter lily is only 12 months old so I know she is still too young to be potty trained right now (despite her granny insisting she should have been trained by her first birthday- yeah right!) anyway reason I'm asking is because lily hates her nappy going on. she wont stay still, runs away, hits, pinches screeches- I've tried making it a game, distracting her, be firm not talikng to her at all but whatever I do she still runs off either laughing and squealing or screaming and crying. she started doing it to my mum too but her dad is no help- he reckons I'm too soft on her and rarely changes her nappy or deals with her tantrums and just passes her to me, even though I'm too soft apparently. sorry for rambling on, basically I'm counting the days to potty training lol. can anyone tell me the signs to look out for when your toddler is ready?