Sound intriguing? This comprehensive review of her book, Go Diaper Free, will explain how this valuable resource can help you master elimination communication.

First Thing’s First: What is the Elimination Communication (EC) Method?

EC, infant potty training, or diaper-free are all terms for the same process. It’s a gentle, non-coercive alternative to diapers and traditional potty training to help your baby meet their elimination needs. In practical terms, caregivers respond to behavioral cues and help baby go potty in a small toilet (or something similar) instead of a diaper.

Pros to Elimination Communication

Why would anyone want to do this? There are tons of myths about EC—namely that it’s going to take forever and be really messy. While it is a commitment, it’s one that’s totally doable and there are tons of advantages to elimination communication:

• Relationship building: EC is a great way to build communication and trust between child and parent.
• Cleaner. Baby doesn’t sit in his waste, which—bonus—means fewer diaper rashes.
• More comfortable. Sitting in waste is obviously uncomfortable, but beyond that, diapers are bulky.
• Fewer diapers. Even if you only do EC part time, you’ll use fewer diapers—a win for the environment and your budget.
• Greater self esteem. With EC, baby begins to understand that what she communicates has value. This fosters confidence and a greater sense of self.

What is Go Diaper Free? A Look Inside the eBook

If elimination communication sounds like something you might want to try, Go Diaper Free is the ultimate resource.

In it, author and Psychiatrist Andrea Olson leverages over five years of research and hands-on experience to explain everything you could ever want to know about the process in detail. Here’s a summary of what’s included in this extensive elimination communication resource.

The basics

When does your baby need to use the bathroom? How soon after eating or waking do they poop/pee? Some babies give obvious signals, like squirming or a potty dance, while others are harder to read. Olson covers all of the most common baby signals in detail to help caregivers recognize baby’s potty language.

This stage, called observation, is done without a diaper so it’s easier to pick up on baby’s signals and natural timing. This isn’t a license for little ones to pee on the floor whenever and wherever, though, and the book covers ways to prevent that.

Helping baby eliminate

When its obvious baby needs to go (or is already going!), it’s time to move to the potty receptacle of choice. Olson explains that the best way to let baby know it’s ok to go potty is to use a sound cue or a word or sign language for older babies. Eventually your baby will use this sound, word, or sign themselves to tell you they need to potty.

As baby gets older, their signals may change, and this section helps you stay on top of that by including month-by-month examples.

Timing potty time

Other than baby’s signals, there a several ways to gauge when they likely need to go. Olson covers these in detail, including:

• Natural timing: How long after a feeding or waking does baby need to go? This timing is unique to your baby. Olson explains how to figure it out.
• Generic timing: Olson explains that there are also more common (or general) times when most babies need to eliminate, like during or right after a feeding. She provides all of the details in this section.

Elimination communication method step-by-step

After you’ve observed your baby’s needs, it’s finally time to implement the diaper free method. Olson breaks the process down and covers each of these steps in detail, but here are the basics:

1. Notice it’s potty time
2. Tell your baby it’s potty time
3. Help them get to the potty space and undress
4. Assist your baby into their preferred position and give the cue
5. Be patient and wait until they’ve wrapped things up (your baby will show you when they’re finished)
6. Provide affirmation, say nothing, or simply flash a reassuring smile (Olson also covers the reasoning and psychological differences behind these options)
7. Clean up the potty space (including details on how to clean the area and baby and what to do in various situations at and away from home)]

Modifying EC for older

The ideal time to start the EC method is between the newborn stage and four months old, but older babies can still benefit from EC. If you fall into this category, Olson provides tricks to make the process smoother.

She also includes suggestions for when to use cloth diapers vs. disposable diapers as a backup and at what ages. There’s also tips for what to tell your older baby to keep them on track when they pee outside their designated potty space.

What to do when EC isn’t working

If baby isn’t getting it and nothing is working, Olson explains how to get things on track. She calls this a “reset,” and this section of the book includes step-by-step tips to help troubleshoot and reset the EC experience.

