How old should a child be to start potty training

The Right Age to Potty Train

Ages & Stages

One skill children need to learn is when and how to use the toilet. Here are general potty training tips that can help you begin the process. If your children have special health care needs, some tips may need to be modified. Talk with your child's doctor if you need specific guidance.

Learning to use the toilet

Potty training is a process that involves the body and the mind.

First, children need to be aware of their own bladder and bowel signals. They need to learn when their bodies are signaling them that it's time to urinate or have a movement. In general, children show signs of bladder and bowel control between 18 and 24 months of age.
Second, children need to learn how to use the toilet. Children must be able to understand instructions and follow them. For instance, they have to be able to sit or stand comfortably. They have to be able to pull down their pants and underpants, as well as pull them back up.
Third, once children have bladder and bowel control and they know how to use the toilet, they need to be willing to use it. Toilet training struggles happen when children choose not to use the toilet. It's important to remember that children can succeed at using the toilet but in their own time.

When to start potty training

Toilet training may come up during children's 18-month, 2-year, 2½-year, and 3-year well-child visits. The average age toilet training begins in the United States is between 2 and 3 years of age. Most children in the United States are bowel and bladder trained by 4 years of age. However, toilet training can begin as soon as parents and children want to start.

In general, here are signs a child may be developmentally ready to begin the toilet training process. If you have any questions or concerns, talk with your child's doctor.

Is dry at least 2 hours at a time during the day or is dry after naps
Shows signs they are about to pee or poop, like grunting, freezing, or squatting
Can follow simple instructions
Can walk to and from the bathroom and help undress themselves
Does not like to be in wet diapers and wants to be changed
Asks to use the toilet or potty-chair
Asks to wear "big-kid" underwear

Potty training tips

Here are toilet training tips to help start the process. Parents can help empower their children to be in control of their own toilet training.

Keep the process positive. Choose the words your family will use to describe body parts, urine, and bowel movements. Avoid words that are negative, like dirty, naughty, or stinky.
Pick a potty-chair. A potty-chair is a child-sized seat with an opening in the seat and a removable container underneath to collect pee and poop. Children's feet should be able to reach the floor. Books or toys for "potty time" may help make this time more fun.
Be a role model. Let your children see you use the toilet and wash your hands afterward.
Know the signs. When your children feel the urge to poop, you might notice grunting, squatting, or freezing. Children's faces may turn red while pooping. Explain briefly to your children that these signs mean a poop is about to come. If your children tell you about a wet diaper, praise them for "using their words." It may take longer for children to notice the need to pee than the need to poop.
Think of toilet training as toilet mastery. Invite your child to take over their toileting. Talk with them about how they will now be in charge of their pee and poop. Read children's books about using the toilet to help the process make sense and seem inviting and exciting. When you start the process, try to turn as much of the care of toileting as possible over to your child. Remember, if parents are in charge, there is less room for children to step in and take charge.
Make trips to the potty-chair a routine. Routines are important, and practicing the steps is helpful. Make a habit of seating your children onto the potty-chair first thing in the morning. Boys can urinate by sitting down first and can stand up to urinate when better at it.
Expect hesitancy. Taking over toileting is a big step. Many children want their parents to take care of their pee and poop and may seek ways to keep parents involved, such as peeing and pooping into their pants. Gently help them overcome their hesitation. Then help them stay in charge by having them be in charge of the cleanup.
When toilet training starts, switch to big-kid underwear. Talk with your children about taking control and toileting into the toilet and not their underwear. Some parents may use cloth training pants, which are a little thicker, to protect children's clothing. (Diapers and disposable training pants send a message to children that they are not taking over and do not need to learn to use the toilet.)
Teach your children proper hygiene habits. Show your children how to wipe carefully. Girls should spread their legs apart when wiping. They should wipe thoroughly from front to back to prevent bringing germs from their rectum to their vagina or bladder. Make sure both boys and girls learn to wash their hands well after using the toilet.
A word on praise. Taking over toileting is something all healthy children do. Achieving mastery is the best reward for toilet training success. Avoid treats and punishments. Because this is an adventure for your children—a reach for new responsibility— treats and punishments distract rather than encourage. When your children succeed, be specific about why you are proud—"I am so proud you are able to use the toilet so well," for example.
Avoid a power struggle. Children at toilet training ages are becoming aware of their individuality. They look for ways to test their limits. Some children may do so by holding back bowel movements. Try to stay calm about toilet training. Remember that children control when and where they pee and poop. So power struggles, begging, pleading, rewarding, and punishing keep children from managing their own toileting.
Understand their fear. Some children believe that their pee and poop are part of their bodies. They may be scared the toilet will flush parts of them away. Some may also fear they will be sucked into the toilet if it is flushed while they are sitting on it. To give your children a feeling of control, let them flush the toilet.
Watch for a desire to move up. Most of the time, your children will let you know when they are ready to move from the potty-chair to the "big toilet." Provide a stool to brace their feet.

