We are going to start potty training Piper at the end of the month, after our vacation to Maine and to be honest I’m super nervous and intimidated about the idea. I literally know next to nothing about potty training — the two times Piper’s used her little potty I had no idea how to clean it and that was a wake up call! As with most of motherhood, I’m just trying to learn along the way and really wish there was a user manual. All I have to say is — thank goodness for the Facebook communities I’m a part of (you can join The Mama Notes one here) because they have been a tremendous resource! I thought I’d share a few tips, products and resources I’ve discovered along the way….I’ll be sure to post about our experience after, wish us luck!
Educate yourself
SO many women suggested and swear by reading the book Oh Crap Potty Training and I’ve started reading it and we’ve decided to use the method it teaches.
Toilet Training In Less Than A Day seems to be a top seller on Amazon, “millions sold” but I haven’t heard anything about it personally.
Essentially you need to decide which potty training method you’re going to try — and what your child will wear while training. Underwear, pull-ups or diapers. All have definite pros + cons.
Educate your child
Before you start to potty train it’s a good idea to introduce the concept. Here are a few books we’ve checked out of the library or ordered to read with Piper: Potty, Ruby’s Potty, A Potty For Me!
We’ve also heard great things about Elmo’s Potty Time DVD (available on Youtube here) and this Daniel Tiger episode.
Introduce a potty
Baby Center’s list of top potty chairs of 2017 and Baby List’s here.
I was gifted the Beaba Ergonomic Unisex Potty so that’s what we’ve been using – it’s new to the market so there aren’t many reviews. I love the simple design and the size for our small bathroom.
And most importantly, how do you clean the potty? I couldn’t find much on this but there’s this Livestrong article that I found helpful.
It’s also a good idea to pick up some flushable wipes that help when your child is still learning how to wipe themselves.
Don’t forget fun hand soap that encourages hand washing and a step stool to reach the big potty.
What do you do when you’re out and about and potty training?
Here’s a top rated portable potty and another (that I think we will get) just make sure to practice using it at home first.
Be sure to pack a few sets of extra clothes in your diaper bag.
As soon as you get to a new location that’s not home locate the bathroom!
Other resources
20 of the best potty training tips from parents.
Signs your child is ready to potty train.
A great article on potty training from Zero To Three .
Everything You Need To Start Potty Training Your Toddler
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