Pregnancy And Baby Care Baby Potty Training Early Potty Training

...learn to associate the act of potty with the potty chair, and thus become potty trained at an early age. There are others however, who oppose this view. According to them, in such cases, it is the parents who are actually potty trained, since they learn to recognize the signals that their baby needs to go potty. They feel that a baby of that age is incapable of understanding, when the bladder or bowel is full and needs to be evacuated. So, it also follows that they cannot control bladder or bowel motions, and will empty them whenever they feel full.

Research also shows that a baby’s neurological development progresses at a set pace. A child is usually two years of age by the time their neural pathway is sufficiently developed to carry signals from the bowel/bladder to the brain. Until the child reaches this stage, it is difficult to really potty train a child.

Signs of Early Potty Training

It is up to you to start potty training your child at whatever age you find most suitable. But here are a few tips to help you recognize signs that your child is ready for it.

Your baby:

• Is able to stay dry for 3 to 4 hours at a time.
• Wakes up dry in the morning or after an afternoon nap.
• Has regular bowel movements, at about the same time every day.
• Gives some indication that s/he is about to have a bowel or a bladder movement.
• Shows some discomfort when diaper is soiled or wet, and sometimes indicates that it should be changed.
• Can understand the association between using the potty and having dry pants.

Whether you wish to start potty training early or late for your child, just keep in mind that it should not become a power struggle. All children have their own differences and some may learn earlier or later. If you find that your baby is not yet ready, it would be better to drop it for the moment and start again after a few days or weeks.