My daughter is two and the time has come to potty train. I’ve done a little research and per everyone’s suggestion read the book Oh Crap! Potty Training which gave me a little insight on what exactly to do. Today I’m teaming up with buybuy Baby to share my potty training prep.

First I want to share a few things I’ve learned from Oh Crap! Potty Training. It’s a bit on the long side (like 300 pages), but it’s easy to skip over parts that don’t pertain to you. Here’s what I learned from reading it:

WHEN TO START?

The ideal time to potty train is between 20 and 30 months. The author recommends that it’s the sweet spot and when most people have the most success. Some factors to consider when doing this include:

• Can your child pull their own pants up and down? Elle isn’t quite there, but she has been practicing. It’s important for your child to be able to do this skill obviously so they can go to the bathroom on their own. This is something I didn’t even think about hahah so I’m glad I read the book.
• Can your child recite the alphabet song on their own? If so, it shows that they have learned some language skills and can remember repetition.
• Can your child communicate their needs? For example, can they ask for water or milk when they’re thirsty, ask for a snack when they’re hungry, and throw tantrums when they don’t get what they want? If your child is aware of thirst, hunger, and desires (wants),then your child is perfectly capable of regulating their own bodily functions.
• Does your child retreat to a corner or private place to poop? If this is the case, then it is absolutely time to start.

WHAT TO DO?

One week before you start, it is suggested that you start talking about throwing away diapers. This is to help prepare your child for the end of the baby portion of her life.

The whole learning process can last anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks, but you are basically taking your child’s awareness from Clueless to I Peed to I’m Peeing to I Have To Go Pee. The book outlines different blocks towards this potty training success. Here are a few details on the main ones:

BLOCK 1: This first block usually consists of day 1-3 (but every child is different). It is advise that you stay home all day for this one and have your child be totally naked or at least from the bottom down. They need to really understand the feeling of having to pee and they can’t do so with underwear or pants on. Some kids are really fast at picking this up and others aren’t.

You also must watch your child at all times so you can catch when they’re peeing etc. It’s advise that you prompt them and keep a potty nearby at all times. Also never ask if they have to go. Instead you need to tell and bring them. They need to learn the connection between “feeling” and “doing”.

For naps and bedtime you can use a diaper, but take them off again as soon as they wakeup.

BLOCK 2: Now it’s time to put clothes on. Most kids do great naked, and then start having accidents once pants are put on. It’s suggested that they don’t wear underwear yet because it’s still a bit similar to a diaper. Continue to prompt

BLOCK 3: This last block is all about leaving the house. Public restrooms can be scary so make sure to have your toddler pee before leaving the house. Also, it’s recommended that you get some sort of travel potty seat to help with public restroom toilets. Always show your child where the restroom is and make it a ritual of peeing upon arrival and departure.

BLOCK 4: This block is all about wearing underwear. You want to buy a size up so they aren’t snug like a diaper. Also if they start having accidents in their underwear then it’s best to go back to just pants for a few days and try again.

FINAL TAKE AWAYS

• Pooping is harder and sometimes takes long.
• They shouldn’t wear underwear for at least a month because it has a similar feeling to a diaper and there will be more accidents.
• Don’t get stressed out about it and don’t show your child you’re stressed about it. They will pick up on that vibe and become stressed about it too. Instead make it fun!
• Your child will be able to potty train, some kids just take longer than others.
• During the first block put lots of towels down on all your couches and rugs etc. because there will be a lot of accidents.

After reading the book, I decided I needed to get some potty training gear to be ready. Here is what I got and why:

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1. BABYBJORN Potty  // 2. Oh Crap! Potty Training Book  // 3. Folding Travel Potty Seat 
4. “Potty Time with Elmo” Book // 5. “Once Upon A Potty” Book // 6. “A Potty For Me” Book
7. Carter’s Underwear // 8. Cushion Potty Seat  // 9. Honest Training Pants

 

BABYBJORN POTTY

To be honest I really didn’t want to get a small potty. I live in a condo and hate having extra stuff. The book really recommended it and this one specifically so I finally took the plunge and got it. We keep it in my daughter’s bathroom and she has been practicing going on it. It also comes in a bunch of different colors and if you live in a bigger house, it’s recommended that you get more than one.

POTTY SEAT

Besides the small potty, we also got this seat for the larger toilet in our daughter’s bathroom. Eventually she will be using the actual toilet and we don’t want her falling in it hahah. It has a great grip and is easy to use and store. It also seems comfortable and my daughter has tested it out a few times (usually before her bath). It comes in three different colors and is easy to clean.

POTTY BOOKS

My daughter LOVES books and always learns so much from them so I thought it would be best to stock up on a few potty books. She loves reading them and can now get a better understanding on what to expect. The three books I got her include:

• Sesame Street “Potty Time with Elmo”: This is by far her favorite of the three. Let’s face it, every toddler loves Elmo and this one makes sounds so it’s very interactive.
• “A Potty for Me” : This author, Karen Katz, makes adorable flap books and we actually have a bunch by her. The book is colorful, direct, and very relatable.
• “Once Upon A Potty”: This book is a classic and I actually had the same one when I was little. It’s about a little girl named Prudence and give step-by-step directions on how she learns to use the potty. There is obviously a boy version too.

TRAINING PANTS

These are basically the Honest brand of pull-ups. Since we use Honest diapers at night, I decided to try these out. The book does NOT recommend pull-ups or training pants, but I think they’re a great choice in the beginning. I plan on using them at night and when leaving the house until Elle’s totally comfortable with underwear. We’ve already used them a few times and I love the fact that they’re easy to pull up and down like underwear. They also have super cute designs.

UNDERWEAR

Eventually Elle will be needing some underwear so I bought these. We already love Carter’s pajamas and socks, so I decided to test out their underwear. It was actually recommended by my sister to have your toddler go into the store and pick out their own underwear so I might end up doing that too. It gets them excited about wearing them since they get to choose them themselves.

FOLDING TRAVEL POTTY SEAT

It’s recommended that you bring a travel potty seat for when you’re out in public restrooms. This one folds up and comes with a storage bag. It also has an adorable Minnie Mouse design and got great reviews. It comes comes in a Mickey Mouse version too.

OH CRAP! POTTY TRAINING BOOK

Lastly, if you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing then get this book. It’s extremely helpful and gives step by step instructions on what to do (if you choose to follow their method). Once we start potty training, I plan on following it for the most part and hopefully it will work! Even though the book is a bit on the long side, you can skip over parts that don’t pertain to your specific situation so it’s a quicker read.

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HOPEFULLY THIS POST WAS HELPFUL AND FOR ALL THOSE EXPERIENCED MOMS OUT THERE, PLEASE SHARE YOUR POTTY TRAINING TIPS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW. THANKS!

*This post is in partnership with buybuy BABY , a company that both Elle and I love. As always, all opinions are our own. Thank you for supporting brands that make GCG possible!