What hiding while pooping means for potty training

When toddlers start going off on their own or hiding when they need to poop, one of the big things it signals for eventual potty training is that they’re aware that they’re going to need to poop before they do it. That kind of bodily awareness is only one of the milestones toddlers need to meet before they’re ready to potty train, but it’s also an important one.

On the other hand, one 2003 study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that children who hide when they poop can take longer to learn to use the potty than children who don’t. In this way, hiding during pooping is associated with “holding it in” and refusal to poop.

One reason for this may be that some children who hide out to poop after they’ve started potty training are often children who are afraid of the potty, or who associate pain with pooping – that is, the reason they hide may be the same reason it can take longer to potty train, not that one causes the other. Another reason may be that a toddler has picked up on some of the “yucky” implications around poop, and is embarrassed.

Toddlers are perceptive, and embarrassment and shame around normal bodily functions like pooping can hurt the toilet training before it even starts by making it feel like a stressful thing. Books about bodies or potty training, and a calm, matter-of-fact attitude about bodily functions can do a lot to keep pooping from feeling like something a toddler feels like they needs to hide. As they gets more and more verbal, having a frank conversation about it can be helpful, too.

Hiding doesn’t have to be about shame, though – for many toddlers, the desire to find somewhere a little out of the way to poop can just be the desire for a little privacy. If you think that’s what might be going on, it could be a great time to introduce the bathroom as a private space for pooping – your toddler is probably a little young for potty training, but getting them used to pooping in the bathroom can be a great early step.

Signs of readiness for potty training

The sign of potty training readiness that hiding while pooping can show is a toddler’s bodily awareness – the fact that they knows that they is about to go before they does it is an important skill that they’ll need when it’s time to learn to potty train. It’s not the only skill they’ll need, though, and other signs include:

• Physical skills: Bodily awareness is one physical skill, but it’s not the only one Baby will need. They will also need to be walking reliably enough that they won’t have trouble getting to the bathroom when they needs to, and have the ability to sit down on a potty chair and then stand up again. Bladder control, including the ability to go up to two hours between wet diapers, is also important.
• Communication: Hiding instead of letting you know when they needs to poop could be a pitfall in the process of learning to use the potty. Toddlers who are ready for potty training also can understand and follow simple instructions, and can make themselves understood when letting parents or caregivers know when they need to go.
• Emotional readiness: One of the biggest factors in a toddler’s readiness for potty training is also the hardest to quantify – their emotional readiness. They might show this by being interested in how adult bathroom habits differ from their own, by being interested in wearing “big kid” underwear, or even by saying they is ready to try potty training. You can test this a little by reading books that introduce the idea, and talking to them about them. It’s also a good bet that they might not feel totally emotionally ready for the big change that is potty training if there are other big changes going on in their life, or if they is feeling unsettled or insecure.

Hiding out to go number 2 isn’t the only way a toddler can show you that they knows when they has the bodily awareness they’ll need for potty training, so if they hasn’t picked up this habit, it’s definitely nothing to worry about. This is just one of the many stepping stones your toddler might take as they makes their way towards toilet independence!

Sources

• “Psychological Readiness and Motor Skills Needed for Toilet Training.” Healthy Children. American Academy of Pediatrics, November 21 2015. Web.
• Edward R. Christopherson. “Toileting Problems in Children.” Pediatric Annals. 20(5): 240-244. Web. May 1 1991.
• Laura Markham. “3 year old Potty Training.” Aha! Parenting. Dr. Laura Markham. Web.
• A Schonwald, L. Sherritt, A. Stadtler, C. Frazer. “Factors Associated with Difficult Toilet Training.” Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. 22(5). Web. October 2001.
• Bruce Taubman, Nathan J. Blum, Nicole Nemeth. “Children Who Hide While Defecating Before They Have Completed Toilet Training.” Archive of Adolescent and Pediatric Medicine. 157(12): 1190-1192. Web. December 2003.

What does “too early for potty training” mean?

In most cases, “too early” for potty training mostly means that a toddler doesn’t have all the skills they needs to succeed as they learns how to master potty chair use. It’s definitely possible for toddlers to be potty trained before they’ve checked off every box in the “potty training readiness” checklist, but the more signs of readiness a tot is showing, the better their chances of a quick, easy, successful transition from potty-training to potty-trained they has.

