Many parents get nervous about the idea of toilet training 🧻 and rightly so!Â
The thought of cleaning up wee and poo from around the house and even out in public 😥 is enough to make you reconsider whether it's the right time to start this new journey.Â
But stick with us as we've compiled our top tips to help make this experience for both you and your child a rewarding and positive transition from nappies to undies 🥳
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YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO TOILET TRAINING
1. TIMING
Wait until your child shows sign of wanting to use the toilet, or is interested in what you are doing on the toilet. This is usually around 2-3 years of age. It will make the whole process a lot easier and less stressful if you work with your child rather than forcing them when they are not ready. Signs that your child may be ready are, them telling you that they need to do a wee/poo, having a dry nappy for longer than usual, interested in the potty/toilet or pulling at a wet nappy.
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2. UNDIES
This is easier in summer than winter but while you’re at home, let them run around in undies rather than nothing, this way if they have an accident, they will know the feeling of being wet. Yes, it may be more cleaning up in the short term but hey, parenthood is messy!
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3. TOOLS OF THE TRADE
It's entirely up to you whether to start with a potty or go straight to the toilet. We started our 3 girls all on a potty only because it was the easiest for them. A potty is easy to move around and some children may find it less scary than a toilet. On the other hand a toilet is where they see mum and dad going. Regardless of what you use, you'll need a step. A step is a great way for children to be able to climb up onto the toilet and rest their feet on and to also reach the basin to wash their hands. It helps them to feel more independent.
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4. HAVE FUN
Make it a fun experience, whether it be a reward or sticker chart, encourage and praise them when they go to the toilet. When we were toilet training our middle child, we had to send her father a picture of the poo that she had just done!! I think it was the proudest moment of her little life.
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5. OUT IN PUBLIC
When you are brave enough to venture out with undies on your child, make sure that you have a couple of spare pairs and a wetbag so that if there is an accident, you have somewhere to put the wet clothes. Always get them to have a try on the toilet before leaving the house.
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6. BE CONSISTENT
Be consistent! Constantly ask if they need to go to the toilet and put them on to have a try. You may find that at the beginning they sit there and not do anything for a while because it’s a new experience but eventually they will want to do their business and hop off.
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7. SETBACKS
Setbacks and accidents will happen. If your child gets upset that they've had an accident, reassure them that it's ok and that there's no need to worry. Try to get your child to the toilet as soon as they've said that they need to go. When they've been playing for an extended period of time, ask if they want to have a try on the toilet, they may be too busy and have forgotten they need to go.
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8. NIGHT TIMEÂ
It can take toilet-trained children months or even years to become dry at night. When you notice that your child is waking consistently with a dry nappy, that's an indication that they are ready to transition to undies or pull ups.Â
Spewyâ„¢ Bed Mat
To help manage night time training, we recommend using a Spewyâ„¢ Bed Mat.
The Spewyâ„¢ Bed Mat covers where your child lays on the bed, it's made the same as the Spewyâ„¢ so it can absorb up to 2 litres and has a waterproof backing so nothing will leak through onto the mattress. It sits on top of the bottom sheet and has wings that tuck under the mattress to help keep it in place.Â
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The advantage of using a Spewyâ„¢ Bed Mat is that if your child does have an accident during the night, all you need to do is replace the Spewyâ„¢ Bed Mat with a clean one rather than having to fully change the bed sheets at 2am in the morning!