Positions Gallery

Classic cradle, straight leg potty, breastfeeding sink position… Olson provides detailed examples of common (and not so common) EC positions so you can choose which potty positions will work best for your baby. This section also includes information about:

• What positions work better for different ages and as they gain more muscle control
• What positions work better for different genders (since some boys pee straight ahead!)
• How to clean up after using a potty in the car
• Indoor positions to use over a sink
• Different ways to hold baby over the bathtub, shower, or toilet
• Potty options for when there’s no potty around, and different portable potties

Unique Potty Situations

It’s important to know how to position baby in different situations, but there’s more to it. This section of Go Diaper Free covers the how behind pottying baby in unique situations, including how to:

• Potty while breastfeeding
• Go in nature, like on a walk or while camping
• Potty in the city, even if there’s no public restroom
• Go in—and next to—a parked car
• Dress baby in layers, so they can pee when it’s cold out and still be comfortable
• Implement EC when traveling or on vacation

EC at Night

Olson explains that caregivers can choose to skip the EC method at night and rely on diapers or continue the process, but notes that co-sleeping makes EC easier, as your baby adapts to your rhythms and it’s easier to pick up on their nighttime signals. Olson also covers how to EC at night if baby has their own sleep space.

In this section, you’ll see examples of the nighttime EC potty set ups Olson used for her children as they transitioned from newborn to potty independent stage.

Part-time elimination communication

Even working parents can successfully use the EC method with their little ones. Go Diaper Free has tips to help avoid confusion and interruption of your baby’s adopted EC routine. Some of these tips include co-sleeping and babywearing.

Caregivers and EC

If you’re away at work, Go Diaper Free explains how a babysitter or daycare can still help with the EC method to prevent regression and confusion for your little one.

Olson explains that daycares won’t EC to the same extent, but there are reasonable ways caregivers can help keep EC a constant for your little one. The bonus readers area includes a template letter to a daycare that can be given to the supervising attendant and a real life example of a day in the life of a working EC parent.

Diapers and a diaper-free baby

Diapers are a great teaching tool and a backup safety measure, but not always necessary with EC. In this section of Go Diaper Free, Olson covers when your child may benefit from a diaper and times they may do better without one. She explains that the point is to have good communication, help set them up for independent potty use, and avoid peeing everywhere in the process.

Other helpful resources

At the end of the how-to part of Go Diaper Free, there’s even more EC info, including:

• Vocabulary of EC terms and definitions
• 13 keys to help you navigate the EC journey, including getting support and how to keep things non-coercive
• 25 benefits of the EC method, including easier future potty training, money saved on diapers, and a deeper connection with your baby
• Troubleshooting to overcome various EC hurdles
• A supply list of items recommended for the EC journey, like a top hat potty and easy access clothing
• Resources to learn more, including websites, podcasts, books, and even where to buy tiny underwear for your baby
• If you want to dive deeper, you’ll also get access to a private support group that includes a video library, extra troubleshooting, and downloadable forms.

What Moms in Our Community Say About Go Diaper Free

Ashley L. recently wrote to us with this feedback about Go Diaper Free:

We actually used this book to potty train at 18 months. It took two weeks, and my son who is now almost 20 months, potty trained himself through the night as well. ??‍ Don’t ask me how. He just wakes up on his own and says “pee-pee.” Of course it helps that we still bed share at his age. I can see how not bed and room sharing could complicate night training.

My son has not had any accidents after the two week mark of training. We are super proud of him.

My husband was reluctant at first and I put my foot down to tell him that I’m the potty training boss and he had to follow me. ? Our next step is to teach our son to pull his pants up and down better. 

Thanks for listening and sharing!

Go Diaper Free Review: Why You Need to Read This eBook

The EC method can be confusing to navigate, but Olson lays it all out in this comprehensive guide. Go Diaper Free helps give parents the confidence they need to successfully implement EC, while guiding their child to potty independence.

• Authoritative: Olson has a master’s degree in psychology and spent many years in practice. She’s also the director of several elimination communication organizations. This mama knows her stuff when it comes to gentle and non-coercive potty independence.
• Comprehensive: At well over 300 pages, Go Diaper Free is the most comprehensive, evidence-based resource on elimination communication. Although there are detailed instructions, don’t feel like you have to read the whole thing at once. There’s a ton of tips, position images, and troubleshooting guides included, so after you have the basics down, Go Diaper Free can be used as a reference in your EC arsenal.
• Easy to navigate: Olson wrote Go Diaper Free for tired, busy mamas. The nitty gritty details of EC are at the very beginning, so it’s easy to dive right in. Even if you’re a brand new mom and recovering from a tough delivery, Olson includes easy ways to begin elimination communication.
• Offers real support: With the private support group upgrade you get access to other mamas going through the same stage of babyhood (or toddlerhood). You’ll get even more support, tips, and personalized advice from fellow EC mamas.

