Your baby is almost a year and a half old; it is time to start to think about potty training. Generally, the older your baby is, the easier it is to train your baby how to use the toilet. Early training is possible but is not always the best thing for your toddler. It may be too much pressure on him/her right now or he/she might not have the necessary bladder control or motor skills needed to remove clothes quickly enough to make it to the toilet and successfully go to the bathroom.
Most toddlers are ready to start training after their second birthday, but some toddlers are ready earlier than others. Whether your baby is ready now or not, you can start getting your baby familiar with the process.
- Keep your baby’s potty chair handy and let your baby sit on it.
- Simply explain to your baby what it means to go the bathroom, why he/she needs to go to the bathroom, and what is happening when they go.
- Use words like “poop” and “potty” so your toddler knows what they need to tell you when it is time to take the diaper off!
- Another way to help him/her understand what is happening is to talk during diaper changes and say something like: “You have potty in your diaper,” or “there is poop in your diaper, let’s clean you up.” This will help your child understand what is happening.
Source: Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, 6th Edition: Birth to Age 5 (American Academy of Pediatrics)
