Potty Training at 12 Months??

That's great, and as long as you don't mind staying on top of it, I'd go for it.

You should just know that it is actually you that is trained and not really her. So don't be surprised and frustrated if you see accidents for some time to come! People in many parts of the world do this with their children though and if you start now, she'll get the routine down quicker. Good luck!

You might try teaching her the sign for potty. If she does know when she needs to go she could tell you that way. Good luck!!!!

Excellent work!
She may not be capable of saying she needs to go, but she obviously knows what it is for!
Sounds to me like you are doing great! Just keep on repeating (and signaling) potty time for both urinating and defecating and she will get it. You said she catches on quickly so just keep up the good work!
And congrats!! :)

12 months is not really that early when other parts of the world are potty training practically from birth. The US is one of the only countries that uses diapers for as long as we do. Keep at it if she is ready. We just got done potty training our daughter and she just turned 25 months. She is staying dry for day and night. She was staying dry most nights before we really started training with her so that has made the nighttime easy for now. I put her in underwear and a shirt and just let her play. I would ask about every 20 - 30 minutes if she had to potty and would have her sit on the potty. After a couple of accidents and holding it in, it clicked after just a week and we have been accident free for awhile now. Good luck and give her a lot of praise when she does go. We gave our daughter stickers when she went and she loved that.

Becky has some great comments. As long as it isn't stressful for her, go for it! My daughter was trained at 21 months and I did nothing but follow her cues.

One idea: if you're going somewhere or can't deal with a mess, put the pull up on over the underwear. That way she can feel if she goes, but you don't have the mess.

Good luck,
K.

My cousin's daughter was 18 months old when she was potty-trained so I know it can be done. My oldest was showing signs at 15 months old and I bought a potty chair that she would go potty on if I put her there. I asked the pediatrician about it and she said that it is the physical ability to HOLD the potty that signals being ready...it is much easier to release it when asked, I guess. The doctor said that the average age to develop this ability is 26 months, so obviously some younger and some older. So, personally, I waited until I saw that in my daughter. We still sat on the potty before baths and she put her dolls on her chair so they could go, etc. It just happened that around 26 months, she was running around after a bath and started to go on the carpet. Just out of instinct, my husband yelled "NO" and she stopped midstream. We put underwear on her the next day and she was "trained" by the end of the day. SUPER EASY! I was never anxious to start sooner than I had to, because public restrooms are a pain!Just our experience...Good Luck!

Stick with it, and keep bringing her to the potty. They are actually saying now that if your child seems ready, it's better to do it anytime after a year, before they get stubborn. Just remember as she learns she will go back and forth. NEVER scold her or make her feel bad for not getting to the toilet. That will cause further regrression. Just keep praising her. Way to go! You did it! If she has an accident let her know, "that's ok, you can try again next time". You're doing good Mom!

You are doing everything you need to do. Keep it up. Just make sure not to punish her for accidents. One of mine was potty trained before the age of 2 as well. It may be early but it's fine. As long as she wants to -- let her.

good job mom!
introduction to the potty at earlier ages helps with potty training, i and my friend are living proof of that! :D
just take it easy, dont pressure her to go every time, at a year they cant really hold it very long, so you may find that she will pee every 20 minutes or less. just follow your instincts, and let it be a fun thing, not something shes forced to do... she will probably be trained earlier than my son because shes a girl :P
anyway, good luck!
www.askdrsears.com is a good place to start.

Sounds like you're doing the right things. Keep following her cues, don't expect her to completely train right now - she might just play with the idea of it for a while - I don't think her body isn't fully capable of the control. My 1 yr old girl is also interested - her 4 yr old brother still needs encouragement with #2, and she's right there wanting to hand him toilet paper and sit on the little potty next to him :) I don't plan on making it a routine for her to sit without a diaper yet because my hands are full, but nice to know that she's starting to get the concept :)

I just trained my oldest (boy) and he finished just before he turned 3...so I don't have much advice...

I just wanted to suggest learning and teaching the signs for potty and poop to your little girl. Maybe that will help her be able to tell you.

My youngest is 18 months, and doesn't talk much. But he does know the signs for more, please and a couple others...since he doesn't talk much....it really helps.

She knows what to do, and she still has control over her bladder and those muscles, so go with it. My boys were both out of diapers by 18mos, my youngest was in undies full time (DAY AND NIGHT) at 15mos.

www.diaperfreebaby.org is a great site to get started. You need to teach her the signs for potty (you can google them, they are easy to learn) and when she is going potty, do the sign and say pee or poop while doing the sign. She will pick up on it fast, my youngest was signing potty signs by 9mos old!

She is compliant at this age, responds well to praise and since she hasn't sat in a diaper for 3yrs, she still has control over her bladder!

If you really want to go for it, keep the pull ups for night time, and use undies during the day. Hanna Andersson and Gymboree both make 18mo size undies, and while they might be a bit big (they were on my boys at this age) they'll still work. Yo ucan also find some smaller online, but they can be spendy.

Good for you for recognizing her signs, going with it, nad encouraging her. It is totally capable to potty train at this age, my two boys are proof, as are many babies around hte world who are either never in diapers from birht, or out of them by the time they are 1.

EDITING TO ADD- that I disagree with the poster who said its you that is trained, not the child. Regardless of the age you potty train, be it 1 or 4, the child will have accidents, and you will have to remind him/her to get to the bathroom, you'll have to help wipe and remind nad help with clothing for some time. Children this age (up to 18mos or so) are ver ycompliant, they still have control over thier bladder (which the control gets lost in the 2nd year, and much more so in the 3rd year, sitting in an ultra-absorbant diaper where they have no idea they are peeing). So regardless of age, the parent still needs to help, remind, help wipe, etc. Its a training process, thats why its called potty TRAINING, parent needs ot teach the child. You teach your child letters, numbers, manners.... you also teach them to potty. Its no different.

You're right, it is very early; but if it's working, stick with it. YOU have to be very consistent and help her to make it to the bathroom on time. Because of her age, be flexible of setbacks and accidents, and don't ever criticize- just keep it super happy and positive.

Hi M.,

Sounds like she is doing great. I usually don't start potty training anymore until they are about 2, it is just so much easier, and takes a lot less time since they seem to understand. I do believe there are children who can be trained at a much younger age, so your daughter may be one of these children. Since you or your husband are the ones to care for her I don't see a problem with potty training her now. Just keep taking her every so often and keep encouraging her. I give my children a Smartie when they go potty, two when they are dry, although I doubt a one year old would understand why they got two treats. One word of advice...don't take her too often or she will get tired of it...try taking her once every hour to hour-and-a-half. If you take her too often she will decide that it's no fun anymore.

Good Luck!

C.

My youngest learned at 18 mos. She learned to tell me by standing at the bathroom door, or going and getting a new diaper and handing it to me. At this young age, it is actually the parent who is trained, not the child. Chances are, if it clicks right now, it is something that will come and go over the next 2 yrs. You may get lucky, though, and have her done early!
S.