Looking Ahead…

If you’re interested in learning more about potty training, you may be interested in Andrea Olson’s other ebook, The Tiny Potty Training Book. The book promises to help you potty train any child ages 18-30+ months in just seven days.

How About You?

Are you on board with the EC method? Willing to try? Not so sure? Let us know in the comments!

The post Go Diaper Free Review & Promo Code: Is This eBook the Secret to Using Fewer Diapers? appeared first on Mama Natural.

7 Signs Your Child is Ready for Potty Training Video

Let’s face it, after changing diapers for 2 years, many of us mamas are ready to be done. Particularly as your child is eating more like an adult and his bowels… uh… reflect this. Throw in a pregnancy with a little morning sickness and changing a dirty diaper is a form of torture.

But, the question is, when do you start potty training? Some moms start nearly at birth with Elimination Communication. Some moms wait till the child is 2. Some let the older siblings teach the younger child.

Based on my experience and research… I decided to potty train my boy when he was showing signs of readiness. I think this is the gentlest and smoothest approach for baby and mama.

So, how do you know when it’s time to start potty training your child?

Well, here are the top 7 signs.

1. Child takes pride in accomplishments and likes some independence

This shows emotionally, they would be prepared for something like potty training. Griffin started playing for longer periods independently and didn’t mind sitting down for a poopy by himself for 10-15 minutes. If your child isn’t showing these signposts, try to think of little tasks that they can do for themselves like feeding the family fish or dog, or dropping a letter in the mailbox, and see if they like the feeling of accomplishment. Gently encourage appropriate independence.

2. Child will occasionally have “dry periods”

I remember Griffin would sometimes wake up from nap with a dry diaper. This shows us that they have some form of bladder control and that their anatomy is able to hold urine, making it physically possible to potty train.

3. Child doesn’t like wearing dirty diapers

At some point, children won’t like the feeling of wet diapers or big poops in their pants. Cuz let’s face it, the output is getting rather large, no matter how absorbent your diaper is. Griffin didn’t seem to mind too much, but once we potty trained, he hated if he had an accident. He didn’t like that feeling at all, which helps the whole process.

4. Child notices others going potty

Griffin started noticing when his daddy or I would go potty. He’d even come into the bathroom and comment on it. Sometimes, he’d want to see it or flush the toilet afterwards. Encourage these kinds of interactions! You’re teaching your boy or girl how the process works.

Griffin would also notice when my parent’s dog, Hershey, would go potty. He loved watching this. He’d then imitate by lifting his leg or squatting on the grass. He also thought it was silly when we’d pick up Hershey’s poop, and he’d call it “stinky” and giggle. Again, these are all great things for child to see. If you don’t have pets, maybe go to zoo or watch a video that shows this natural process.

5. Child says they’re going potty

Randomly, Griffin started saying “I’m going pee pee” as he stood still and smiled. Or he’d say, “I just peed!” These were cues to me that he was understanding how his body functioned and when he was actually going.

6. It becomes obvious when they go #2

Griffin’s whole demeanor would change if he had to go number 2. He’d stand alone and make grunting noises. It was so obvious to everyone that it was almost comical. His bowels were becoming big enough that it was a minor event.

Griffin started isolating himself when he went number 2. He wanted privacy and to be alone. Sometimes, he would actually go into the bathroom and shut the door and poo in his diaper. This is a big sign that a child is ready to start potty training.

7. Child will try out potty

If your child is willing to sit on the potty, that’s a great sign! Encourage it. Whereas if your boy or girl show big resistance to the idea, I would wait a month or two and try again.

Where to go from here…

If you think your child is ready for potty training, check out this awesome ebook, The Tiny Potty Training Book by Andrea Olson. It promises to help you potty train any child ages 18-30+ months in just seven days.

Not ready to buy a potty training book?

Check out Andrea Olson’s free potty training mini course.

