Hellobee Boards

@MrsBrewer: You can start teaching basics in a relaxed, no-pressure way to help prepare her. DS2 is also 23 months and has shown interest in going potty. He's been learning how to take off and put on his shorts and pull-ups, and we sit on the potty twice a day for a few minutes and talk about what we do there. That's really it for now. We'll start watching Elmo potty videos once he gets the basic ideas and encouraging him to use the potty. Potty training isn't usually as hard/bad as it's made out to be!

We tried around 22 months. It was ok the first day and the second day she just regressed and got stubborn. She still tells us every time she poops and if she needs a diaper change but we're not pushing it for now. We might try again in the summer or just wait until she tells us she wants undies. Either way if you get her trained now there's a good chance for regression with a baby coming.

@Anagram: We have to use a more gradual method for DS2. Even though he's exceptionally bright and observant, he has some physical issues, and needs to learn certain things - like the motor skills associated with potty training - one step at a time. DS1 pretty much figured it out and trained himself before 2...but I've also trained several foster children. The younger they were, the better the gradual method worked because they get to celebrate each new skill, and regressions don't become that big of a deal. The older my fosters were when trained, though, the better the quicker methods (like the 3 day) worked.

I guess my overall message is that if it causes additional stress and worry, I wouldn't do it so close to the new baby :). If it's just something you'd like to try, I'd say go for it!