Infant Potty Training

What is Infant Potty Training?

Infant potty training is potty training done at an earlier age than most Americans are used to. Infant potty training begins usually around 4 months, with complete autonomy around 18 months of age. The average age in the United States for potty training is around 36 months for girls, and 39 months for boys. The average amount of time it takes to go from diapers to being 'potty trained' at that older age varies around 10 months.

Potty training as an infant is definitely not a new technique. In many other countries including Russia, India, Africa, and some European countries, potty training before the age of two is the norm. And before 1950, even the United States followed suite.

There are many pros and cons to infant potty training, and it definitely isn't right for everyone. Infant potty training takes a lot of work, time, and discipline on the parents part. Many full time working parents feel they simply do no have the time necessary to make infant potty training completely successful at such a young age. Day Cares and Preschools rarely offer infant potty training as it is messy and difficult when working with groups of children. However, many nannies and other such caregivers are trained and knowledgeable about infant potty training and may be able to help considerably with working parents. In such cases that infant potty training is not possible, the child will often have a leg up when the he gets older if he has at least been introduced at the early age.

Diapers can be very expensive, and can create a lot of waste. In 1988, over 18 billion diapers were sold and consumed in the United States in that year alone (according to Lehrburger, Carl. 1988. Diapers in the Waste Stream: A review of waste management and public policy issues. 1988. Sheffield, MA: self-published.) Many families turn to infant potty training for this reason. Because infant potty training also allows the baby to be diaper free most of the time, diaper rash is a very rare occurrence, urinary infection possibilities are decreased, are the overall health of the infants area is improved. This is why infant potty training is also referred to as 'natural infant hygiene', no diaper rash, and little to no time spent in soiled diapers.

Many mothers who choose infant potty training feel a special bond when anticipating their child's elimination needs, similar to that of nursing, and rocking a child to sleep. It is another way a parent can become more in tune with their child. Studies show that children who have all their basic needs anticipated and met are calmer, more independent, and self reliant children and then adults.

Talk to your Parent Advisor or Baby Planner about infant potty training to help decide if it's right for your family.