Abandoning the diaper is an important transition in the potty training process. During this transition, parents can often come across problems where they may find their child not responding to potty training, avoiding sitting on the potty, or unable to wear diapers at night. These problems can be dealt with or even avoided with the right guidance.

Here’s how you can go about losing the diaper.

Timing: How to know when

‘When’ you begin the training is as important as ‘how’ you begin it. Knowing the right time is imperative for a successful transition from wetting the diaper to using the potty. Most parents start potty training when the kid is around two years old. However, every child is unique, and some children even let go of the diaper somewhere at the age of 4. If your kid knows how to walk and how to sit down, you may go ahead and consider it as a sign to initiate potty training. Another sign worth considering is when your child imitates any habits of going to the bathroom or exhibits bladder control to the extent of being dry for 3-4 hours.

Equipment: How to choose the perfect one

Getting the right equipment for your kid will be a good start of the potty training process. In the beginning, you can let your child practice with a potty chair, before moving on to a potty seat. A potty seat is a special seat that can be attached to a regular-sized potty. Once your kid gets used to this seat, he or she will get more comfortable with the sitting posture and be free of any fears of falling off. Do remember to buy equipment of the appropriate size and height that will allow your child to brace himself or herself on the seat using their legs.

Positive Encouragement: How to go about it

Shower praises when your kid makes efforts during the training process. This will help create a positive atmosphere. Simply saying ‘Good job’ when your child doesn’t wet the bed or takes the efforts to inform you about going to the bathroom, will go a long way in building your kid’s confidence. Throw in gentle reminders during the day about visiting the bathroom, but try not to sound pushy about it. Ensure that you create a calm and learning atmosphere for the child during training.

Bedwetting: How to stop it naturally

Make a note of how often your kid wets the bed. This will give you an idea of the child’s bedwetting frequency. This frequency will be low during the day and high during the night since your child may not remember all the potty training instructions. What you can do is keep track of when your child wakes up to dry mornings, as it will be a sign that he or she is slowly getting used to going to the toilet. As the frequency of dry mornings increase, you may then make the switch from diaper to pants, explaining to your child why you are doing this. Remember, look out for signs, and do not rush.

Beginning the training on time, getting the right equipment, providing encouragement, and keeping track of your child’s bedwetting frequencies are some simple but important tips that can make abandoning the diaper a breeze for you and your child.