Early Potty Training has helped:

Zen - 6 mths

Neither of my children have ever worn a nappy. I began from birth using a technique used around the world that I call nappy free. With my first child, Nilla, I watched for body language or any other signal that she did before she weed or pooed. When I made a connection and knew a certain signal meant she needed to go, I would hold her under the legs with her back against my chest over a bowl or sink, where ever. I gave her a cueing noise ssssss, letting her know that now's the time to do it. And guess what!! She did it. At the tender age of 1 month she would reliably tell me (through body wiggles) she needed to go, with enough time for me to get her out of the sling , take off her pants and hold her somewhere appropriate. Sometimes I got it wrong and she didn't need to go. She'd kick her legs out straight, which was her way of saying 'nope, don't need to'. Sometimes I got it right and she still said no and then weed in her pants, and sometimes I got weed (and occasionally pooed) on. At night I'd lay her on a folded towel and cloth nappies. She'd wake to wee and I'd change the nappy straight away. (We co-sleep). Being a first time mum I was a bit overwhelmed by the sleepless nights and chose to do it this way instead of getting her up to wee. If only I'd known! At about 5 months old I decided to start getting her up. I kept a big plastic bowl by the bed and would hold her over that. It was so much easier! I wished I had done it from the start. By about 15 months old she was what I call toilet independent. She still needed help with her pants and wiping, but I was off duty. I didn't have to think about it anymore. Which was a good thing because 3 months later her baby brother arrived. Zen was so easy with nappy free. I was an old hand so I didn't even watch for signals that he needed to go. I just knew. It was like an intuitive sense. The thought would pop into my head from nowhere 'wee wee' And sure enough he'd need to. I did nights from the beginning and it was all so easy. I can't even imagine why anyone would want to nappy a baby if they knew about this. So by 14 months Little Zen was independent. Again he still needed help with his pants, but it was summer so mostly he'd be nude and just go out onto the grass. I wouldn't even know. Nappy free is heaps easier if you carry your baby in a sling and if you co sleep, but I know people who have done it without doing those things. But they do make life easier, all round, not just for nappy free. My nappy free journey has been just that; a journey. There were times when I thought that the house was permanently covered in wee and poo. (It wasn't, I tend to exaggerate) and other times when I was so happy I wanted to shout 'MY 2 MONTH OLD TELLS ME HE NEEDS TO WEE'. But one thing is for sure, I'd never change my experience and I'd certainly do it again 100 times over.

Tanya, Eudlo, QLD, Australia