Potty training: How to get the job done

Potty training: How to get the job done Potty training is a major milestone. Get the facts on timing, technique and handling the inevitable accidents. By Mayo Clinic staff Potty training is a big step for kids and parents alike. The secret to success? Patience — perhaps more patience than you ever imagined. Is it time? Potty-training success hinges on physical and emotional readiness, not a specific age. Many kids show interest in potty training by age 2, but others might not be ready until age 2 1/2 or even older — and there's no rush. If you start potty training too early, it might take longer to train your child. Is your child ready? Ask yourself these questions: Does your child seem interested in the potty chair or toilet, or in wearing underwear? Can your child understand and follow basic directions? Does your child tell you through words, facial expressions or posture when he or she needs to go? Does your child stay dry for periods of two hours or longer during the day? Does your child complain about wet or dirty diapers? Can your child pull down his or her pants and pull them up again? Can your child sit on and rise from a potty chair? If you answered mostly yes, your child might be ready for potty training. If you answered mostly no, you might want to wait awhile — especially if your child has recently faced or is about to face a major change, such as a move or the arrival of a new sibling. A toddler who opposes potty training today might be open to the idea in a few months. There's no need to postpone potty training if your child has a chronic medical condition but is able to use the toilet normally. Be aware that the process might take longer, however. Ready, set, go! When you decide it's time to begin potty training, set your child up for success. Start by maintaining a sense of humor and a positive attitude — and recruiting all of your child's caregivers to do the same. Then follow these practical steps. Pull out the equipment Place a potty chair in the bathroom. You might want to try a model with a removable top that can be placed directly on the toilet when your child is ready. Encourage your child to sit on the potty chair — with or without a diaper. Make sure your child's feet rest firmly on the floor or a stool. Help your child understand how to talk about the bathroom using simple, correct terms. You might dump the contents of a dirty diaper into the potty chair to show its purpose, or let your child see family members using the toilet. Schedule potty breaks If your child is interested, have him or her sit on the potty chair or toilet without a diaper for a few minutes several times a day. For boys, it's often best to master urination sitting down, and then move to standing up after bowel training is complete. Read a potty-training book or give your child a special toy to use while sitting on the potty chair or toilet. Stay with your child when he or she is in the bathroom. Even if your child simply sits there, offer praise for trying — and remind your child that he or she can try again later. Get there — fast! When you notice signs that your child might need to use the toilet — such as squirming, squatting or holding the genital area — respond quickly. Help your child become familiar with these signals, stop what he or she is doing and head to the toilet. Praise your child for telling you when he or she has to go. Teach girls to wipe carefully from front to back to prevent bringing germs from the rectum to the vagina or bladder. When it's time to flush, let your child do the honors. Make sure your child washes his or her hands after using the toilet. Consider incentives Some kids respond to stickers or stars on a chart. For others, trips to the park or extra bedtime stories are effective. Experiment to find what works best for your child. Reinforce your child's effort with verbal praise, such as, "How exciting! You're learning to use the toilet just like big kids do!" Be positive even if a trip to the toilet isn't successful. Ditch the diapers After several weeks of successful potty breaks, your child might be ready to trade diapers for training pants or regular underwear. Celebrate this transition. Go on a special outing. Let your child select "big kid" underwear. Call close friends or loved ones and let your child spread the news. Once your child is wearing training pants or regular underwear, avoid overalls, belts, leotards or other items that could hinder quick undressing. Sleep soundly Most children master daytime bladder control first, often within about two to three months of consistent toilet training. Nap and nighttime training might take months — or years — longer. In the meantime, use disposable training pants or plastic mattress covers when your child sleeps. Know when to call it quits If your child resists using the potty chair or toilet or isn't getting the hang of it within a few weeks, take a break. Chances are he or she isn't ready yet. Try again in a few months. Accidents will happen You might breathe easier once your child figures out how to use the toilet, but expect occasional accidents and near misses. Here's help preventing — and handling — wet pants: Offer reminders. Accidents often happen when kids are absorbed in activities that — for the moment — are more interesting than using the toilet. To fight this phenomenon, suggest regular bathroom trips, such as first thing in the morning, after each meal and snack, and before getting in the car or going to bed. Point out telltale signs of holding it, such as holding the genital area. Stay calm. Kids don't have accidents to irritate their parents. If your child has an accident, don't add to the embarrassment by scolding or disciplining your child. You might say, "You forgot this time. Next time you'll get to the bathroom sooner." Be prepared. If your child has frequent accidents, absorbent underwear might be best. Keep a change of underwear and clothing handy, especially at school or in child care. When to seek help Occasional accidents are harmless, but they can lead to teasing, embarrassment and alienation from peers. If your potty-trained child reverts or loses ground — especially at age 4 or older — or you're concerned about your child's accidents, contact his or her doctor. Sometimes wetting problems indicate an underlying physical condition, such as a urinary tract infection or an overactive bladder. Prompt treatment can help your child become accident-free.

