You might find attending one of our NCT New Baby courses helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area.

A child's trainer seat that clips onto the toilet can help make your child feel safer and more confident on the toilet. A step for your child to rest their feet on gets your child in a good position for doing a poo. When the bowel gets overstretched, a child can stop feeling the urge to pass a poo. It also makes it harder for them to fully empty their bowel when they go to the toilet.

Teaching your child how to use a potty and feel comfortable around wee and poo gives them a gentle journey towards being independent from nappies. It also helps avoid many common potty training problems in the future. If your child completely refuses to potty train, isn’t able to grasp the concept, or if potty training is a constant battle, you might need to put it on hold. Take a breather for a few weeks and then try again when they’re ready. When should I start potty training at night? Your child will already have some of the key skills they need to make the move to pants and potty easier when you stop using nappies. Keep the potty around, and talk about wee and poo when you're changing nappies. Helping your child to learn through play Whatever stage your child is on their potty learning journey, stopping using nappies is a big change for them.

Our support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: 0300 330 0700. These words help to eliminate potty power struggles, shows trust in your child and gives them the confidence to listen for signals in their body and act on them. As best potty training books go this is a great one. Jamie tells it like it is and leaves room for error, because we're all learning. This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. Give your child a variety of foods, including plenty of fruit and vegetables, which are a good source of fibre. See what to feed young children.There may be times when it is more difficult for you to help your child use a potty or the toilet, for example if they are unwell or if they refuse to cooperate. Hiding their underwear. It’s very common for children to act as if they’re not bothered by their poo problem because they find it embarrassing and feel guilty.

Ask if they feel worried about using the potty or toilet – some children do not want to poo in certain situations, such as at nursery or school.

How do you know your child is ready for potty training? 

Many parents start to consider potty training when their child is around two or two and a half years old (ERIC, 2010). Yet because there is no set age, it all comes down to whether you think your little one is showing signs they are ready to potty train (NHS Choices, 2017). What are the signs my child is ready for potty training?

A potty (more than one ideally). Choose one that is low to the ground so your child can use it independently. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on anything fancy, it has to do one job well: catch wee and poo!You could see if your child is happy to sit on the potty for a moment, just to get used to it, when you're changing their nappy, especially when you're getting them dressed for the day or ready for bed at night. How to start potty training When you are ready, tell your child it is time to stop using nappies. You may like to help your child to say goodbye to their nappies and explain that from now on, they will do all their wee and poo in the potty or toilet. Disposable or washable potty training pants (also called pull-ups) can be handy when you start potty training and can give children confidence when it's time to swap nappies for "grown-up" pants. They do not soak up wee as well as disposable nappies, so your child will find it easier to tell when they are wet. Once they can stand, do nappy or pull-up changes standing up and involve them in cleaning up and flushing poo down the toilet. Talk to them whilst you're doing it so they begin to understand where wee and poo goes and the language we use for the toilet and how our body feels.