Some doctors argue that not all young toddlers who can be potty trained should be, because children who can hold in their pee and poop might do just that, and resist going to find a toilet for as long as possible, which can lead to problems like urinary tract infections and constipation. This mostly refers to toddlers under two years old, but with all young children, it’s important to make sure that once they’re controlling their own bladders well enough to be potty training, they’re using the toilet regularly, instead of holding it in for as long as possible first to maximize play time.

What can I do if think I started potty training too early?

When you’ve started potty training, the Mayo Clinic recommends keeping an eye on your toddler’s progress and if they is having trouble getting the hang of potty training, or it isn’t starting to click after a few months, they recommend being willing to stop for a few weeks, or a few months, and try again when they might be a little bit more ready. If Baby doesn’t seem to be making any progress with potty training, or seems to be resisting it, taking a step back and letting them go back to diapers for a little while can help take some of the pressure off, which can make training run more smoothly the next time around.

If you have an external deadline for potty training, like starting preschool, and there isn’t a way for your family to avoid that deadline, or push it back, try working with Baby to figure out what it is about potty training that they may not like, or may be having trouble with. If they is bored by sitting on the potty, confused about why they needs to make this big change in their life, or afraid of the toilet, there may be a way that you can restructure how you’re doing potty training to fix the problem.

Sources

• Steve J. Hodges, Kyle A. Richards, Ilya Gorbachinsky, L. Spencer Crane. “The association of age of toilet training and dysfunctional voiding.” Research and Reports in Urology. 6:127-130. 2014. Retrieved July 19 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4199658/.
• Mayo Clinic Staff. “Potty training: How to get the job done.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, November 15 2014. Retrieved July 19 2017. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/potty-training/art-20045230.
• “Are you potty training too soon?” Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic, May 18 2015. Retrieved July 19 2017. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/05/are-you-potty-training-too-soon/.
• “How to tell when your child is ready.” Healthy Children. American Academy of Pediatrics, November 21 2015. Retrieved July 19 2017. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/toilet-training/Pages/How-to-Tell-When-Your-Child-is-Ready.aspx. 

Sara LindbergFreelance writer focused on health & wellness

Crawling, walking, self-feeding, and reading are just a few of the milestones parents look forward to and celebrate when their toddler accomplishes them. But if you were to ask any parent with an older child what task they liked checking off the list the most, chances are potty training would be at the top of the list. And who could blame them? Buying, changing, and disposing of diapers gets cumbersome after a few years.

As you prepare for toilet training, there are a few potential pitfalls to know about. After all, most kids will have some difficulties, but they will eventually figure out how to ditch the diapers and hop onto the potty. Here are a few of the more common problems that occur during potty training and some tips to get past them.

Training too early

As a toddler approaches two-and-a-half years old, most parents are eager to get started on potty training. And even though you may be ready for Baby to sit on the big potty, they may not be. A few signs you should look for before leaping into full-on potty training mode include:

• Showing interest in the potty
• Asking questions about the bathroom and toilet
• Longer stretches of dry time
• When they tell you before they start to go in their diaper or the bath

All are great signs of readiness on Baby’s part!

Uses the small potty, but not the toilet

Some kids have no problem using their little potty but panic once you ask them to hop onto the big toilet. If you encounter this problem, Baby may be concerned that they will be sucked into the toilet when it is flushed, or they may not understand how or why their waste is flushed away. Let them flush the toilet and explain to them where their urine and feces go. You can even make it a game, and wave “bye-bye,” to the poop or come up with a simple song to sing that helps them relax and go potty. Kids need to feel super comfortable, so try not to rush off the small potty if it’s working well.

Bowel movements only happen with a diaper on

It’s normal to discover that your toddler only wants to have a bowel movement with a diaper or training pants on, even if they has already transitioned to underwear for the majority of the day. Some kids will put a pair of training pants on and go to a special corner or place in the house to poop. If this is happening, avoid attaching any judgment to the situation and simply guide your child to the bathroom. Place them on the potty and ask them to go there. If they are not quite ready to take the diaper off, allow them to have a bowel movement in their diaper while sitting on the toilet. While this takes a lot of patience and consistency on your part, taking it one step at a time is sometimes the only way to make a complete change. Toddlers often master peeing in the potty before pooping. Try not to rush the pooping process – too much pressure can lead to constipation or setbacks with peeing. Anything you can do to make it fun to poop on the potty is a win!

