When I had my first child I had finished my 0-3 Montessori training and had heard about toilet learning that can happen from birth. I was excited to try it. We put our newborn on a giant coffee mug, called a a Texas tea cup, at regular intervals. She almost always eliminated something probably because of the position her legs would end up in with her knees up near her shoulders.
When she was 5 months old and sitting, we would put her on a snap on toilet upon awakening (night and naps). We kept all the library books there and would read for as long as it took for her to eliminate, usually 5 to 10 minutes.
We washed very few poopy diapers. I was pregnant again when my first was 5 months old; we moved into a large old (not renovated) house when she was 9 months old; and I had a 2nd baby when she was 14 months old. So I may have become a bit distracted. She did continue to only poop on the toilet after her sleep times. I think she did wet diapers – probably because I wasn’t paying enough attention – but was completely body trained by her 2nd birthday.
I tried the same thing with my son but he was more resistant to sitting on the potty and I lost the momentum. However, he also was completely potty trained by his 2nd birthday.
Recently I’ve been hearing the terminology “Elimination Communication” and I’m intrigued! I wish I had one more child to experiment with! I know that it can be effective. I know that it works. It does take a different mindset. For instance, we always carried around a portable potty and stopped on the side of the road many, many times. The times after their naps have to be devoted to 10-15 minutes on the toilet. At least that was my experience.
Anyway, there are many youtube videos about this and here are a few I enjoyed.
Regarding Parents 