Are you expecting your second child soon and thinking ….”I seriously need to potty train my toddler BEFORE this baby arrives!” As a newborn baby photographer (studio based in Pimperne, Dorset), I have heard it so many times during the consultations. Therefore decided to write a little blog and share the tips.

First, you’re not alone! Having a newborn is hard, tiring work… you don’t want to be thinking about potty training too (or constantly scrubbing your carpet!). Secondly, this blog is for all mums, expecting or not.

Maybe now restrictions are lifting, you’re starting to worry about going out and about, with a potty training toddler.. especially as so many shops etc have stopped providing customer toilets/changing facilities due to covid. Fear not! I have plenty of ideas to help you make life easier.

But first things first….Is your toddler REALLY ready? Like Really really?

Did you know that the average age for a child to be completely, reliably potty trained is 4 years of age? At age 3, 9 out 0f 10 are usually potty trained in the day… it can take much longer to be dry at night.

If your child has just turned two and you’re feeling the pressure to potty train? THERE IS NO RUSH. Don’t believe me? Here it is straight from the NHS’ mouth….

“by age 1, most babies have stopped doing poos at night

by age 2, some children will be dry during the day, but this is still quite early

by age 3, 9 out of 10 children are dry most days – even then, all children have the odd accident, especially when they're excited, upset or absorbed in something else

by age 4, most children are reliably dry during the day

It usually takes a little longer for children to learn to stay dry throughout the night. Although most learn this between the ages of 3 and 5, up to 1 in 5 children aged 5 sometimes wet the bed.” Source: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/babys-development/potty-training-and-bedwetting/how-to-potty-train/

We know that well-meaning family members, friends etc will probably be offering you a wealth of well-meaning advice, maybe pressuring you to start before you or your child are ready; or telling you stories of how ‘so and so’s’ child was potty trained at 18 months. These comments are not helpful. So, smile and wave, nod and agree and go with your gut! You know YOUR child better than anyone!

How do I know if my child is ready?

ERIC, The Children’s Bladder and Bowel Society, provide a wealth of reliable and research-based information on potty training. They have a really useful YouTube channel with videos on all stages of potty training, which you can find here (but be warned, there is a lot of talk about poop etc. So maybe don’t watch while you’re eating your dinner):

To save you some legwork… here is the starting block for beginning to consider potty training:

1.     Can your child hold their wee for 1.5 to 2 hours? (In other words, if your child is running butt naked in the house, are they leaving puddles on your floor every 30 mins? If so, chances are, they are not ready yet. Your child needs to be able to hold their bladder, to allow them time to get to the toilet/potty, undress and sit down.

2.     Can your child get to the potty/toilet and sit down and get back up by themselves? This is super important. Especially if you have other children (maybe a newborn) in the house, meaning you won’t always be able to assist your child in getting on and off again.

3.     Can your child communicate effectively to TELL you that they need a wee/pooh? If they can’t tell you, or they aren’t noticing they need to use the potty or toilet, it might be worth delaying for a while.

Ok, so I think my child is ready…. What things can I do to help myself?

Great! You’re taking the plunge…. You’re armed with a potty and you have 90 pairs of cartoon character pants… (let’s face it, they probably have Peppa Pig or Paw Patrol on) as an incentive. You’re good to go!

Here are a few other things you mind find useful:

1.     Take a potty out and about with you if you go on long walks or days out. We really like the Pottette folding potty with disposable (biodegradable!) liners. It folds flat for easy transport and can also be used as a child toilet seat when using a normal toilet. See video below on how it works:

 2. Get a car seat liner. Even on the best days, accidents can happen, especially if your little one nods off in the car. You don’t want to be washing the covers, so we recommend you invest in a waterproof car seat protector pad. You can use them in the buggy, too! As you may want to buy more than one, we found this one on Amazon the most affordable:

3. Wet bags are often used for cloth nappy users, but they are also super handy when you are potty training. Just chuck in any wet or soiled clothes while you are out and empty them into the washing machine when you get home. Wet bags seal in all smells and are much better than using disposable nappy bags. Plus, they often come in really cute prints and designs. They are really handy if your little one goes to nursery or childcare, for staff to send home any wet clothes. Added bonus, they are really handy for putting your wet cozzies in after swimming, too! Just search wet bag on Amazon.

1.     Get a family toilet seat and step for the bathroom. You may have noticed in some public toilets that they have started to use Family toilet seats. These have a seat for adults and an extra, smaller seat that can be folded down for children to use…. (there is nothing worse than your kid falling down the gaping hole in a normal toilet seat!).
Combine toilet seat with a toddler step, and you have given your child the tools to not only reach and sit on the toilet unaided but reach the sink after to wash their hands.

Some parting thoughts:

 Rome wasn’t built in a day, so chances are, your child won’t be potty trained in a day either. But if it’s taking a while and you’re not seeing progress? Know it is OK to take a break and review the situation later on.

 It’s important that potty training is a positive experience for your child, so if you can feel yourself getting stressed or finding it too much, then there is no shame in taking a breather before starting again. And if you have concerns or feel like you need more support, speak to your Health Visitor.

 You got this Mums and Dads!
Much love always,
And to leave you with that awwwwww… note added some cuteness s always! You know me, can not miss a chance to show newborn cuteness!!! That’s embedded in who I am, as a Newborn Baby photographer most likely, near You, in Dorset!

Alma