Dry during the day, but wet at night

Staying dry at night often takes a toddler longer to get the hang of than daytime dryness. The brain needs time to develop nighttime bladder control. Some children take several extra years. Don’t wake your child for bathroom trips – it won’t help and will only make everyone more tired. Be patient and supportive, and speak to your pediatric provider about any concerns past age 5-6.

Fully potty trained, but wants back in diapers

Children may want to wear diapers again or have more accidents when they’re stressed. Some of these triggers include:

• A new baby in the house
• One adult leaving for an extended time
• Moving to a new house, illness
• Leaving their beloved crib for a toddler bed

It’s important not to overreact. Accept and talk about what is causing them to regress, and then give consistent, gentle support to use the bathroom during the day. Focus on motivation and positive statements, reminding them that they know how to do this.

Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team

Sources

• “Toilet Training.” Healthy Children. American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved August 22, 2017. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/toilet-training/Pages/default.aspx.
• “Toilet Training.” MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved August 22, 2017. https://medlineplus.gov/toilettraining.html. 

There are a million reasons toddlers might resist learning to use the potty, from very specific problems like being afraid of the noise the toilet makes to more abstract worries like fear of growing up too fast. For many toddlers, it may seem like they’re not trying because they’re frustrated and upset by how hard making such a big change in their lives can feel.

No matter why a toddler is resisting learning to use the potty or toilet, there’s no guaranteed way to face the problem. There are limitless strategies that parents can use to try to encourage potty training, and it’s impossible to know for sure ahead of time which ones are going to work – sometimes a strategy just catches a toddler’s interest or imagination at just the right moment. This means it might take some trial and error to find the one that fits Baby’s style. They’ll get there eventually, though. And in the meantime, keep in mind that potty training is hard – both for toddlers and parents – and it’s normal to struggle for a bit before you find your footing as a family.

Strategies for overcoming potty training resistance

• Back to basics: Eventually, Baby is going to have to be able to go from fully clothed to sitting on the potty with their pants and underwear pulled down, but there’s no rule that says they has to start that way. Many families find that having toddlers run around the house naked – or even in just their underwear – as they practice potty training can help lead to fewer accidents. This can be because it feels less secure, or less familiar, to have an accident away from the potty or toilet without any clothes on to catch the waste, or because it’s easier to get the hang of using the potty without having to deal with undressing at the same time.
• Get down to business: If you can, set aside some time – a full day, or even a full weekend, if you can manage it – to spend at your home having Baby really spend some time practicing using the potty. You can even make this into kind of a party, with lots of fun things to drink and timed intervals when Baby has to run to the potty and sit on it when the alarm goes off.
• Make the potty the best seat in the house: It’s easy for toddlers to create bad associations with potty chairs, because potty chairs are a big change for them, and changes can be scary. It’s even easier for them to have bad associations with toilets, which are a big change – and are also too tall, uncomfortable, loud, and rarely themed with pictures of toddler-favorite characters. You can help to turn those associations around by making the potty the coolest place in the house – read them their favorite book there in the bathroom, sing songs there, let Baby pick out or decorate a new potty, or even let them have a tasty snack on the potty – it’s not a great habit to get into, but once you get the potty established as somewhere it can be fun to be, coaxing them over the finish line can get a lot easier.
• Give them a role model: Baby has reached the age where they is really starting to be interested in other kids, and especially in slightly older kids. If they sees their friends – or idols – using a potty or toilet when they’s on a playdate, they might decide to start to get serious about potty training all on their own.
• Know when to let it go: The average toddler starts or finishes potty training sometime around Baby’s age, but you only get an average by looking at lots of dates that happen sooner and lots of dates that happen later. There’s no rule that says when Baby should be ready to potty train, and some toddlers just need a little more time – or a little less pressure – before they’re ready to get serious about toilet training. Now that they has been introduced to the process of using the potty, it can be helpful to try letting them go back to diapers and see whether they won’t let you know when they’s ready to try potty training again.

The more of a power struggle potty training starts to turn into, the harder of a time you may have getting Baby to change their mind about it – toddlers tend to be very stubborn people, after all. But even if Baby thinks potty training is the worst thing to ever happen to them right now, they’s growing more and more mature every day, and before too long, you’ll figure out a solution that works for both of you.

