Understanding Potty Training
What is it? A developmental milestone where children learn to use the toilet independently. Most children complete daytime training between ages 2-3, but readiness varies.
Common Phases:
- Pre-Readiness (18+ months): Learning vocabulary and body awareness
- Readiness Training: Understanding toilets, enjoying potty sitting
- Active Training: Practice runs with successes and accidents
- Independence: Consistent potty use without reminders
Common Signs to Monitor
✅ Good Progress:
- Staying dry 2+ hours, waking dry from naps
- Coming to you when wet/soiled
- Showing interest in potty or hiding to eliminate
- Cooperating with practice runs
⚠️ Watch For:
- Resistance or fear of potty
- Holding back bowel movements
- Increased accidents after progress
- Constipation or pain with elimination
- Prolonged crying about potty training
- Disrupted eating or sleeping due to stress
- Strong negative reactions to bathroom
How to Support at Home
Build Readiness:
- Teach vocabulary: pee, poop, potty (use often)
- Point out body signals: "Your pee wants to come out"
- Let them watch others use toilet
- Make diaper changes pleasant
Practice Runs:
- Offer potty sits after naps, meals, or when showing signals
- Keep positive - never force sitting
- Limit to 5 attempts per day maximum
- Praise cooperation first, then successes
Setup for Success:
- Easy-to-remove clothing (training pants only)
- Keep potty chair accessible
- Handle accidents calmly: "You'll get better at this"
Sample Daily Schedule for Active Training:
- Morning: Wake up → Change diaper → Sit on potty → Breakfast
- Daytime: Every 2 hours → Take to potty
- Before outings: Use potty first
- After meals: Try potty (especially after breakfast)
- Evening: Before bath → Sit on potty
- Bedtime: Fresh diaper for overnight
Signs Your Child Isn't Ready Yet and To Take a Break:
- Child cries for hours about potty training
- Eating or sleeping disrupted due to stress
- Fear or strong negative reactions to bathroom
- Major family changes (new baby, moving, etc.)
- No progress after 2-3 months of consistent effort
When to Contact Poppins
📱 Contact us when:
- No progress after 3 months of consistent effort
- Child develops negative attitude or strong resistance
- Holding back bowel movements
- Questions about your approach or timeline
When to Visit Your Pediatrician
🩺 Go to an in-person appointment when:
- Child over 2½ with completely negative attitude
- Child over 3 and not daytime trained
- Won't sit on potty after multiple gentle attempts
- Chronic constipation or developmental concerns
If your gut tells you something is wrong, don't hesitate to reach out. Need help? Reconnect with our on-demand team of medical staff available 24/7.