When potty training should be put on hold

Major changes in the home may make toilet training more difficult. Sometimes it is a good idea to delay toilet training if

Your family has just moved or will move in the near future.
You are expecting a baby or have recently had a baby.
There is a major illness, a recent death, or some other family crisis.

Remember

If any concern comes up before, during, or after toilet training, talk with your child's doctor. Often, the problem is minor and can be resolved quickly. Sometimes, physical or emotional causes will require treatment. Getting professional help can make the process easier. If your child needs additional care, your child's doctor may suggest another pediatric health care specialist who can address the specific pediatric needs of your child.

Last Updated: 5/24/2022

Source: Adapted from Toilet Training (Copyright © 2022 American Academy of Pediatrics)

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

When to Start Potty Training: 7 Readiness Signs

When it comes to potty training, and when to begin the process, patience is usually rewarded. Many parents find that the best plan is to wait until their child shows signs of readiness, rather than bowing to pressure from friends or family to jump-start the process too early, or to have their child potty trained by a certain age or deadline.

Read on to discover some of the signs that your little one is getting ready to start potty training, how to prepare your child for potty training, and how to actually start potty training.

Signs of Readiness for Potty Training

A key point to remember is that there’s no single “right age” for when to start potty training — a process that requires your little one to develop a complex set of skills. You know your child best, and you might sense when the time is right. Learning how to use the potty might be easier, and go more quickly, when your child is at least 2, or even a little older.

In fact, instead of focusing on age, you might find it’s better to look out for the signs that your little one is getting ready to start potty training.

What Are Some Potty Training Readiness Signs?

Here are some signs that your child may be ready to start potty training:

Your child shows an interest in learning to use the potty and wanting to be more independent. For example, he might show interest by asking questions if he sees a family member going to the bathroom.
Your child can understand and verbalize words about using the potty. For example, he might say “my diaper is dirty” or “I need to go pee pee.” He might even tell you he needs to go potty even if his diaper is already dirty or wet.
Your child can make the connection between having the urge to pee or poop and going to use the potty.
Your child can follow simple instructions and likes to copy your behavior, including bathroom habits.
Your child can keep his diaper dry for at least two hours.
Your child can get on the potty, stay on the potty long enough to pee or poop, and get off the potty.
Your child can pull down his own diapers, training pants, or underwear.

When Will Your Child Be Ready for Potty Training?

Although early training is possible, studies show that many children who begin potty training before 18 months aren't completely trained until after the age of 4. In contrast, children who don't start training until around the age of 2 are likely to be fully potty trained before they turn 3.

Girls tend to be ready to potty train a little earlier than boys, but the readiness signs for both boys and girls are the same.

As you go through all those diapers or disposable training pants before your child is fully potty trained, why not get some great rewards and coupons for your Pampers products? Download the Pampers Rewards app to get started.

Things You Can Do to Prepare Your Toddler for Potty Training

Even before you start noticing the signs of readiness, there are steps you can take to prepare your child for potty training and help make the experience successful.

