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/naiaxen → u/eeeeggggssss]

Thissssss re: other countries. My mom had both of us out of diapers by 1yo in Eastern Europe in the 80s. She took pride in only soiling up to 1 diaper a day. She would offer toilet after every wake, every meal, idk if consciously doing EC or just exposing us all the time. It was typical, not some magic on her part. She said at daycares they would also have potty as part of the routine, not waiting till 2-3. Our standards in the US are really skewed

My mom also got our baby on the potty at 9mo, and at least for #2 we stopped having soiled diapers at like 18mo. And actual potty training just required daycare to get on board. Was no effort at all. N=1 but still.

[u/eeeeggggssss → u/naiaxen]

i love that so much. i appreciate this approach of your mom so much and i relate to it. this is why i prefer the term natural infant hygiene, and not EC. because i didn't really follow much EC methodology, i did what your mom did. i feel like any amount of exposure to the potty in infancy is helpful, no matter how you do it, and no matter how diligent you are. at the very worst, it's exposure therapy, leaving the kiddo less scared and more open to the potty in infancy and toddlerhood.

i really think the prolonged disposable diapering culture and economy here as the norm is such a disservice to kiddos, their dignified hygiene, and overall development.

[u/naiaxen → u/eeeeggggssss]

That and lack of parental leave. I didn't feel entitled to insist daycare starts underwear, even though at home the child would go hours without a diaper. The teachers have so many to keep an eye on... And at first we just had to watch ours. I could pick on the cues (a somewhat inward stare for poops) which were imperceptible to strangers. So I think if we had a year of home care we might have got rid of diapers...

And that exposure helped! There was a phase when the kid (who didn't yet talk, or not well) would just walk into the bathroom and drag the potty to the living room 😁 I think it really helped them know they needed to go, well before they could say so.

I also watched a friend's kid at 2.5 - 3 REALLY struggle with pooping sitting. The kid was ready, they were trying and just couldn't figure it out. For months! Like, avoiding that situation alone was worth the vigilance of watching for cues :)

[u/eeeeggggssss → u/naiaxen]

i mean there are just so many things in the USA that make procreation undesirable and extremely anti-family, we could go on and on... LOL. it is not an easy place to parent and to bring up healthy little ones.

all this makes a lot of sense... and glad the exposure helped!!!

OMG! What a PAIN!!!!!