54 | SEPTEMBER 2019 | L&L
The odd nappy is OK
In a perfect world, we would all be
consistent in our potty-training. That’s
not always possible. “There will be
times when you have to be pragmatic,”
says Judith. “If your little one gets ill,
she probably won’t be able to cope
with rushing to the toilet. It’s best to
let her go back into nappies. But say,
‘You’re wearing nappies while you’re
ill, but when you’re better you can
be a big girl again and wear pants.’
It’s the same if your child goes to a
childminder or grandparent who’s
unwilling to do potty-training.”
Give positive attention
It’s common for a potty-trained child
to have accidents again when a baby
sibling comes along. “It’s a way of
getting attention,” says Judith. “Try
ignore the accidents and give her
positive attention for all the helpful
things she does.” Other situations that
contain a degree of stress – such as
moving house or divorce – also often
cause accidents. “Accidents happen
because your child is feeling insecure,
so praise her when she does go to the
toilet successfully,” advises Judith.
Night-time nappies
Until your little one is reliably dry in the
daytime, leave a nappy on during the
night. “It’s important to wait until the
bladder muscle is developed enough to
hold wee in when your child is asleep,”
says Judith. “For some children, this
can take months or years. Concentrate
on the daytime for now. Don’t worry
about the night-time until your child
has dry nappies in the morning.” LL
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
Including the pre-potty-training countdown, expect the
process to take at least four months. Some children will
get it more quickly, others more slowly. But it’s vital you’re
not stressed, so it’s better to start with low expectations.
Don’t compare your child with others − they’re all different.