Just read something interesting about toilet training

[buliej]

During one of my google searches related to nappies, I came across an assertion that prior to disposables and the marketing campaigns associated with disposables, toilet training occurred at 1-1.5 years of age. It was only when the production/marketing of disposables and the making of disposable nappies in toddler sizes started (in the '70's) that people stopped toilet training their children at 1/1+ years of age. It went on to say "ask your parents" when you were toilet trained which I will do as now I'm really curious.

My baby is still 2 months away so I have zero experience with this, but I found it really interesting.

Anyone here tried to toilet train at 1-1.5 years of age - how did you find it?

[LionsandBears]

No experience with TT, but read a lot about what's now called Elimination Communication in the West and in most other countries is just the normal way children learn to go. Most of those kids are TT by 18 months.

We were all TT by 18-24 months. Mum used terry flats and wool pilchers on us.

[Olive]

im a 70's baby (late 70's ) and i was trained by 2! mainly because i had older siblings and didnt want to wear nappies anymore

[Heaven]

Very interesting! Because they are able to actually feel when they're wet easier?

My mum used cloth on me and I was toilet trained day and night at 18 months! We use cloth on DD and she knows when she needs to go and tells us. In the last couple of weeks she's been telling us when she needs to use the toilet and then actually doing it when we put her on there. She's 20 months.

[Maruschke]

doh just lost my post...

DD1 is 18 months and does morning pee and poo on the toilet, she also tells us when she is doing her pees and poos in her nappy, and occasionally she will take off her nappy and pee on the floor, pretending she is on the toilet. We are going to try the three day TT course once we have moved into the new house.

HTH, PX

[Freya]

Id love to let anyone who would generalise that ALL kids could be toilet trained by 18mths come and have a crack at my Ds2 who is 3 in 6wks and STILL wont train no matter what we do!

I think that there are always children who will train when they are ready no matter the age. I know of some kids who have been fully trained by 14mths! Others who are still in the process of being day and night time trained at 5. My kids are a classic example of that; my Ds1 was 3y3m when he was fully toilet trained practically overnight when I gave up on harrassing him and just waited for him to be ready, Ds2 is just under 3y and nowhere near willing or ready, Ds3 is 20mths and very willing to give the potty a crack and very happy to come and let me know he's going to do a poo or wee. I will be surprised if he isnt toilet trained by 2.5 AND trained before Ds2.

I think sometimes parents place waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to much emphasis on rushing their kids to do stuff, especially toilet training. Every kid is different and will do different things in their own time. No wonder there is such a competitive mentality in society these days.

[skybie]

lol freya dnt feel too bad DD1 is 4 yrs and 3 months old and still wears a night nappy to bed!
interesting findings though

[Nai]

Also most mums were home all day with the kids so they could do intensive TT. I was trained day by 2.5 and night by 3. DD1 was almost identical and we used cloth on her. She let me know when she was ready and she virtually TT overnight with hardly any accidents ever! DD2 is also in cloth and tells me when she is doing something in her nappy but won't use the potty.

[luna moth]

Id love to let anyone who would generalise that ALL kids could be toilet trained by 18mths come and have a crack at my Ds2 who is 3 in 6wks and STILL wont train no matter what we do!

That's still well within normal ranges. Let go of the angst! It will happen.

In answer to your original post, buliej, I have definitely noticed, over 10 years and hundreds of kids I have seen through childcare (so, yes, a generalisation, but based on a far wider sample size than one little family) that kids who use cloth do generally TT a lot earlier and faster. There are always outliers, but as a rule, it's often true.

[buliej]

What I read wasn't saying that those who use cloth nappies tt earlier - it was saying that the marketing campaigns driven by the disposable nappy companies resulted in a change in mentality in terms of when TT should take place.

