Some people start to potty train a baby too early, which may lead to the failure of defecation control mechanisms. The specialists say, that parents may rather train themselves to “catch” the baby at the moment the baby needs to use the toilet.
Thus, the process of potty training should be balanced and the baby should be ready. How to understand if the baby is ready for potty training? How to potty train a baby? Read the following article.
When is the Right Time to Start Potty Training?
There is information in psychological literature, that
The child reaches the ability to control his sphincters at 1 year 2 months – 1 year 6 months.
It follows that potty training at an earlier age doesn’t make sense. More likely you accustom yourself to “catch” a kid at the right moment.
Of course, the child that already knows how to sit – can sit on the potty, especially if you give him a toy or put him in front of the TV. He may even pee or poop sitting on the potty. But, unfortunately, this is not related to potty training at all. It’s more likely that you form a child’s “toilet ritual” for the future. I mean the adults who take a book, magazine or laptop going to the toilet.
I would advise that you don’t hide from your baby – when you go to the toilet. Babies learn by watching the adults doing their things. And at the right age after watching the parents for a few months, the baby will have the understanding and will quickly realize what is required.
Then you will buy him the potty and say, pointing to the toilet: “This is mother’s and father’s potty, and that’s yours. You are big enough, try not to wet your pants.” This is where the potty training will start. Be patient – the process may take longer and be completely finished by the age of approximately two years.
How to Understand if the Baby is Ready for the Potty Training?
There’s a small quiz, that may help you to figure out:
- Does your baby poop and pee at about the same time?
- Does the baby show by words or signs that he wants to use the toilet?
- Can the baby take the pants off?
- Is the baby interested in what the adults do in the toilet?
- Can the baby come up to the potty and sit on it without assistance?
- Can the baby say “no”? Does the baby want that his toys were in certain place? (it may signal of his desire to control the situation)
- Does the baby know what the “wet” and “dry” refer to?
- Does the child react when you’re praising him and does he/she like to please you? Was that “yes” to the majority of the questions? Then your baby is most likely ready to start using the potty.
But remember – you should not insist, when the baby is sick, or stressed by some situations – for example, if your family is going on vacation, or one of the parents is on a business trip. If a child, in spite of your efforts, ignores the potty, it is best to take a break and come back to this matter in a few weeks or even months.
Diaper (Nappy) or Pull-Up?
It is better to start using the imitation of the underwear after the baby turns 15 months. The baby would most likely learn how to take off the pull-ups or the potty-training diapers. But later, as you start training – the use of the diaper of all kinds should be reduced to the nighttime only.
How to Potty Train: Easy Tips
- If the temperature of the environment allows, keep you baby semi-naked (in the lower part) or use special Chinese pants.
- Show your baby the whole procedure of going to the toilet (comment your each step and take the baby with you to the bathroom)
- It is essential to teach your baby to pull down the pants – be patient – children learn faster than we, adults, do.
- Whenever you think the baby wants to go to the toilet – comment what you are doing – taking off the pants, sitting down on the potty, peeing, using toilet paper, washing.
- Watch your baby and try to detect signals – the baby may moan, get capricious and even become irritated – the baby will use the words later, but giving you any signals is already a big step.
- Don’t scold your baby for wetting the pants – tell your baby, that in order to avoid the wet pants he may use the potty.
- Teach your baby the basics of the hygiene together with potty training – washing hands, wiping the bummy, washing it, when needed.
- Choose the potty your baby should like. Children like bright colors and big details.
- Praise your baby each time he or she uses the potty, even if you managed to detect a signal and brought the baby to the potty.
- Don’t insist, if the baby doesn’t want to use the potty – it may ruin the whole process.
- Minimize the use of diapers and tell your baby, the diapers will be gone completely from the moment the baby learns how to use the potty (trust me, babies are not delighted to pee in a diaper and wear it after that).
- Let your baby wet the pants a couple of times and teach the baby, what is wet and explain in details what to do to avoid wetting the pants.
- Teach your baby the trigger word the baby could spell to tell you he/she wants to use the toilet.
Comment, if you have more tips to add, tell us about your experience
What About Potty Training on the Go, In a Family Trip?
As you start to potty-train your baby, you should choose the time, when the baby has, at least, two-three weeks to get used to the new and only way of using the toilet. It is better not to interrupt that period with any trips. After that moment, you have to introduce a new potty to the baby – the road one, the inflatable potty that you may easily take with you.
The baby should get used to that one also. Or you may use a travel toilet seat adapter if the baby is common with the adult toilet. Nowadays there are many tools, that give you a hand while you’re on a trip with your baby.
Things that May Help You in Toilet Training
- Diaper pants
- Disposable Bed Mats
- Training pants
- Toilet seat baby
- Kalencom On the Go Potty
Good luck! May the toilet training be easy and fast for you and your baby.
Born in Belarus, 1985, a pedagogue and family psychologist, mother. Taking part in procedures of social adaptation of the foster children in new families. Since 2015 is a chief editor of the motherhow.com project, selecting the best and up-to-date material for those, who are planning, expecting, and already having babies.