Talk to me about potty training a boy!

OneSmallStep

Please talk to me about potty training a boy, I've read that boys and girls are different when it comes to potty training. I actually wasn't expecting to even be thinking about this yet. But the last few days our little guy has woken up from nap time with a dry diaper. So I believe that's one of the signs that a baby... excuse me, toddler, is ready to start potty training. Any advice or good types of potty chairs, or methods would be appreciated!

Also, he's not a big talker, he understands what we are saying to him but he doesn't actually talk much. So I am not sure if this will hinder our potty training him? Has anyone else had a boy who didn't talk much and still be able to potty train? Or should we ignore the dry diapers and just wait until he starts talking more? Also, we've found that most things he tries to learn he seems to learn extremely fast, like one "attempt" and then bam! he's doing whatever it is he had been trying. I know potty training won't be that simple, but that's another thing that makes me think maybe we could even with him not talking much.

insearchofadonor

Yes it is possible. :-) My son is exactly a month younger than yours, and ever since he was around 12 months old (so next to no talking, aside from Mama etc!) he has being peeing and pooing on the potty 'on demand'. The way it naturally progressed with him was that he has always been an obvious toilet-goer in his diaper (i.e, obvious pushing noises etc when going!) so whenever I could tell he was going to the toilet in his diaper as a baby I always just had a conversation about it .... e.g. "Oh are you going toilet?" etc. So, for months and months he linked the action with the word, toilet, while still happily going in his diaper.

Fast forward to his first birthday and I could suddenly tell that he was getting distinctly uncomfortable in his diaper whenever he poohed. So at that point I sat him on the potty, said "do you need to go toilet?" and because he already had a well established knowing of what that word "toilet" meant, he immediately started pushing whenever I said that word! LOL. So then, of course whenever you pooh you generally pee too, so consequently he very quickly also linked the "toilet" word with the action of emptying his bladder too.

Ironically he has only just started "talking" as such (one syllable words that AREN'T the basics like Mama etc) just this week, but it has made no difference at all the fact that he could not say much at all until now. He learned to nod his head instead, so for the last few months I have randomly asked him "do you need to go toilet?" (e.g. when he gets up from his nap etc) and he would nod his head yes or no. And whenever it was yes, he would go as soon as put on the potty. And whenever he would nod no, either nothing would come out or just the tiniest little dribble! ;-) Now he goes up to the potty when he needs to go and bangs on it, or carries it around the house lol, until someone notices that he is trying to tell us he needs to go!! :-D So he communicates his needs/wants with us regarding the potty without needing to say a single word!

Anyway, I hope that gives you some ideas/food for thought etc. Good luck! :-)

Zen

I know next to nothing about potty training but I'll comment anway

Until I had Shiloh, I thought there was no point starting potty training until a child was out of the crib (ie: in a toddler bed) because if they can't get to a potty, they can't potty train. All the books and "experts" said the most optimum time for success was 27-32 months. Shiloh did her own thing. The babysitter pretty much trained her and she was all done at 34 months. The good thing about waiting is that we skipped the accident phase. There were some misses overnight but not during the day. Seriously. Shiloh has had only 2 daytime accidents. One at about 32 months (and she sobbed and sobbed in embarrassment). And about 6 months ago she peed on my teen when she misunderstood Shiloh's crying and picked her up instead of taking her to the potty!

Obviously Shiloh is not a boy. But with the stereotyype of boys training later than girls, in your shoes I'd wait another year before really starting. IMHO, I'd rather have a few weeks of effort and then success rather than a year of hit and miss!

K&H

Just want to counter Zen's story. E learned at 18mos and we did not have a year of hit or miss. She didnt do overnights until last month, but I think that was our hesitation rather than her not being ready.

I have helped many kids, even boys, learn.. My best advice is do the naked three day method but don't take him to the potty, just make the potty available in a tiny space (we stayed in Es bedroom all the first day). If he doesn't seem to be getting it at the end of a whole day, pack it away and try again in a few months.

Mare

With my son I did the naked 3 day potty training. I'm a teacher so I had the summer to focus on this. I waited until he was 2.5 because I tried around age 2 and my son figured out how to manipulate the process (i.e., running away from the potty or peeing on the floor on purpose, etc). I stuck around home for the 3 days and just followed my son around (thank goodness for laptops). After the 3 days if we had to go out I would put sweatpants or cotton shorts but no underware on him. This worked well and we had little accidents after the first day.

