Potty Training Under 1 Year Old

My daughter was potty trained at childcare and they told me that they don't have the muscles to hold what they need to hold until they are at least 18 months. But again, every child is different. But I think that may be a better time to start trying. Being ready is more than just emotional it is also physical. Just another 2 cents. Good Luck.

If you feel your son is ready by a year then go for it. The thing is that he most likely will not be ready by then. lots of babies don't even walk until they are over 1 and some take even longer. Also you have to both be able to talk and understand each other. And although 1 year olds can understand and say a few words they usually can't talk that much. Plus your child has to have the ability to be able to control his potty and poo. ANd know when to hold it and when to go and for most babies that ability doesn't start until they are at least 18 months. So i hope i'm not making you mad but I would just enjoy your little one and when he turns 1 see how you and he feels.

I've only potty trained one son, and I'm getting ready to start the second one (he's turning 2 next week). But here's my theory: if they can't walk to the potty seat and get on it by themselves, they can't possibly be potty trained! And unless you're willing to let him run around naked on the bottom and risk accidents on your floors, he'll need to be able to pull down his pants by himself, too.
With my first, we lived in Phoenix, so it was warm enough for him to run around naked on the bottom. I let him progress at his own pace, and it wasn't difficult. He asked to do it and did it on his own. After he was pretty good at going when he was bare-bummed, he got to "earn" some new underwear by going poop on the potty. By then he could get his underwear down by himself. After he was really good at that we added the shorts.
Younger children also do not possess the muscle coordination to stop urine from coming out. Until they start holding it (I noticed my son would be dry for long periods, then suddenly his diaper was so full it was about to leak!) how can you expect them to hold it long enough to make it to the potty seat? They are also rather oblivious to what's going on most of the time. My 2 year old will often grab his diaper and say, "pee pee" when he's going now, so we're going to start soon.
General opinion is that starting early (before the child is ready) just means you'll be potty training for longer. If your child is ready at 26 months, and you start at 25 months, you'll be potty training for a few months. But if you were to start at 12 months, you'd be potty training for 15-16 months.
Hope that helps!

I have 3 children and only one is potty trained and that is my 5 yr old. I also have a 3 yr old boy and he will be 4 in July and he still isn't potty trained we have been trying but he doesn't want to, and I have a 2 yr old and she is almost potty trained. I think every child is different they will let you know when they are ready and I don't think that you can push them to become potty trained. I don't know about starting at 1 because I didn't do it, but I have a friend who did. When they are that young they still don't have much control over their bladder and when they have to go they go. My friends little girl is 2 now and she doesn't know when she has to go untill it is almost too late she still has plenty of accidents. I have talked to her about it and she wished that she would have waited. I agree with some of the other posts it isn't training the child it training the parent. But on the flip side I think if you are willing to put the time and energy into potty training that early it may be worth it, and your child may do great. I hope everything works out.

This is what I posted to another question just like the one you asked, I honestly think any training that early is about training the parents not the child..........

I am a firm believer that potty training is easier if you start at 2, I have found if you try any earlier it backfires, they are just to young, they don't have the skills verbally or mentally to communicate there bodies needs. But 2 is just right, they can communicate better and are better to understand the functions of there body. So I do think that 18 months is a little too young but you could start introducing him to the potty around 21 months, get him used to sitting on it w/ no pressure, basically making it as much fun for him as possible so that when it is time to potty train he will be comfortable with the potty chair, I happen to agree that three is to old, then it becomes a power struggle w/ your child and they almost always win, I know that that isn’t a popular belief but I have lived it and discovered it with my 7 kids.

When they reach toddlerhood, independence and life changes for them I see it as a positive right of passage to start potty training. I see that age being great at 2 and up.

What if your son isn't walking yet at a year? I agree it is about the child too. Some kids train as early as 18 mos, that is the child and it is up to them and what they are truly ready for, some kids aren't ready until almost 4.

Not saying it is bad, just wondering why it is important to have a milestone like this that the majority of children go through at 2 or 3 be started before they are old enough to talk? If there aren't the ready signs, able to pull pants up and down, able to hold their urine for over two hours, not able to understand the feelings of urges to go, then why not just wait? At one there a million other milestones going on.