Potty training in 3 days or less

Potty training in three days or less by Karen Zuercher Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board It sounds like a dream or a gimmick, doesn't it? The idea that your child could get comfortable using the potty in a few days – or even one afternoon – may seem unbelievable to parents expecting potty training to be a lengthy and difficult process. But "quick-training" works for many parents – and it isn't a recent trend. Psychologists Nathan H. Azrin and Richard M. Foxx published the book that started it all, Toilet Training in Less Than a Day, in 1974. Since then, numerous experts have spun off their own accelerated potty training methods. Here we'll explain one technique – the "potty training in three days" strategy outlined in Julie Fellom's Diaper Free Toddlers program – and give step-by-step instructions on how to make it work for you. One thing to keep in mind: Using this or other quick-training methods doesn't mean that your child will be perfectly potty trained in days. Instead, "success" is more likely to mean that your child is using the potty rather than diapers, but he may still have accidents and you'll need to help him with parts of the process. Helping your child become fully comfortable using the potty independently – and teaching steps such as how to pull his pants down and back up, empty the potty, and wash his hands – probably will take months of follow-up effort. (And some skills, such as pulling pants up and down without help, won't be possible for younger toddlers.) It's best to think of the three days as the kick-off to an ongoing process. The most important thing to remember is that there's no "correct" way to potty train your child – except for the one that works for you and your family. About the Diaper Free Toddlers program Fellom, a San Francisco preschool teacher, started Diaper Free Toddlers in 2006 after potty training more than 100 children. Her primary motivation is to keep disposable diapers out of landfills by helping parents potty train their children earlier. Her method can work for kids as young as 15 months old, and is most effective for those younger than 28 months, Fellom says. To participate in her program, parents (or a single parent and another supportive adult, such as a grandparent or caregiver) attend a two-hour class in the evening. Then each family has its own three-day potty training weekend at home. Within a week or two after the long weekend, Fellom says, children will be able to reliably go to the potty to pee or poop and have few, if any, accidents. If you can't take Fellom's San Francisco-based class, you can still put her method to work for you. See the "How to potty train in three days" section below. First: Are you ready for potty training? Fellom's technique requires commitment, focus, and dedication. It's a "bare-bottomed" method, meaning that for three months after you initiate potty training, your child will need to go naked below the waist when he's at home and wear just loose-fitting pants with nothing underneath when he's out and about or at daycare. Diapers and training pants are okay for nap time and bedtime, but if you rely on them more often you'll undo your potty training progress, Fellom says. "If you really want this to work, it only works naked," Fellom says. "There are absolutely no pants in the house for the first three months." That said, some parents aren't comfortable with this requirement and find ways to work around it. Check out the comments section at the bottom of this article for their tips. What you'll need for your potty training weekend You'll need standalone potty chairs to use at home (ideally one for every main area where you spend time, plus any bathrooms), plenty of water or diluted juice to drink, and snacks that encourage peeing (either salty ones that make you thirsty, such as crackers, or foods with high water content such as watermelon and Popsicles). You'll also want to have supplies for cleaning up accidents (such as rags, cleaning solution, and a plastic bucket) and several pairs of loose-fitting pants for your child to wear when you go out of the house. Optional: It's helpful to have a compact, portable travel potty to take out and about, though you could use a small standalone potty chair instead. You may want to put a small towel or absorbent pad over your car seat to protect against accidents. Some parents use products such as the Piddle Pad, but Fellom recommends a small sheepskin which you can find at discount furniture stores. Cut the sheepskin in half, then cut it to fit around the car seat straps and buckle, and you'll have a very absorbent, washable, reusable pad. Finally, if it's cold where you live, you may want to have space heaters on hand, as well as kneesocks or leg warmers for your child to wear so he'll stay warm while he's bare-bottomed at home.