Tackling some of these pre-potty training steps will help familiarize your child with the concept of the potty before training begins. It may also make the process less scary and confusing for your child — which in turn may make potty training your little one easier for you.

Here's what you can do to prepare your child for potty training:

Get a potty chair to keep around the house, explaining in simple terms what it's for and how it works. When you're choosing your child's potty seat, perhaps you can let your child pick one he likes to help him get more excited about the potty.
Use words like “pee pee” and “poop” to familiarize your child with what's happening when you're using the toilet or when you're changing a dirty diaper.
As your child gets a bit older and closer to actual potty training (and you've spotted some of readiness signs mentioned above), show him where the poop from his diaper goes, and let him put it in his potty or flush it down the toilet.
If possible, let your child watch when other family members of the same sex use the toilet.

How to Start Potty Training

Once you've seen most of the signs of readiness mentioned above, it's time to start potty training.

It's a good idea to start with bowel training, which is focusing on potty training when your child is pooping or about to poop. Peeing usually happens during pooping, so young children often have a hard time telling the difference. Once bowel training is established and your child is typically successfully pooping in her potty chair, most children — especially girls — will begin to relate the pooping with peeing and then can start to understand the difference between them.

Because you'll start potty training with a focus on bowel training, boys usually learn to pee sitting down. However, they can gradually learn to do it standing up. Imitating an older sibling of the same gender or maybe Dad can help him learn. There are also books you could refer to that show how boys can pee standing up.

If you started preparing your child for potty training in advance, you probably already have a potty chair at home.

The First Steps of Potty Training

Once your child is familiar with “her” potty chair, these are some steps you can take to start potty training:

Let your child sit on her potty fully clothed while you talk to her about the potty and what it's for.
Once your child is sitting on the potty by herself without being prompted, you can try getting her to sit there with her diaper off. Don't make your child sit on the potty if she doesn't want to.
When she's comfortable with that routine, try changing her diaper while she's on the potty. If she pooped, show her how you drop the poop into the potty chair or the toilet.
Introduce the habit of handwashing every time your child gets off the potty, even if she didn't pee or poop.

An important thing to remember is to keep the experience positive and praise your child for all her potty successes. If you can make potty training fun, your little one will have an easier time making this transition.

When to Delay Potty Training

Trust your instincts on whether or not the time is right to launch into potty training. Even if your toddler is showing signs of being ready for potty training, you might want to put off introducing this new skill in the following situations:

If your child is sick
If you’re in the middle of traveling
Around the birth of a sibling
If your child is transitioning from the crib to a bed
If you’re moving to a new home.

Starting potty training can be a great learning experience for your little one if she’s ready for this next step towards more independence. Although accidents will happen along the way, staying patient and positive will help your little one learn more quickly and have fewer problems with it. Have fun and good luck!

Potty training

When to start

The normal development of young children is largely determined by proper care for them. The process of potty training is an important stage in the development and maturation of the child, as well as in the formation of his relationship with his parents. Many parents tend to become overly anxious when their child does not develop according to their expectations.

The methods of "early potty training" practiced until recently (during the first year of life) should be considered outdated and non-physiological, since their use does not take into account the degree of maturity of the muscles and nervous system of the child (in particular, the innervation of the bladder and intestines). As a result, learning becomes a long and unproductive process. In addition, when using them, children may experience negative reactions (since education is built on pressure from parents) and somato-neurological dysfunctions, which subsequently is fraught with problems such as constipation, urinary / fecal incontinence, numerous neurotic reactions (including logoneurosis, tics, etc.). .), and upon reaching a certain age - enuresis, overactive bladder and persistent encopresis. Forced potty training at any age can be stressful for both the child and the parent. The described stress becomes even more pronounced if the child is not able to understand or interpret the command received. Attempts to impose on a child such methods based on adult dominance inevitably lead to a delay in the learning process and low efficiency.