And in the meantime, here are some tips:

• If you’re noticing any of these readiness signals, encourage your child! Talk to your child about the potty and the whole process. If you haven’t already, buy a few potties and place them around house. Encourage your child to use them. Tell them that this is their potty and their potty only. Help your child feel proud about this development. Get children’s books that talk about potty training. Our favorite was called “Even Fire Fighters Have to Go Potty.” Some people love the Elmo toilet, song, and book. I’ll put some links below of good resources/tools to help you.
• Start talking about how they will be potty trained soon. Talk about how they won’t be using the diaper anymore. Get them excited about this new development and give them ample warning, so they can adjust to idea and actually have some anticipation.
• Slow things down if at any time during this process, your child shuts down, becomes afraid, regresses, or acts out. Slow things down and try again in a month or two. The last thing you want is to make the process traumatizing. Also, be aware of other life changes like a move, preschool, or the arrival of a new sibling. I wanted to get my son Griffin potty trained well before our baby and move came so he could adjust to this new normal. Many kids will regress if it’s too close to a major change. Baby steps.

But, if your child is showing interest, and somewhat excitement, then you’re ready to try potty training.

Is It Time to Potty Train? Here Are Your Next Steps

• See my article How To Potty Train Your Child — 12 Essential Tips
• Check out Andrea Olson’s free potty training mini course
• Consider buying her awesome ebook, The Tiny Potty Training Book

How about YOU?

How did you know when your son or daughter was ready to be potty trained? Share it with us in the comments below so we can learn from each other!

The post When to Start Potty Training: 7 Signs Your Child Is Ready appeared first on Mama Natural.

EC might sound weird, but consider the global perspective. In most non-industrialized countries, EC doesn’t even have a name because it’s the norm. In these societies, babies can be consistently dry and wear underwear full time as early as 6 months, while the average in America is 3 years.

EC is a lifestyle that encourages natural toilet learning. Baby elimination communication is not about getting your child to use a potty as soon as possible (although earlier potty learning often occurs). EC doesn’t mean your child has to never use diapers. It simply means freedom from dependence on diapers.

What are the benefits of baby Elimination Communication (EC)?

It encourages a deep connection between you and your baby. Newborn elimination communication is a great way to build communication and trust between child and parent.

It’s cleaner. Baby doesn’t sit in his waste, which means less chance for diaper rash too!

It’s more comfortable. Diapers are bulky, so it goes without saying that being diaper free would be more comfortable for most infants.

You can use fewer diapers. When you EC, even part time, you’ll inevitably use fewer diapers, which is great for the environment as well as your wallet.

Baby gains self esteem. When she cries for help to potty and is responded to respectfully, she begins to understand that what she communicates has value and, therefore, she has value.

Explains unexplainable behavior. Many babies become fussy, pop off the breast, wake, or have trouble falling asleep when they need to eliminate (or just have eliminated, and don’t like being wet).

How to get started with EC Elimination Communication

There are many ways to practice baby elimination communication. I would highly, highly encourage you to get support as you will definitely be going against the grain. Here is a fabulous resource you can check out!

Many parents begin EC’ing from birth and are glad they did, but many of those who start later have success as well. Some families EC full time (including through the night), while others choose to do baby elimination communication part time. Whichever path works best for your family, getting started is simple.

Begin with observation. Give baby diaper-free time on a waterproof mat so that you can begin to learn her cues. Keep in mind that many babies need to eliminate shortly after a feed and upon waking. Pay attention to your baby’s natural potty times. This is a great way to help baby recognize his own cues as well.

Introduce cues. When you observe baby eliminating, consider introducing a cue sound like a “pss” sound for pee and a “hmm” sound for poo. Baby will start to associate those sound with “letting go.” You can also use the baby sign language sign for bathroom. For some babies, just the act of sitting on the potty can be a cue.

(Interested in baby sign language? Scroll to the bottom of this page for a cheat sheet of the top 20 baby signs)

Keep a potty nearby. Many parents choose to have an elimination communication potty such as this one in each room so there is always one close. When baby shows signs of needing to eliminate, bring her to the potty (or whatever receptacle you choose).

Carry baby in a sling or other carrier. Babywearing can be a great tool for learning baby’s potty rhythms. Many babies won’t eliminate when held close, therefore will be quiet and alert when they don’t need to eliminate and will become fussy and show signs that they want to be taken out of the sling when they need to go.