Sources

• Karen Stephens. “Potty Struggles: Tips for Resistant Toddlers.” Eastern Florida State College. Exchange, www.childcareexchange.com, 2007. Retrieved September 8 2017. http://www.easternflorida.edu/community-resources/child-development-centers/parent-resource-library/documents/potty-struggles.pdf.
• “Best time to toilet train children pinpointed through research.” Science Daily. ScienceDaily, January 11 2010. Retrieved September 8 2017. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100109230611.htm.
• “Potty Training Failure.” PBS Parents. PBS, January 13 2009. Retrieved September 8 2017. http://www.pbs.org/parents/supersisters/archives/2009/01/potty-training-failure.html. 

The pros

The main reason to use training pants is that, for almost all toddlers, learning to use the toilet or potty after wearing diapers their entire lives can take a little time. When a toddler is stuck on this middle ground, where they is learning, but has not yet learned, many families feel that training pants are a helpful compromise. Training pants give toddlers the independence and freedom in the bathroom that they don’t have with diapers, since they can push training pants on their own, but the fact that they’re absorbent and disposable gives parents the peace of mind that they’re not ruining their clothes or (hopefully) making a mess.

Beyond that, training pants tend to come in bright colors, and decorated with familiar characters, which can make toddlers feel like wearing training pants is an exciting new adventure. And for toddlers whose friends are further along on the potty training process than they are, there are training pants that are designed to look just like toddler underwear, which can help to keep toddlers from feeling left out, if they’re having trouble with potty training. Overall, parents tend to choose training pants as a way to move forward in the potty training process without moving too fast for their toddlers. And even once toddlers have mostly mastered potty training, training pants can be a great way to protect against accidents at night.

The cons

In contrast, some families choose not to use training pants, either because they don’t want to or because they feel training pants are unnecessary. Families who are careful about their environmental footprint, for example, may choose not to use training pants because they’re disposable and create more waste (although there are also reusable training pants that have the same benefits).

Other families have strategic reasons for not using training pants. For example, one school of thought says that it’s more uncomfortable for toddlers to have accidents in underwear, so switching to underwear right away encourages faster potty training. Still others feel training pants are an unnecessary step, and that “ripping off the band-aid” by jumping right into using underwear keeps the learning process from getting dragged out for too long.

Each family is different and there are many avenues to take on the way to potty training, all of which lead to a child who can eventually use the bathroom on their own! Training pants or a more abrupt change from diapers to underwear both have benefits and contrasting negative aspects and the right decision for any one particular toddler is best left up to the people who know them best!

Sources

• Mayo Clinic Staff. “Potty training: How to get the job done.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, 15 November 2015. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/potty-training/art-20045230. Retrieved 8 May 2017.

Most children, according to the AAP, are ready to start to try potty training around 18 to 24 months. Other groups, including the Mayo Clinic and the University of Michigan Health System, suggest that most children aren’t ready to start the potty-training process until at least 2 years old. In any case, the guidelines are less important than Baby’s personal development, and there are a few signs that they might be ready to give the potty a try.

Signs of readiness

• If Baby is starting to seem uncomfortable in diapers, and lets you know when they needs to be changed, or especially if they lets you know before they needs a change…
• If Baby’s bladder capacity or control has grown enough that they is still dry at the end of a nap…
• If they can follow basic directions from you or your partner…
• If Baby is starting to be able to do some of the basic pieces of dressing themselves, like pulling their pants up and down…
• If they likes to make you happy, and is willing to try new things or do things for your praise…
• If they seems interested in what you and other family members do in the bathroom, is interested in ‘big kid underwear,’ or asks to try the potty…

Parental readiness

You may feel you’ve been ready for Baby to be potty trained since the first dirty diaper, but being ready doesn’t just mean being ready for Baby to have mastered potty training. It also means being ready for the days, weeks, and even months of Baby working to learn how. Like every new skill Baby masters, there are going to be times when they messes up. It can be helpful for everybody involved if you choose a time to start this potty training journey when you have a lot of time and energy to devote to it, but with a little patience, Baby will be using the potty on their own before you know it.