The described methods of early potty training are reflex, that is, based on the development of a conditioned reflex, and not a conscious skill. In the process of training, parents determine the signals and "body language" of the child before urination or defecation, similar to how pets are toilet trained. Such techniques are not based on real learning, but on the development of a reflex, and therefore are ineffective. The success of the process depends on whether the adult can recognize the need or desire of the child to go to the toilet (there are no basic elements of learning, and the process is not associative). The "skill" acquired by the child is of a non-permanent nature and can be lost in any stressful situation (for example, illness or moving from an apartment, a quarrel between parents) or other adverse circumstances. Therefore, attempts to force a child to potty train before he reaches physical readiness and / or increased intensity of training in no way accelerate or bring the desired result closer. Successful potty training is the development of a cognitive (conscious) skill or ability that should be centered around the child; it should be positive and entertaining. It is important to remember that an acquired reflex is easily lost if it is not a learned pattern of behavior.

To make the process of potty training quick and easy, parents should be informed about the “child-centered” method.

The “child-centered” or physiological toilet training method is a method that takes into account the degree of maturity of the central nervous system. It is the central nervous system that provides innervation to the muscles, organs of the genitourinary system and the gastrointestinal tract of children. This approach helps parents to understand the child correctly and direct the process of potty training in accordance with the level of development of the child. According to this method, the child becomes the main figure, his self-confidence and self-esteem increase. Training, according to this technique, is designed not only to develop a reflex in a child, but to accelerate the assimilation of relevant information or skills, in the case of potty training, the child's acquaintance with his own body. The physiological model takes into account three main components of child development: physiological maturity (strengthening the muscles of the sphincter of the bladder and intestines, the necessary development of the central nervous system), psychological and emotional readiness (understanding and desire to follow instructions). According to the literature, a healthy child reaches the required physiological maturity at an average age of 18 to 24 months (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2003).

How a baby's body works

When potty training a child, you should know that the success of training depends entirely on how ready his body is for it. It has been proven that the child's body is ready for potty training on average no earlier than 18 months. A child can consciously go to the toilet only when he develops a connection between the nervous system and muscles. This connection is finally formed around the age of 18 months and consists of numerous neural structures that connect the spinal cord with the bladder and intestines. When the bladder or intestines are full, a signal is transmitted along the nerves to the spinal cord, from there to the brain, and the baby understands that he wants to pee or poop. Only then can the child consciously sit on the potty and do their thing. Knowing this, one can come to very significant conclusions, which, however, are quite obvious. The sooner you start the process of potty training, the more effort it will require from you. Potty training is more successful, painless and easier, the higher the level of physiological development of the child. And if you start training when the child's body is fully prepared for it, you and your child will succeed much faster and easier.

Early successes

True, many patient and active parents manage to achieve excellent results already in the first year of life. Quite often, proud statements are made that a child at 10, 9, 8, even at 7 months old, pees on the “pee-pee” command, and poops only after “ah”. And there is absolutely nothing surprising in this. It is not difficult to achieve the appearance of a conditioned reflex by repeated beeping and aakan, only this reflex is not quite what we need. Why? Yes, because this is the connection between the process of emptying the bladder and the sound "wee-wee. " And if this sound is pronounced often and for a long time, and if anyway you are not left alone until you pee, then this connection will be established sooner or later. But the chain should be different: not “wee-wee” - filling the bladder - urination, but filling the bladder - a pot - urination. That is, the physiological process (filling the bubble), and not the sound stimulus (“pee-pee”), should become the motive for the potty.

Potty training around 18 months of age	Potty training at an earlier age
Child consciously controls all processes	Process based entirely on reflexes
Acquired skills are not lost	With any changes in a child's life, he quickly forgets everything he has learned
Teaching is faster and easier	Teaching is longer and harder for the child
The child enjoys his successes and the process itself	Frequent misses, more stress for the child

Payback for early success comes in the second year of life. A supposedly capable and developed child, who has been sitting on the potty since the age of 9 months, suddenly, for some “incomprehensible” reasons, stops doing this, and actively fights for his freedom with anxious relatives. And the considerations are very understandable - the time is coming for the formation of that very normal, natural control over secretions, which we have already talked about. The bladder is empty, and they are here climbing with their "wee-wee" ... No matter how "amazing success" you have achieved, but before the child is ready for potty training (and this is approximately 18 months), these successes will be temporary, and misses are frequent. And this must be treated very philosophically. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the fact that you will be able to introduce your child to such an interesting thing as a potty. But this acquaintance, at least from the point of view of medical science, will be superficial, and the skills developed are not stable.