What do I need in order to practice the baby Elimination Communication method?

The only thing you really need is a place for baby to eliminate. Here are a few nice potty options that are specially sized for babies who start early. Some parents choose to use the toilet, sink, a Tupperware container, or other small container.

Other things that may help are:

• Infant nightgowns
• Legwarmers
• Crotchless pants
• Tiny Undies! You’ll find that, when your baby is potty trained early, there are no underwear that fit them. No undies, that is, except Tiny Undies.
• Clothing that is easy to pull off quickly
• Notebook to record observations about timing and cues
• A tote bag to carry the potty when traveling

Will I have to buy any diapers at all?

That all depends. Are you planning on full time baby elimination communication including at night? If yes, then you may not need diapers. On the other hand many parents choose to use diapers as backup or to EC part time (while baby is at home for example) and use diapers when traveling or at daycare.

If you choose to use diapers, using cloth can help baby stay aware of when he has eliminated because cloth doesn’t wick wetness away like disposables.

What are the disadvantages?

• More time and dedication necessary (at least initially)
• More messes when you’re still learning
• It can be isolating when you don’t know anyone in real life that EC’s

Andrea leverages over five years of research and hands-on experience to explain everything you could ever want to know about the process of elimination communication. Here’s my full review of the Go Diaper Free book.

Here’s what other natural mamas have to say about baby Elimination Communication

I asked the moms on my Facebook page if they’d tried EC and how their experience went. Here is a sample of their responses.

• We are doing baby elimination communication for the first time with my newborn and I LOVE it. We’ve only been doing it a week and we’ve already had so much success. We still have misses, but for the most part we are starting to learn his cues. He used to be colicky around the same time every night, but once we started EC and realized that was when he had to go number 2 and was getting frustrated and began catching it, then his colicky period totally disappeared. His face when we help him go is so relaxed and happy, it’s really another bonding method for parents and babies. I recommend it 10000000000%! – Meagan Cotterell
• We are practicing baby elimination communication in our own way. We started at 8 weeks old. My son wears only cloth diapers. Whenever we change him we take him to the potty (we use the sink because he isn’t big enough for a potty yet) and give him the opportunity to go. He goes per about 80 percent of the time. Poops we are still working on. I think it is all about giving them an opportunity to go somewhere other than in a diaper. After when we are done we do a little pee-pee dance in the mirror to make it fun! Really it only adds an extra minutes to the diaper change. I love it! – Alex Stracey
• We loved EC. Started at 3 months. I rarely washed a poop diaper from then on. My daughter was toilet independent by 19 months, with the occasional missed pee. – Tracy Mills
• Had never tried it until baby #6. Great success! A lot of work on the front end, but well worth it. She never remembers not going on the potty or even wearing diapers (started at 3 mos. which I highly recommend that age). – Moringa Momma
• We do part time baby elimination communication. I think of it as just another part of our day. We offer the potty at every diaper change. When we traveled recently–we were in the car for three days!–our 8 month old would pee in her diapers, but she would wait to poop until we could get to a toilet! It sure made the trip easier for us! – Michelle Grimm-Gossett
• I tried it a bit with both kids. basically, whenever i felt like doing it or remembered to do it, they sat on the potty. During obvious times, like when they woke up in the morning or after nap. Those were easy wins. My son didn’t train early by any means, even though he did start around and on the potty at like 9 months old. With my daughter, at 14 months she showed a lot of interest and told me several times when she had to poop, but then that faded when she got into other interests or something haha. We just play it by ear. She’s in cloth, unlike my son. – Ericka J Iverson
• I started baby elimination communication with my daughter when she was a month old. She is now 7 months old.. no Poopy diaper changes for us! My nephews are 2 and 3 years of age.. both with no intention of potty training. My family is not a fan of us The fact that most nights my daughter wakes up dry:) I love that I can cuddle my baby, nurse her, and put her down for naps all without a diaper on!!:) – Kathleen Partridge
• I started baby elimination communication with my son when he was shy of 3 months. I was very aware of his potty times as he would go after every meal. bf’ing lol. When he was 5 months I changed his last poopy diaper. I started sitting him directly in the toilet and waiting till he went, then praised with lots of happiness and kisses. By the time he was 12 months, he would literally get on the potty himself and go. – Cindy Penagos

More resources for baby elimination communication

• Free Easy Start Guide for elimination communication from author Andrea Olson
• All the support you need at Go Diaper Free
• Elimination Communication on Wikipedia

How about you? Did you practice EC? Know anyone who did? Share with us below!