Sources

• “It’s potty time!” Healthy Children. American Academy of Pediatrics, November 21 2015. Web.
• “Cognitive and verbal skills needed for toilet training.” Healthy Children. American Academy of Pediatrics, March 17 2016. Web.
• “Emotional growth needed for toilet training.” Healthy Children. American Academy of Pediatrics, November 21 2015. Web.
• “How to tell when your child is ready.” Healthy Children. American Academy of Pediatrics, November 21 2015. Web.
• “Stages of toilet trianing: Different skills, different schedules.” Healthy Children. American Academy of Pediatrics, November 21 2015. Web.
• “The right age to toilet train.” Healthy Children. American Academy of Pediatrics, November 21 2015. Web.
• Kyla Boise, Kate Fitzgerald. “Toilet training.” University of Michigan Health System. Regents of the University of Michigan, March 2010. Web.
• Mayo Clinic Staff. “Potty training: How to get the job done.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, November 15 2014. Web.

Why all the huffing and puffing? Well, the good news is that it probably doesn’t have anything to do with you or the actual diaper change. Here are some reasons why this might be happening, and how you can try to remedy Baby‘s recent distaste for diaper changes.

Baby might hate having their playtime interrupted

Play isn’t just ‘play’ to a toddler. It’s their job, education, and favorite hobby, all rolled up into one. So Baby might act out when taken out of playtime for a boring old diaper change.

• Try this: Instead of insisting that Baby abandon all toys during a diaper change, keep some special diaper-time toys for Baby to only use at the changing table. You could also let them bring some toys along when they is getting changed. Some parents even go so far as to learn how to change their toddler while the toddler stands upright, but this will take a fair amount of practice and isn’t really feasible for poopy diapers (unless you’re desperate). 

Baby could be feeling a loss of control

Toddlers don’t always like being told what to do, and it’s possible that Baby wants a little more say in the diapering schedule. Choices can help them feel more in control of the situation. 

• Try this: Give Baby some choices so that they feels more involved. For example, have them choose what toy to bring to the table, what diaper to use, what song to sing while diapering, what snack to have afterwards, etc. Also try asking Baby for help in the diapering process, like handing you wipes or holding the fresh diaper. 

You might not be transitioning in a way that works for Baby

Toddlers have all different kinds of quirks, preferences, and responses to their environment. Your toddler has their own style of taking in information, and acting on what they knows. As such, they may need a different kind of method for moving between activities. Fortunately, you can help!

• Try this: Learn Baby‘s transition style. Does Baby need a couple of warnings before it’s time to change? Maybe they requires five minutes to finish up play, or a certain word or routine that signals it’s time for a diaper change. Whatever it is, learning and using Baby‘s preferred method of moving between activities can help make things go smoother. 

Baby might be picking up on some negative diaper-changing vibes

The problem might lie in actual diaper-changing itself. Imagine that someone insisted on brushing your teeth or washing your face around the same time every day. You might start to resist the activity – especially if the person seemed stressed or disconnected from the process (which many parents are, understandably)! 

• Try this: Spice things up. Make the experience more fun and enjoyable for Baby. Distract them by singing songs or listening to music before, during, and after the diaper change. Use a different tone of voice when you tell Baby it’s time for a diaper change. Reward Baby for a good job at the end of a successful visit to the changing table. 

You might just have a squirmy toddler

Toddlers try to escape the changing table in all kinds of ways, from putting a foot against a parent’s chest to kicking out from against the wall, or rolling alligator-style off the mat. Maybe it’s clear that Baby hates lying on their back, or that they can’t stand lying still and not doing anything. Or maybe they just finds it funny when you get frustrated. 

• Try this: Stock necessary items wherever you change diapers so you have them quickly on hand. If Baby likes to roll off the table, find a plastic mat that you can lie down on the floor to change them on. If Baby tends to kick or flail, use one arm to keep their body still, and the other to do the changing. And finally, prioritize. If Baby escapes at the end of a diaper change and runs back to the living room in the nude, let them play for a little bit while you clean up and re-stock. As long as you’re not expecting company, you can get them in some clothes later. 

What’s love got to do with it?

Above all, it can be helpful to try to make diaper-changing less of a tedious task, and more of a special moment that the two of you get to share. Before you do any diaper changing, try tickling and kissing Baby while they is on the table. Even if Baby is just going through a diaper changing-hating stage, it’s worth using this time to bring the two of you closer together. Diaper changes may be a little tedious, after all, but the day that they end will come sooner than you expect, and in five or ten years you might find yourself missing these diaper-changing days.

Sources

• “19 Ways To Keep Your Baby or Toddler Happy During Diaper Changes.” AhaParenting. Dr Laura Markham, 2017. Available at www.ahaparenting.com/Ages-stages/babies/baby-toddler-hates-diaper-change.
• “Movin’ On: Supportive Transitions for Infants and Toddlers.” NAEYC. National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2010. Available at www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/201005/YCRockNRoll0510.pdf.
• “Tips on Playing with Babies and Toddlers.” ZerotoThree. ZERO TO THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families, Apr 2016. Available at www.zerotothree.org/resources/1081-tips-on-playing-with-babies-and-toddlers.
• “Don’t give in! Give Choices.” AhaParenting. Dr Laura Markham, 2017. Available at www.ahaparenting.com/parenting-tools/positive-discipline/give-choices. 

Can they do everything by themselves?

If Baby is still too short to reach the sink to wash their hands or hasn’t totally mastered bathroom skills like wiping and flushing, they will need to continue coming to the bathroom with you.

Can somebody else go with them?

If your partner, an older sibling, or another family member can accompany Baby into the bathroom, that could be the perfect alternative to you taking them. On the same note, if there’s someone else available, they can wait outside with Baby while you use the restroom.

Are there family restrooms available?

There are some places that offer family restrooms, which are single-occupancy bathrooms intended for uses just like this. You won’t have to worry about running into anybody else, and you’ll have total privacy. In a pinch, a single-occupancy women’s or men’s room will also do the trick.

Is there a stall available?

Taking a child into the men’s room can be uncomfortable because of the openness of the bathroom. You might be able to briefly poke your head in to see if there’s a stall available that would allow for some privacy for everyone involved.

Have you talked about strangers?

Baby might have a general idea of who to talk to in public and who to avoid, but maybe it’s time to have a more specific conversation about what to do if a stranger tries to talk to them. If you don’t think Baby would understand what to do around strangers with you out of sight, continue to bring them with you.

Do you feel comfortable letting them go alone?

Sometimes you just have to go with your gut. If for whatever reason you don’t feel that Baby would be safe using the restroom alone or waiting outside while you use the restroom, that’s all the justification you need to take them into the bathroom with you.

The bottom line

You’re the only one who knows the right time to stop bringing Baby into the bathroom with you. When that time comes, hooray, two minutes of privacy! Until then, hooray, two extra minutes with Baby!

When it comes to potty training, there is no “one age fits all” rule. Like many milestones in Baby’s development, the point when Baby might be ready to try potty training could be earlier or later than the other toddlers you know. It’s wise not to try to push Baby too soon, because training too early can lead to frustration and even regression. Tune into these signs that indicate they may be ready to ditch the dipeys.

Longer periods of dryness

In their first year, Baby was not as in tune with their body, and would eliminate waste without a thought. But as they approaches their second birthday, you will likely find you’re changing fewer diapers than before. The reason for this is that they is growing more able to hold urine for longer periods of time as their bladder muscles strengthen with age. If you find that Baby is going more than two hours without wetting their diaper, or is even waking up dry from naps, it may be a good time to start entertaining the idea of potty training.

Improved communication

As Baby grows older, their vocabulary is growing, too. Being able to communicate verbally will be incredibly helpful when it comes to potty training. If Baby has a word for urine or bowel movements, encourage them to use it to let you know they needs a new diaper (or, better yet, is about to go). If they isn’t speaking much yet, look for nonverbal cues, such as hiding in a corner when they needs to go, or trying to take off a soiled diaper.

Cognitive skills

Once Baby has reached the point where they is able to tell you they has a dirty diaper, the next step is getting them to tell you they needs to use the potty. If they says it’s time to go, bring them to the bathroom and sit them on the potty. It’s important, too, that they understands it’s necessary to remain seated while doing their business.

Physical readiness

One key skill to master before potty training is Baby’s ability to dress and undress themselves. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, this skill begins to emerge around 18 months, and children become more efficient with time. Encourage Baby to pull their own pants up and down while getting dressed and undressed to familiarize them with the motion.

Interest in your bathroom habits

If Baby is suddenly following you into the bathroom and watching your every move, it means they has potty training on the brain. Don’t be shy about letting them into the room and talking to them about how the process works. The more you communicate, the faster they will learn.

Sources

• “It’s potty time!” HealthyChildren. American Academy of Pediatrics, November 21 2015. Web.