Set yourself up for potty training success
"When should we start potty training?"
As a pediatric pelvic floor physical therapist, this is a common question from parents of toddlers and preschoolers.
You might be ready to stop buying diapers...and wrestling an alligator to do a diaper change (iykyk...and I know!)
You might be hearing from others parents that they are potty training, or daycare is hoping to get the whole class using the potty, and you are starting to feel some pressure.
Or maybe your toddler has started telling you that they have a poop and need a diaper change, or pulling at their diaper after they pee. So you start to think that means it's time to stat potty training.
Which begs the question - how do you really know if they are ready?
Signs your child might be ready for potty training
These are not hard and fast rules, but these will help build the foundation to set your child up for toilet learning success - so that they can avoid constipation, and maintain clean, dry, underwear
Your child has a soft poop around the same time everyday: If you are seeing extremely large bowel movements, small pellets, difficulty fully emptying, pain, or straining, your child is almost certainly constipated and this will likely make potty training more difficult.
Your child continues to have soft poop everyday as you are continuing to potty train: If your child starts to have less frequent bowel movements, soft mushy poop becomes pellets, or there are large toilet-clogging poops, this is a sign that your child has become constipated. You may want to consider backing down on potty learning if possible; and working with a pediatric pelvic floor physical therapist or occupational therapist may be a helpful adjunct to manage constipation.
Try to stay away from deadlines, and pressure: Rushing potty training because an influencer told you it can happen in 3 days, or because you are getting pressure from preschool can unfortunately make potty learning more difficult. This can set children up for withholding of poop, which causes constipation, and urine leaking due to pressure on the bladder.
Your child is able to go a few hours with a dry diaper: Your child should ideally be having dry diapers for 2-3 hours, rather than frequent small voids throughout the day. And they should not be withholding urine for 4+ hours at a time (outside of sleep). Both extremes can impact signaling to the bladder and make potty learning more challenging.
Your child can safely sit on the toilet with feet supported: This could be having their feet on a step stool, or using a small floor potty. Being in this supported squat position allows the bowels to fully empty with increased ease.
Your child is showing interest in wanting to use the potty: No one wants to be battling with a toddler any more than necessary!
What to do if your child is struggling with potty training
So, what do you do if you feel like your child is stuck in with one of these?
If your child is struggling with constipation (think: straining, large bowel movements, infrequent bowel movements, frequent incomplete bowel movements, or small pellets) addressing the root cause of the constipation is the first step.
If preschool has you on a tight timeline, first confirm that they require your child to be out of diapers. Many preschools are okay with a child being in diapers as long as they are working on potty learning.
If you tried a "3 day" program and it left everyone feeling stressed - take a step back! A professional can help provide additional guidance if you are unsure how to proceed.
If your child is having frequent small voids throughout the day, they may not be ready for potty learning just yet - and that's okay!
If your child is showing signs of being uncomfortable sitting on the toilet, like frequently getting up or wiggling around, or slouching over, consider switching to a more supportive floor potty.
If your child is not showing interest in using the potty, try to bring a little bit more play into it. Have them blow bubbles or a pinwheel while they sit, read books special books or listen to music, and take the pressure off by offering it then being okay if they say no.
Root to Bloom can support you with potty training!
Still feeling stuck working through these challenges? Root to Bloom offers pediatric pelvic floor physical therapy to support you. To schedule a virtual or in person (Wakefield, MA) consultation, click below:
