Best Buys- Toilet Training

Toilet training…. the two words every parent dreads! We got super lucky with Maisie and it only took her a day or two to be toilet trained. It was half luck and half arming ourselves with the knowledge, know how and products to get the job done without any second guessing ourselves!

In a nutshell my biggest toilet training tips are-

Read Oh Crap! Honestly it’s so helpful and explains things with proper justification rather than just “because i say so”. It also has a condensed “nutshell” for your partner to skim read and get the jist!
If your child is showing signs of readiness then thats awesome! but don’t concerned if your child doesn’t show any! These were only invented after the average toilet training age increased (due to the invention on disposable nappies). Maisie showed zero signs she was ready and was an absolute breeze to train regardless.
Forget the potty and go straight to the big toilet unless you want to train them twice or have to carry a potty with you when you leave the house! If you do opt for a potty keep it in the toilet room and avoid bringing it out into play spaces or you risk your child being confused about it’s use.
Protect your sanity and your furniture (helpful products linked below)
Do it in summer and ideally when two parents are home for 3 or more days in a row
Jamie Glowacki suggests the easiest time to toilet train is between 20 and 30 months, before or after this time it may be more challenging for your child. BUT there is no shame in training “early”, or “late”- It’s your family and totally up to you.
let your child watch you in the toilet. It’s a tricky concept to understand unless you can actually see what’s going on.
Lots of liquids, the more practice the better they’ll get!
Don’t be afraid of rewards if that works for your child!
Make sure your child is prepared and excited but try to avoid putting any pressure on them as toileting required relaxation. Anxiety will only make things more difficult to get going.
Keep toilet trips short and sweet, if nothing is happening its ok to get off the toilet. As tempting as it can be, try to avoid “distracting” your child with TV etc to keep them sitting longer. Urinating by accident on a potty because they’re distracted by something else isn’t going to help them learn to work their bladder or bowels properly and may draw out the process. Catching a child mid accident and encouraging them to hold, then relax to finish on the toilet may be harder work for us parents but it teaches them how to work those muscles quickly making the toilet training process much shorter.
Remember, if toilet training is causing any stress for yourself or your child its totally ok to stop and come back to it when everyone is in a better frame of mind! After all, there is no prize for having the fasted child out of nappies!

Below are some of my favourite toilet training products. Remember to click on the images to take you to where to buy.

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Oh Crap

I consider this book the bible of toilet training! We implemented these techniques and Maisie was fully toilet trained in a weekend with only 2 accidents and 0 poo accidents. I loved that the reasoning behind every technique was properly explained and there is even a cheat sheet summary included for those without the time to read it front to back. I highly recommend reading this book when your child is around 20 months old.

Toilet step and seat

My biggest tip for toilet training is skip the potty and go straight to using this gadget instead. It alleviates the issue of having to do two transitions, Gets them used to the bog toilet right away (making toileting in public bathrooms easier) and makes more sense for your child (who will likely be watching you use the big toilet to do your business).
Help your child feel comfortable on the toilet with the adjustable step height and included splash guard to minimise mess. Strong handles and slip-resistant floor and seat pads assist with stability, giving toddlers the confidence & independence

Nudie Rudie Mat

You might have one already for messy or water play? If not these mats are a fantastic investment! We use ours for play as well as on the bed on top of sheets for accidents in the night. Easily machine washable and super absorbent, these are a much better option than a waterproof mattress protector that goes under the sheets. With these the bottom sheet and mattress protector stays perfectly clean and dry saving us on washing!

Waterproof blanket

It’s always good to have two absorbent bed protectors because if an accident happens in the middle of the night and you have to take the first one off, you’ll need another one to replace it with just incase. These are a great budget friendly option! They are super absorbent rather than just being water proof (aka the liquid is locked in rather than just spilling off). Use it in your carseat when you first day train too to give yourself a little more confidence on those first outings.

Make it stand out

Honestly the thing that made the biggest difference for us was this little stamp. We left it in the toilet room and Maisie stamped herself after every wee. It made her feel so proud and independant! This one is a little more expensive than some but still not crazy. you really want one that is going to be bold on their hand and not rub off too easily. That way, as they play they can see their stars and it reminds them to use the toilet without you having to, taking the pressure off and making it much easier for little ones to find their groove!

Urinal

We don’t have one of these (yet), but our friends swear by it for teaching little boys how to aim and use public urinals!

Stick and aim

These toilet stickers give little boys something to aim for when they are first starting standing to pee! Such a good idea!

Puppy pads…. hear me out

The anxiety of taking a newly toilet trained child into the car will have you tempted to revert back to nappies or pull-ups. DON’T DO IT! Reverting back will only prolong the training so grab yourself some puppy pads for your own peace of mind. Pop one on your sofa or in your child’s carseat just incase. these ones are cheap yet hold enough that a full child’s bladder wont leak through.

Books

When it comes to toilet training, low pressure preparation is key! We incorporated toilet training books into our nightly bedtime stories for a few weeks prior to starting, and continued for several months after training was complete. below are some books we found good!