The Controversial Infant Potty Training
For new and young parents, the concept of infant potty training is really causing some doubts whether this method is really worth the efforts. While this concept seems extreme to some conservative parents, it’s not a relatively new idea. In the early part of 20th century, it was a trend where most young children are already toilet trained by the age of 18 months. In the other parts of the world like Asia, babies are already trained well enough before turning two.
The objective of the idea of infant potty training is to toilet train the infant at such a very young age, even beginning the training from birth. Anti-infant-potty-training groups, however, emphasize the futility of forcing the child to be trained something even before the child is ready for these trainings. They relate this situation to teaching an infant how to walk just right after birth. The baby is obviously not ready and, for them, the moment spent holding an infant on the potty seat is just a complete waste of time.
Proponents of the method claim there are many benefits to infant potty training. Infant potty training can be a form of bonding for the baby and the mother; it allows the infant to feel the mother more comfortably through this bonding time together. This concept lets the baby to be more independent thereby reducing diaper waste.
The method only works for those who believe in it and only with much effort from the parent. It takes your solid commitment as an adult and a few months of practice. Infant potty training, by experience, is a true test of instinct. Most mothers instinctively identify patterns when their infants need to go. As a rule of the thumb, infant potty training is all about communication between you and your baby. So be prepared for some long bonding time.
Research for further information with Paul J. Easton on potty training tips, see related articles also with potty training dogs.
on July 31st, 2009 at 7:13 am
I tire of articles talking about ‘anti-infant potty-training-groups’ – there are no such groups, only individuals who are ignorant of the process and what has been the way to manage baby hygiene needs since the beginning of time.
I am often cross at articles claiming EC or infant potty training is ‘forcing’ babies to use the potty – I wonder if that is what people do with their toddlers, so assume that is what elimination communication is like with a baby? Ignorance again…
We do it, and don’t ‘claim’ this or that, as if it isn’t really true – We DO save money, have an enhanced level of communication with our baby about their elimination needs, and do have much less washing and need for spending on a diaper budget.
I also don’t think spending loving time with my baby is somehow a bad thing to be avoided. I like spending time with my kids, if I can do it with them having a clean bum, rather than wiping up their poop from all over their private parts, that’s great for me!
“The method only works for those who believe in it’ – what? It’s not mystic or an act of faith, its catching baby’s poop in a potty rather than cleaning up after them all the time. They wear a diaper between changes, no biggie.
No controversy from where I am, just another option. I guess it is controversial to those who don’t want to do it – hey, just use diapers! People who practice EC use them as well! Just not as often, not for as long, and hopefully mainly for just wees a lot of the time…
Charndra
P.S Visit Part Time Diaper Free to discover more about this ancient and gentle alternative to full-time diapering!
on July 31st, 2009 at 7:30 am
[...] The Controversial Infant Potty Training [...]
on July 31st, 2009 at 1:38 pm
I was a skeptic the first time I heard about it around the time our third child was born. I didn’t want to do years of diapers again so gave infant potty training a try, expecting no results. But our son amazed us and we continued, thoroughly enjoying it. We much preferred it to traditional toilet training and were thrilled to start and finish earlier than we had with our first two.
I concur with Charndra’s excellent comments.
Here are some links for further reading:
http://www.white-boucke.com/IPTstuff.html
“Infant Potty Training” book and “Potty Whispering” DVD
http://www.pottywhisperer.com
Potty Whisperer short and sweet overview
http://www.TimL.com/ipt
Infant Potty Training Fundamentals, translated into many languages