Also, my son is a scheduled pooper and so when I would notice his signs I would just put the potty under him and he'd go. I had a carry around potty and the bathroom. He also learned to sit down first and then stand up with cheerios in the toilet.

Sunshine4Baby

I also did the naked potty training sat him on the potty with a movie on and when I heard him go I did a potty dance and made a huge deal out of it and he got a little robot prize, each time he made it on the potty he got another prize ( he went 5 times in 20 mins just to get all the robots lol) , never out a diaper on him after that just undies or naked, once it clicked we were home free ! Made a potty chart and he got a sticker each time he went and ten a prize once the chart was filled, then I increased the spots each time . He was actually night trained before potty trained so that part was never an issue for us

mommylove

I have to agree with K&H here...

Our oldest, Sebastian, potty trained virtually independently in less than a week with no more than 5 accidents total at 21 months of age. And yes, he's a boy! :-) My midwife and several of our friends actually are of the opinion that we commonly begin potty training too late, the optimal time instead being between 18-24mos.

I also encourage lots of naked time and certainly making a potty available at all times for the first few days. We had the very simple baby bjorn potty chair and simply kept it near by wherever we were in the house. The switch to the big potty was no biggie and came within a month or so of being done "training". Sebastian began waking up dry after a 10-12hr night of sleep within weeks and we dropped night diapers at that point as well. We haven't had a diaper on him since before Christmas and again we've had less than a handful of accidents, EVER.

I say give it a go...what's the worst that can happen?! If it doesn't work, you try again in a few months. Oh and really the verbal skills aren't all that complex when it comes to potty training...if he can understand you and begin to learn to feel his own body be ready to go that's all he needs. :-)

m&smom

I also agree with naked time, close quarters and a potty. I have 17month old girl boy twins that have used the potty since 14 months. My little boy does better than his twin sister at time. I plan to do the 3 day method soon because they do so well.

OneSmallStep

Awesome! Thanks for all the great advice. We are currently looking at potty chairs and are hopefully going to be able to try next week since his swim instructor will be out for the week. Did anyone find that the "bells and whistles" type of potty chairs had better success? Or is just the basic type okay? We figure we should get a few to keep around the house( upstairs/downstairs), should we get all the same type or is that just over thinking it and multiple types are okay?

TheOtherLovingMoms

I just wanted to chime iin here and say that my 3 yr old grandson was hardly talking when his mommy potty trained him, he was 18 months old. She never even used a potty chair, just did naked time. He was trained within a week. He still hardly talks and we can't understand much of what he says, but that is a whole other topic lol.

OneSmallStep

We considered using just our toilet, but yesterday he woke up from his nap and was dry so I put him on our toilet and he looked at me like I was crazy since I was trying to hold him up and DW was trying to point him down. I think he'll do much better with a potty chair his size for now, especially too since he's on the small side for height.

mommylove

Two things...

The potty chair I mentioned that we use is available on amazon.com. It is super simple and easy to clean/use/transport.
This is it: http://www.amazon.com/BabyBj%C3%B6rn-051062US-BABYBJORN-Smart-Potty/dp/B002Q0YA4O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1373574338&sr=8-2&keywords=baby+bjorn+potty+chair

Secondly, when you begin to have him sit on the real/big potty have him sit backwards. Makes aiming into the bowl much easier and you won't need to hold him up at the same time as he will learn quickly how to balance himself...much easier backwards than forwards. :-)

Klt86

Everything I've ever read/heard says a basic potty is best! We have the same one mommylove posted and M does well with it. I think if it looks like a toy then they are going to use it as a toy, you know? If it looks boring and serves one purpose only then I think it's easier for them to understand what it's for. I'm torn between trying the 3 day naked method with M or waiting a few months. I really think she gets it and she knows pee and poop but she has an anatomy issue were I have to be careful she doesn't get constipated. She's really stubborn and will hold her poop if things aren't just right. Most times she asks for the potty or happily will try it but there are times were shes very "NO NO NO potty!". If you find that he's holding his poop to avoid going on the potty I'd be careful. It can cause some pretty serious issues. I would definitely introduce it so he at least gets what it's for and isn't afraid later.

ninefirefly

No advice but good luck!