Potty Training

Potty Training

*Mums World* recently covered Potty Training during one of our topic nights! The info below should help you with any questions you may have.

Is my child ready for potty training?

Please don’t compare your child to any other you know, all children are ready at different stages
• Most children can control their bladder before their bowel
• By the age of two, some children will be dry during the day, but this is still quite early.
• By the age of three, 9 out of 10 children are dry most days. Even then, all children have the odd accident, especially when they’re excited, upset or absorbed in something else.
• By the age of four most children are reliably dry.
This is not set in stone so please don’t worry or stress about it!

Are they…
Telling you they have done wee or poo in nappy?
Taking nappy off when not clean?
Showing an interest in the toilet/potty?
These are all signs your child is ready, please don’t compare your child to any other you know, all children are ready at different stages., if they are not interested don’t force them, you will make the progress longer and more stressful for both of you, try again in a few weeks. Once they are ready for training try not to put them back in nappies just because the washing is piling up, this is very confusing, and if you have waited until the right time it should run smooth.

Potty or toilet?
The child will choose! Potty’s are not as big and scary and you can let the child choose one. There are lots of fancy potties but a simple cheap one is fine. You can let them draw on it or stick stickers on it to make it more personal to them. Put the potty in a place it will be seen every day, it will then become a familiar object. Use it in play; teddy can have a wee on it too. Your child may not like the potty and prefer toilet, a foam seat insert is recommended and a step, so they can reach. These are also brilliant for the transfer from potty to toilet.

Getting started.
The best thing to do is every nappy change encourage them to sit on the potty, if they want to great if not don’t force it and try again next change or day after. If your child does a wee or poo then lots and lots of praise, then put on nappy as normal. You will soon find they wee every time, or just take the nappy off and go themselves and the nappy is often dry. If they do anything, let them help you empty into the toilet and flush it away, be sure to get into the good habit of hand washing. Also big boy/girl pants are a good encouragement lots of cartoon ones available, but don’t spend too much money as you may find poo accidents make you have to throw them away. Always always have a good supply of clothes changes when away from home.

Pull ups or not?
Entirely up to you, they are useful if you are out and about and won’t have access to a toilet, but the child does feel the wet (maybe uncomfortable) and don’t hold much at all so get very heavy and can pull down clothes. However if you have waited until your child is ready this shouldn't be a problem. In past experience, it’s not recommended to let the child run around the house with nothing on bottom half, because obviously they can’t do this outside or in public.

Sleep times
Sleep always comes later than being awake, so you can just tackle the days first and when they are very confident tackle sleep. If having a nap encourage a wee before they sleep and as soon as wake if you are going nappy free. Even if not, do the same as gets into good habits. Nights are trickier. Again encourage a wee before bed. A good hint is not to allow big drinks an hour before bed as it takes one hour to get through the system. Bed mats are available to buy or a mattress protector is a very good recommendation. Another good hint is to carry the child to the toilet when you go to bed and even though they are still half asleep they automatically wee. Or leave the potty in the bedroom with a night-light so it’s visible?

Sticker or reward charts
A brilliant visual aid for children, they get very excited sticking a little sticker on their chart, after so many stickers (your decision how many) give a little prize, something small crayons or a magazine for example. Lots are available on Google but you can even just print off a favourite character and stick them on there!

Accidents
They happen! Don’t say a word, as hard as it is changing your little one AGAIN, do not draw any attention to it as you may embarrass them and they can regress in training, just mop up, change and encourage to finish wee and then give new clothes. If your child has been dry for a while and starts having accidents, think about what is going on in their life – new school? Baby? House etc? And try to talk to them about this, again don’t draw attention to it so they know it won’t attract any of any sort, if nothing new in their life, take a trip to the doctor as they may have a water infection.

Poo problems!Some children just don’t like to poo on potty. Lots of encouragement is needed, make it fun, if they are sitting on potty read a story to take their mind off it. Be sure they have lots of water and fibre to keep it soft so it doesn't become uncomfortable for them. If there is a regular poo time, be sure they are on the potty around this time, poos usually happen 20 – 30 minutes after a meal.

• Do it in stages, when happy with first stage move on to next
• Explain that he can do a poo in his nappy but only if he stands or sits next to the toilet or potty.
• Next, while he is still wearing a nappy, help him to sit on the potty or the toilet with a footstep for him to rest his feet on. If he's scared to sit on the toilet, you could suggest he stands on the footstep with his back to the toilet to begin with.
• When he is happy to do this, start to encourage him to sit on the potty or loo with the nappy loosely fastened.
• Next try to balance the nappy in the loo or at the bottom of the potty, so it catches the poo. But make sure you take the nappy out again and throw it away. Never flush nappies down the toilet.
• Once he's happy to poo this way, see if he'll let you take his nappy off. If he's frightened by the noise made when he poos in the toilet, place some toilet paper or a nappy in the loo to prevent splashes and noises.

*Mums World* Recommend the following books to read with your child with regards to potty training:
 Pirate petes potty – andrea pinnington
Boys potty time – dk
Potty training boys – dr caroline Fertlemean
The potty book for boys – Alyssa satin capucilli
Elmos potty time (dvd)
Once upon a potty – alona frankel
Even fire fighers go to the potty – wendy wax
Little princess, I want my potty – tony ross
I don’t want to wash my hands (little princess – tony ross
Princess pollys potty – andrea pinnington