How to know if a child is ready

In order for the process to go as smoothly as possible, you should know some signs that indicate the mental and physiological readiness of the child's body to learn toilet science.

These signs include:

establishment of a more or less stable bowel habit
the ability to keep diapers dry for more than 2 hours
knowledge of body parts and names of garments
knowledge or understanding of the words "pee" and "poop"
demonstration of negative emotions from being in soiled diapers
desire to dress and undress independently
the desire to imitate adults
interest in the toilet room and the processes taking place there

And, finally, the most reliable sign: the ability to communicate the word “I want” to parents in any way — with a word, facial expressions, gestures. And not because it will be easier for mom and she will have time to put the child on the pot - this indicates that the baby has learned to communicate!

10 Rules for Successful Potty Training

Is your baby about 18 months old? Did you notice any of the above signs of readiness in his behavior? So, you can start mastering a new complex science. Let's get started.

1. In addition to the readiness of the child, there must also be the readiness of adults. Obviously, at the stage of transition from a diaper to a potty, the time spent on direct communication with the baby increases markedly. It is impossible to develop toilet skills only on Sundays or only on those days when an official visit from the grandmother is expected.

2. A child, like any adult, is prone to mood swings. Early toilet training is best done when all family members are healthy and cheerful.

3. Buy a comfortable and ... warm pot - a cold seat can ruin your relationship with the potty for a long time. The seat should repeat the anatomical curves, it is desirable to have a comfortable back (such pots are called physiological). First of all, wash the pot and put it in the room with the crumbs so that it becomes a familiar item for him.

4. Getting to know the potty. We offer it to the child when the probability of a "process" is maximum - after sleep, after eating, when he

shows by his behavior that it is time for him.

5. In case of success - very, very praise. In case of failure, we do our best not to be upset, and if we are upset, we do not show grief.

6. We fix attention not only on the potty itself, but also on the actions immediately preceding communication with the potty and parting with it: how to get the potty, how to open it, how to take off the panties, how to put on the panties, how and where to pour the contents from the pot how to wash the pot, how to close the pot and put it back in its place. The implementation of all of the above easily turns into an interesting game. It is wonderful if, after each successful action, parents do not skimp on praise - the whole process in this case is accompanied by positive emotions, and this is perhaps the main thing at the transitional stage.

7. Gradually we organize meetings with the potty not only when it is time for the child, but when the daily routine requires it. For example, without fail we sit down before going to bed, before a walk.

8. You shouldn't part with diapers completely and irrevocably. They are quite useful for traveling in transport, at night, for a walk in the cool season, at first and during daytime sleep. But every time when we woke up dry and quickly sat down on the potty, we pay attention to what good fellows we are, and in confirmation of this obvious fact, we demonstrate a dry diaper.

9. It is important that the pot is perceived not as a toy, but as an object of a very specific purpose. And in this regard, you should not encourage just playing with the potty. “This is a chair. They sit on it" - and, by analogy, - "This is a pot, they pee and poop on it."

10. It doesn't matter: a potty or a toilet (assuming a special child seat). Here's how you feel more comfortable. Considering that, especially at first, the process can be delayed, the potty is more convenient, since it is more pleasant to communicate in a room than in a cramped toilet space. Combining a potty with a toilet is a perfectly acceptable option, especially for boys. A special stool in the toilet, and peeing from it is just a pleasure and a conscious introduction to the world of adults. And if dad finds time to show how it's done...

“Baby refuses potty. How to be?

