Potty Training Your Baby

It is very important that you don't make your baby feel self-conscious or fearful during potty training. It can be very difficult to potty train your baby so you have to be patient above all else.

Make sure your baby is ready for potty training. They need to be able to let you know when they need to potty and they need to be able, physically to use the facilities.

Use positive encouragement. Forcing them to sit on the potty until they go will only lead to setbacks in your baby's potty training. If you force them, it will create negative thoughts about using the bathroom that may last a long time. You may even cause your baby to withhold letting you know they need to potty.

If there is a lot going on in your life, such as vacations, marriages, divorces, etc., then it may be a bad time to start your baby's potty training. Your routine should be as normal as possible while you take your baby through this process.

Don't let anyone tell you that your baby's potty training should take any specific amount of time. Every child is unique and while some may learn in three days, others may take as long as a year. Don't stress on this point or force them to learn faster than they can. Take even small progress as a positive sign and show your baby how proud you are of them when they do well.

Accidents will happen. It's normal. Don't make it out to be a big deal. Get them to help you clean up the mess and wait until next time to encourage them to use the potty. Overreacting to accidents will only lead to more accidents and again set back your baby's progress.

Make sure you dress your baby in clothes that are easy to manage. They may wait until it's almost too late to make it to the potty, then because of the clothes fail. Again, that can discourage them and set back your baby's progress. Nude is the ultimate way to let your baby run around while potty training. If you are uncomfortable with that, then make sure they have as few snaps, zipper, bows, or buttons to deal with. Clothing that just pulls up or down is the easiest type of clothing to dress your baby in while potty training.

For the little girls, make sure they wear two piece bathing suits for swimming so they won't have a harder time than little boys. Also, remember winter may not be the best time to potty train your baby. The need for extra clothing during winter will hamper your baby's efforts to use the potty.

Bed-wetting, or enuresis is not solved through potty training and is a separate issue altogether. Don't expect that as you complete potty training that bedwetting will also stop at the same time. Many children don't stop wetting the bed until they are 4 years old. Babies under 3 don't have the bladder control to stop this yet. Children that are sleeping don't have the mental capacity to know they need to wake up, go to the bathroom, and use the toilet.

Keep your baby's fears about potty training in mind. The loud flush of the toilet in a confined space might be frightening to your baby. If they slip and their bottom touches the water in the toilet, they can be traumatized to the point that you will have to stop potty training for awhile. Seeing something come out of them and then flushing down the toilet can even scare them. Remember their fears are real and their minds don't quite comprehend what is happening to them.

Another thing to consider is, your baby may not want to change certain things. They may feel secure in diapers. The fact that you have been changing their diaper and taking care of them may have them comfortable with that process and may make it difficult for them to begin taking care of themselves. This loss of intimacy is frightful to your baby. Your child may not become independent so easily. This is also normal. Make sure in the beginning that you spend time with them to be close and intimate with them after potty time so they don't miss the time you spent with them when they were wearing diapers and you took care of them.