Potty training how long should it take

A potty training schedule can also vary significantly depending on the potty training technique used. Some techniques span potty training over a period of months while other methods boast success in as little as days. Potty training experts, pediatricians, and behavioral therapists also recommend different potty training schedules. Methods such as infant potty training also referred to as elimination communication suggest introducing the potty during early infancy, while other experts recommend delaying potty training before age 2.

Parents have reported a potty training schedule of 6 months of age using the elimination communication method. This method is intriguing for parents who want to decrease the economic and environmental impact of diapers. However, physicians such as Dr. Steve Hodges warn against early potty training, stating that it may lead children to hold it for too long and increase the risks of urinary tract infections, constipation, bedwetting, and frequent accidents.

Using your child's toys to show what the potty is for can also help. You could see if your child is happy to sit on the potty for a moment, just to get used to it, when you're changing their nappy, especially when you're getting them dressed for the day or ready for bed at night.

Keep the potty in the bathroom. If that's upstairs, keep another potty downstairs so your child can reach the potty easily wherever they are. The idea is to make sitting on the potty part of everyday life for your child.

Encourage your child to sit on the potty after meals, because digesting food often leads to an urge to do a poo. Having a book to look at or toys to play with can help your child sit still on the potty. If your child regularly does a poo at the same time each day, leave their nappy off and suggest that they go in the potty. If your child is even the slightest bit upset by the idea, just put the nappy back on and leave it a few more weeks before trying again.

Encouraging them to use the potty to wee will help build their confidence for when they are ready to use it to poo. As soon as you see that your child knows when they're going to pee, encourage them to use their potty. If your child slips up, just mop it up and wait for next time.

It takes a while for them to get the hang of it. If you do not make a fuss when they have an accident, they will not feel anxious and worried, and are more likely to be successful the next time. Put them in clothes that are easy to change and avoid tights and clothes with zips or lots of buttons. Your child will be delighted when they succeed.

A little praise from you will help a lot. It can be quite tricky to get the balance right between giving praise and making a big deal out of it. Do not give sweets as a reward, but you could try using a sticker chart. Disposable or washable potty training pants also called pull-ups can be handy when you start potty training and can give children confidence when it's time to swap nappies for "grown-up" pants.

They do not soak up wee as well as disposable nappies, so your child will find it easier to tell when they are wet. Lang ME. Among healthy children, what toilet-training strategy is most effective and prevents fewer adverse events stool withholding and dysfunctional voiding? Paediatr Child Health. Helping your child with potty training. Published June 6, Toilet learning: Anticipatory guidance with a child-oriented approach.

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Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Related Articles. A lot of parents swear by the three-day method. It is definitely effective for some families, but many paediatricians recommend using caution with accelerated approaches to potty training and suggest tweaking the programs with a gentler, more child-led approach. Read more: 6 worst mistakes parents make when trying the 3-day method Potty training: Setbacks and challenges.

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