Dear Suite 101 Readers,
Are you ready to read about some different outlooks and conclusions about toilet learning? If so, you're in the right place! Some might call these views radical, but billions of families see them as natural, normal and logical. IMHO ("in my humble opinion"), it is high time that we open up our Western minds.
But first, to the skeptics we go. When Westerners first hear about infant potty training (IPT), they don't believe it is possible. After they finish mocking the concept, their next display of skepticism is to flaunt the fear that psychologists and doctors have instilled in our society vis-a-vis early toilet learning; namely, that we can cause psychological damage by potty training before a baby is "ready." This is "medlore" in that it is not based on any scientific studies, just on the medical opinions and feelings of mainly male psychologists and doctors who are typically not involved in the day-to-day upbringing of their infants. If any harm is caused during any form of toilet training or any other aspect of child-rearing, it is generally caused by the overall parental approach, behavior and use of punishment (and not the fact that you are potty training an infant). In other words, there may be parents who are not ready for IPT, whereas a healthy infant in a stable and loving environment is ready if you are.
Western medicine teaches that babies are not able to control elimination until they reach a certain stage of neural and muscular maturation. While there is some truth to this, this is definitely NOT the whole truth, and families in many parts of the world do not view it this way. They know from experience that babies respond to communication as well as gentle and positive encouragement from their caregivers. In addition, many babies cry or otherwise signal their elimination needs in early infancy, but we do not watch and listen. Instead, we ignore the communication and teach our babies to use a diaper as a toilet. This has to be unlearned at a later time, as we all well know.
Researchers have found that infants in Uganda and some other parts of Africa are able to sit and smile months before Western babies. Whether for societal or survival reasons, parents encourage and teach their babies to sit and smile in early infancy. The same applies to infant elimination training. A mother typically begins at birth or by age 3 months; becomes familiar with her baby's elimination timing and patterns; pays attention to her baby's body language, vocalizations and other cues; and works together as a loving team with her infant. As a result, these babies gradually develop control over elimination from early infancy and are continent far sooner than Western babies.
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