[Beach Mama]

Really interesting and I bet it is also because the kids feel wetter with cloth nappies than in sposies. Both my sister and I were toilet trained by 18mths or so (not night time I don't think) so now that J is 2 mum thinks it is time! I've nodded and said "yep" and will do it over summer when I can pull up the rug as he is asking for the potty at times and telling us when he is doing something. Each to their own, we all do what is best for our kids and what suits our kids. My DD trained herself in 2 days. Literally. DS will probably take 2 years. Whatever.

[KitFaerie]

My mum was telling me a few weeks ago that her and her 5 siblings were all TT by 1-1.5. Me and my siblings were all TT by 2. I know nappy sizes have steadily been increasing the last few years.

[onthefly]

I think it used to be normal to use potties/toilets etc much younger - like 3-6 months and onwards - so by the time toddlers were walking they were often out of nappies in the day time at least. Now we have all sorts of different nappies marketed for different life stages (up to pullups and disposable pjs, for eg), which certainly help to prolong nappy use, so maybe there's some truth to it. It's about lifestyle factors as much as anything. If mum's a SAHM and sick of boiling nappies (as they used to do) they're probably a bit more motivated to get their babies out of nappies earlier.

[Maruschke]

My DD trained herself in 2 days. Literally. DS will probably take 2 years. Whatever.

My thoughts exactly

[Sagres]

I have read a similar thing, and it put it down to a) convenience (when babies were in full time terry square cloth all being washed there was more inspirational to get onto TT earlier as opposed to the change and toss convenience of disposables) and b) cloth nappies making it easier for littlies to tell when they are wet. I hadn't heard anyone relating it to marketing of nappies but it does sound like a valid point, if people see images of older children in nappies it begins to seem more normal.

[Just Me]

I think it has more to do with the kids than the nappies - I read a similar article that said that it was actually disposables that meant TT happened later. Problem is that I put my kids in undies or let them run nudie in the backyard and DD1 still didn't get TT until she was 2.5 (and only started doing her poos in the toilet in the last 2 weeks).

DS runs around and looks on with some mystical bewilderment when pee comes out of him. He can see it coming out but still seems to have no concept that it is coming from him. He doesn't recognise the sensations of needing to pee and even with no nappy on, seems completely clueless about this function. He is 2.5 years and I don't think he is ready to TT.

TT is something that I have chosen not to stress about because in my experience, people say their kids are TT but seem to be cleaning up puddles and dirty undies left right and centre. I have had mum's of 18 month old 'TT' babies come and visit or I have gone places with them and some of them pee through their clothes everytime I see them without fail but their mums would say they are TT. I could put my kids in undies when we go places and say they are toilet trained too even if they seem to have frequent accidents, but to me that is not being toilet trained. I guess much like the definition of 'sleeping through' the definition of 'TT' is so different for everyone because the criteria for when this happens is different for everyone. Some people say TT happens when they are fully independent, other says when they are no longer wearing nappies and using the toilet some of the time but still having accidents.

[onthefly]

I agree about not stressing about it - if it's not working, it's not working.
That said, I reckon there's a difference between TT after 12-18 months and using potty/toilet at a younger age. It's like a different process entirely. so when they're little you can be doing EC, or just toilet timing till they get the hang of it and they can be nappy free at a much younger age. Whereas older toddlers go through a different process with learning to not use their nappies and use a toilet or potty and relearning the signs of needing to go - and that can take quite a while.

[berrme]

I don't think it is just about advertising by disposible companies. Our whole lifestyles have changed. Mums are at work and don't have time to TT as early (it can be hard and messy work). Nappies (including MCNs) are more pleasant for babies to wear for longer as they don't feel as wet. And I think we are much happier as a society to let kids do things in their own time and do whatever causes the least stress for us. If that means being in nappies longer then so be it.

I used cloth with DS1 and he was still in day nappies til 2 1/2. We thought he was TT at night too, but winter rolled around and he stopped getting out of bed to go to the toilet. He went back into cloth night nappies until 3 days ago when he decided that he wanted to just wear jocks at night, and 3 days in a row I have washed his sheets. My life was easier when he was wearing the night nappies.