Potty training babies is an idea that has been widely used around the world and throughout history. The real question for parents in westernized countries today is, does it work?

The answer is both yes and no.

It all depends upon how you define the words “potty training”.

If by potty trained, you mean a small child who can recognize the urge to use the toilet, get himself to the toilet, use it and go about his business with no help from Mom or Dad, then potty training infants is not possible, for several obvious reasons.

A baby (under the age of one) who is still learning to walk cannot perform these simple tasks – yet. (Yes, I’m sure there are exceptions out there, as there always are. However, for parents needing to know if this version of potty training is a viable alternative to waiting until toddlerhood, for most children the answer will be in the negative.)

However, if by potty training babies, you mean working with your child’s natural bodily rhythms in order to help your baby connect the dots between the sensations her body is producing and using the potty chair, then, yes, potty training an infant can result in some advantages.

Simply put, to potty train an infant, a parent will carefully and continuously observe their baby’s bodily cues for urination and elimination. When a parent notices that the child is about “to go”, the parent quickly gets the diaper off and the baby over a potty chair so that all waste goes in the chair and the diaper stays as clean and dry as possible.

Obviously, as the baby grows into toddlerhood, this child will be very familiar with using the potty chair. The connections between bodily urges and using the potty chair will probably be quite clear. It seems like an easy thing for the toddler thus conditioned to, on his own, use the toilet as he masters walking and dressing.

Sometimes this is true. However, sometimes, children who have been potty trained in this manner show surprising regression as they enter toddlerhood.

Potty training babies involves a great deal of effort on the part of the parent. To be sure, at the younger stages of training, the parents are far more trained than the infant.

Using this method of toilet training is not for every family. But for the families that do utilize it, many report a closeness not associated with other forms of toilet training. The reason is obvious when you consider that parents need to be in close daily contact with their baby to make this training work at all.

Is potty training babies the right method for you and your child? Only you can decide that. Carefully consider the effort involved and what you can reasonably expect as results.

The bottom line is, of course, that no matter what potty training method you use, starting early when your child is a baby or waiting until toddlerhood, your child will get trained! How you get the job done is up to you.

Author Bio: Colleen Langenfeld has potty trained four kids and helps moms get more out of their mothering at http://www.paintedgold.com . Toilet train faster using her potty reward charts and creative ideas plus uncover more about potty training babies by visiting her website today.

Category: Parenting
Keywords: potty training infants,potty training babies,potty training,toilet training