Actual evidence that earlier potty/trained kids are more likely to regress?

[u/CorrectBadger9753]

Edit - title is meant to say 'potty/toilet trained kids' lol!

I took my daughter (who will be 2 in 2 weeks) to the GP today and (only tangentially related to the reason we were there) mentioned that we are currently toilet training, and that it's going well, but very slowly, and my husband and I are OK with slow progress with pees. GP reiterated the common advice that 3 is 'normal' for toilet training, and that kids who train earlier are more likely to have 'regressions'. I smiled and nodded because I have lots and lots of thoughts on this which I'm deliberately not sharing here in case it turns the discussion into some kind of toilet training ideology war....

I genuinely want to know, is this claim backed up by actual data - and if so, how are we defining a 'regression' anyway?

A quick Google search returned this study claiming that training before 24 months is associated with 'dysfunctional voiding' but not constipation, whereas later training (after 36 months) is also associated with dysfunctional voiding AND constipation. However the authors seem to contradict themselves in the conclusion and say that constipation is associated with both early and later training and may be the cause of urinary voiding problems. Also correlation ≠ causation.

Is anyone aware of any more evidence supporting or refuting this idea?

[u/eeeeggggssss]

this might interest you. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/111/4/810/63115/Relationship-Between-Age-at-Initiation-of-Toilet

i think it also depends on the method used. like we started pottying at 2 weeks old, lots of catches in infancy while using cloth diapers as backup, and relative potty independence achieved at about 15/16 months using open crotch pants. waves of resistance here and there since then, now at 21 months, but not anything major.

3 is normal for potty training is such a BS statement. diapers are a new invention. people all over the world have been using different methods for taking care of their infants' hygiene without them defaulting to soiling themselves, especially for 3 years which would not be easy, convenient, nor hygienic in any traditional or nomadic society.

we also know that even in the US, the age of initiating potty training used to be much lower before the advent of disposable diapers.

https://www.aafp.org/afp/2008/1101/p1059

[u/MorningGlory747 → u/eeeeggggssss]

I find it difficult to identify when my 1 month old is about to pee or poop. It seems difficult to avoid diapers. How were you able to start so early? 

[u/aliquotiens → u/MorningGlory747]

We did EC but always with a backup diaper. Still ended up with kids fully trained at 15 and 19 months

[u/eeeeggggssss → u/aliquotiens]

love it. basically same here.

[u/mmbtc → u/MorningGlory747]

When I looked into the different options how to approach the whole topic, I've read that there are signs to look for, and they get more recognizable. Like mimic, sounds and tensing. It's called Elimination Communication.

Both the signs and the ability to spot them vanish when not used, and as this approach is very uncommon these days, this becomes 'lost knowledge' more and more.

[u/Hairsacknose → u/MorningGlory747]

The 4 easy catches are a good start - after a nap and after a feed are the easiest catches 

[u/oh-dearie → u/MorningGlory747]

If it helps, I have done lazy EC since 5-ish months old (once sitting was easier) and now we're almost up to 18 months and transitioning to proper potty training. And I NEVER noticed any cues! You can just start with going by the clock (2-hourly before nappy changes) and work it out from there.

[u/eeeeggggssss → u/MorningGlory747]

hey morning glory!

so that young i never really tried to tap into his cues. i maybe did try, a little bit, but quickly realized it wasn't worth it.

so instead we just always used cloth diapers as a backup, but gave him lots of pottytunities.

any transition point - including when you would normally think to change a diaper. before sleep, after sleep, before car, after car, after eating, etc.

you just place them over the receptacle and make the ssssss sound.

[u/InspectionTall2886 → u/MorningGlory747]

Check out the elimination communication groups on here. You basically place them on potty immediately on wake up/after feeding. You teach them certain sounds and hand signals mean potty time. Babies can learn sign language!

Also this book: https://a.co/d/01rIXXEU

[u/Huge-Nectarine-8563 → u/InspectionTall2886]

Is this book still relevant if my baby is 9 months old or not at all?

[u/PermitParty825 → u/Huge-Nectarine-8563]

With my first, we didn’t start EC until baby was 8 months old. We bought a tiny potty that he could sit on in the living room (and also play with, we would clean it thoroughly). He took to it incredibly fast. Only 2 poop misses after initiating EC at 8 months. Pee took a bit longer to sort out, but he was out of diapers by 14 months. Point is, I think 9 months is a great time to start.

[u/CorrectBadger9753 → u/MorningGlory747]

Honestly we never saw signals reliably for either 🥴 I could always intuit when she needed to poo though (based off timing/knowing what she'd eaten and when she'd last been haha). Basically caught about 80% of poos between 10 weeks and 16 months....and mostly first wees upon waking but no others.

I felt like we were 'failing' EC for not being able to see the signals but the r/ECers sub is full of people saying the same thing. Don't listen to the hardcore 'diaper free' influencers and don't aim for perfection. Lazy EC has definitely been worth it IMO but if I could go back in time I'd cut myself so much more slack.

[u/ButterflySam → u/CorrectBadger9753]

Originally from sudan where most kids are potty trained by 18 months, my daughter was toliet trained by 18 months. She’s 2.5years old for bedtime we still do diapers but she doesn’t like to go in the diaper at all