So you want your baby to be potty trained? Do you know everything that needs to be known on the subject? Do you think your little one is ready for this transition?
You should not get worried if your baby has not shown any interest in the potty toilet or chair as his or her same age friend is. Some babies tend to start getting used to the potty as early as 18 months and some could delay it till after three solid years. But with patience and encouragement you will be able to overcome this hurdle.
As potty training can indeed be tiring and stressful the BabySpace crew put together some basic factors that you should keep in mind about potty training your baby.
Training the baby girl and baby boy
To start with you should remember that potty training daughter is not quite similar to training your son. Though they are both little ones starting on the potty there is a big difference in how it should be done.
We’ll focus on the girls first
If you are using a potty chair make her keep both feet flat on the floor. This will help to relax her pelvic muscles and make it easy for stools to pass. If she is trained in your toilet support her legs with a stool.
Make sure that you positioned her well. By having her sit right on top of the potty she will be able to pass her tools right into the potty without spraying around. Also teach her to clean well and keep her vagina clean.
How about the boys?
Teach him how to aim and pee. If you are a father you could show him how it is done. Show him how he should hold his penis before peeing.
When sitting in the potty help him keep his penis straight down before he sit to poop. This will help avoid passing stools on it.
Introducing the potty
It will be helpful if you introduce the potty at an early age. Talk about it more often and show how older kids use the potty when they want to pee or poop. You can also leave picture books of babies using the potty around so that your little one can look into them. This will make the child curious and also create a fondness to start away.
Once you buy a potty you could let your baby sit on it from time to time, to let them get more comfortable with it. Again don’t force it as it might take longer for some babies or toddlers.
Use the right potty
Make sure that you buy the right equipment before using it. This could be a full potty or a potty seat that can be fixed to your toilet. If you decide to buy a potty seat then you will have to buy a small stool for you little one to rest his or her feet on. It is advisable to use just one potty because this way your baby would not be confused as to what to use when he or she wants to go to the toilet.
Look out for cues
Your baby should be ready physically and mentally to start the training. Your baby is the only one who can tell you if he or she is ready. So watch out for signs.
If he or she starts doing certain tasks alone then that shows a readiness for being potty trained. Another clear cut sign that you should look out for is if your baby has started to pee or poop in a scheduled timing. Let him explore the bathroom and understand the use of a toilet.
Be right there
When your baby shows signs of making a nature call, be right there with the new and attractive potty. These signs could be squatting or holding the genital areas. When the time is right respond quickly and help your baby to understand how the potty works.
At first your baby wouldn’t know how the bladder works but make him or her understand better. You can do this by encouraging him to keep you notified every time the baby wants to pee or poop. Reward him with a praise or gift till he get used to it. However do not go aver board with gifts.
Potty hygiene
Potty training at first can be very messy. Do not expect your baby to master it over night. But, with time the little one will get a hang of how the potty works. So, along with the potty the other aspect that should be given priority is hygiene.
Encourage your baby to wash his or her genital areas after each potty time. Make the little one wash both hands well too. Explain why this is important. You can make it fun by bringing in a bit more fun.
Keep the emergency kit ready
Like we mentioned before potty training, at first, can get extremely messy. You child will have a hard time focusing and doing the right thing. Having a bag of a pair of underwear, clothes, enough gear to clean the baby and disposable bags you will be ready to the encounter.
Keep some toys in the emergency kit too. This way you can keep the little one entertained and make toilet training a bit more fun. Some parents even read to the baby in the process. Choose what would help keep your baby focused. Make the potty time interesting and fun as much as you can. This way you can also enjoy while your baby try to pass this milestone.
It is important that you prepare yourself and avoid showing stress in front of your baby as using the potty for the first time is already straining him or her. When you are stress your baby will sense it and become anxious. This can even lead to refusing the potty altogether.
Seek help
If you have trouble with the potty training processes don’t hesitate to seek help. Your family pediatrician or someone who has enough experience in the area will be able to help you in your problem. Sometimes doctors tend to overlook this subject unless it is brought up by you.