Potty training is often viewed as a toddler milestone, but preparing to be without nappies can actually start much sooner – before your child even reaches their first birthday.
This is not a new fad. Many cultures, particularly in Asia and Africa, introduce potty training at a younger age. Historically, children in the UK were also potty trained much earlier, but in recent decades the average age has increased.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF EARLY POTTY TRAINING?
- Easier transition to independent toileting: There are more than 40 skills involved in potty training. Starting early means your child has time to develop these skills.
- Improved bowel and bladder health: Research shows regular use of a potty promotes healthy bladder and bowel function.
- Reduced nappy use and environmental impact: Disposable nappies significantly contribute to landfill and take hundreds of years to decompose.
- Cost and time savings: Disposable nappies are expensive, so even if early potty training only reduces your child's nappy use by a few months, it's a considerable financial saving. And, if you use cloth nappies, you will also benefit from less washing.
- Improved hygiene and comfort: Babies who spend less time in nappies often experience less nappy rash or discomfort.
HOW SHOULD I START POTTY TRAINING?
Increasingly, parents have been advised to wait for ‘signs of readiness’ before starting to potty train, but often children do not show that they want to stop being in nappies. It is up to you to prepare your child and gradually introduce the potty alongside them wearing nappies. There is no lower age limit for when you can start helping your child learn potty skills and research shows the optimal time to stop using nappies is 18 to 24 months.
Once your baby can sit up is a good time to help them get used to using a potty. Giving your baby the opportunity to sit on and familiarise themselves with a potty helps them to remain connected to their body's natural signals.
Regular exposure to a potty helps them to understand its purpose and associate weeing or pooing with it. Rather than enforcing a strict potty schedule, provide opportunities for your child to sit on a potty at key moments – such as after eating, when you are changing their nappy or before their bath. Keep it relaxed and never force them to sit on the potty. Praise them when they do, even if they do not wee or poo.
Once your child can stand, start doing nappy changes standing up and involve your child when you empty the potty or flush poo from their nappy down the toilet. This allows them to build their potty skills and helps them to understand where their wee or poo goes and how to use the toilet.
HOW DO WE STOP USING NAPPIES?
Around two weeks before you want your child to stop using nappies, consider putting a small washable cloth into their nappy to help them to realise when they are wet and increase their body awareness. This is because disposable nappies are highly absorbent and can stop your child from feeling wet. During these weeks, have regular nappy-free time to help develop skills. After this, you may be able to stop using nappies. If your child needs more time to make the transition, allow them more time to develop skills before you stop using nappies completely.
WHAT DO I NEED?
- A potty that is low to the ground so your child can sit on it independently.
- A child's toilet seat and step so that they can climb on to the toilet easily and have a good posture, with both feet on the step, ideal for emptying their bladder and bowel.
- Clothes that allow your child to push them down and pull them up independently.
- When your child stops using nappies, changes of clothes can help you manage any accidents.
WORKING WITH YOUR CHILD'S NURSERY
It is important for your child to have consistency when they are potty training, so discuss your approach with your child's key worker. Many settings are open to supporting parents' potty training routines, provided they are informed. Some have their own policies, so it is important to check they align with your approach. Share the times when your child is used to sitting on the potty, any signs that they need to have a wee or poo and signals, if you use them. Make time to discuss your child's toileting with your child's key worker so you can carefully track their progress and discuss next steps together.