The post Baby Elimination Communication: Why & How to Do It appeared first on Mama Natural.

Before you begin, be sure to see my earlier post, When To Potty Train Your Child, as it’s important that your little one is showing signs of readiness before you begin potty training. This will make everyone else’s lives easier, gentler and happier.

Assuming your child is showing signs of potty training readiness, let’s dive into some tips that can help you potty train your child.

Video: 12 Tips to Help You Potty Train Your Child

Tip 1: Get your child and house ready

As I stated in first video, tell your child that you’re going to start potty training at least a week before you start. This will help prepare him emotionally for the big day. You can have him or her pick out their potty as this gets them more invested in process. I also recommend getting a couple potties so that you’ve got one in most areas of the house. We used this one by Bjorn and this other one by Bjorn. Yes, it costs a bit more than just one, but I found it was important to make it easy for the little one to find and use a toilet while potty training.

Get plenty of potty training pants — consider letting your child pick out the colors/patterns. I bought a dozen pairs so that I wouldn’t have to do laundry everyday. I kinda thought of it like cloth diapers. I wanted a good stash so we could easily recover from accidents without having to do a ton of laundry.

Take up any rugs in the house. I only really took up one rug where he played a lot. I didn’t do any of the rugs upstairs because I kept him in a contained area to make it easier on everyone. The key is to roll up any rugs where he/she might pee on. Some people put a tarp down. Cover the areas where you’ll be focusing the potty training.

Tip 2: Find out what motivates them

This is HUGE. While some more evolved souls may not use any form of encouragement or reward, I did. And it helped HUGE. I started with natural treats like fruit-flavored lollypops and organic dark-chocolate, and so forth. I told Griffin that every time he went on the potty, he would get a treat. Result? This was a total bomb. First few days, Griffin had like 2-4 accidents a day and I was getting frustrated. He wasn’t into it. And I wanted to quit. Then I realized that I wasn’t tapping into what motivates him. Now, food always motivates me, but not my child. I was viewing it through my eyes. For Griff? It’s all about toys. My son is a master collector. He has little animals, dinosaurs and literally walks around with 2-3 figurines at all times. Ah, this is what motivates him.

So, we went to toy store and picked out a few things he was totally excited about. I explained that this was for potty training. We got home and I put them in a basket. Every time he went pee or poo on the potty, I let him pick one toy out of basket. At the end of the day, we returned all the toys to the basket and started again the next day. Worked like a charm. He didn’t have any more accidents for the rest of the week.

Tip 3: Put them on the toilet often

As much as we’re trying to teach them to feel and honor the urge to go, we also want to work with them. So, I put Griffin on the toilet every 20 minutes during the first week of potty training, especially after meals! I would also monitor liquids so that he wasn’t downing 2 cups of water first thing in the morning… unless he really wanted it and then I’d put him on the toilet every 15 minutes. After about a week, I put him on every 30 minutes. Soon, he was telling me when he had to go. I still have to practice this today. If it’s been too long since he’s gone potty, I’ll encourage a pit stop.

Some parents get potty watches that cue regularly or they set timers. Whatever works to remind everyone it’s time to go during potty training.

As part of this, keep your schedule simple that first week. You don’t want to be running tons of errands and I’d actually recommend staying at home most of that first week if you can. You also want to be sure that they are dressed in easy toilet access clothes such as elastic waist shorts/pants or skirts. This makes it easy for them to get on the toilet fast and avoid accidents during potty training.

Tip 4: Praise them. But not too much

I found a simple “good job!” or “doesn’t that feel great?!”  or “I like how you’re listening to your body” was the right way for me to honor any potty accomplishment. If I make too big of a deal, Griffin looked at me funny. LOL! He would also use it as a bargaining chip because he knew that I was so attached to the outcome. You don’t want your child to tie their ability to pee on the potty with his/her self-esteem so keep it light. The more relaxed and casual I was, the better. I also acted very confident in my child’s ability during potty training, which helped the entire process.