“We are already one year old. Our Anyuta can sit on the potty for a very long time, play, look at books, but she does not do what is necessary. How can we be? Maria

Don't worry about it. Your daughter is still too young to be potty trained. It is possible to start accustoming a child only when his body is physiologically ready for this - that is, approximately at the age of 18 months. Only by this age does his nervous system form and he begins to realize that he wants to go to the toilet. And now, when your daughter is 1 year old and she is starting to walk, it is very important to help her develop balance and strengthen her back muscles - exercises on a gymnastic ball would be very suitable for this (swaying a baby lying down). 0005

with your back or belly on a ball) or stepping over obstacles (over toys on the floor).

“We started potty training our baby about 3 weeks ago, he seemed to understand everything right away and did everything right, and then he began to refuse, and now he doesn’t even want to come close to him. We are 1.5 years old. Irina

This happens often, and there is nothing to worry about. Try to remember, after which the child began to refuse the potty. Maybe something scared him, or the pot was cold. Pay attention to the situation in the family, think about what has changed in the life of the baby and is he experiencing stress? And if you understand the reason, try to eliminate it. Never force him to sit on the potty. It is best to suspend the learning process for a few weeks and surround the child with attention and affection. Usually, after such a respite, children are ready to reacquaint themselves with the potty.

“Our Katyusha, at 1 year and 7 months old, does not use the potty. But she is very interested in everything that happens in the bathroom. When one of us goes there, every time she tries to break in and see what we are doing there. Is this normal? Daria

Don't worry! This is absolutely normal, moreover, this interest of your daughter indicates her readiness for potty training. If she is now ignoring the learning process, take a close look at my rules for successful potty training and make sure

You are doing everything right. And if a mistake was made somewhere and the pot now causes negative emotions in the child, stop and start learning again. Take advantage of her curiosity about adult behavior. It is known that kids are very fond of imitating adults. Buy your daughter a baby toilet seat and show her how to use the toilet. After that, most likely she herself will want to act like an adult and do the same.

6 most common misconceptions

1. “It seems to me that the sooner I start teaching the baby to use the potty, the sooner he will learn to do it. Is it so?"

You, like all parents, want only the best for your child and try to develop all his abilities as early as possible. But in such a matter as potty training, you should not rush. The earlier you start, the longer and more difficult this process will be for the child. After all, he will be able to control his bladder and intestines only when his body is sufficiently developed - an average of 18 months. And if you start learning at the right age, then the child will learn much faster and easier and will be able to be proud of his achievement. And you will be proud of it!

2. “Is it true that if a baby wears disposable diapers all the time in which he does not feel that he is wet, then it is more difficult to teach him to use the potty?”

No matter what diapers your baby wears or if he wears them at all, he will learn to use the potty when his body is ready. In support of this, there are the results of studies that compared the behavior of two groups of children - in the first group, babies wore traditional gauze diapers from birth, and in the second - disposable diapers. In both groups, the age at which the babies stopped completely needing diapers was exactly the same - an average of 27 months (E. Takanashi, 1988, Japan). Therefore, it is safe to say that the use of disposable dry surface diapers does not affect the ability of babies to learn to use the potty and the age when they can do it.

3. "I'm afraid to wear diapers on my 3-month-old son, because I heard that they can lead to infertility due to the greenhouse effect"

First, the reproductive system in boys begins to develop only at the age of 7-9 years. At the age of 7, spermatozoa precursor cells appear, and the spermatozoa themselves can be detected not earlier than at 10 years old, but as a rule, much later. From this it is clear that diapers cannot affect the quality of sperm in any way - boys at this age do not have it in principle. There are also a number of studies that confirm that disposable diapers do not create a greenhouse effect - the temperature under the diaper is practically the same as the skin temperature in ordinary diapers, and the humidity level under the diaper is much lower than when using diapers. Therefore, to sum up: disposable diapers and boys are compatible.

4. “My daughter is 1 year old. I know it’s too early to potty train her, but I’m very worried that we won’t have time to learn before kindergarten.”

No matter what age you start potty training your child, there is no guarantee that she will learn to do it before kindergarten. After all, all children are potty trained at about the same time. Therefore, if you start teaching at an early age, this will not help speed up the process, but on the contrary, the training will be delayed - the child will not understand what they want from him, she will be upset because of this, and you too. And if you start when the child's body is ready for this, then you and your baby will achieve success much faster and easier, and the child will already understand that this is his achievement and will be proud of it.

5. “Many of my friends in the yard say that their babies go to the potty at the age of 9, 8, and even at 6 months. My daughter is 1 year old, I tried to teach her, but nothing comes of it. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? Why can't my child learn as quickly as other children?

Tatyana, I understand that you, like all other parents, compare your child with other people's children and try to prove that yours is no worse. I want to reassure you - at such an early age, children are simply physically unable to consciously go to the potty. Their nervous system is not yet sufficiently developed to give signals about a full bladder or intestines. Until the age of 1.5, they go to the toilet without realizing it or noticing it. And you can not influence it in any way and accelerate the development of the child.

Your girlfriends most likely keep silent about the fact that their babies sit on the potty and listen to endless “pee-pee” and “ah-ah” for 30-40 minutes, and by this time the child’s even empty bladder is full, and they pissing in a pot. And this leads to the development of a conditioned reflex to the mother's requests to pee or poop. But in the second year of life, this reflex suddenly disappears for the parents. And only then the child begins to consciously learn to go to the potty.

So remember that everything, especially potty stuff, has its time.

6. “My mother thinks that using diapers is better for our baby's health than diapers. Is it true?"

Such prejudices of the older generation towards diapers are due to the fact that earlier these hygiene products were simply not available. And today, grandmothers, who are often suspicious of everything new, find it difficult to appreciate the merits of diapers. Although, if we compare diapers with diapers, then the advantages of the first are obvious - the wet surface of the diapers causes irritation and skin diseases, and in cold weather, the duration of the baby's walks in diapers is significantly reduced. The Union of Pediatricians of Russia conducted clinical studies, and the results showed that the moisture content of the baby's skin in diapers is much lower than in diapers. Research has also shown that disposable diapers help soothe irritation on baby's skin, even if the baby has diaper dermatitis, which diapers can't do. Therefore, SPR doctors recommend that mothers regularly use disposable diapers from the very birth of their baby.

When should a child be potty trained?

Potty training is an exciting time in the lives of children and parents: babies learn independence and parents spend less time changing diapers (hooray!). But knowing at what age to potty train a child can be very different, since no two children are the same. Patience is key here, but there are several ways to determine when to potty train your child.

At what age should you potty train?

This question is asked by all the parents we have encountered. Someone probably has the magic answer to this, but the truth is that there is no “right age” for toilet training. After all, every child is different. The age at which the children of your friends sat on the potty, your brother or sister, has nothing to do with your child. And the age at which they decide "it's time" depends on whether they themselves are ready. Remember: no matter what age this process starts, don't worry, everything will be fine - in the end, we all learned this.

Average age at potty training start

Although you don't have to worry about specific numbers, emotionally and physically healthy children usually begin potty training between 18 months and 3 years of age.

Many parents report that the age when potty training becomes easy for a child is somewhere between two and three years. This is because the muscles that control the bladder and rectum are not fully developed until 2 years of age. If you try to teach a child before this age, then he simply will not be able to physically control the process.

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Are there any differences in the age at which boys and girls are potty trained?

Generally, girls are ready for potty training before boys. However, as far as age differences between boys and girls are concerned in this process, it is best to wait for clear signals that they are ready than to rely on gender differences.

What are the ready signals?

Pay attention to the following signals as your child approaches potty training age:

The child tells you when his diaper is wet.
He knows when he starts to go to the toilet - maybe hiding in a corner or fidgeting in place.
Tells you that he needs to go to the bathroom. This is the most indicative sign of readiness for toilet training.

The whole family can join the toilet training process. Ask older children to also watch for signs of readiness in toddlers and encourage them to rejoice with you at the first sign of progress with younger children.