Is your little angel finally ready to leave those messy diapers behind and embrace this new skill? This major milestone is one of the first steps your child might take toward a life of independence. Common to us adults, the idea of using the potty might be alien to your baby.
Be it those late-night diaper changes now and then, the news of a new sibling on the way, or the milestones your baby has accomplished up till now, having to toilet train your baby might seem like a better option, now that you feel that your baby can handle the pressure.
Regardless of age, if you feel that your baby is ready to step into this new change, then congratulations! Though music to your ears, this news might bring along a wave of anxiety, leaving you stranded on how to start toilet training.
As easy as it sounds, you can’t just tell your toddler to use the potty instead of the diaper now, can you? It’s okay, most new parents don’t know much about potty training, and the specifics on the internet might be tedious to go through. Well, we’ve got you covered!
Though not set in stone, the average age when toilet training begins in the United States is around 2-3 years of age. Surfing through the internet, you might come across a variety of potty-training techniques that might leave you overwhelmed. The three-day potty-training method is a toilet-training process that calls for your child to go diaper- and pants-free for three days in the house as he gets used to going to the potty regularly. You can also have your child sit on the potty chair or toilet without a diaper for a few minutes at two-hour intervals, as well as first thing in the morning and right after naps.
With all of that out of the way, let’s get into the idea of potty training and how to potty train your baby! Here’s all that you need to know about potty training and what works best for most children.
What Is Potty Training?
Potty training is a major developmental leap that has nothing to do with the age of the baby, but it is their readiness that comes into play. Saying goodbye to those messy diaper changes requires excellent potty training, to help your baby gain the independence they crave. This will help them use the washroom whenever they have to pee or poop, without you having to change their diaper!
You might notice that your baby is ready to take a huge leap of leaving those diapers behind for good as they grow. This might excite you but be sure you don’t rush things and let them transition slowly with no pressure.
What Is the Perfect Age to Start Potty Training?
Contrary to popular opinion, this huge leap takes readiness, and age doesn’t play a huge role in the potty-training process. Whether your little one is ready to embrace independence helps you decide if it’s time to get rid of those diaper rashes.
Interlocked with behavioral, mental, and physical development, successful potty training in children doesn’t rely on their age. Though not unbendable, most children start potty training once they are ready, usually around 2 years of age.
Every child is unique. Some children take more than 2 years, and some might even get rid of those diapers on their first birthday! Readiness plays a significant role in the success of potty training, so make sure you keep an eye out for those signs of readiness.
How To Tell That Your Kid is Ready to be Potty Trained
Ready to potty train your wee one but concerned whether they are or not? Potty training might trigger your anxiety and the idea of rushing things way too early might be unpleasant. Well to make things easier for you and your little one, here are some signs that help you realize your baby is ready for the huge change!
They Can Walk And Undress
Your child must be able to walk to the potty and pull their pants up as well as down. Their motor skills would be put to the test when they’ll gain this new skill, so make sure they are ready. To help them learn to undress, dress them in simple clothes. You can get them pants that are easy to pull down and avoid rompers or tights that might make things difficult for them.
They Can Sit Still On The Potty
You might assist them at first but they need to be able to sit still on the potty all on their own. Your child should be able to stay still for a few minutes.
You can help bring about this by engaging them in activities that they can do while sitting on the toilet, such as reading a book.
They Hide When They Poop
If you find your wee one hiding and squatting whenever they want to poop in their diaper, they might be ready to sit on the potty.
This weird gesture is a tell-tale sign that your baby has the urge to poop and they want to go and hide while doing so. This makes it easier for you to help them transition to the potty by just directing them to the toilet whenever they feel like they have to go.
Stay Dry For 2 Hours
If you find your little one’s diapers dry as a desert when they wake up, or they can stay dry for more than 2 hours, they might be ready to make this leap!
This goes to show that your child is ready physically and mentally to time their poop and follow a routine. But make sure their diapers are dry when you check up on them!
They Want To Learn
It might seem like your toddler is keen to learn this new skill, following you to check what you do in the bathroom as well as keeping themselves clean and dry. They might even protest wearing that lined underwear and ask to get their hands on the big kid underwear they see their sibling wearing.
Try to fuel this interest by talking about it, reading books to them, or watching videos about potty training with them!
They Are Self-Aware And Communicate
If your baby can easily communicate and know when they have to go, they might be ready for this change. Be it their facial expressions or shy gestures, you might find your toddler trying to communicate if they feel the urge to defecate.
They Show Signs Of Independence
Independence has a different definition in their world, but if your baby wants to do things on their own without your help, they might be craving independence. This is a good sign and might help you potty train them.
They Can Follow Instructions And Remember Sequences
Potty training is not about cracking tedious instructional manuals, but being able to follow simple instructions might help your baby independently use the toilet. If they are good at remembering sequences, they might not need much time to get the hang of it.
What are the Methods of Potty Training
Ah, the dream of finally doing away with dirty diapers sure seems delightful but heads up! Turning it into a reality would take some work and persistence! Here are some methods of potty training children.
Child-Oriented Potty Training Method
If you are okay with taking things slowly and don’t have a problem with your child wearing diapers for a few months, then you can try this method.
