When to Start Potty Training with New Baby on the Way?

Gloria,

I have potty trained many kids while running a nursery school and 17 months old is very young to begin trying. I am sure there are cases where it has been done however I am sure they are far and few between. My tell tale sign that it is time to start is if they are waking from naps and nighttime dry. Without that type of bladder control you will be changing tons of clothes and washing tons of sheets. There also must be interest on her part. With the new baby coming I would wait because many parents make the mistake of trying to train and sometimes the older ones regress just for the extra attention. Also, with potty training you must be consistent I think with a new baby and exhaustion you may not be able to do that. I would definitely wait until you can see her having dryer diapers and most importantly interest. Summer time is always the best time, less clothing and you can just let them run around in their underwear. Knowing how long it will take is an individual situation. I had both of my kids trained in one week, however I was at home with them and able to focus on just training. They were both around two and a half years old. Even at that age my son still had nighttime accidents. I know changing two kids is going to be tough and costly, however you could only be setting yourself up for extra stress with a new baby on the way. There really is no rush. Good luck on your family and your upcoming baby.

I've never potty trained (my son is only 10 months), but all my friends have waited until their children have shown the "signs" of being ready to potty train. Interest being the key sign! They all swear that a toddler won't potty train successfully, and certainly not easily, without WANTING to do so. Is she asking about the potty? Is she wanting to try? 17 months seems a little young, but some kids are ready very early!

I'd wait until after the new baby comes. The key with potty training is to have the time to consistantly put her on the potty. With a new baby in the house you may not have the time to remember to bring her to sit every hour or so.

Well, be prepared even if she is ready she may regress if she feels left out. I did a couple of things to prevent jelousy, 1. have her go shopping with daddy the night before they come to pick you up so she can pick out something for baby. 2. Have little gifts that the baby has for her for every visit to see you and baby at the hospital(the big gift is for the day you come home) Have her help get wipes out, hand you clothes you picked out, soap for bath etc. Also durring changings make comments to her like" I wish baby went on the potty like you, that would be so cool." this way she knows you like what she soes and she has your approval for it.

The way to see if she is ready is put her in underware and go to an area of the house that a woops will not matter to play, color ext. watch her, if she looks down then pees she is ready, if she gets up and hids to pee she is ready, but if she pees and does not know it, she needs more time for those muscles to know what that is all about. if that is the case and those muscles are not ready get a jump on it and buy cool alerts, or feel and learns. keep testing every so often til she shows you she is ready. If she is, underware during the day only and look up Dr. Phil's method for poddy training, it works. I have 2 boys and it worked for the 1st one in 1 day, my second a little longer but he also started earlier.

Good luck.