Infant Potty Training

Okay…I know what some of you are thinking…yeah right! Well I use to think the same thing. When I was pregnant a friend of mine lent me a book on infant potty training. I was completely overwhelmed at the thought of trying to implement potty training with a baby who cannot yet walk. So I quickly tossed that idea aside. But then I found out that my good friend and neighbor had taught her son to have a bowl movement on the potty at 4 months old, I was intrigued, but I was convinced that Cooper could never do that. When Cooper was 4 months old, he was still exclusively breastfeed and would poop while I was feeding him. I knew that holding him over the potty was not going to work because I was always feeding him when he decided to go. However, when he was started on solids, Cooper started to go to the bathroom after I feed him. So I thought, heck, why not give it a try.

I did some research and found that you should choose a word to say as they go to the bathroom and use the sign for bathroom. For a month when he was going to the bathroom, I would sit in front of him and make the sign for bathroom while saying the word “potty”. He would still poop in his diaper, but I wanted him to associate the word/ sign with the action he was doing. Then about a week ago a family friend gave me an infant potty seat that fits on top of the toilet. So I decided to see if a month of training had paid off. Last Saturday morning I feed him and then held him on top of his potty seat, made the sign for bathroom, and said the word “potty”. In less than two minutes Cooper pooped on the potty! Chris and I were excited and shocked that it has worked. Well, I was still not convinced that Cooper would actually poop on the potty consistently, but it has been a week and he has only pooped in his diaper once and the rest have been on the potty! I think that is pretty darn good. In fact, I can tell when he needs to go- he starts to squirm and make grunting sounds, but he holds his poop now until I take him to the toilet. Pretty amazing! I think that babies are a lot smart and understand a lot more than we are willing to give them credit for.

Now, I want you all to know that I don’t expect him to hold his pee. That I am waiting to teach him when he gets older. But for now I am happy to not be changing any more smelly poopy diapers!