If you start too early, you will have regression upon regression. A baby has the retention of about 3 minutes at the age of 5 mos. and not much greater at the year mark. Do you think they will even have any idea what they are doing?

You will have to read every single cue and be on top of what your baby is doing going to the bathroom. Are your sitters, family memebers willing to do that too if you are not around? As I have read it is about seeing their expressions and your knowing that a certain expression means they are going to go or need to and catching them to put them on the potty. To me that sounds like an added amount of stress when it is a time that you should eat up every moment of your baby being a baby!!!! Even at one they are still so very young.

They grow up fast, milestones tick by in the blink of an eye, why not just enjoy diaper changes as it is part of being a baby as long as they can and enjoy the ride.

Hi S.,
I basically just posted on the other topic potty training my advice to you.. so maybe read that as well. Do what your comfortable with, as well as what your son is comfortable with :) And yah, do lots of reading and think of fun ways to potty train before the time is here..sounds like your on the right track. My daughter potty trained herself basicly.. and she was one:) My son like most boys was a bit harder but not that much and he was only a little over one when he potty trained. Maybe work on daytime first and let him wear goodnights for awhile then work on night time, because sometimes that is the hardest part. Wish I had more examples and helpful information to share but wanted to share my encouragement.
Best Wishes,
S.

We really like "Toilet Training in Less Than a Day" by Azrin. I know several moms who swear by it, one who did it for all 5 kids. We did it a little slower (3 days) with our oldest. They suggest 20 months, I think. We never had issues with night training or the other common complaints I hear on here, and only two accidents. We love it!

Check out these websites about elimination communication (EC):

http://www.diaperfreebaby.org/
http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/articles/potty-infant.htm

I have not done it with my LO but I know a few moms who have. It takes a lot of effort upfront but pays off in the end. It isn't true independent potty training when they are babies but more teaching them to "go" using sound cues.

One of the biggest indicators that their body is ready for potty training is if they go through an entire nap without wetting themselves. Once he starts approaching 1 change him or check him right beofre his nap. Then chack him again after. After there is a pattern of staying dry while sleeping then maybe introduce him to the potty chair without putting any messes in it. Everyone in my family is potty trained around 15mo. but I have no idea how it's done, sorry. Old school methods, I'm sure. Ask your grandma :)

Hi S.,
I have been working with toddler's for over twenty years now and I can tell you a thing or two about this first hand, I have been right behind many little tykes when they succeeded, and the first one would be: Do not force them, let it be their decision. Forcing them just makes the process alot longer. You take them to the store to pick out their own new underwear and then it only takes a couple of times having an accident before they get the hang of it. But their is 7 signs they need to meet before you even start. When they have an accident do not scold or show disappointment, just say uh oh, it was just an accident, you can try again next time. When they do succeed and get it in the potty, internalize their success for them. I know that you want to jump up and down and hoop and holler but contain it, they have little control over alot of things in their life, this needs to be their accomplishment and idea, so to internalize it, when they do it, you say to them (calmy) wow! how does that make you feel? You put your Poop and Pee in the potty, that is yours isn't it? Another thing I do is I have them sit on the potty backwards so that they feel more secure sitting and they see the BM and urine leave their body which is another internal cue for them. The reason why it is called Potty Training is because the parent is trained to ask if they have to go incesently, and that is a drain on their little self esteem, I know that none of us would want to be asked over and over again or lead in there every hour or so, it's humiliating for them, think about it from their perspective, so if you are reminding him/her or taking them in all the time you are training yourself and humiliating them. We do not give these intelligent little people the credit they deserve, their biggest wish it to please you as a parent so why wouldn't they do it on their own when they are ready, instead of being made to. I do not know if you are familiar with Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, but he has a book called,"Toilet training the Brazelton way" and in his book he has the seven signs to watch for readiness in your child that I mentioned and his philosophy is the one I adopted and I can promise you that it has worked for my children and for countless children in my care for years.
Best of luck in whatever you decide.
These are the beautiful years. (Poop and all)
J. P.