There’s been lots of pooping on the potty going on at my house lately, and no, my husband and I do not have the stomach flu.
I’m talking about our 1-year-old. Yep, you heard me – she’s pooping on the potty.
Before you start rolling your eyes, calling me one of “those crazy moms who starts potty training a week after her child is born,” hear me out.
I didn’t plan to be an early potty trainer; it just happened naturally. One day, when my daughter was about 11 months old, I was sitting next to her on the floor, watching her obviously poop in her diaper. I thought to myself, “If it’s that obvious that she’s pooping, why shouldn’t I at least attempt to put her on the toilet?”
There are so many reasons for her to poop on the toilet instead of in her diaper. For one, she’s very extremely prone to diaper rashes. The less she sits in her poop, the better. Also, if I can spare myself from rinsing poopy diapers, why wouldn’t I? When using disposables, more pooping on the potty means fewer diapers in the garbage.
The next time I was shopping, I picked up a little toilet. It was all set up and ready to use shortly after I arrived home.
I didn’t go crazy trying to get her to poop on the toilet at first, but I’d put her on if I saw her grunting. She didn’t poop on it the first time, but she peed.
The second or third time I put her on her toilet, she pooped. I couldn’t believe it. Everyone cheered, and she looked at us like we were crazy.
Since that day, she’s pooped countless times on her toilet or on big-people toilets (when we’re visiting someone else). She’s young enough that it doesn’t freak her out, and (hopefully) old enough that she’s learning that we sit on the toilet when we have to poop. Sure, she still poops in her diaper from time to time, and it’s no big deal, but I feel like we are making progress.
I realize that I’m the one who is “trained,” not my daughter, but I’m happy to do it. If it means one less diaper rash and one less poopy diaper to rinse, it’s worth it!