Tip 5: Acknowledge accidents and move on

Almost every child will have accidents during potty training. Even now, Griffin will have the occasional trip up, especially if we’re outside or playing with water, but accept that this is a normal part of process. I do take a moment and acknowledge the accident, and we talk about where pee belongs… in the potty. Then we quickly change and move on.

Tip 6: Make it FUN!

Kids love fun and you can make just about everything a game. Having the toy prizes was enough for Griffin but some parents find creating a potty song was a great motivator and made it fun. Singing can transform just about any chore or task! You can also put Cheerios in the toilet and have your child aim for them (if he’s a boy) as a little game. Some moms put food coloring in toilet water which excited some kids to go. Some parents make up a little potty party. Be creative while you’re potty training!

Tip 7: Trouble with #2? Get creative.

Some kids do great with peeing on the potty but are terrified of number 2. If that’s the case, you’ll have to dig deeper and find a way to make it safe for them. Try talking to them in a cuddling moment about their fears and see if you can pinpoint them. One mom said that her son felt that he was losing a part of himself by flushing poop down the toilet. So, she got an anatomy book and showed him how the process happens. This clicked with him and took way the fear.

Some children get too impatient. So give him/her a toy or read a book to them while they’re on the toilet. Another idea is to have a potty-trained friend come over. Peer pressure is powerful and if they see another little kid pooping on toilet, they will be more apt to imitate.

Lastly, consider having the other parent try if all else fails. Sometimes, it works as a fresh approach. Have daddy and child go take their poops together and see how it goes. (Oh, the things we do to potty training!)

Tip 8: Consider a naked weekend

Many parents report successful potty training by letting child be naked for a weekend and the whole family has a stay-cation at home. Kids are usually less apt to have accidents if they can actually see the pee or poo coming out of their body. By letting them be au natural, they are more in tune with their bodies, rhythms and body cues. If weather permits, you can go outside and let them play in the backyard naked. This will free you from constantly cleaning up accidents during potty training.

Tip 9: Start teaching them about wiping and washing hands

Now, they won’t master these tasks till they’re older but starting the routine now will help the transition. Let your child try to wipe first and then you finish. Get footstool so it’s easy for child to turn on faucets and start washing hands. By teaching this pattern during potty training, you’re setting up good rituals that will continue as they get older.

Tip 10: Make them comfortable in public

Some kids are afraid of the automatic flushing toilets in restrooms. They’re loud! And you don’t want this to get in your way of potty training. You can put a “Post It” note in front of sensor to block this feature and then just take care of once child is done and out of stall. Some kids are afraid of big toilet seat so bring a portable potty or you can try disposable toilet covers with their favorite character on them. (You might want to have some extra cloths in your purse too as some kids are afraid of the electric hand driers :).)

Tip 11: Be flexible with naps and nighttime

Some moms fully potty train and don’t ever put on a diaper again. I decided to put one on him at nap and nighttime; because frankly, I value my sleep immensely. I didn’t want his sleep times cut short because he had to go potty. Having said that, I would say 90% of the time, his diaper is dry when he wakes up from nap and 80% after nighttime sleep. Sometimes, I keep his underwear on for naps and he does great. We’re getting close to dropping his nap and moving him to big boy bed so I will put him in underwear 100% then. This way he can get out of bed and go potty in middle of night if need be. Point is, you can potty train your child 90% of the time and enjoy the freedom and ease of not having to change dirty diapers. Don’t think it has to be all or nothing when potty training.

Tip 12: Be patient and try, try again

It can definitely be frustrating for both mom and child if there are lots of failed attempts during potty training but just remember your child will eventually learn. Whether it’s next week or next year, it will happen. Just keep at it and take breaks if necessary. Each child has his/her own pace and it’s important for us to honor this.

If you want a more comprehensive guide…

Check out this awesome ebook, The Tiny Potty Training Book by Andrea Olson. It promises to help you potty train any child ages 18-30+ months in just seven days.

How about you?

What tips and techniques helped you when potty training your child? Share with us in the comments below so we can learn from each other!

The post How To Potty Train Your Child — 12 Essential Tips appeared first on Mama Natural.