As the name suggests, this type of potty training requires your child to initiate the idea of using the potty on their own. Be it their curiosity peaking with growing age or just the idea of being a grown-up, they might want to step into the washroom all on their own.
You can let your baby know about using the potty and educate them about the etiquette but not force them into it anyway.
The 3-Day Potty Training Method
If you’re in a rush and do not want those poopy diapers in your house, this might be the method for you! This 3-day potty training method requires you to throw out all diapers on day one and instruct your child to use the washroom whenever they have to go for a pee-pee or a poop. But be aware, accidents might occur now and then so be patient and consistent.
Parent-Led Potty Training
So you’re into organizing schedules? Well, this might be the method for you and your wee one! If your toddler has multiple caregivers, you might use this method as it is easy to follow.
This method involves parents instructing their toddlers to use the toilet every two to three hours a day, after a meal and before sleeping. But mind you, this is not set in stone, of course, let them use the toilet if they want to at other hours as well.
Infant-Led Potty Training
If you’re not a fan of diapers and want to eliminate them, try this method! This involves good communication between the parent and the kid. With no diapers, just when the parents feel that their baby wants to go, they help them to the toilet so that they can poop or pee. It’s all about intuition so make sure your intuition game is strong if you opt for this method.
5 Steps of Potty Training
Now that you’ve decided that your toddler is ready for the big shift, you might be wondering how to bring about this. Well, roll up those sleeves, it’s time to potty train!
Step No. 1: Talk To Your Toddler
You should tell them about how they’ll be wearing big boy/girl underwear now and where they have to go if they want to pee or poop. Try to talk to them about bathroom etiquette, how to undress if they have to go, and how to clean themselves and flush with your help when needed.
You can also intrigue them by taking them to the market to get bathroom essentials, a potty chair themed on their favorite cartoon might work!
Step No. 2: Knowing And Telling You When To Go
If your baby is aware when they need to go to the bathroom, it’s a sign that they are ready for the huge change. They might use expressions to communicate and make sure they dare to do so even if it is multiple times or more than usual. Let them feel comfortable telling you if they need to pee or poop anytime.
Step No. 3: Controlling The Urge To Poop
Your wee one needs to know how to control their urge to defecate till they reach the bathroom. You can train them by helping them understand where to poop. This also depends on your baby’s age. Most children learn to control their bowel movements by the age of 3.
Step No. 4: Make Undressing Easy
Difficult clothes might make undressing a whole other problem for your wee one, so make sure you make them easy clothes that they can undress and dress on their own.
Step No. 5: Be Supportive And Forgiving
Now, it isn’t as easy as it sounds, so try to be supportive if accidents occur. If you are irritable or snap on your toddler every time a mishap occurs they might feel pressured. This will make things difficult for you and for your little one.
Try to be gentle and forgiving whenever things go south. But for positive reinforcement, try to reward them whenever they follow the protocol, all whilst maintaining proper hygiene. Praise or a small gift might go a long way!
What If Your Kid Is Not Compliant?
It might be that you find it difficult to potty train your baby. Some children are not ready to use the toilet and parents might be rushing things in others. Try to be consistent yet slow. Break the process into smaller followable steps. Step-by-step guide your little one so that it’s easier for them to keep track of what’s going on. Try to make things interesting for them by adding toys to their potty area. Try to be supportive and if your baby still has trouble, talk to a pediatrician.
What Is a Potty Training Chart?
Potty training is a rollercoaster ride, with a lot of ups and downs. On paper, this might seem a bit easy but keeping track of your toddler’s progress isn’t easy. One day you find them using the potty seat easily while the next their underwear is havoc!
A potty training chart might help you with that. It’s a calendar that helps parents keep track of their toddler’s progress as they journey through this phase of potty training. This not only helps you understand your child’s needs but helps your baby see their progress in real-time and gives them a sense of accomplishment.
Should I Make a Potty Routine?
Initiating with a well-sought solid routine can do wonders for your baby! Bye-bye to the old diaper days and say hello to independence with this potty-training technique in no time.
If you love following routines and organizing schedules, then setting a routine might help you navigate through this difficult face of your baby’s life. You can also use this routine if multiple caregivers are working to help you take care of the baby. Using it with a potty-training chart would make sure your baby gets off their diaper in no time.
Final Thoughts On Potty Training
Parenthood sure isn’t easy, and potty training is surely a whole different ball game altogether! You might have trouble training your baby and getting rid of those diapers. You might come across many methods of potty training on the internet such as child-oriented potty training, the 3-day potty training method, adult-led potty training, or the infant potty training method.
It is essential for your baby to have attained the age, usually 2-3 years of age, and milestones that might be needed for you to potty train them. This includes the skill of walking and undressing, as they might have to pull their pants down once in the washroom.
Hassle-free potty training is a dream for most parents, and this could be true if you follow simple steps to make things easier for your baby. If your baby shows interest in potty training, make sure you feed their curiosity in a good way. Make sure you educate them about how it is okay to poop and where to go if they want to go for a potty. Make sure they know where to go and how to communicate. Make the washroom accessible for your toddler so that they don’t have to keep it in for long. Be supportive and helpful. Consult a pediatrician in case they refuse to use the potty seat.
