TIME TO TRAIN56 | June 2020 |motherandbaby.co.uk
‘Every day, change what is in it and only let
her play with it while she is on the potty,’ says
Amanda. ‘Blowing bubbles is ideal as it will
help relax your child, in turn relaxing her
bladder and bowel, too!’ Don’t be tempted to
just put her in front of the TV – instead, give
her something to do, like a simple jigsaw.
It’s common for toddlers to have more
accidents on the second day of potty training,
so don’t be disheartened. Amanda says: ‘If she
has an accident, stay upbeat and say “Wee
doesn’t go there”.’ Change her pants and say:
“You don’t get a sticker this time, but try again.”
Stay very positive and calm, and never get cross.’
DAY 3
By the third day of the plan, potty fatigue may
be starting to creep in. If you’re attempting
potty training once social-distancing rules have
been relaxed, now is the time to get a little
more adventurous and leave the house for
a bit longer. ‘The most important thing is
consistency,’ says Amanda. ‘Use the same
potty in and out of the home. If you go out
and about, take your potty with you so you
don’t have to worry about finding a toilet, and
take a bag with stars in so she can still put
them in the stars box if she does anything
while she is out.’ Your toddler’s bladder is not
strong enough to hold wee for long so, before
you leave the house, make your little one sit
on the potty and try to do a wee, and don’t
give her a big drink just before you go out.
Day three is a good opportunity to introduce
flashcards showing pictures of children using
potties and washing their hands. Talk to your
little one about the cards and get her to tell
you what she can see. And take time to relax
yourself, especially once your little one has gone
to bed. If you get stressed, your toddler
will pick up on it, so plan something fun
to take your mind off toilet training.DAY 4
On day four, your toddler is starting to
become more aware of her bodily functions,
and she might become embarrassed.Atthis
stage, it is important to respectyourlittle
one’s privacy. Amanda says: ‘Don’t
stick the potty in a room fullof
people and make a spectacleof
her. If your child prefers to go
somewhere private such as behind
the sofa to do a poo, put the potty
there and tell her to call youwhen
she has finished.’
There are ways that loved ones
can join in and encourage yourchild
to use her potty that don’t involve
watching her use it. Get familyto get on
board by asking how many starsshehasgot.
Or have Grandma phone upandtalk
positively about potty training.
And if your child goesto
nursery or a childminder,
make sure they know
you are potty training
and request that they
follow the same
approach. ‘Ask if
you can send in a
bag of stars for them
to give out to your
child,’ suggests Amanda,
‘or if they can tellyouat the
end of the day howmany stars
your child has earned,soshecanaddthemto
her box when shegets home.’D o...
only give yourchild
water, milk orsugar-free
juice to drink. Sugarydrinks
and fizzy pop arediuretics
and stimulateurine
production, making
accidents more
likely.8
toilet-training dos
and don’tsD o...
give your child plenty
to drink. If she isn’t
drinking lots of fluids, she
won’t be able to practise her
potty-training skills, and
there’s a risk she
might become
constipated.d o...
get her a stable toilet
seat if your child isn’t
keen on the potty. Some
little ones prefer using
the toilet right from the
start, especially
for poos.(^1)
MYCARRY
POTTYFOX
This lightweightportablepotty
is easy totakewithyouwhen
you’re outandabout,andhasa
cute toddler-friendlydesign.
£27.50,jojomamanbebe.co.uk
(^2)
MY LITTLETRAINER
SEAT BUMBLEBEE
If your little onewantsto try using
the big toilet,make it easierand
more comfortablewiththisbright
and cheerfultrainerseat designed
for littlebottoms.
£14.99,
pottytrainingacademy.co.uk
3
BAMBINOMIOPOTTY
TRAININGPANTS
Thesereusablepantshavea water-
resistantlayer,soyourtoddlerwill
feelwhenshe
is wet,butwill
helpyouavoid
moppingup.
£5.99, bambino
mio.co.uk
4
ANABABYWHALE
POTTYCHAIR
A stylishpottychairthat
comeswitha back
supportsoyour
little one can get
comfortable.There’salsoa lid, soit
canbeusedasa normalseat.
£19.95,amazon.co.uk
(^5)
MY POTTY
TRAINING PACK
Encourage your child to keep trying
on the potty with this pack, which
includes a fun book, reward chart,
stickers, and a magic reward box.
£14.99, pottytrainingacademy.co.uk
5 BRILLIANT POTTY-TRAINING BUYS